Apart from Jesus Christ, does anybody know or read about a person born without a human father?

Question

I have always been interested in knowing if being born without a human father is only a Jesus matter. If anyone know or read about something like that, I would want to read about him and know what his achievements could have been and the like so please let me know.

Answer 1

Tons of them:

Demigod
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The term "demigod", meaning "half-god," is a modern distinction, often misapplied in Greek mythology. "Demigod" is meant to identify a person whose one parent was a god and whose other parent was human, such as the heroes of Greek mythology. The biblical Nephilim, decendants of fallen angels and mortal women, could be considered demigods.Nineteenth-century popularizers of classical mythology like Thomas Bulfinch used the term "demigod" freely, and its definition has passed into popular dictionaries.

Part of the dual nature of Greek heroes, that gave rise to the "demigod" conception of them, a repeated theme in the story of their birth, is a double paternity: one father is a "king" of some kind, and another is a god. The hero's mother manages to lie with king and god in the same night (mother of Theseus) or to be visited secretly by the god (Danaë, mother of Perseus), and the seed of the two fathers is mixed in her womb (not a modern biological possibility, but one that was firmly established in Antiquity). Thus the heroes have liminal qualities that enable them to have great strength, to cross the threshold between the worlds of the living and the dead yet return safely, and to mediate long after their death between human and divine. (Ruck and Staples 1984, part 3; Kerenyi 1959).

Zeus became the father of many heroes as a result of his dalliances, and after death they were accorded honors, especially among those Greeks who claimed to be their descendants and, through them, to have claims on the protection and patronage of a god. The veneration of heroes was part of chthonic rites in the religion of Greece. An exception was Heracles, who was accepted in the passage of time among the Twelve Olympians. Such "demigods" were usually mortal, but were pre-eminent among humans, and some had unusual powers.

Structurally, mythic narratives of such heroic figures falls into the genre of Romance, as Northrop Frye defined and described it. Alexander the Great encouraged the mythmakers in his retinue to spread the legend of his "secret" Olympian paternity. His legend survived the end of Antiquity; a cycle of medieval romances developed around his legend.

In the list of demigods there are figures ranging from deified historic figures, to culture-heroes and city founders, to minor primeval chthonic deities. This illustrates the limitations of "demigod" applied to Greek mythology, and to an extent elsewhere.

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:

1. Were born on or very near our Christmas Day
2. Were born of a Virgin-Mother
3. Were born in a Cave or Underground Chamber.
4. Led a life of toil for Mankind.
5. Were called by the names of Light-bringer, Healer, Mediator, Savior, Deliverer.
6. Were however vanquished by the Powers of Darkness.
7. And descended into Hell or the Underworld.
8. Rose again from the dead, and became the pioneers of mankind to the Heavenly world.
9. Founded Communions of Saints, and Churches into which disciples were received by Baptism.
10. Were commemorated by Eucharistic meals.

Phrygia (aka Anatolia = modern Turkey)
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
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
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

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 ***.
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
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
Born at the winter equinox 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 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
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
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".... >>

See more at http://home.earthlink.net/~pgwhacker/ChristianOrigins/PaganChrists.html

Answer 2

There is a very rare phenomenon (so rare that there's no record, that I know of, of it ever happening with a human female) called parthenogenesis in which a female can reproduce all by herself. However, the offspring this produces is always female (XX), as a female has no Y chromosomes to contribute to the offspring (making XY impossible).

It's a common way of reproduction in a few lower species, however, in 2004, scientists at the Tokyo University of Agriculture successfully used parthenogenesis with mice. The same process could be used for humans. So in the very near future, there could be people born without a father. But they'd all be female.

As far as religious stories go (which is what I think you're wanting to know about, rather than scientific rationales--curse my overly analytical and serious brain!), Buddha was said to be born of a virgin. So was Mithra. Likewise, a few Native American, Aztec and Mayan deities were said to be born of virgins as well.

Answer 3

Virgin birth is well documented in many species. A certain lizard species comes to mind where every last one of them is female, but they still have to go through the motions of being 'mounted' by another before their body will produce a fertile egg.

The presence of virgin birth in other species does show that it is possible, no matter how unlikely. It is possible, though I couldn't imagine the odds against it, that a human female could somehow produce an ovum that, due to flawed meiosis, contained the appropriate number of chromosomes, or, that two ovum might fuse and have the appropriate number of chromosomes.

I seem to remember there being an article on this in one of my college biology texts but search me if I can remember which text or if it was a yes or no.

Answer 4

No, You have to accept Him as the Son of God, which means that He is God in flesh. Look at this passage: Luke 23:40-43 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? John 5:18 states: 18For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. It's clear that the early followers of Christ believed that Christ was God in flesh or at the very least in some why shape or form 100% equal with God. Even if you look at Christ being nailed on a cross. This was a curse to Jewish people and they were to give their life for another Jew - but yet they clearly gave Him over - Why? Because it was lawful to convict to death on the cross one who claimed to be God. that's why they had no problem with it. Even Peter's Church , which we still know the location has printed on the walls the worshipof Christ as God or Diety. So no, you cannot accept Christ without truly accepting who He is, and that is God in flesh. We are living in an age where we have no problem re-defining christianity and what it means to be christian, but neither the way nor the Diety of Christ has changed. And that's regardless of denomination nor age.

Answer 5

I'm not sure if this needs saying but human chromosomes come in pairs - one set provided by an ovum and one by a sperm. This is the only way known to create humans. (Cloning has yet to result in a human).

Should you choose to enter the realm of mythology, there are many other humans 'born of virgins' - many being star figures in religions that predate Christianity.

There was once a time, unbelievably, when people thought that virgin births were possible...

Answer 6

One of the most famous was Achilles, who had armor to protect him. That armor had a weak spot at the ankle, where he was wounded and died.
We get from him the name for the achilles tendon.

Jesus wasn't the first to be born of a woman with a god for a father. In fact, his story very closely follows the much older story of Isis and Osiris. It is close enough to arguably be a copy of that Egyptian tale.

There is nothing new under the sun and stars. Most every tale we have, and most that we will come up with has been told before

--Dee

Answer 7

It is not only a Jesus matter. The Jesus mythology come from the Romans and the Greeks---who probably got it from an even more ancient culture.

Answer 8

Yes.
Adam (Peace be upon Him), the first man on Earth, was born without a human father.
By the way Jesus (Peace be upon Him) was born without the agency of a father, human or otherwise.

Answer 9

There are lots of mythological stories about those born with a god as a parent. I believe Helen of Troy was supposed to be the descendant of Lida (a swan) who was raped by Zeus. Hmm...not sure if I remember my mythology correctly, but it's something along those lines. In any case, it's not a rare story...it reccurs in tons of other mythologies besides the Christian one.

Answer 10

Mithras was born of a virgin too. He was a god that some Roman's worshipped. Merlin the wizard's father was a 'demon'. The goddess Athena was never born, she was produced from Zeus's head fully formed with spear and sheild.

Answer 11

No, Jesus was the only one concieved without an earthly father. The angel Gabriel came to John the Baptist's father before he was concieved and told him he would have a son and to name him John. His story is in Luke. It's very interesting.