The Myths Of Christmas, Pt.3

1. The Myths Of Christmas, Pt.3 The Anti-Christ Movement

2. Was Jesus Really Just A Myth? • "Jesus is a mythical figure in the tradition of pagan mythology and almost nothing in all of ancient literature would lead one to believe otherwise. Anyone wanting to believe Jesus lived and walked as a real live human being must do so despite the evidence, not because of it.“ •  --C. Dennis McKinsey, The Encyclopedia of Biblical Errancy

3. "The gospel story is an artificial, non-historical work. It has been fabricated from source materials that can be identified and traced to their incorporation into the gospels. There is not a particle of hard evidence that 'Jesus of Nazareth' ever existed. • --Harold Leidner, The Fabrication of the Christ Myth

4. "The Christian religion and Masonry have one and the same common origin: Both are derived from the worship of the Sun. The difference between their origin is, that the Christian religion is a parody on the worship of the Sun, in which they put a man whom they call Christ, in the place of the Sun, and pay him the same adoration which was originally paid to the Sun.“ •  --Thomas Paine, Age of Reason (Late 1700s)

5. “…Christianity's history is rife with forgery and fraud. So rampant is this treachery and chicanery that any serious researcher must immediately begin to wonder about the story itself. In truth, the Christian tale has always been as difficult to swallow as the myths and fables of other cultures; yet countless people have been able to overlook the rational mind and to willingly believe it, even though they may equally as easily dismiss the nearly identical stories of these other cultures....” • Acharya S, The Christ Conspiracy: The greatest story ever sold

6. Can We Answer These Critics? • Scoffing at Christianity is nothing new: • “When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." At that, Paul left the Council. A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.” Acts 17:32-34

7. Holy Spirit Intervention • “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God…. Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.” 1 Corinthians 1:18, 20-21

8. Are We Just Another Mythological Sect? • Similarities between Christianity and Pagan Mythology? • Acharya S – “The Christ Conspiracy”: on elements of the mythical MITHRA, who had a following during the first few centuries A.D. • Makes over a dozen comparisons to allegedly show that Christianity is but a borrowed religion from Greek and Egyptian mythology. Next slide is some of her statements:

9. Mithra was born of a virgin on December 25th in a cave, and his birth was attended by shepherds. • He had twelve companions, or disciples. • He performed miracles. • He was buried in a tomb and after three days arose again. • He was considered the “way, the truth and the light” and the “logos”, and also “savior” and “messiah”. • He had a “Lord’s supper” at which Mithra said, "He who shall not eat of my body nor drink of my blood so that he may be one with me and I with him, shall not be saved."

10. Just How True Are These Similarities? • Mithraic studies scholar John Hinnells once spoke about "the practical difficulty of any one scholar mastering all the necessary fields" -- linguistics, anthropology, history (Indian, Iranian, and Roman!), archaeology, iconography, sociology -- in order to get a grip on Mithraic studies. • So that we have every right to be skeptical of some of these “ringer” statements.

11. Breaking Down The Comparisons: • Was Mithras born on December 25? • Not a parallel with Christianity, because December 25 is NOT Jesus’ birthday. • Was Mithras born of a virgin? • No. In mythology Mithras was born from the side of a mountain – and was born FULL GROWN. No comparison here. • Was Mithras born in a cave? • No. Though his birth must have left a cave behind, since he was born from the solid rock.

12. Did shepherds come to adore Mithras when he was born? • Yes, and no: They were there for the birth of Mithras, but in the myth they actually HELPED him to come out of the rock from which he was born. • Also, the birth of Mithras supposedly happened before there were men on the earth (strange) • Also, the evidence for this particular account dates almost a century AFTER the New Testament was completed. Now, let’s see… Who borrowed from whom?

13. Did Mithras have twelve companions (disciples)? • No! The Iranian Mithra had one companion named Varuna. The Roman Mithra had two companions named Cautes and Cautopatres. • The source of this supposed connection comes from a stone carving showing the Mithra “bull slaying” account framed with two vertical rows of six pictures of what seem to be human faces. • Early Mithras “scholars” jumped on that to say they were twelve disciples. Modern mithraic scholars believe them to be signs of the zodiac. • By the way, the above mentioned stone carving is significantly post-Christian. Who borrowed from whom?

14. Did Mithras perform miracles? • Yes. But so what? Every great religion claims for its founder some “godlike” miraculous powers. • The questions are: • How reliable is the eyewitness to the miracles? • How reasonable is the account of the miracle? • Are there contradictions? • Could any slight-of-hand magician do the same? • Etc. • Does this mean Jesus didn’t do real miracles?

15. Was Mithras buried in a tomb and did he resurrect from the dead on the third day? • No. In fact, careful mithraic scholars cannot find that Mithras ever died. • Part of this comes from ancient historian Tertullian, who spoke of certain mithraic rites and said that Mithras “introduces an image of a resurrection.” However, there is no way to know what was even meant by that. • And, Tertullian is dramatically post-Christian, so again, who copied from whom?

16. Was Mithras called, “the way, the truth and the light” or “logos” or “savior” etc? • NO. This is pure imagination. • Mithras was known as a “mediator” , but was a mediator between “good” and “bad” gods. • There is one mention to “logos” – but that was a “word” taught to those who would worship Mithras. • The concept of “logos” dates back long before Christianity, but does not mean that anyone “borrowed” from anyone.

17. Did Mithra have a “Lord’s Supper” with mention of eating his flesh and drinking his blood? • No. • The text in question is found in the writings of M.J. Vermaseren, who quotes a MEDIEVAL text. • In his quote, it is not even Mithra who is speaking, but rather Zarathustra. • There is no credible evidence that any Mithraic follower took a “Lord’s Supper” at any time predating Christianity.

18. And The Beat Goes On… • These “copycat” theorists find “parallels” behind every conceivable myth. • Osiris the sun god. • Attis the reborn eunoch consort of Cybele. • Horus of Egypt • Etc. • Etc.

19. Oh Really? • How about this quote from a loyal reader: • "Acharya S can prove Jesus Christ never existed, and your preacher can't prove 'He' did.“

20. Can We Prove Jesus Existed? • Secular history records that he did: • Thallus (as quoted by Julius Africanus): Thallus was a Samaritan born historian around 52 A.D., trying to disprove the events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus. • Africanus said, “Thallus, in the third book of his histories, explains away this darkness as an eclipse of the sun.”

21. Mara Bar-Serapion: in a letter to his son, speaks of three wise teachers killed to no good: Socrates, Pythagoras, and the “king of the Jews”. • He states, “But Socrates did not die for good; he lived on in the teaching of Plato. Pythagoras did not die for good; he lived on in the statue of Hera. Nor did the wise King die for good; he lived on in the teaching which He had given.” • Process of elimination points this statement to Jesus. The letter was written probably after 73 A.D.

22. Tacitus (after 100 A.D.) speaks of Chrestus from who the Christians arose being made scapegoats for the fire of Rome started by Nero. • Plinius (after 100 A.D.) mentions to Trajan the emperor of Rome some trouble he as having with Christians. Through torture, he obtained a confession from Christian girls concerning, “an anthem to Christ as God”. • Seutonius (about 120 A.D.) wrote the life of Claudius, and mentioned the expulsion of certain Jews because of “Chrestus” . • Jewish Talmud (before 200 A.D.) mentions “Y’eshua of Nazareth” several times, all with disfavor.

23. Josephus (before 100 A.D.): • “Now, there was about this time, Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, -- a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure….He was Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day….And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”

24. The Bible As History • Contemporaries of Jesus as Eyewitnesses! • Contemporary evidence from Matthew, an apostle: • Matthew 1:1,18 -- A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham…. This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about:….

25. Matthew 3:16-17 -- As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

26. Contemporary Evidence from John • An apostle • John 21:24 -- This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. • 1 John 1:1,3- That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life….And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

27. “” From Peter, An Apostle • 1 Peter 1:1 --Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,…. • 1 Peter 1:3 -- Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…. • 2 Peter 2:1 -- Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,       To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

28. “” From James, A Family Member • James 1:1 -- James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…. • James 2:1 -- My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.

29. Clear, Concise History • History proves the existence of Jesus of Nazareth. • All of these “copycat” theorists have built fragile houses of cards. • Christianity is a religion like no other. • Jesus lives! • Their “god” doesn’t!