mountainman

Jesus Christ: A Fiction Founded Upon the Life of Apollonius of Tyana (or via: amazon.co.uk) by Michael Faraday (1888), and also available via google books is interesting for a number of reasons. Firstly as disclosed in the amazon reviews there is a big question as to who this Michael Faraday was. Was it the physicist (and a posthumus publication) or someone with the same name

Secondly the book seems to be similar to another book from the 19th century called Antiquity Unveiled - Ancient Voices from the Spirit Realms Proving Christianity to be of Heathen Origin (or via: amazon.co.uk) by J. M. Roberts. Both books seem to be written about "spirit voices" with names from the past which are used as instruments by the authors to present a different picture of past events.

As we all know the authors of the new testament and the early church fathers until just after the beginning of the second century were all used as instruments of the "Holy Spirit".

Another author who has written a book on the same subject is Dr. R. W. Bernard. He wrote - Apollonius of Tyana the Nazarene (1964). This publication is online and this author outlines the: "fraudulent replacement of the original religion of Apollonius by the "new" religion of the Church of Rome which took place at the Council of Nicea in the year 325 CE.


The author then goes on to explain ...

The word "new" here is significant. It clearly indicates that at the beginning of the fourth century, Christianity, as created by the Council of Nicea, was indeed a new religion, and was preceded by the religion established by Apollonius three centuries previously, which may be more properly called Essenism, a form of Neo-Pythagoreanism in character, the new doctrines which Apollonius brought from India and introduced among the Essenes, which gave rise to the new sect known as the NAZARENES or THERAPEUTS, whose doctrines were essentially Buddhist in nature.) Since this date humanity has been led astray. It is the purpose of this book to correct this historic error and to bring humanity back to the truth, so that, purged by the recent suffering, mankind once more will return to the true scientific path of natural, healthful and humane living taught by the great Pythagorean philosopher, Apollonius of Tyana, nearly two thousand years ago.

εὐδαιμονία | eudaimonia

Chili

Right, "Essenism" is Essenes gallivanting about without a central core of direction, like in India with sages popping up all over the place also without a pyramid model in place to built the civilization on. And their greats were truly great, but what did they do for India in the end without a central core to harvest them?

The Therapeuts were holy rollers who claim to have the gift of healing, as did Billy Graham, just as so many other 'zappee's' did, do, and always as that is what they call one of the 'greater gifts' of the HS, and everybody wants one of those, why not? And don't you see? . . . they feel the urge to heal!

The Nazarenes come in different flavors too. The Gospels tell you even that James (as Matthew's Jesus) was not a true Nazarite and back to Gallilee he goes to get fried some more and eventually will die, nonetheless! and with no doubt about it, as the Jews knew them very well and cautioned Pilate even that that would happen to 'this' one.

And now he says: "Since this date [fourth century] humanity has been led astray," while he forgets that the Reformation crashed the high culture that they built, and now, some 500 years later when their entropy inside the soul of man is wearing pretty thin he also begins to feel the pain and wants to blame the Catholics for that.

In fact Pete, what we have in America today is much like what they had when they went to India for advice and ended up with Buddism instead. We here now with 20.000 protestant denominations wearing pretty thin Buddhism is also popular again, and so is Islam, as if new brooms sweep cleen because we do not know fuck all about either one.

spin

Also by R.W. Bernard M.D.:

The Hollow Earth: The Greatest Geographical Discovery in History Made by Admiral Richard E. Byrd in the Mysterious Land Beyond the Poles- The True Origin of the Flying Saucers (or via: amazon.co.uk)

and Flying Saucers from the Earth's Interior (or via: amazon.co.uk)

:tomato:

wordy

As a naive bystander one get curious on if this
Apollonius of Tyana has more historic evidence for him
than what Jesus have? Or is he a myth too?

Suppose Apollonius of Tyana can be shown to have really existed
and that texts can be reliably referred to to be in his style?

What is it that makes his views fail of Jesus is based on him and works?
Can NeoPagans somehow resurrect I mean reconstruct him then?

I find it interesting but realize that it would include a lot of reading
to catch up on what views he had. Do we know him went to India?
Could not that be a myth?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollonius_of_Tyana

thief of fire

So....was the book crap...or was it good?

Vorkosigan

ROFL:

http://www.ourhollowearth.com/Bernard/Index.htm
""Dedicated To the Future Explorers of the New World that exists beyond North and South Poles in the hollow interior of the Earth. Who will Repeat Admiral Byrd's historic Flight for 1,700 Miles beyond the North Pole and that of his Expedition for 2,300 Miles beyond the South Pole, entering a New Unknown Territory not shown on any map, covering an immense land area whose total size is larger than North America, consisting of forests, mountains, lakes, vegetation and animal life.""

The meat is in chapter 7:

Chapter 7: The Subterranean Origin of the Flying Saucers
Part 7.1: The Subterranean Origin of the Flying Saucers
Part 7.2: Agharta, The Subterranean World
Part 7.3: The Flight to the Land Beyond the North Pole
Part 7.4: Underground Cities

Here is the complete list of his works.
http://www.ourhollowearth.com/Bernard/WorksList.htm

Vork

wordy

Yes it can feel fun to ridicule the Hollow Earth believers.

But we derail the thread which is about Apollonius of Tyana
as a template or inspiration for teh creation of the Jesus Myth.

what if that is true? Have nothing to do with Hollow Earth at all

So let us get back in track here.

What is it about Jesus that made that story survive
and that the story about Apollonius of Tyana to almost get lost?

Toto

That's the problem. In the 19th century, there were people who listened to spirits as a source of truth. Theosophy was built around what spirits allegedly told Madame Blavatsky. These writers thought they were channeling ancient knowledge. We now think that they were reporting their unfiltered subconscious thoughts.

Theosophists wrote a bit about Apollonios and his similarities to Jesus:

Theosophy pamphlet

If Jesus was based on Apollonios, none of these sources are good or sufficient evidence.

stephan huller

spin,

I haven't laughed like that since I was twelve. Just when you thought you had heard the craziest thesis ever.

Stephan

Cheerful Charlie

Long ago I read Philostratus's biography of Apollonius. He seems to have rather impressed a lot of people in his day and age.

But he did not promise a way to obtain salvation, eternal life in heaven etc. Which Apparently is what you have to do to form a truly lasting cult. Jesus, Mohammed, Joseph Smith, L. Ron Hubbard, et al.

Apollonius became a favorite of the woo-woo crowd, blavatsky's Theosophists, spiritualist churches and so on. Proof that you to could work miracles if you became sufficiently "spiritually advanced".

My favorite Apollonius tale, summoned to the court of ann angry Diocletian, Appolloius disappeard physically from the court in front of many witnesses, only to be seen that day 200 miles away. The point being how tales of such things are easily created and credited.

Cheerful Charlie