The Cruci Fiction

[Ilias Ahmad]

Christians believe that in order to redeem all of humanity, Jesus was put to death on the cross as a sacrifice to atone for all the sins of the world. Christians call Jesus the "Only-Begotten Son of God" and their "Savior". However, this is the evident paganization of Christianity. Throughout pagan history, they have always believed in "only-begotten saviors" who suffered or were sacrificed to atone for evil. Jesus only seems to be the latest adaptation to this classical pagan theme.

I will list some examples below:

Osiris: "The Egyptian Savior Osiris was gratefully regarded as the great exemplar of self-sacrifice, in giving his life for others" (Murray, Manual of Mythology, p. 348)

Horus: "As Horus Sneb, he is the Redeemer. He is the Lord of Life and the Eternal One" (Bonwick, Egyptian Belief, P. 185) "The Only-Begotten" (Mysteries of Adonai, p. 88)

Attis: who was called the "Only Begotten Son" (Knight, Ancient Art and Mythology, p. xxii.) and "Savior," was worshiped by the Phrygians (who were regarded as one of the oldest races of Asia Minor). He was represented by them as a man tied to a tree, at the foot of which was a lamb (Dupuls, Origin of Religious Belief, p. 255). He is also characterized as a man nailed to the tree, or stake, for we find Lactantius making this Apollo of Miletus (anciently, the greatest and the most flourishing city of Ionia, in Asia Minor) say that : "He was a mortal according to the flesh; wise in miraculous works; but being arrested by an armed force by command of the Chaldean judges (Sadducee like), he suffered a death made bitter with nails and stakes" (Dupuls, Origin of Religious Belief, vol. ii).

Bacchus: the offspring of Jupiter and Semele, was called the "Savior" (Knight, Anct. Art and Mythology, p. 98) He was called the "Only Begotten Son," the "Slain One" (Knight, Ancient Art and Mythology, p. xxii), the "Sin Bearer"(Bonwick, Egyptian Belief, p. 169), the "Redeemer" (Dupis, Origin of Religious Belief, p. 135)

Hercules: the son of Zeus, was called "The Savior" (Higgins, Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 322). The words "Hercules the Savior" were engraven on ancient coins and monuments (Celtic Druids, Taylor, Diegesis, p. 153). He was also called "The Only Begotten," and the "Universal Word." He was re-absorbed into God. He was said by Ovid to be the sun "Self-produced," the Generator and Ruler of all things, and the Father of time (Mysteries of Adonai, p. 91, and Higgins, Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 322)

Mithras: who was “Mediator between God and man� (Dunlap, Spirit History, pp. 237, 242) was also called “The Savior.� He was the peculiar god of the Persians, who believed that he had, by his sufferings, worked their salvation, and on this account he was called their “Savior� (Higgins, Anacalypsis, vol. ii, p. 20). He was also called “the Logos� (Dunlop, Son of Man, p. 20)

And there are many other examples, such as Hermes, Zoroaster, etc. These mythic figures come from all kinds of pagan backgrounds. Mithras is Persian, Hercules is Greek, Bacchus is Roman, Horus is Egyptian, etc. In addition, Hercules is the Son of Zeus, Bacchus the Son of Jupiter, and Horus the Son of Osiris. Hermes, a greek deity, was called the Logos (the Word) (Dunlap, Son of Man, p. 30). Attis was a Phrygian deity that was crucified on a tree. Christianity today is the largest and most successful pagan cult, but at the same time the most unoriginal.

The Christian concept of the crucifixion has many problems, historical as well as theological. According to the synoptic gospels, Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, but according to Gospel of Peter, he was crucified under Herod Antipas, the Jewish puppet king. Lies are often exposed through their inconsistent details.

[byofrcs]

.......
The Christian concept of the crucifixion has many problems, historical as well as theological. According to the synoptic gospels, Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, but according to Gospel of Peter, he was crucified under Herod Antipas, the Jewish puppet king. Lies are often exposed through their inconsistent details.

Huh ?. Pontius Pilate was the Roman representative whereas Herod Antipas was the actual ruler at the time. There does seem to be a jurisdictional issue but even today people end up stuck in the system bouncing between various government bodies. Where is the inconsistency in that ? To me it adds verisimilitude !.

I don't see that many problems with the Christian concept of the crucifixion. There probably was someone who was crucified (Romans did that to people) and they may or may not have been called Jesus. That really is kind of irrelevant because it's all the other stuff that is the fiction,

- They almost certainly wouldn't have come back to life unless they weren't killed very well,
- They are unlikely to have been the Son of God because there isn't any clear support for the existence of God,
- They are unlikely to have ascended into heaven (lack of evidence for heaven, or God).

I think that covers it.

[disciplex]

Christians believe that in order to redeem all of humanity, Jesus was put to death on the cross as a sacrifice to atone for all the sins of the world. Christians call Jesus the "Only-Begotten Son of God" and their "Savior". However, this is the evident paganization of Christianity. Throughout pagan history, they have always believed in "only-begotten saviors" who suffered or were sacrificed to atone for evil. Jesus only seems to be the latest adaptation to this classical pagan theme.

I will list some examples below:

Osiris: "The Egyptian Savior Osiris was gratefully regarded as the great exemplar of self-sacrifice, in giving his life for others" (Murray, Manual of Mythology, p. 348)

Horus: "As Horus Sneb, he is the Redeemer. He is the Lord of Life and the Eternal One" (Bonwick, Egyptian Belief, P. 185) "The Only-Begotten" (Mysteries of Adonai, p. 88)

Attis: who was called the "Only Begotten Son" (Knight, Ancient Art and Mythology, p. xxii.) and "Savior," was worshiped by the Phrygians (who were regarded as one of the oldest races of Asia Minor). He was represented by them as a man tied to a tree, at the foot of which was a lamb (Dupuls, Origin of Religious Belief, p. 255). He is also characterized as a man nailed to the tree, or stake, for we find Lactantius making this Apollo of Miletus (anciently, the greatest and the most flourishing city of Ionia, in Asia Minor) say that : "He was a mortal according to the flesh; wise in miraculous works; but being arrested by an armed force by command of the Chaldean judges (Sadducee like), he suffered a death made bitter with nails and stakes" (Dupuls, Origin of Religious Belief, vol. ii).

Bacchus: the offspring of Jupiter and Semele, was called the "Savior" (Knight, Anct. Art and Mythology, p. 98) He was called the "Only Begotten Son," the "Slain One" (Knight, Ancient Art and Mythology, p. xxii), the "Sin Bearer"(Bonwick, Egyptian Belief, p. 169), the "Redeemer" (Dupis, Origin of Religious Belief, p. 135)

Hercules: the son of Zeus, was called "The Savior" (Higgins, Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 322). The words "Hercules the Savior" were engraven on ancient coins and monuments (Celtic Druids, Taylor, Diegesis, p. 153). He was also called "The Only Begotten," and the "Universal Word." He was re-absorbed into God. He was said by Ovid to be the sun "Self-produced," the Generator and Ruler of all things, and the Father of time (Mysteries of Adonai, p. 91, and Higgins, Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 322)

Mithras: who was “Mediator between God and man� (Dunlap, Spirit History, pp. 237, 242) was also called “The Savior.� He was the peculiar god of the Persians, who believed that he had, by his sufferings, worked their salvation, and on this account he was called their “Savior� (Higgins, Anacalypsis, vol. ii, p. 20). He was also called “the Logos� (Dunlop, Son of Man, p. 20)

And there are many other examples, such as Hermes, Zoroaster, etc. These mythic figures come from all kinds of pagan backgrounds. Mithras is Persian, Hercules is Greek, Bacchus is Roman, Horus is Egyptian, etc. In addition, Hercules is the Son of Zeus, Bacchus the Son of Jupiter, and Horus the Son of Osiris. Hermes, a greek deity, was called the Logos (the Word) (Dunlap, Son of Man, p. 30). Attis was a Phrygian deity that was crucified on a tree. Christianity today is the largest and most successful pagan cult, but at the same time the most unoriginal.

Please explain to us why we should trust your references. The examples you listed seem to be made up by certain skeptics with an agenda against Christianity. The original mythologies don't verify what your references state.

[OnceConvinced]

Looks like he's been banned, so you won't get a reply.

[RND]

Christians believe that in order to redeem all of humanity, Jesus was put to death on the cross as a sacrifice to atone for all the sins of the world.

A sacrifice to appease an angry God? That's paganism.

And yet, I have to admit unfortunately that is what a lot of Christians believe.

Jhn 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Sounds to me it was done out of love, not for appeasement.

[Munchskreem]

Jhn 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Sounds to me it was done out of love, not for appeasement.

If it was out of love, did they have to kill Jesus? He's god. Couldn't he have simply snapped his fingers and wiped the sin away without a middleman? It's that intermediary step that makes me wonder, and it really does make the whole thing seem like a metaphor for a blood sacrifice. It's odd that most Christians don't realize that the concept of atonement only makes sense in a very ancient Jewish kind of way.