Mithra:Debunking the Myth?

Question

Some people have been asking questions regarding Mithra.There have been some myths spreading around,so let's get to the real story.

Myth #1 :Mithra was born of a virgin on December 25th in a cave, and his birth was attended by shepherds.

Truth:Mithra was not born of a virgin in a cave; he was born out of solid rock, which presumably left a cave behind.Here is how one Mithraic scholar describes the scene on Mithraic depictions: Mithra "wearing his Phrygian cap, issues forth from the rocky mass. As yet only his bare torso is visible. In each hand he raises aloft a lighted torch and, as an unusual detail, red flames shoot out all around him from the petra genetrix." [MS.173]

But the thing is that this scene, like nearly all Roman Mithraic evidence, dates at least a century after the time of the New Testament.

I didn't put these points out to humiliate anyone.But can you please lool at the actual story rather than believe Acharya S's claims and others' at face value?

Bobby,I am not 'woorying about converting' it just gets rather tiring when many people make these claims about Mithra that are patently untrue.It's bad scholarship to spread rumours which have no basis in fact,and that's what people like Arachya S are doing.I am merely proving a sound rebuttal.

Answer 1

You are looking up roman Mithriac ideas. these are contemporary with the NT.

You need to look up Persian Myths to understand what people are talking about. They predate The NT by many centuries.

Love and blessings Don

Answer 2

Awesome, you proved a story symbolic!

However, Mithras was a sun god. The point is, that the Solstice celebrations [Pagan parties NEVER last a day ;P] represent the rebirth of the Sun, December 25th was Mithras' day.

However, by the Roman times, Mithras was obsolete, because his name, Mithra no longer added up to the proper number of days in a year, it should have been Baraxas.

Answer 3

you aren't humiliating anyone, but you should have named the source you copied and pasted from. I'll do it for you here (1)

"Our earliest evidence for the Mithraic mysteries places their appearance in the middle of the first century B.C.: the historian Plutarch says that in 67 B.C. a large band of pirates based in Cilicia (a province on the southeastern coast of Asia Minor) were practicing "secret rites" of Mithras."(2)

one of the main reasons it is so hard to pinpoint Mirthras is that it is a mystery religion wherein the believers hold a lot of its secrets inside them, rather than writing it all out. but what we do find is that it coincides greatly with the jesus myth and arose at least a little before him. this asid, mithras is not the only one. look into the story of dionysus.

"Hundreds of years before Jesus, there was a passion story told about a God man, born of a virgin mother, in a stable. He travels about with his followers, preaching and performing miracles, including turning water into wine. Eventually, he incurs the wrath of the religious authorities, who are appalled that he refers to himself as the son of god. He allows himself to be arrested and tried for blasphemy- a willing self-sacrifice. He is found guilty and executed, only to rise from the grave three days later, where the women weeping at his tomb do not recognize him until he assumes his divine form. This god, also one of the first depicted crucified, is the vine-God Dionysus. " (3)

finally, it is not necessarily easy to brush these off, christian apologists have been trying to forever. "(T)hese coincidences so disturbed one early Christian church father, Justin Martyr, that he accused the devil of sending an imitator of Christ in advance."(4)

Answer 4

Hi, good comments, I have answered a Mithra question earlier and I stated that the Roman pagans in trying to discredit the Christian faith substituted Mithra for Christ and this was in the 1st century.
Thanks for your post.

Answer 5

Are you Still on this?

Please will you give it a rest, Just accept the Fact that Mithra and Jesus are similar, that doesn't mean you have to convert, NO one is holding a gun to your head, this is NOT threatening Your faith, Just leave it alone.


How would you like it if i told you Jesus and Mary Magdalen have children :O
so don't blaspheme my savior and i wont blaspheme yours!


EDIT: Mithra is not just roman God, in Persia, in the Zoroastrian faith, Mithra is the sun of God (Ahura Mazda) which places him much older then Jesus. The Roman form of Mithra Is "Mitra" (still pronounced Mithra) you are getting Gods mixed up.

Answer 6

whos mithra?

Answer 7

how was he born if his mom was a virgin? i wonder that