I do not see why you think there is a difference between Religon and curry, surely you, Ramon being an atheist (or at least anti-orginised religion), see religion as any more than a social construct that gives character and individuality to a society in much the same way as cuisine, politcical stances, forms of entertainment - all types of culture.
Curry is a tangible thing. Religion is an intangible belief like say brlief in the Easter Bunny (hmm maybe they assimilated that as well).
The RC church may not admit that it assimilated them but that is NOT stealing. The RC church has indeed questioned over its history the truth behind their saints. Look at the defrocking of St Christopher.
Yes, it has gotten rid of a few Saints, but NOT (I can do that as well) the "powerful" ones.
You make it sound like the RC church had a systematic and controlled policy of assimilation rather than the hap-hazard way that Xtianity spread.
I dont see how you took that from a couple of sentences unless you were spoiling for a fight.
It wasn't as if the church trundled into Ireland and said 'We'll take this as OUR saint'. More likely the Irish converts continued telling the stories of their mythology but gave them Christian overtones - as any story that has travelled through a cultural change would.
Well I reckon its more a case of the RCC finding it easier to control the locals if they robbed the local deities. Once they were assimilated, it was a crime against god to suggest that there had ever been a time when they hadnt been part of the church.
Then sometime later a visiting monk who is travelling the world collecting stories of saints in order to create a cataloge visits Ireland and comes across the story of St Brigid. Not knowing the pagan origins of the saint he records it and St Brigid becomes a vatican recognised saint.
I have no idea what you base this on.
You simplify the spread of Christianity far too much Ramon.
Nah, you just like to argue.