ZEITGEIST: The Movie The same old slander revamped for the digital age.
This essay is written to point out and explain all of the falsehoods in Zeitgeist: The Movie, part 1. We will investigate the alleged similarities between Jesus and other deities which leave critics speculating aspects of Jesus‟ life were borrowed from other figures of antiquity. After examining the actual texts of the religions in question most similarities will be found to not even exist and to have been fabricated by authors who prey upon the reader‟s ignorance of foreign religions. This is not to say that the various institutions of Christianity, and all religions, have not been corrupted over the years. Indeed, Protestantism was formed because of corruption in the Church, and several aspects of it persist today because of corruption in their televised leaders. These institutions have lost their path from the original teachings of Jesus as they are known for their constant infighting and disagreements. The Roman Catholic Church however, while known for its persistent teaching of morals, virtue, and atonement, is in the same boat in many ways. High members of the Church have the horrible stain of child abuse for which not enough has been done. This is a clear sign of the workings of Satan in the Church, but do not be fooled into thinking this is a problem only in the Catholic Church. It is everywhere. What is important is the purity of the message of Jesus. Christ says clearly that many not in the grace and friendship of God will belong to His Church. He likened that Church to a net holding good and bad fish (Matt. XIII, 47-48.) The net was to be quite good, but there would be bad fish within it. It was to be as a field with cockle and wheat growing side by side (XIII, 24-30.) It is clear that though it be an institution founded by Christ, it will not be without the weakness of man. The survival and continued growth of The Church, however, is clear testament to its divinity. In The Church, as in all things, we are the ones who must live to proper moral standards, and it is only a sign of the times that such corruption has gotten so deep. Despite this, the message of Jesus remains unchanged. As mentioned in the introduction to Zeitgeist: The Movie, “The more you being to investigate… the more you being to see we’ve been lied to.” Don‟t look at the face of the lie and accept it, the lie is there to keep you from learning the truth. The truth of the message of The Church. It‟s also important to note that while the author wrote the introduction from a biased standpoint, he did his utmost to write the essence of the paper from an objective standpoint. During the course of research for this paper, the writer spent several months in libraries, both digital and public, cross referencing everything he could find to look into the claims of both sides of the argument. In the course of events I found that not only are none of the arguments brought forth in Zeitgeist: The Movie new, but that they had all been debunked several times over and, just as the 9/11 myths cannot stand up to scrutiny, neither can the claims in Zeitgeist: The Movie part 1. I owe a big debt of gratitude to the extraordinary research and documentation done by the people at http://www.thedevineevidence.com/jesus_similarities.html, the bulk of whose work is quoted directly in this essay.
An important thing to note when debunking the claims of Zeitgeist: The Movie, is that very few, if any, of his sources are original texts. The first deity the movie attempts to compare to Jesus is Horus. From the movie transcript at http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/transcript.htm we find the following claims.
“Broadly speaking, the story of Horus is as follows: Horus was born on December 25th of the virgin Isis-Meri. His birth was accompanied by a star in the east, which in turn, three kings followed to locate and adorn the new-born savior. At the age of 12, he was a prodigal child teacher, and at the age of 30 he was baptized by a figure known as Anup and thus began his ministry. Horus had 12 disciples he traveled about with, performing miracles such as healing the sick and walking on water. Horus was known by many gestural names such as The Truth, The Light, God's Annointed Son, The Good Shepherd, The Lamb of God, and many others. After being betrayed by Typhon, Horus was crucified, buried for 3 days, and thus, resurrected.“
According to Egyptian mythology, Horus was originally believed to be the son of Ra and Hathor and the
husband/brother of Isis. Later he was seen as the son of Osiris and Isis, once Hathor and Isis were merged into one being. Horus was considered the sky, sun, and moon god represented by a man with the head of falcon. VIRGIN BIRTH There are two separate birth accounts in regards to Horus (neither depict a virgin birth): Version 1: Hathor, the motherly personification of the milky way, is said to have conceived Horus but we are told her husband, Ra, was an Egyptian sun god. Hathor (a sky goddess) was represented by the cow whose milk brought forth the milky way. By the will of her husband Ra, she gave birth to Horus: "I, Hathor of Thebes, mistress of the goddesses, to grant to him a coming forth into the presence [of the god]... Hathor of Thebes, who was incarnate in the form of a cow and a woman." Source and Source Version 2: When we examine Isis as Horus' mother, we are told Isis was not a virgin, but the widow of Osiris. Isis practices magic to raise Osiris from the dead so she can bear a son that would avenge his death. Isis then becomes pregnant from the sperm of her deceased husband. Again, no virgin birth occurs: "[Isis] made to rise up the helpless members [penis] of him whose heart was at rest, she drew from him his essence [sperm], and she made therefrom an heir [Horus]." Source and Source THE FATHER AND SON UNITY Critics suggest the Christian trinity was adapted from the notion of Osiris, Ra, and Horus being one god in essence. Because Horus was born after the death of Osiris, it came to be believed he was the resurrection, or reincarnation, of Osiris: "He avengeth thee in his name of 'Horus, the son who avenged his father." Source Throughout the centuries, the Egyptians eventually considered Osiris and Horus as one and the same. However, this son-as-the-father comparison more closely resembles the metamorphosis of Hathor into Isis than it does the Christian trinity. We see Horus first as the son of Ra, then being the equivalent of Ra, then Ra finally becoming just an aspect of Horus. Similar to Hathor and Isis, we simply see a merger of one being into another. In Egyptian mythology, each god had a distinct beginning by being conceived from other gods. In Christian theology, God and Jesus always existed as one and the same, neither having a beginning or an end. Jesus' birth did not represent His creation- only His advent in human from. Furthermore, the father-son concept was not created by first-century Christians. Prophecies in the Old Testament referred to the future Messiah as the Son of God up to 1,000 years before the birth of Christ. I Chronicles 17:13-14 CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION Horus is never said to have been crucified, nevertheless to have died. The only connection we can make to Horus being resurrected is if we consider the eventual merger of Horus and Osiris. But such a theory results in a catch 22, apparently noticed by the Egyptians as they later altered their beliefs to fix the contradictions. In the Egyptian tale, Osiris is either dismembered by Set in battle or sealed in a chest and drowned in the Nile. Isis then pieces Osiris' body back together and resurrects Osiris to conceive an heir that will avenge Osiris' death (although technically Osiris is never actually resurrected as he is forbidden to return to the world of the living). Source and Source
"[Set] brought a shapely and decorated chest, which he had caused to be made according to the measurements of the king's body... Set proclaimed that he would gift the chest unto him whose body fitted its proportions with exactness... Then Osiris came forward. He lay down within the chest, and he filled it in every part. But dearly was his triumph won in that dark hour which was his doom. Ere he could raise his body, the evil followers of Set sprang suddenly forward and shut down the lid, which they nailed fast and soldered with lead. So the richly decorated chest became the coffin of the good king Osiris, from whom departed the breath of life." Source BORN ON THE 25TH OF DECEMBER Horus' birth was actually celebrated during the month of Khoiak, (October/November). Though some critics claim Horus was born during the winter solstice, this shows more of a relationship to other pagan religions which considered the solstices sacred. TWELVE DISCIPLES Superficially this similarity seems accurate until we see Horus' "disciples" were not disciples at all- they were the twelve signs of the zodiac which became associated with Horus, a sky god. However Jesus' disciples were actual men who lived and died, whose writings exist to this day, and whose lives are recorded by historians. Because Horus' "disciples" were merely signs of the zodiac, they never taught his philosophy or spread his teachings. The fact that there are twelve signs of the zodiac (twelve months) as compared to Jesus' twelve apostles is a coincidence. Twelve is a powerful number and who am I to judge divine plans. MOUNTAINTOP ENCOUNTER Critics point out the similarity of both Jesus and Horus having an encounter on a mountaintop with their enemies. Instead of dissecting this piece by piece, I will simply give each version of events and let the reader observe the (obvious) differences: Jesus: After Jesus completes His fast in the wilderness, Satan tries to tempt Jesus by offering Him all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus agrees to worship him, but Jesus refuses. Matthew 4:1-11 Horus: During battle, Horus rips off one of Set's testicles while Set (sometimes called Seth) gorges out Horus' eye. Set later tries to prove his dominance by initiating intercourse with Horus. Horus catches Set's semen in his hand and throws it into a nearby river. Horus later masturbates and spreads his semen over lettuce which Set consumes. Both Set and Horus stand before the gods to proclaim their right to rule Egypt. When Set claims dominance over Horus, his semen is found in the river. When Horus' dominance is considered, his semen is found within Set so Horus is granted rule over Egypt: "O that castrated one! O this man! O he who hurries him who hurries, among you two! These- this first corporation of the company of the justified... Was born before the eye of Horus was plucked out, before the testicles of Set were torn away." Source "It is the day on which Horus fought with Set, who cast filth in the face of Horus, and when Horus destroyed the powers of Set." Source "Then [Set] appeared before the divine council and claimed the throne. But the gods gave judgment that Horus was the rightful king, and he established his power in the land of Egypt, and became a wise and strong ruler like to his father Osiris." Source Skeptic Interjection: Does the similarity between the names Set and Satan hold any significance? Answer: Set's variant names include Seth, Sutekh, Setesh, and Seteh. The root Set is usually considered to translate into dazzler or stable pillar. The different suffixes of his name add the meanings majestic, supreme, and desert. The name Satan comes from the Semitic root Stn which represents opposition. Before his fall, Satan's original name was Lucifer, or angel of light. The term Satan represents a general adversary, hence his accepted identity. Though both names consist of an S and a T, their meanings have nothing in common. The spellings are only a result of the original root words which represent their character. Source and Source SIMILAR TITLES Critics allege Horus held similar titles used to identify Jesus such as Messiah, Savior, Son of Man, Good Shepherd, Lamb of God, The Way, the Truth, the Light, and Living Word. However I can find no evidence of any of these names ever being used in reference to Horus. I am especially suspicious of the word Messiah since it is Hebrew in origin. IN CONCLUSION We can see the differences between Jesus and Horus far outweigh any superficial correlations. In addition, we can see that when the narrator says the words “Broadly speaking…” he takes the term to a whole new level.
At this point the Narrator goes in a quick fired list of other deities and their similarities. Again from the Zeitgeist movie transcript we find: “Attis, of Phyrigia, born of the virgin Nana on December 25th, crucified, placed in a tomb and after 3 days, was resurrected.”
Attis was worshipped as a deity in what is known today as modern Turkey, with his cult later spreading throughout the Roman Empire. Most of the alleged similarities between Attis and Jesus appear to either be manipulated or completely fabricated. After reading this section, I am sure you will agree that the Jesus-Attis allegations are the most absurd of all. DECEMBER 25TH Many religious festivals were consolidated into one holiday to coincide with the winter solstice. Christmas is only celebrated on December 25th due to this tradition. This argument already proves to be insignificant as there is nothing in the Scriptures which mentions this date.Furthermore, there is no mention of this date having any relation to Attis- he is associated with the annual return of spring. VIRGIN BIRTH According to the legend, Agdistis, a hermaphroditic monster, arises from the earth as a descendant of Zeus. Agdistis gives birth to the Sangarius river which brings forth the nymph, Nana, who either holds an almond to her breast and becomes impregnated by the almond or sits beneath a tree where an almond falls into her lap and impregnates her. Nana later abandons the child who is raised by a goat. We are left to assume Attis was conceived from an almond seed which fell from a tree as a result of Zeus' spilled semen. CRUCIFIXION This similarity is completely false. Attis castrates himself beneath a pine tree after he is made to go insane before his wedding by Agdistis when the he-she becomes enamoured with him. His blood flows onto the ground from his severed organ and brings forth a patch of violets. Critics try to associate Attis' death beneath a tree with Jesus' death on a "tree." They also try to connect Jesus' blood pouring from his wounds with Attis' blood flow caused by his auto-castration. RESURRECTION In one version, Agdistis is overcome with remorse for her actions and requests Zeus to preserve the beautiful corpse of Attis so it never decomposes. No resurrection occurs for Attis. In another account, Agdistis and The Great Mother (or Cybele) carry the pine tree back to a cave where they both mourn the death of Attis. Again, no resurrection. The resurrection story doesn't surface until much later when Attis is transformed into a pine tree. ATONING FOR SIN Critics claim Attis was slain for the salvation of mankind but there is no evidence of this. We are told Attis was originally a tree spirit representing a god of vegetation. His death and transformation into a pine tree represented plant life which dies in the winter only to bloom again in the spring. The first mention of Attis in relation to being a savior doesn't appear until 6th century A.D.- way too late to be considered an inspiration to Christianity. TOMB BURIAL The only reference regarding a tomb burial is when Attis (as a pine tree) is carried to the cave of The Great Mother. But the cave is her home- not a burial tomb. FATHER-SON UNITY Again, no such relationship exists. The only far-fetched connection we can make is the belief Attis was the grandson of Zeus. We can conclude from what we already know about Attis that this is a stretch. Never was it believed that Zeus and Attis were believed to be one and the same, nevertheless on an equal level. EUCHARIST Critics claim the followers of Attis celebrated the god with a wine-bread communion. The only mention of such an activity is when they would eat a sanctified meal out of sacred tambourines and cymbals, though it is never mentioned what they eat. Critics speculate it was bread and wine but this is unlikely considering wine was restricted during the Attis festivals. CONCLUSION The only things we really see going on with poor Attis is a whole lot of genitalia-mutilation, pine tree resurrections, and river descendants bearing children from nuts... Nuts certainly comes to mind regarding whoever put these two figures together.
“Krishna, of India, born of the virgin Devaki with a star in the east signaling his coming, performed miracles with his disciples, and upon his death was resurrected.” In Hinduism, Krishna is believed to be the eighth avatar of Vishnu, the second aspect of the Hindu trinity. Almost every correlation between Krishna and Jesus can be traced to Kersey Graves, a 19th century author who believed Christianity was created from pagan myths. Though his works have been proven by scholars to be false and poorly researched (Source), many still ignorantly refer to his arguments not knowing they are easily disproved by simply comparing the Bible to the Hindu texts. THE DEFINITION OF KRISHNA Although many critics allege Krishna means Christ, Krishna in Sanskrit actually translates as Black (One) as Krishna was believed to have blackish-blue skin. The word Christ literally translates as Anointed One. When skeptics, in turn, spell Krishna as Chrishna or Christna, this is a blatant attempt to spread more misinformation and reinforce their erroneous theories. A VIRGIN BIRTH A virgin birth is never attributed to Krishna as his parents bore seven previous children. Furthermore, the virgin birth was not a new concept invented by Christians. The book of Isaiah (written about 700 B.C.) spoke of a Messiah who would be born of a virgin. This prophecy was in circulation 700 years before Jesus and at least 100 years before Krishna. (Isaiah 7:14) Critics claim Krishna was born to the virgin Maia but according to Hindu texts, he was the eighth son of Princess Devaki and her husband Vasudeva: "You have been born of the divine Devaki and Vasudeva for the protection of Brahma on earth." Mahabharata Bk 12, XLVIII SHEPHERDS, WISEMEN, A STAR, AND A MANGER No mention of shepherds or wisemen appear at Krishna's birth. Krishna was born in a prison (not a stable as critics suggest) where his parents bore him in secret. It is unlikely such visitors would arrive only to alert Kamsa to Krishna's presence! CARPENTER FATHERS Like Jesus' earthly father, Krishna's father was also said to be a carpenter. Yet nowhere in the Hindu texts does it say Vasudeva was a carpenter. In fact, we are told he was a nobleman in the courts of Mathura as he was married to Princess Devaki. When Krishna fled the wrath of Kamsa with his foster parents, we are told his foster-father Nanda was a cow-herd: "Thou art the most beloved of Nanda, the Cowherd" Bhagavata, Bk 8, I, pg 743 THE CRUCIFIXION Though critics claim Krishna was crucified, this is mentioned nowhere within the Hindu texts. Instead, we are told exactly how he dies: Krishna is meditating in the woods when he is accidentally shot in the foot by a hunter's arrow. Skeptics really try to streeetch this one by claiming the arrow that shot Krishna impaled him to a tree, thus crucifying him. They also point out the similarity between his wound being in the foot and Jesus' pierced hands and feet. However, if I was carving my initials into a tree and accidentally impaled my wrist, the idea of saying I was crucified would be absurd. This story relates more to the death of Greek mythology's Achilles than anything else: "A fierce hunter of the name of Jara then came there, desirous of deer. The hunter, mistaking [Krishna], who was stretched on the earth in high Yoga, for a deer, pierced him at the heel with a shaft and quickly came to that spot for capturing his prey." Mahabharata, Book 16, 4 THE RESURRECTION Although critics claim Krishna descended into the grave for three days and appeared to many witnesses, no evidence of this exists whatsoever. Instead, the actual account says Krishna immediately returns to life and speaks only to the hunter by forgiving him of his actions: "He [the hunter] touched the feet of [Krishna]. The high-souled one comforted him and then ascended upwards, filling the entire welkin with splendour... [Krishna] reached his own inconceivable region." Mahabharata, Book 16, 4 Some obvious differences between the resurrections of Jesus and Krishna are as follows:
Jesus' resurrection defeated the power of sin and death. Krishna's resurrection had no real affect on mankind, although symbolically the forgiving of the hunter who killed him is a very Jesus like attitude. Jesus appeared to approximately 500 eye witnesses in the New Testament. Krishna appeared only to the hunter. Jesus rose from the dead three days later. Krishna immediately returned to life. Jesus did not ascend into Heaven until after the Great Commission. Krishna immediately "ascended" into the afterlife. Jesus was aware of what was to take place. Krishna had no foreknowledge concerning his death.
Jesus ascended into a physical realm (Heaven). Krishna transcended into a mental state (or inconceivable region). The concepts between Heaven (Christianity) and Nirvana (Hinduism) differ greatly.
MISCELLANEOUS POSSIBLE REFERENCES
Krishna was the human incarnation of Vishnu. This appears to be somewhat accurate but the actual Hindu triad consists of Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma. Not Vishnu, Krishna, and a spirit deity. Krishna was of royal birth. (While Krishna was directly born into the noble court of Mathura, Jesus was from the royal Davidian line but born into poverty under the parentage of Mary and Joseph.) Krishna was seen as a Savior. (While Jesus was an eternal-spiritual savior who saved His people from damnation, Krishna was an earthly-warrior savior who freed his people from the tyrannical reign of Kamsa).
MISCELLANEOUS ERRONEOUS REFERENCES
Krishna lived a sinless life. Whereas the Bible makes it clear Jesus committed no sin during His lifetime, The Hindu texts admit to Krishna's promiscuity and numerous sexual affairs. Krishna was born on December 25th. Actually, Krishna's birthday celebration, known as the Krishna Janmaashtami, is celebrated in the Hindu month of Bhadrapadha which corresponds to the month of August. Furthermore, it is unlikely Jesus was born on this date. Christmas is only celebrated on this date due to tradition. Krishna moved a small mountain to protect a village from disaster. Jesus states if you had faith as a mustard seed you would say to the mountain uproot yourself and be cast into the ocean. Other than the concept of moving mountains, anyone can see that these two statements have nothing essential in common. One describes a physical feat while the other uses moving a mountain as a metaphor to the power of faith.
CONCLUSION The Hindu texts have admittedly been altered and added to over the centuries. Many comparisons of the newer and older texts regarding the story of Krishna reveal many tales being added in later texts known as the Puranas (400-1000 A.D.), Bhagavata (400-1000 A.D.), and the Harivamsa, (100-1000 A.D.). These texts have been proven by scholars to have been written after the life of Jesus. Skeptical Interjection: According to Hindu tradition, the Bhagavata Purana is believed to have been written by Vyasa in about 3100 BC. It mentions the Vedic Sarasvati River about 30 times which was believed to be dried up around 2000 B.C. Answer: This is often cited as an argument for an earlier date of the Bhagavata. However it does not hold up for many reasons. The fact that the Bhagavata Purana mentions the non-extant Vedic Sarasvati River is no more proof of an early date of authorship than it would prove an ancient date of authorship if I were to write a novel centering around the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The mention of the ancient river proves nothing more than the knowledge of its historical existence. There is also no record of any of these texts existing prior to the first century A.D. Even when the older Hindu texts were in circulation, the books regarding many details about Krishna's life were not included. Finally, the language and grammar of the Bhagavata Purana is not consistent with the more ancient languages of India.
“Dionysus of Greece, born of a virgin on December 25th, was a traveling teacher who performed miracles such as turning water into wine, he was referred to as the "King of Kings," "God's Only Begotten Son," "The Alpha and Omega," and many others, and upon his death, he was resurrected.”
Dionysus also known as Bacchus, is the patron god of wine, though he was considered the Greek and Roman patron of many titles. This allows critics to make the illogical connection between Dionysus being the god of wine and Jesus drinking wine. DECEMBER 25 BIRTH There is no record of this date being significant for Dionysus. Like Attis, Dionysus is associated with the annual return of spring. VIRGIN BIRTH There are two birth accounts concerning Dionysus (neither implies a virgin birth): 1. Zeus impregnates a mortal woman, Semele, much to the jealously of Hera. Hera convinces Semele to ask Zeus to reveal his glory to her but because no mortal can look upon the gods and live, Semele is instantly incinerated. Zeus then takes the fetal Dionysus and sews him into his own thigh until his birth. Source Dionysus is the product of Zeus and Persephone. Hera becomes insanely jealous and tries to destroy the infant by sending the Titans to kill him. Zeus comes to the rescue but it's too late- the Titans had eaten everything but Dionysus' heart. Zeus then takes the heart and implants it into the womb of Semele. As we can see, no virgin birth takes place but this is how Dionysus is said to have become a rebirth deity as he is twice born in the womb. Source
,
2.
TRAVELING TEACHER Dionysus was said to have traveled far and wide (whereas Jesus concentrated His ministry in Judea) to teach men "the secrets of the vine" (how to make wine) and to spread his religious rites. He was never believed to be a spiritual teacher like Jesus. WATER INTO WINE Dionysus was the god of mythology who gave King Midas the power to turn whatever he touched into gold. Likewise, he gave the daughters of King Anius the power to turn whatever they touched into wine, corn, or oil. Considering Dionysus was the god of wine, this should come as no surprise. Regardless, though there are tales where Dionysus supernaturally fills empty vessels with wine, the act of turning water into wine does not occur. RESURRECTION The "resurrection" account of Dionysus stems from the tale of him being reborn after his attack by the Titans. As we can see, this has nothing to do with the resurrection story of Jesus. Furthermore, we are told after Dionysus completes teaching his followers his religious rites, he ascends to Mount Olympus to be with the other deities- alive and well. His infant rebirth, like Attis, is symbolic of the vegetation cycle- not the atoning of sin. SIMILAR TITLES The following is a list of alleged titles Dionysus is claimed to share with Jesus.
King of Kings. Dionysus was only a semi-deity. Zeus was the head god according to the mythology. Only Begotten Son. Zeus had many relationships with women where he fathered several other children. Alpha and Omega. Dionysus had a distinct beginning to his existence. Lamb of God. Dionysus is associated with a bull, serpent, wine, and ivy, but never as a lamb.
The titles I did find for Dionysus are The Bull, The Goat Shooter, The Torch, Dionysus of the Knoll, Meat-Eater, Dionysus of the Vine, and Savior (though the term savior was attributed later to Dionysus for promising carnal pleasure in the afterlife. The only person he saved from Hades was his mother, Semele.) IN CONCLUSION It is absurd to consider Dionysus as an inspiration for Jesus. Even if the Jews were aware of the fables surrounding Dionysus, it is unlikely they used this lore to create the character for their Messiah.
“Mithra, of Persia, born of a virgin on December 25th, he had 12 disciples and performed miracles, and upon his death was buried for 3 days and thus resurrected, he was also referred to as "The Truth," "The Light," and many others. Interestingly, the sacred day of worship of Mithra was Sunday.”
Mithras, not to be confused with Mitra (the warrior angel of ancient Persia), was the head deity of Mithraism. Trying to piece together the actual legends relating to Mithras is difficult as the earliest evidence relating to him is only found in artistic reliefs- the original texts regarding Mithraism have long since been lost, leaving behind only fragments. For this discussion, we will focus on Roman Mithraism as this is the Mithras the critics claim as being the inspiration for Jesus (although this allegation could easily be dismissed by showing most texts containing the alleged connections postdate the Christian texts). Furthermore, Roman Mithraism surfaced centuries after the existence of the Hebrew Messianic prophecies. Note: The original authority on Mithraism was Franz Cumont who believed the Mitra of ancient Persian and the Mithras of Mithraism were one and the same. Most of his research was compiled in the 1800's and, because he was the first known scholar to explore the dead religion of Mithraism, his research went undisputed for quite awhile. If you look through early 20th century publications, one can see Cumont's findings were accepted without debate. It was only upon later investigation by differing historians and archaeologists that many of Cumont's theories were disproved. To see what I am referring to, read this article from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica which is based on Cumont's theories as compared to more modern research. DECEMBER BIRTH Many religious festivals were consolidated into one holiday to coincide with the winter solstice. Christmas is only celebrated on December 25th due to this tradition. This argument already proves to be insignificant as there is nothing in the Scriptures which mentions this date. VIRGIN BIRTH There is no mention of a virgin birth in Mithraism. The earliest existing account of Mithras' birth is found in a relief depicting him emerging, fully-matured, from a rock with the assistance of men who certainly appear to be shepherds. Furthermore, this relief dates to 4th century A.D.! TWELVE DISCIPLES Mithras did not have twelve disciples, but I can relate a far-fetched similarity to this allegation. In two of the his reliefs, Mithras is surrounded by the twelve signs of the zodiac. Claiming Mithras had twelve disciples because there are twelve signs of the zodiac is the connection critics try to make. The critics simply see twelve beings and claim the figures are disciples. Some go as far to defend their position by mimicking Franz Cumont's theory, claiming the figures were actually Mithras' twelve disciples dressed up in zodiac costumes. How they can make this connection is unknown as no inscriptions accompany the original reliefs. GREAT TEACHER/PERFORMING MIRACLES I can find no mention in any text or relief showing Mithras to be a traveling teacher. Regardless, it would hardly seem significant as many legends speak of mankind receiving wisdom from their gods. SUNDAY AS A HOLY DAY This appears to be correct, at least for Roman Mithraism. But considering almost every religion used Saturday or Sunday as a holy day, there was a 50/50 chance of this hitting the target- or at least a 1/7 chance for the number of days in a week. Christians selected Sunday as their holy day only because it was the day of Christ's resurrection. SIMILAR TITLES I did find some similarities but the claims critics make seem to be manipulated from their original form- there were no exact matches to the names critics list. I also listed other titles that are often cited but prove to be incorrect:
Savior, Redeemer, Messiah. Mithras is never referred to any of these. Why would he be since he never served such a purpose? Messiah is also a Hebrew word which makes one wonder what the source is for this allegation. Lamb of God, Good Shepherd. Skeptics try to use the depiction of Mithras holding the sacrificed bull over his shoulders as evidence but this is absurd as the bull is slaughtered! Furthermore, the Old Testament references lambs and shepherds long before Mithraism ever surfaced. Son of God. I didn't technically find this but I'll give it as a freebie if you consider Mithras as the son of Ahura Mazda.
The Way Truth and Light, Light of the World. Though the names are not an exact match I did find warrior angel of light but this is associated with the Iranian Mithrasnot the Roman Mithras of Mithraism. Lion. Again, not an exact match but I did find an association to sky/celestial lion, referring to the sign of Leo. But like the reference to lambs, the Old Testament mentions the Lion of Judah long before Mithraism ever originated. The Living Word. Mithras is sometimes called logos which means word but never as the living word. Mediator. Mithras was the mediator between good and evil whereas Jesus is the mediator between God and man.
CONCLUSION Once again, the alleged similarities are either superficial, completely fabricated, or stretched to make a match.
It is at this point in the movie that the Narrator moves on. A list is spun across the screen too fast for anyone to read but with the intent of having the viewer go “Wow, that‟s a lot of names, and he sounded reasonable so far so these must be true!” However, as we have seen on every example the Narrator took the time to elaborate in detail over, he is completely, and totally, full of crap. Just as Popular Mechanics and the History Channel walked onto the scene and made a movie sounding like they know what they‟re talking about, those who were either hearing what they wanted to hear or didn‟t care to know the truth, were spoon fed a big, steaming, pile of poo. This particular pile of poo however, was gobbled up by all of you, to which I am fairly disappointed. I tried to tell you it was wrong, but unfortunately, due to work, I was unable to write out a proper explanation until now. Just because you are hearing what you want to hear, as with 9/11 and religion, doesn‟t make it true. Here is a list of some of the other miscellaneous deities and their cause of death, since the Crucifixion of Christ is often the most looked to event when people are trying to pin a similarity.
OSIRIS: As we explain above, Osiris was said to have died after being tricked by Set. He was sealed into a chest then dumped into the Nile. Also, by everything I can find, the Osiris legend existed long before crucifixion was even invented! QUETZALCOATL: This allegation is somewhat humorous to me as Quetzalcoatl was an ancient god of South America. How on earth critics claim him as being an inspiration for Christ is beyond me as the Americas had not yet been discovered! Nevertheless, Quetzalcoatl is never said to have been crucified. One legend states he burned himself alive out of remorse for sleeping with a celibate priestess while another tells us he was consumed by fire sent by the gods. TAMMUZ/DUMUZID: Tammuz was supposedly killed by demons sent by Ishtar after she found him on her throne. Again, the myths surrounding Tammuz seem to exist before the practice of crucifixion. ALCESTIS: According to the legend, Alcestis agrees to die for her husband after he strikes a deal with the gods. When the time comes, Alcestis is described as being in bed. The gods are touched by her devotion, take pity on her, and reunite her with her husband. ESUS/HESUS: The only thing I could find regarding Esus (Not to be confused with the English translation Jesus) was that his followers would participate in human sacrifices by hanging a victim from a tree (not crucifixion) after disembowelment. I could find no mention of Esus (sometimes associated with the gods Mercury and Mars) suffering death.
INDRA: In one account, Indra is swallowed alive by the serpent, Vritra, who later spits him out at the command of the other gods. Because he is eventually saved, there really is no death account concerning Indra (nevertheless by crucifixion). PROMETHEUS: Prometheus was punished by Zeus by being chained to a mountain where an eagle would come and eat his liver on a daily basis. Later, Prometheus would be freed from his torment by Hercules. QUIRINUS: I can find no mention of Quirinus experiencing death. Even when associated with Romulus there is no death account as Romulus is said to have been taken up into the heavens while still alive. To explain his disappearance, many accused the senate of his death. Regardless, no crucifixion is said to have occurred. BEL: Often associated with Zeus, I could find no mention of the Babylonian Bel experiencing death. BALI (MAHABALI): Bali is said to have been forced down (bodily) into the underworld after being deceived by Vamana, an avatar of Vishnu. In some accounts, Bali is said to have been released and granted kingship. Either way, no crucifixion occurs. ORPHEUS: Orpheus is said to have been killed by Dionysus' frenzied maenads after refusing to worship any god but Apollo.
After the slew of dead gods that the Narrator attempts to contribute similarities to that of Christ, he goes into the “birth sequence.”
“First of all, the birth sequence is completely astrological. The star in the east is Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, which, on December 24th, aligns with the 3 brightest stars in Orion's Belt. These 3 bright stars are called today what they were called in ancient times: The Three Kings. The Three Kings and the brightest star, Sirius, all point to the place of the sunrise on December 25th. This is why the Three Kings "follow" the star in the east, in order to locate the sunrise -- the birth of the sun.”
The problem with this however, is that there are no “Three Kings” in the Bible. It is an intentionally misleading statement based on popular myth, and not on reality. Mathew 2:1 tells us: “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem…” http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/3wisemen.asp That‟s it. Every other aspect of the Nativity story, as we know it today, was created through speculation on Mathew 2:11 where the three gifts are mentioned. We don‟t know for sure how many wise men there were, what their stations in life were, or if they rode camels to get there.
Next, the Narrator attacks The Virgin Mary, attempting to assign her as nothing more than a sign of the Zodiac, he does so by pointing out more false similarities between the virgin births of Adonis and Budda and the first letter of their name. As we shall see, however, it‟s nothing more than complete fabrication.
“The Virgin Mary is the constellation Virgo, also known as Virgo the Virgin. Virgo in Latin means virgin. The ancient glyph for Virgo is the altered "m". This is why Mary along with other virgin mothers, such as Adonis's mother Myrrha, or Buddha's mother Maya begin with an M. Virgo is also referred to as the House of Bread, and the representation of Virgo is a virgin holding a sheaf of wheat. This House of Bread and its symbol of wheat represents August and September, the time of harvest. In turn, Bethlehem, in fact, literally translates to "house of bread". Bethlehem is thus a reference to the constellation Virgo , a place in the sky, not on Earth.”
The notion that because their names start with the letter M is ludicrous when you take into account the various incarnation and translations every ancient name has gone through. Jesus was originally spelled Yahweh, Yeshu, or Yeshua, does that mean a name starting with Y is imitating Jesus? The name Maya, from Sanskrit, means „illusion,‟ whereas Mary (Maryam) translates from Hebrew as „Bitter.„ In addition, he attempts to claim that Adonis‟s mother Myrrha, and Buddha‟s mother Maya, were both virgin mothers.
Adonis' mother Smyrna conceived an incestuous passion for her father, and with the complicity of her nurse shared the bed of her father (Cinyras 1 according to some or Thias according to others). When he learned that he had been deceived by his daughter, he pursued her with a sword and, being overtaken, she prayed to the gods that she might be invisible; so the gods in compassion turned her into the tree called smyrna (Myrrha). Ten months afterwords the tree burst and Adonis was born.
Gautama (Buddha) was born to Suddhodana and his wife of twenty years, Maya. Though critics claim Maya was a virgin, we must assume she was not as she was the king's favorite wife. Also, The Acts of the Buddha acknowledges Maya and Suddhodana as having sexual relations (the two tasted of love's delight...), though I feel it is fair to point out most English translations do not contain this statement. A detailed account of Gautama's birth may be found here. Though Maya is portrayed as being virtuous and pure-minded, a virgin conception is never mentioned regarding the birth of the Buddha. At the very most, it was a womb transference as in the story of Krishna:
The most Excellent of all Bodhisattvas fell directly from his place among the residents of Tushita heaven, and streaking through the three worlds, suddenly took the form of a huge six-tusked elephant as white as Himalaya, and entered Maya's womb. Buddha Karita 1:18 The Narrators further assertions regarding the Zodiac Virgo, the harvest, and Bethlehem translating into “house of bread,” are for all intents and purposes correct as far as I could find. However, he is erred again when he tries to assert that Bethlehem is a reference to the constalation Virgo, and not a place on earth. Bethlehem, however, is a place on earth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem#Jesus.27_birthplace and was also the birthplace of David (circa 1005-970 BCE) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David which means there is a lot more evidence to suggest that this story of the Bible is an historic account, and a fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies which pre-date the birth of Christ by at least 430 years.
At this point in the film, the Narrator goes into further detail of December 25 th and the winter solstice, this however, as we have already stated, this date has little relevance to the Birth of Christ according to scripture and is thus, completely irrelevant. He then goes into the cross of the Zodiac and claims that it is not a symbol of Christianity, but rather a Pagan adaptation of the cross of the Zodiac. This too is a poor argument in the scope of things as it is historically known that people were crucified on crosses. The origin of the shape is of little or no consequence to the historic record. I‟m sure the Romans were really concerned that they hung Jesuits up on an astrological sign. The Narrator now goes into a long speech relating various stories of the Bible and Old Testament to astrological cycles and symbolism. The things he mentions here may very well be true, if you choose to accept it then it could all be seen as some type of Divine plan, or a crazy large coincidence. I would strongly caution anyone accepting what he says however, because
“Now,
the Bible reflects, broadly speaking, a symbolic movement through 3 ages…”
When the Narrator uses the word “broadly,” as I have illustrated, he really, really, means it. It can almost be comparable to the Grand Canyon being broad.
“Furthermore, the character of Jesus, a literary and astrological hybrid, is most explicitly a plagiarization of the Egyptian Sun-god Horus. For example, inscribed about 3500 years, on the walls of the Temple of Luxor in Egypt are images of the enunciation, the immaculate conception, the birth, and the adoration of Horus. The images begin with Thaw announcing to the virgin Isis that she will conceive Horus, then Nef the holy ghost impregnating the virgin, and then the virgin birth and the adoration. This is exactly the story of Jesus' miracle conception. In fact, the literary similarities between Jesus and the Egyption religion are staggering.”
It has already been shown that the Narrators entire Horus story is without merit.
“And the plagiarism is continuous. The story of Noah and Noah's Ark is taken directly from tradition. The concept of a Great Flood is ubiquitous throughout the ancient world, with over 200 different cited claims in different periods and times.” The story of Noah is contained in Genesis, a poetical text, not prophetic or literal. If anything, the common occurrence of a great flood myth throughout civilization should only call into question whether or not it actually happened, as the myth persists in civilizations that had no contact with one another. Similar to the building of pyramids.
“And then there is the plagiarized story of Moses. Upon Moses' birth, it is said that he was placed in a reed basket and set adrift in a river in order to avoid infanticide. He was later rescued by a daughter of royalty and raised by her as a Prince. This baby in a basket story was lifted directly from the myth of Sargon of Akkad of around 2250 b.c. Sargon was born, placed in a reed basket in order to avoid infanticide, and set adrift in a river. He was in turn rescued and raised by Akki, a royal mid-wife.”
While this story is full of similarities, to call it a plagiarism is stretching the limit when you look into the details of each story. In brief, Moses was hidden in the reeds in order to avoid discovery where his mother was intent on saving his life from the powers that be. In contrast, however, Sargon was born of an illegitimate relation from a royal priestess who was forbidden the act of conception. She bundled him up and through him into a river, from the context she did
so in the hopes that he would disappear forever, die, and he managed to survive against the odds. This is in complete contrast to the loving attempt to save her child that the Moses story contains.
http://www.tektonics.org/copycat/sargon.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sargon_of_Akkad
Next, the Narrator attacks the story of the Ten Commandments and God‟s law being passed to mankind from a mountain. I‟m not a Biblical expert, he could be attacking another Poem here. Regardless, the argument of whether or not multiple religions claim that they received the same 10 laws from a god on a mountain is a dog that doesn‟t bite. What matters is that if multiple religions did receive the same laws, and they are good laws, then they truly are something we should all live by. Whose to say the Commandments aren‟t actually divine and thus, universal? Does Christianity and Catholicism stand to profit by telling people not to kill each other, not to lie to each other? Someone who is worried about the origin of this story as opposed to its message, and seeks to use it as validation of one religion or the other, has their priorities in life a little scrambled. The Ten Commandments are Catholic. The word Catholic translates to Universal. The Commandments belong to all of humanity and by attempting to point out that they have come from multiple sources, you only validate the message. Bible is nothing more than an astro-theological literary fold hybrid, just like nearly all religious myths before it. In fact, the aspect of transference, of one character's attributes to a new character, can be found within the book itself. In the Old Testament there's the story of Joseph. Joseph was a prototype for Jesus. Joseph was born of a miracle birth, Jesus was born of a miracle birth. Joseph was of 12 brothers, Jesus had 12 disciples. Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of silver, Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of silver. Brother "Judah" suggests the sale of Joseph, disciple "Judas" suggests the sale of Jesus. Joseph began his work at the age of 30, Jesus began his work at the age of 30. The parallels go on and on.” Speaking on his transference theory, what‟s wrong with that? The Book is the story of the Divine plan after all, so it‟s rife with similarities and patterns. Heck, if you wanted to go further down this train of though, Google the Bible Code and go crazy with it. We now come to the concluding statements from the Narrator, these statements, above all, are the most important to debunk, because in shining a light on his statements here, we can shine a light on everyone‟s understanding of Christianity. “Furthermore, is there any non-Biblical historical evidence of any person, living with the name Jesus, the Son of Mary, who traveled about with 12 followers, healing people and the like? There are numerous historians who lived in and around the Mediterranean either during or soon after the assumed life of Jesus. How many of these historians document this figure? Not one. However, to be fair, that doesn't mean defenders of the Historical Jesus haven't claimed the contrary. Four historians are typically referenced to justify Jesus's existence. Pliny the younger, Suetonius, Tacitus and the first three. Each one of their entries consists of only a few sentences at best and only refer to the Christus or the Christ, which in fact is not name but a title. It means the "Anointed one" The fourth source is Josephus and this source has been proven to be a forgery for hundreds of years. Sadly, it is still sited as truth. You would think that a guy who rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven for all eyes to see and performed the wealth of miracles acclaimed to him would have made it into the historical record. It didn't because once the evidence is weighed, there are very high odds that the figure known as Jesus, did not even exist.”
“The
Did you see what he did there? He set up his opposition; Pliny, Suetonius, Tacitus, and Josephus, then knocked them down without letting you hear their side of the story. Doesn‟t that seem a little like the History Channels 9/11 documentary? It‟s kind of a common tactic when you‟re trying to argue something that you know is false.
“How many of these historians document this figure? Not one. However, to be fair, that doesn't mean defenders of the Historical Jesus haven't claimed the contrary.”
Wait a second, not one historian documented any evidence of Jesus, then in the very next sentence you tell us there are four? How can you tell a lie, then contradict yourself in just two sentences? Let‟s take a look at these historians that he so callously brushed aside. In addition I will provide additional ancient historians who have made mention of The Christ. Pliny was the Roman governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor, hardly a figure to be so casually dismissed. In one of his letters, dated around A.D. 112, he asks Emperor Trajan's advice about the appropriate way to conduct legal proceedings against those accused of being Christians. Pliny says that he needed to consult the emperor about this issue because a great multitude of every age, class, and sex stood accused of Christianity. At one point in his letter, Pliny relates some of the information he has learned about these Christians: “They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food--but food of an ordinary and innocent kind.” Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (c. 69-140) wrote the following in his Lives of the Twelve Caesars about riots which broke out in the Jewish community in Rome under the emperor Claudius: "As the Jews were making constant disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he [Claudius] expelled them from Rome". The event was noted in Acts 18:2. In regards to Jewish persecution around the time to which this passage refers, the Jewish Encyclopedia states: "... in 49-50, in consequence of dissensions among them regarding the advent of the Messiah, they were forbidden to hold religious services. The leaders in the controversy, and many others of the Jewish citizens, left the city." This reference is admittedly weak, which could be why the Narrator chose this source, similar to how Popular Mechanics “debunked,” some of the most outrageous conspiracy theories and called it a day.
Reporting on Emperor Nero's decision to blame the Christians for the fire that had destroyed Rome in A.D. 64, the Roman historian Tacitus wrote:
“Nero fastened the guilt [of starting the blaze] and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty [crucifixion] during the reign of Tiberius [1437] at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular.”
Here we see very early Christians being blamed for the fire of Rome. An authoritive Roman historian is speaking of Christus and the events of the Bible as matter of Fact, not speculation. This is extremely significant and deserves further study. The Narrator however somehow thought this insignificant, because it didn‟t support his lie. Another interesting fragment is where Tacitus writes of the mischievous superstition pausing momentarily, then breaking out again in Rome. Death and Resurrection maybe? Now we come to Josephus who, contrary to what the Narrator would have you believe, is commonly accepted as a compromised source. While it is accepted by many historians that Josephus wrote the core of the message, it is with the knowledge that it was possibly altered by a Christian editor around the third or fourth century A.D. However, it is also worthwhile to note that Josephus was not a Christian, and thus if any portion of his statement is true, it is still noteworthy. Called the Testimonium Flavianum, it is written: “About this time came Jesus, a wise man, if indeed it is appropriate to call him a man. For he was a performer of paradoxical feats, a teacher of people who accept the unusual with pleasure, and he won over many of the Jews and also many Greeks. He was the Christ. When Pilate, upon the accusation of the first men amongst us, condemned him to be crucified, those who had formerly loved him did not cease [to follow him], for he appeared to them on the third day, living again, as the divine prophets foretold, along with a myriad of other marvelous things concerning him. And the tribe of the Christians, so named after him, has not disappeared to this day.” A lot of the statements contained therein seem “to good to be true,” and that is the main reason it is accepted with skepticism. Further Sources:
Evidence from the Babylonian Talmud (c. 70-200 A.D.)
“On the eve of the Passover, Yeshu was hanged. Forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried: "He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy. Any one who can say anything in his favour, let him come forward and plead on his behalf." But since nothing was brought forward in his favour he was hanged on the eve of the Passover.”
Lucian, a second century Romano-Syrian satirist, who wrote in Greek, wrote: “The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day — the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account… You see, these misguided creatures start with the general conviction that they are immortal for all time, which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self-devotion which are so common among them; and then it was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws.”
Lastly, “You would think that a guy who rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven for all eyes to see and performed the wealth of miracles acclaimed to him would have made it into the historical record. It didn't because once the evidence is weighed, there are very high odds that the figure known as Jesus, did not even exist.” Let‟s look at this statement as if we were there. Jesus was hated and oppressed by those in power during his life. The Romans looked on the Jewish and Christian cults as nothing more than thieves and nuisance. Jesus was executed as a heretic and absolutely hated by those of authority. Indeed, the inscription on the cross INRI is an acronym for the latin phrase “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews,” which was a complete and total sarcastic mockery of the whole situation. In what portion of that do you believe he would be recorded? We have every reason to believe he would have been stricken from the record and it could be seen as an act of God itself that we do have what historical documents there are. What is of note in these documents is that there is no debate about whether or not Christ existed. It was accepted by all as a fact. The only thing that is at debate is whether or not he was divine. Being that he was crucified with thieves, it‟s obvious those in power thought of him as little more. People love to persecute Christians and Catholics for their beliefs. They love to heap on them all sorts of accusations of being evil. Misguided men can be evil, and a beautiful message can be perverted by evil deeds. “The more you being to investigate… the more you being to see we‟ve been lied to.” You just saw for yourself what the original Christians were and what they strive for today:
“They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food--but food of an ordinary and innocent kind.”
“then it was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers,” This is the religion that you seek to persecute. These are the people that you choose to hate. A vast portion of them are misguided and living against the teachings while using His name, but do you blame an uneducated child for making mistakes? Jesus said “Forgive them Lord, they know not what they do.” These words apply to all of humanity, and they are the essence of the Faith itself.
The Narrators closing statement is as follows:
“Christianity, along with all other theistic belief systems, is the fraud of the age. It served to detach the species from the natural world, and likewise, each other. It supports blind submission to authority. It reduces human responsibility to the effect that "God" controls everything, and in turn awful crimes can be justified in the name of Divine Pursuit. And most importantly, it empowers those who know the truth but use the myth to manipulate and control societies. The religious myth is the most powerful device ever created, and serves as the psychological soil upon which other myths can flourish.”
As I have proven, the vast majority of this guys statements about the falsity of Christianity are outright lies. As I pray you will all come to understand by looking at the teachings of Jesus and Catholicism, it is mankind, and not the religion, that has come to evil, and the men such as the Narrator of this film who intentionally lead you astray. The blind leading the blind. Christ says clearly that many not in the grace and friendship of God will belong to His Church. He likened that Church to a net holding good and bad fish (Matt. XIII, 47-48.) The net was to be a quite good, but there would be bad fish within it. It was to be as a field with cockle and wheat growing side by side (XIII, 24-30.)