The Babylon Connection? [Paperback]

Ralph Woodrow (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

In my earlier Christian experience, certain literature fell into my hands which claimed paganism had been mixed into Christianity. While the Roman Catholic Church was usually the target, it seemed other churches had also been contaminated by customs and beliefs for which pagan parallels could be found.

"The Two Babylons" by Alexander Hislop (1807-1862), with its alarming subtitle, "the papal worship proved to be the worship of Nimrod and his wife," was THE textbook on which much of this teaching was based. Over the years, this book has impacted the thinking of many people-ranging all the way from those in radical cults to very dedicated Christians who hunger for a move of God and are concerned about anything that might hinder that flow. Its basic premise is that the pagan religion of ancient Babylon has continued to our day, in disguise, as the Roman Catholic Church and is described in the book of Revelation as "Mystery Babylon the Great"-thus, the idea of TWO Babylons, one ancient, and on modern. Because Hislop's book is very detailed, having a multitude of notes and references, I assumed, as did many others, it was factual. We quoted "Hislop" as an authority on paganism, jut like "Webster" might be quoted on word definitions.

As a young evangelist I began to share a sermon on the mixture of paganism into Christianity, and eventually wrote a book based on Hislop-"Babylon Mystery Religion." In time, my book became quite popular, went through many printings, and was translated into Korean, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and several other languages. I came to be regarded by some as an authority on the subject of pagan mixture. Even a noted Roman Catholic writer, Karl Keating, said: "Its best-known proponent is Ralph Woodrow, author of 'Babylon Mystery Religion'."

Many preferred my book over "The Two Babylons" because it was easier to read and follow. Sometimes the two books were confused with each other. Letters in a steady flow were received praising my book. Only occasionally would there be a dissenting voice. ONE WHO DISAGREED was Scott Klemm, a high school history teacher in southern California. Being a Christian, and appreciating other things I had written, he began to show me EVIDENCE THAT HISLOP WAS NOT A RELIABLE HISTORIAN. As a result, I realized that I needed to go back through Hislop's work, my basic source, and prayerfully check it out!

As I did this, it became clear-Hislop's "history" was often only mythology. Even though myths may sometimes reflect events that actually happened, an arbitrary piecing together of ancient myths can not provide a sound basis for history. Take enough tribes, enough tales, enough time, jump from one time to another, from one country to another, pick and choose similarities-why anything could be "proved"!

The concern about not having anything pagan in our lives can be likened to a ship crossing a vast ocean. This concern has taken us in the right direction, but as we come to a better understanding as to what is actually pagan and what is not, a correction of the course is necessary in our journey. This is not a going back, but a correction of the course as we follow "the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day" (Prov. 4:18).

Although we challenge some of Hislop's claims in THE BABYLON CONNECTION?-this is not intended as an attack against him personally. As far as we know, he was a dedicated Christian, a brother in Christ. Nor is it our goal in writing this book to merely discredit another book. Instead, it is our desire that this effort will help us understand "the way of God more perfectly" (cf. Acts 18:26), find a biblical balance, and glorify Him who said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).

From the Back Cover

THE BABYLON CONNECTION? shows that claims about Babylonian origins often lack connection, takes a closer look at the oft-quoted THE TWO BABYLONS by Alexander Hislop, and provides some much needed clarification on this subject. Was Nimrod a deformed, ugly black man, married to Semiramis, a beautiful white woman with blue eyes and blond hair? Was Semiramis the originator of Soprano singing and priestly celibacy? Was she the mother of Tammuz? Is the cross a symbol of Tammuz? Are round communion wafers sun-symbols?

Are candles, black clergy garments, the letters I.H.S., the fish symbol, halos, and church steeples of pagan origin? Does the Pope wear a crown with 666 on it? Was the papal mitre copied from the fishhead of Dagon? Does the Book of Revelation describe the Roman Catholic Church as "Mystery Babylon"?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 122 pages
• Publisher: Ralph Woodrow (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0916938174
• ISBN-13: 978-0916938178
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #319,691 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is how a true Christian operates!, August 31, 2001

By 

David Zampino "21st Century Hobbit" (Delavan, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Babylon Connection? (Paperback)

Many years ago, Ralph Woodrow made a serious mistake. In his earnest desire to root out paganism in the Body of Christ, he took extremely seriously the work of the late Alexander Hislop "The Two Babylons". Mr. Woodrow took this work so seriously that he wrote his own work "Babylon Mystery Religion". Being that Mr. Woodrow is a 20th century American, rather than a 19th century Englishman, many American readers found his work more accessible than Rev. Hislop's.

Then, something happened. Mr. Woodrow discovered, through a long process of prayer and historical research, that Rev. Hislop's book was inaccurate -- inaccurate to the point of being fraudulant. Mr. Woodrow COULD have taken the easy way out. After all, anti-Catholic books sell like hotcakes in certain sectors.

But Mr. Woodrow has the true integrity of a Christian gentleman. When he discovered -- beyond a shadow of a doubt -- that the information in his earlier work was incorrect, he withdrew that book from publication (at some personal expense) and wrote this volume to explain the whys and wherefores.

The result was predictable. Many of Mr. Woodrow's "friends" turned on him. (Just take a look at the tenor of some of the other reviews, and you'll see what I mean!) But other Christians, recognizing integrity in a man (whom they still disagree with on other issues -- like myself) choose to give credit where credit is due.

Now I am not a Roman Catholic -- and never have been. But as a trained historian, I have been shocked and saddened at much of what purports to be research directed against the Catholic Church. I'm glad to see one man willing to say "I was wrong".

God bless you, Mr. Woodrow. May you increase in faith and godly wisdom.

36 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars courageous devotion to real history, August 23, 2005

By 

Yohanes Fikre-Selassie - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Babylon Connection? (Paperback)

Marcus Garvey said a people without knowledge of their history is like a tree without roots. The same is true for people who believe FALSE histories like the ones presented in Alexander Hislop's "Two Babylons" & Ralph Woodrow's "Babylon Mystery Religion"; people who believe such false histories are like a house built on sand.

As a previous reviewer said, it takes a very honest, very humble, and very courageous man to not only admit his mistakes, but publicly refute them. This book proves Woodrow's honesty, humility, and courage. I do hope, like that earlier reviewer, that this brave effort will inspire other pseudo-historians to get on the right track.

After reading this book, readers should begin to read the actual writings of ancient Christians directly. Start with "Early Christian Writings" translated by Andrew Louth and published by Penguin (ISBN: 0140444750). Be sure to check out "On the Incarnation: The Treatise De Incarnatione Verbi Dei" by Athanasius of Alexandria (ISBN: 0913836400). Secondary literature should include "Early Christian Doctrines" by J.N.D. Kelly (ISBN: 006064334X), "The Cruelty of Heresy: An Affirmation of Christian Orthodoxy" by C. Fitzsimons Allison (ISBN: 0819215139), "Reading Scripture With the Church Fathers" by Christopher A. Hall (ISBN: 0830815007), "Learning Theology With the Church Fathers" by Christopher A. Hall (ISBN: 0830826866), and the "Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture" series.

43 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This Book is Based on a Bogus Premise, January 21, 2009

By 

Daniel - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Babylon Connection? (Paperback)

Count the works cited in the bibliography of Mr. Woodrow's original book, "Mystery Babylon Religion". You will find over 80 different sources. Now Mr. Woodrow writes a whole book (this one) in an effort to discredit his first book and the approach he takes is to call the scholarship of only 1 (Hislop) of his 80+ sources into question. What about all the other 79+ sources? Hello? Wouldn't he have to discredit ALL of them? Isn't that an obvious point?

That one can pick up any encyclopedia, even a Catholic one and see that these practices are rooted in paganism proves that Mr. Woodrow was right the first time.

As for all you Catholic apologists that I see making comments here, is the New Catholic Encyclopedia a good enough reference for you? In the 2003 edition, vol. 3, article on "Christmas and it's Cycle" we read the following quotes:

"...the origins of the Nativity feast may be found in a series of striking parallels between the heliocentric religion of the late Roman Empire and the Christmas feast: 1) December 25 was the date of the winter soltice on the Julian calendar. As monotheism made in-roads into Roman culture, the solstice was celebrated as the birthday of the sun god: first MITHRAS, a private cult of male devotees imported from Persia, and later Sol Invictus, who was placed at the head of the pantheon of official Roman state gods by the emporer Aurelian in 274 as a symbolic representation of centralized imperial power. 2) Since the Nativity feast was instituted no earlier than 243, and no later than 336, this would have coincided with the rise of imperial solar worship."

"...Christmas represents an appropriation by Christians of the Roman feast of the birth of the Invincible Sun at the winter solstice,"

These quotes are word for word from a Catholic source, openly admitting their practice of adopting pagan practices and adding it to the religion of Christ. This is from the horse's mouth, so to speak. But where did God ever say that we are to do such a thing - to mix in paganism with what He has commanded? If you have "The Church" and their human leaders (who claim to speak on behalf of God) as your ultimate authority, then it will be no problem for you when they do such things as mixing in paganism, which God has expressly forbidden in His word, the Bible. But if your ultimate authority is God Himself and you wish to follow Him, then you will follow what the scriptures say and you will reject the assertions of usurpers who claim to speak on behalf of God and who utter contrary pronouncements. No, the Catholic Church does not have the authority to change what the word of God says. We will all be judged by those very same words of God at the judgement seat of Christ. So take heed and act accordingly.