Anti-Creedance Front

I'm sure there's been tons of topics about this by now. Zoroaster, Mithra, Amon, El, Baal, etc. etc. But do people realize that it all fits together? Genesis, often compared to the Enuma Elish, obviously came from Sumer, because Abraham was from Ur, and Israel/Canaan could be argued as a Mesopotamian country in the first place. The other parts are due to conquering empires. Just as De Los de La Muertes came about after the introduction of Christianity in Mexico, pagan culture influenced Judeo-Christian theology. Paganism didn't simply influence it though, it gave birth to it in a way. The religions of the book are a mishmash of pagan legends.

As I was saying, conquering empires created the larger part of Christianity and Islam. Zoroastrianism came into it when Persia took over Israel and enforced its religion upon the nation around 500 BC. Mithraism can be attributed to firstly Rome, then to Paul of Tarsus. It's a widely known fact that Israel was a state under Rome by the name of Judea, as written in the Bible. It would be stupid to say that Rome didn't have religious influence on Judea.

Just as Christian and Muslim "empires" today have spread their culture around, making it popular, Roman paganism was probably the only acceptable religious following. Coupled with that influence, Paul "coincidentally" originated from Tarsus, the major center of Mithraism in Cilicia. I heard even a Christian argue that Jesus was simply trying to make a reform movement among the Jews until Paul came along. Paul wasn't even an ethnic Jew, he was a Turk (or whoever was living in that region at the time). So essentially anyone who follows the Bible is not truly a Christian, but a member of a religion formed by Paul, not by Jesus. I hope to get more discussion started on this topic. Hope you guys contribute.

Hex

Just to add more to your arguement about the mish-mosh of Xianity, throw in that the Ptolemyic (sp?) cults of Serapis, Isis & Horus represent what might be the first influance of a 'Trinity' that was popular in the 'Hellenistic World' of the time.

And I fully agree, Paul (a Hellenized Jew) was a master spin doctor. If you ever feel the need for masochism, listen to your local Xian station. Most of the time they're talking about/refering back to Paul's letters to the earlyu churches and telling them what Xianity 'really is' ...

Basically, there are probably no real Xians out there and millions of 'Paulists' ...

- Hex

happyboy

of course christianity borrowed virtually everything from other religions: the virgin birth, the whole "water into wine" trick, the whole ressurection schtick, celebrating christ's birthday on dec. 25th, and so on and so forth.

happyboy

Sojourner553

Sounds like you are well informed.

But point out even OBVIOUS connections to paganism and no one still cares. Such as:

*Christmas was Mithra's birthday, not Jesus' birthday.

*Where does the Easter bunny come from?

*Where is their scriptural authority from worshipping on Sunday (Mithra's day of worship) instead of Saturday (mandated by God in the OT as THE day of worship.)

Sojourner

Sandslice

(Sojourner)
~~~*Where does the Easter bunny come from?

*Where is their scriptural authority from worshipping on Sunday (Mithra's day of worship) instead of Saturday (mandated by God in the OT as THE day of worship.)~~~

The "Easter" bunny (and "Easter" eggs) are actually symbols attached to the mythology of Eostre, Celtic goddess of spring, worshipped primarily at the equinox. A simple corruption of the name confused the poor Celts enough that Patrick could do his snake-charming. Ach!

As to Sunday, check 1Cor 16:1-2, Romans 14, and Colossians 2. In short, an xian interpretation of biblical Paulianity caused the shift. (I don't know enough about mithraism to comment on it.)

(Basically, if sabbath is Saturday, then Sunday is the "first day of the week.")