Q: Where did the dying-reborn God myth start?
A: Asia minor. The ancient Greeks and Romans inherited and adapted Gods
from ancient Asia Minor (Assyria, Babylon, Phrygia, Persia,
Mesopotamia, Egypt, places like that). These old-ancient religions were
pretty basic Mother Earth, cycle-of-nature affairs. You probably won't
be surprised to hear Mother Earth religions had Gods who personified
the cycle-of-nature by dying in the autumn and being reborn in the
spring. We don't know exactly when these dying-reborn Gods began --
they date back thousands of years, basically fading into prehistory.
We do know their names, and some of their rituals. And we can trace the
evolution of their ideas to Greece and Rome -- and on to the church in
your neighborhood this weekend. Amazing, huh?
By the time of Jesus of Nazareth, as for centuries before, the
Mediterranean world roiled with a happy diversity of creeds and
rituals. Details varied according to location and culture, but the
general outlines of these faiths were astonishingly similar. Roughly
speaking the ancients' gods:
Were born on or very
near our Christmas Day
Were born of a
Virgin-Mother
Were born in a Cave or
Underground Chamber.
Led a life of toil for
Mankind.
Were called by the
names of Light-bringer, Healer, Mediator, Savior, Deliverer.
Were however
vanquished by the Powers of Darkness.
And descended into
Hell or the Underworld.
Rose again from the
dead, and became the pioneers of mankind to the Heavenly world.
Founded Communions of
Saints, and Churches into which disciples were received by Baptism.
Were commemorated by
Eucharistic meals.
Phrygia (aka Anatolia =
modern Turkey)-Attis
The worship of Cybele and Attis dated back centuries in Phrygia before
it was imported to Rome in 204 BC.
Roman writers mentioning the religion include: Lucretius (lived 98 - 54
BC), Catullus (86 -40 BC), Varro (116 - 28 BC), and Dionysus
Halicarnasensis (first century BC).
Attis predated Christ. Before and during the years the Christian
Gospels were written (from the reign of Claudius, AD 41 - 54) the
Festival of Joy, celebrated Attis' death and rebirth was celebrated
yearly in Rome.
A Christian writer of the fourth century AD, recounted ongoing disputes
between Pagans and Christians over the remarkable similarities of the
death and resurrection of their two gods. The Pagans argued that their
God was older and therefore original. The Christians admitted Christ
came later, but claimed Attis was a work of the devil whose similarity
to Christ, and the fact he predated Christ, were intended to confuse
and mislead men. This was apparently the stock answer -- the Christian
apologist Tertullian makes the same argument.
Frazer's classic Adonis, Attis and Osiris is a good place to go for
details. See the Books page.
Attis was born of the Virgin Nana on December 25th.
He was both the Father and the Divine Son.
The Festival of Joy -- the celebration of Attis' death and rebirth
On March 22 a pine tree was brought to the sanctuary of Cybele, on it
hung the effigy of Attis. The God was dead. Two days of mourning
followed, but when night fell on the eve of the third day, the
worshippers turned to joy. "For suddenly a light shone in the darkness;
the tomb was opened; the God had risen from the dead...[and the priest]
softly whispered in their ears the glad tidings of salvation. The
resurrection of the God was hailed by his disciples as a promise that
they too would issue triumphant from the corruption of the grave." [for
more see Frazer, Attis, chapter 1]
Attis' worshipers at a sacramental meal of bread and wine. The wine
represented the God's blood; the bread became the body of the savoir.
They were baptized in this way: a bull was placed over a grating, the
devotee stood under the grating. The bull was stabbed with a
consecrated spear. "It's hot reeking blood poured in torrents through
the apertures and was received with devout eagerness by the
worshiper...who had been born again to eternal life and had washed away
his sins in the blood of the bull." [for more see Frazer, Attis,
chapter 1]
Called "the Good Sheppard," the "Most High God," the "Only Begotten
Son" and "Savior."
[In Rome the new birth and the remission of sins by shedding of bull's
blood took place on what is now Vatican Hill, in our days the site of
the great basilica of St. Peter's]
Originally Persian-Mithras
Before Rome. When the Christ myth was new Mithras and Mithraism were
already ancient. Worshiped for centuries as God's Messenger of Truth,
Mithras was long revered by the Persians (Zoroastrianism) and the
Indians (see the Vedic literature).
Dating Mithras in Rome. Plutarch (Pompey, 24, 7) and Servilius
(Georgics, 4, 127) say Pompey imported Mithraism into Rome after
defeating the Cilician pirates around 70 BC. Mithras appears
epigraphically in the circles of the Roman emperor in the first century
AD -- around the time the canonical Christian Gospels were written
(Corpus Incscriptionum Latinarum, 6, 732), and statues of the God were
present by 101 AD (Corpus Incscriptionum Latinarum, 6, 718). As with
Attis, Christian apologist Justin (1 Apologia, 66, 4) denounces the
devil for having sent a God so similar to Jesus -- yet preceding him.
Sadly there's a lot we don't know about this faith that comforted
million of souls. Early Christians established the dominance of their
religion by exterminating Mithras' faithful, razing His temples,
burning His sacred texts.
We do know this:
With twelve disciples he traveled far and wide as a teacher and
illuminator of men.
He was buried in a tomb from which he rose again from the dead -- an
event celebrated yearly with much rejoicing.
Every year in Rome, in the middle of winter, the Son of God was born
one more, putting an end to darkness. Every year at first minute of
December 25th the temple of Mithras was lit with candles, priests in in
white garments celebrated the birth of the Son of God and boys burned
incense. Mithras was born in a cave, on December 25th, of a virgin
mother. He came from heaven to be born as a man, to redeem men from
their sin. He was know as "Savior," "Son of God," "Redeemer," and "Lamb
of God."
His followers kept the Sabbath holy, eating sacramental meals in
remembrance of Him. The sacred meal of bread and water, or bread and
wine, was symbolic of the body and blood of the sacred bull.
Baptism in the blood of the bull (taurobolum) -- early
Baptism "washed in the blood of the Lamb" -- late
Baptism by water [recorded by the Christian author Tertullian]
Mithraic rituals brought about the transformation and Salvation of His
adherents -- an ascent of the soul of the adherent into the realm of
the divine. From the wall of a Mithraic temple in Rome: "And thou hast
saved us by shedding the eternal blood."
The great Mithraic festivals celebrated his birth (at the winter
solstice) and his death and resurrection (at the spring solstice)
India-Buddha
Born of the Virgin Maya on December 25th, announced by a star and
attended by wise men presenting costly gifts. At birth angles sing
heavenly songs.
Taught in temple at age 12.
Tempted by Mara, the Evil One, while fasting.
Baptized in water with the Spirit of God present.
Healed the sick
Fed 500 from a small basket of cakes
Walked on water.
Came to fulfill the law. Preached the establishment of a kingdom of
righteousness.
Obliged followers to poverty and to renounce the world.
Transfigured on a mount.
Died ( on a cross, in some traditions), buried but arose again after
tomb opened by supernatural powers. Ascended into heaven (Nirvana).
Will return in later days to judge the dead.
Called: "Good Shepherd," "Carpenter," "Alpha and Omega," "Sin Bearer,"
"Master," "Light of the World," "Redeemer," etc.
Greece-Dionysus/Bacchus
Dating Dionysus / Bacchus. The early Christians acknowledged that
Dionysus (his Greek name) / Bacchus (his Latin name) came before Jesus.
How? The Christian Father Justin Martyr, writing in the 100s AD, wrote
that the Devil reading the Old Testament prophesies of the Messiah sent
Bacchus early, to trick men about Jesus: "The devils, accordingly, when
they heard these prophetic words, said that Bacchus was the son of
Jupiter, and ...having been torn in pieces, he ascended into heaven."
[Justin Martyr, First Apology, 54]
Born of a Virgin on December 25th, placed in a manger.
He was a traveling teacher who performed many miracles.
Rode in a triumphal procession on an ass.
Turned water into wine.
Followers ate sacred meal that became the body of the God.
Rose from the dead March 25th.
Identified with the ram and lamb's
Called "King of Kings," "Only Begotten Son," "Savior," "Redeemer," "Sin
bearer," "Anointed One," the "Alpha and Omega."
Middle East-Jesus
Born on December 25th of a virgin, Mary in a stable (the gospel of
Protevangelion says in a cave).
He traveled widely, doing good works. He was betrayed, sacrificed and
buried, his body placed in a tomb. He arose on the third day and
ascended into Heaven.
Baptism: Understood from the time of Paul as a death experience and
emergence from the water taken as the beginning of a new life.
Eucharist: Sacred meal of Blood and Body of the God
Holy days: Winter solstice -- Christmas. Spring solstice -- Easter
Greece-Heracles
Born at the winter solstice of a virgin who refrained from sex with her
until her God-begotten child was born.
Sacrificed at the spring equinox.
Called "Savior," "Only begotten," "Prince of Peace," "Son of
Righteousness."
India-Krishna
Krishna was born while his foster-father Nanda was in the city to pay
his tax to the king. His nativity heralded by a star, Krishna was born
of the virgin Devaki in a cave, which at the time of his birth was
miraculously illuminated. The cow-herds adored his birth.
King Kansa sought the life of the Indian Christ by ordering the
massacre of all male children born during the same night at He.
Krishna traveled widely, performing miracles -- raising the dead,
healing lepers, the deaf and the blind.
The crucified Krishna is pictured on the cross with arms extended.
Pierced by an arrow while hanging on the cross, Krishna died, but
descended into Hell from which He rose again on the third day and
ascended into Heaven. (The Gospel of Nicodemus tell of Jesus' descent
into Hell.) He will return on the last day to judge the quick and the
dead.
Krishna is the second person of the Hindu trinity.
Egypt-Osiris
He came to fulfill the law.
Called "KRST," the "Anointed One."
Born of the virgin Isis-Meri on December 25th in a cave / manger, with
his birth announced by a star and attended by three wise men.
Earthly father named "Seb" (translates to "Joseph.")
At age 12 he was a child teacher in the Temple and at 30 he was
baptized, having disappeared for 18 years.
Baptized in the river Iarutana -- the river Jordan -- by "Anup the
Baptizer," who was beheaded. (Anup translates to John.)
Traveled widely, taught men and "tamed them by music and gentleness,
not by force of arms" [Plutarch]
Performed miracles, exorcised demons, raised El-Osiris from the dead.
Walked on water.
Betrayed by Typhon, crucified between two thieves on the 17th day of
the month of Athyr. Buried in a tomb from which he arose on the third
day (19th Athyr) and was resurrected.
His suffering, death, and resurrection celebrated each year by His
disciples on the Vernal Equinox -- Easter.
Called "The Way, the Truth, the Light," "Messiah," "god's Anointed
Son,' the "Son of Man," the "Word made Flesh," the "word of truth."
Expected to reign a thousand years.
Asia minor -Zoraoaster
Born of a virgin.
Baptized in a river.
In his youth he astounded wise men with his wisdom. Began his ministry
at age 30.
Tempted in the wilderness by the devil.
Cast out demons.
Restored the sight of a blind man.
Revealed the mysteries of heaven, hell, resurrection, judgment,
salvation and the apocalypse.
His followers celebrated a sacred eucharistic meal.
Called: "The Word made flesh,"
How can all of these (and there are many more) be so similar to the
Christ story and be separated by time and space? What could it possibly
be that all of the peoples of earth see that is the same so they come
up with the same mythology? Hmmm...
