Why do Christians ignore the fact that Jesus was just a rip off of Mithra?

Question

Most of the research into Mithraism, a religion with many parallels to Christianity, comes from two writers, Cumont and Ulansey. Some Similarities Between Mithraism and Christianity Among the recorded similarities are:

Virgin birth

Twelve followers

Killing and resurrection

Miracles

Birthdate on December 25

Morality

Mankind's savior

Known as the Light of the world

Answer 1

Buddha was born to the virgin queen Maya before that.

Third time it a charm.

Oh man, I did some more looking into that one:

Dionysus was born of the virgin Semele 186 BCE

Tammuz was born to a virgin, named Mylitta, on December 25. 2000 BCE

A later post points out Horus was born to the virgin Isis.

No wonder the story has lost it's charm

Answer 2

The traditions that have built up after Christianity became the official religion were borrowed, but not Jesus' teachings.

The "virgin" birth is meaningless, because when the books of the Bible referring to it were written, they were written in Greek, and the word "virgin" at the time was just a generic term for any young girl.

There are several people listed as followers, so the number may have just been picked to mirror Mithraism, but they were still there.

The fact that they were both killed is not unusual, given the Romans' standards.

I'm not sure what miracles were ascribed to Mithras, but it's possible they both performed them.

Early Christians placed little emphasis on the date of birth--they were concerned with rebirth, so Easter was much more important. December 25 was already set aside as the birthday of a god, so why not Jesus?

Most religions teach morality of some kind or another.

And if a follower truly believes in another, he's going to call him something like "mankind's savior" or "the light of the world," especially if those terms had been used regularly toward a god that the church had conviced him was really Jesus.

All the things you're referring to are just trappings--it's the message that's important.

Answer 3

yet what does historical past say approximately Mithras? • He grew to become into born out of a sturdy rock and not from any woman. • He battled first with the solar and then a primeval bull, theory to be the 1st act of introduction. Mithras killed the bull, which then grew to grow to be the floor of existence for the human race. • Mithras delivery grew to become into celebrated on December 25, alongside with wintry climate solstice. • there is not any point out of him as being a brilliant instructor. • there is not any point out of Mithras having 12 disciples. the thought Mithras had 12 disciples could have come from a mural wherein Mithras is surrounded by ability of twelve signs and indications of the Zodiac. • Mithras had no actual resurrection. the myth is informed that Mithras accomplished his earthly challenge then grew to become into taken to paradise in a chariot, alive and nicely. The early Christian author Tertullian did write approximately Mithras believers re-enacting resurrection scenes, yet he wrote approximately this occurring nicely after New testomony cases, so if any copycatting grew to become into achieved, it grew to become into the cult of Mithras copying from Christianity.

Answer 4

There is a two prong approach to answering your question:

A) Some of these things like the virgin birth as the prophecy in Genesis about the seed of the woman was understood by all people to mean virgin birth. Nimrod preverted this concept in idolatry with the vestel virgins and it is found in most countries where they worship the king as they did the first king Nimrod who built his cities and empire using a protection racket where he was both the collector of protection moneys and the one pillaging and raping those that refused to pay this racket!

So teaching that these things came from the true prophecies of the things written about in the Bible is erroneous, as idolatry and ancestor king worship borrowed from the original religion of Yahu'eh perverting the prophecies giving their own false meaning.

B)Constantine and tradition based Catholicism, as well as , Eastern Orthodoxy borrowed heavily from Sun Worship and Mithraism popular in the 3rd and 4th century in order to bring them into sync with each other. Eastern Orthodoxy broke with Rome years later over the issue of the supremcy of Rome and the Papacy but kept these idolatrous traditions as does most Protesting Catholic Churches/Protestants.

So it all comes down to reading the Bible taught by the Ruach ha Kodesh/Holy Spirit and finding the original sect of the Nazarene following in the footsteps of the Saviour rather than the apostate church which does follow many idolatrous customs.



2)

Answer 5

Similarities between Jesus and Horus (Egyptian god)
Both a god
Both a son of a god
Both born of a virgin
Both birthdays 12/25
Both performed miracles
Both healed the sick and the blind
Both raised Lazarus from the dead
Both walked on water
Both died on a cross
Between 2 thieves
Both descended into hell (Jesus did in biblical works not included in bible)
Both ascended into heaven on the 3rd day.

I'm not familiar with Mithra, but was his story older than the Egyptians, or did someone rip him off from the Egyptians?

Answer 6

For the same reason that some ignore the Dionysian rip-off and all others. Well, they either ignore it or they've never studied mythology and just don't give it a second thought.

"Dionysus was born of the virgin Semele; his father was the supreme god Zeus. Some sources say he was placed in a manger and reared in a cave ( Zeus was also reared in a cave)."

Nevertheless...
A lot of people see Jesus as a living being and having someone say that he may actually be loosely based on a myth may shake them spiritually, or even upset them. Whatever we believe or feel to be true, let's just remember that others have just as much right to their beliefs and personal truths as we do ours.

Answer 7

never heard of mithra.....BUT i do know that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world and I've got a personal relationship with Him. He is the way and the truth and the light....and no one goes to the Father EXCEPT through Him. Im so grateful for my Lord and all Hes done for me. Mithra?? He or it or whatever it is.....is NOT the truth........ keep searching...... God says, "If you seek me, you will find me."



p.s. Jesus's birthday was not actually on December 25- that is just the day that was proclaimed to CELEBRATE his birth..... its too bad that the world has turned this celebration into something way wrong

Answer 8

Just to take one of your "proofs" as an example. Mithra was born literally out of a rock! I SUPPOSE you could consider this a virgin birth since the rock never...you know. But certainly not in the Christian sense.

Have you ever looked into Mithraism?

Answer 9

Your question was why do christians ignore the fact that JESUS was just a rip off of mithra!..........Really!..........Face the Facts...You Are An Non-believing atheists with no spiritual ensight of JESUS (John 3: 3).....so how would you non-believers have any Input in Spirituallity Anyway!......Deal With It!....GOD IS GOD!.......This whole nation was founded on the facts & beliefs that GOD EXISTS!........And He's Working Special Blessings In The Lives Of Those Who Receives, Follows, & Love Him!.....So Deal With It !..........No Matter what You Carnal Atheists Non-believers Say Or Do!..........Simple As that!......" One Nation Under GOD, With Liberty And Justice For All"........

Answer 10

I love adyghe1985's answer, gave me a good laugh.

Christians will never acknowledge that fact because they're too self-absorbed to do so. They think that their religion is the only true religion and that all others are a farce. Kind of arrogant of them, don't you think?

I've never heard of Mithra before, but a lot of scholars agree that the bible and the Quran are very similar to each other.