Not trying to be Fuzzy, and post for the sake of argument, just found this interested and thought I would share. Not out to argue Jesus or not. CHRISTIANITY DREW HEAVILY ON MITHRAISM The main body of Christian belief is in fact not originally Christian at all, and a surprisingly large part of it was drawn from the Persian cult of Mithras, which originated around 2000 BC. Known throughout Europe and Asia by the names Mithra, Mitra, Meitros, Mihr, Mehr, and Meher, the cult spread east through India to China, and reached all parts of the Roman Empire, from Scotland to the Sahara Desert, and from Spain to the Black Sea. The remains of Mithraic temples can be foundÊ in Britain, Italy, Romania, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey, Persia, Armenia, Syria, Israel, and North Africa. The similarities between this pre-Christian religion and Christianity itself are too obvious to ignore: - Mithras was born of a virgin given the title 'Mother of God'Ó; - The Mithraic cult believed in a celestial heaven and a hell; - The Mithraic cult taught that its followers would have immortality and eternal salvation; - The Mithraic cult taught that there would be a final day of judgment in which the dead would resurrect, and a final conflict between good and evil that would destroy the existing order; - The Mithraic cult required its followers to be baptized; - The Mithraic cult had a ceremony in which followers drank wine and ate bread to symbolize the body and blood of Mithras; - The Mithraic cult held Sundays as a sacred day; - The Mithraic cult celebrated the birthday of their god annually on December the 25th; - The Mithraic cult taught that after their god's earthly mission had been accomplished, he took part in a Last Supper with his companions before ascending to heaven, to forever protect the faithful from above. (Sources:Ê Cumont, Franz. Les Mystres de Mithra. Dover Publications, Inc. New York, 1956; Cumont, Franz. The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism. Dover Publications, Inc. New York, 1956.)
After Eden, truth fractured. It went as many ways as language did from the tower of Babel. I am not surprised that some would begin to zero in. But now the pendulum swings back toward a unified truth.
Heron, you might want to check your sources. Cumont asserted that there was continuity between Iranian Mithraism and Roman Mithraism. There wasn't. Cumont is outdated and is considered incorrect by modern Mithraic scholars. From Mithraic Studies: Proceedings of the First International Congress of Mithraic Studies. Manchester U. Press, 1975, page 508 - "The only domain in which we can ascertain in detail the extent to which Christianity imitated Mithraism is that of art." There is no borrowing going on. Any evidence is either too late (meaning that Roman Mithraism borrowed from Christianity), not in line with the conclusions of modern Mithraic scholars, or just plain not there. I recommend reading up more current Mithraic studies. I can give some to you if you want some suggestions.
Sure, give me some. Not my area of interest per se, just came across this and thought it was interesting. Not sure if i care to study too deep. I couldnt care less who, what or where chrisitianity borrowed from, be it Mithraism or Greek pagans or British pagans. Its all in there to some degree. But send the info, i may get an itch.
Mithraism ....is this like Zoroastrianism? I think it's cool to see these ancient stories reverberating in the different religions, like virgin births, and good and evil, and different gods. It gives me the sense that humanity has found some of the same questions and ideas intriguing for millenia.
i was wondering the same--cause i know it is accepted [not sure how widly] that Judeaism and Christianity [and also Islam] have roots in Zoroastrainism [the good and evil duality, a Messiah figure, a virgin birth, an "armageddon" and a final judgement etc]
Once again, Wikipedia to the rescue. There may be some connection between Persian and Roman Mithraism, scroll down to the History of Mithraism section http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraism I like the way you think Molly. I agree, it really seems to, again, point to great unity among mankind, even people in very distant places come up with similar motifs for their belief systems. The idea of a ressurrecting helper or savior is very common...in fact, it's basically there in all farming societies, including in North America. They kill themselves and their death saves the people. In one Native American tribe (I want to say Iroquois, but I'm not sure), the corn spirit is helping a young man. There is a famine, and after a few days of teaching, the spirit kills himself with the instructions that he must be chopped up and buried. The next day corn plants are growing, and the famine is over. You should, if you haven't already, check out Joseph Cambell, he is very interesting. There's a video series called "The Power of Myth" which is several episodes of interviews with Bill Moyers. Very interesting stuff.
Fair enough. Here are a few books that could be of assistance. I have not read them, but they all have information that relates to the borrowing issue.[size=+0] [/size]Planetary Gods and Planetary Orders in the Mysteries of Mithras. Beck, Roger. London: Brill, 1988. The Personalities of Mithra in Archaeology and Literature. Bivar, A. D. New York: Bibliotheca Persica Press, 1998. The Jesus Mysteries: Was the "Original Jesus" a Pagan God? Freke, Timothy and Peter Gandy. New York: Harmony Books, 1999.[size=+0] [/size]Image and Value in the Greco-Roman World. Gordon, Richard. Aldershot: Variorum, 1996. Mithraism in Ostia: Mystery Religions and Christianity in the Ancient Port of Rome. Laeuchli, Samuel. Northwestern U. Press, 1967. Mithraic Studies: Proceedings of the First International Congress of Mithraic Studies. Manchester U. Press, 1975. Mithras-Orion, Greek Hero and Roman Army God. Spiedel, Michael. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1980. The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries: Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World. Ulansey, David. New York: Oxford U. Press, 1989. Mithras the Secret God. Vermaseren, M. J. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1963. Mithras: The Fellow in the Cap. Wynne-Tyson, Esme. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1958.[size=+1][size=+0][size=+0] [/size][/size][/size]
