Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The_Unknown_Banana · 06-09-2003, 03:33 PM

Hope this is the right forum to put this in :P

Taken from http://www.prs.org/gallery-classic.htm.
Has some striking similarities, I'm just wondering if anyone knows how authentic this information is?:

Quote:

In the initiation of the Bacchic Mysteries, the role of Bacchus is played by the candidate who, set upon by priests in the guise of the Titans, is slain and finally restored to life amidst great rejoicing. The Bacchic Mysteries were given every three years, and like the Eleusinian Mysteries, were divided into two degrees. The initiates were crowned with myrtle and ivy, plants which were sacred to Bacchus.

In the Anacalypsis, Godfrey Higgins conclusively establishes Bacchus (Dionysos) as one of the early pagan forms of the Christos myth: "The birthplace of Bacchus, called Sabazius or Sabaoth, was claimed by several places in Greece; but on Mount Zelmisus, in Thrace, his worship seems to have been chiefly celebrated. He was born of a virgin on the 25th of December; he performed great miracles for the good of mankind; particularly one in which he changed water into wine; he rode in a triumphal procession on an ass; he was put to death by the Titans, and rose again from the dead on the 25th of March: he was always called the Saviour. In his mysteries, he was shown to the people, as an infant is by the Christians at this day, on Christmas Day morning in Rome."

At one time the Bacchic Rites were of a high order, but later they became much degraded. The Bacchanalia, or orgies of Bacchus, are famous in literature. MPH

lpetrich · 06-09-2003, 04:34 PM

I think that this belongs in Biblical Criticism & Archaeology, but I'll take a stab at it.

Some of it looks like it could be a reverse influence, like riding a donkey and being resurrected in late March.

But what primary sources does that source discuss? Especially sources that date to before Xtianity or at most to Xtianity's first century or so. Sources like Euripides's The Bacchae.

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06-09-2003, 04:34 PM	#2
lpetrich Contributor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Lebanon, OR, USA Posts: 16,829	I think that this belongs in Biblical Criticism & Archaeology, but I'll take a stab at it. Some of it looks like it could be a reverse influence, like riding a donkey and being resurrected in late March. But what primary sources does that source discuss? Especially sources that date to before Xtianity or at most to Xtianity's first century or so. Sources like Euripides's The Bacchae.

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