Why are there so many parallels between Pagan and Christian beliefs?

Question

The bible says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God...” (2 Timothy 3:16). However, many Christian beliefs resemble the EARLIER beliefs held by other middle eastern religions. I will give just a couple of examples.

1. The bible says Moses recieved the 10 commandments from God, right? Directly from God! With that in mind, most of the Ten Commandments rules are also found in the "Negative Confession" of the Egyptian Book of the Dead, and they were written long before Moses' time. God decided to copy the Egyptians??

2. The story of Moses. He is said to have been born in secret and hidden in a floating basket made of reeds to hide him from Pharaoh who wanted to kill him. In an older Egyptian myth, the goddess Isis gave birth to the god "Horus" in the Nile Delta. Isis hid the infant in a basket of rushes so that he would not be killed by a jealous god.

Similar? I would like to know what other people think. I am not Christian bashing here, just curious.

I never said Christianity was a Pagan belief... I said it parallels Pagan beliefs.....

Answer 1

There are other stories from the Bible that exist in other writings of other cultures long before we see it in the Bible. I believe that it is because the Jews were an enslaved population and their beliefs were born of their enslavement but also of the stories and myths of the enslaving populations. They changed some things in an almost rebellious way (you worship many so we have only one) but I believe that that is the root of their stories and myths.

Answer 2

It is because those who continue their studies would like to see the parallels between Christian and Pagan beliefs, like the Gospel parallels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and other parallel studies. To be able to discover the similarities/differences, historical, etc that might be found in Christian and Pagan beliefs. Great biblical scholars, scientists, historians, etc. are interested in something that they could find between Christianity and Paganism so that they in turn may understand certain beliefs that have been existing even before we know them at present. There is nothing wrong to discover and to study the issue on parallelism provided we do not put distinction that might displease the other. Love must be the motivation of every study being made.

Answer 3

There are many similarities between Christianity & Paganism. Mithra (born on Dec. 25th to a virgin,visited by wise men....) also comes to mind.

Christianity "borrowed" many Pagan teachings and stories. Some were an attempt to intergrate the existing Pagan population. Many of the Saints are Pagan Gods & Goddesses reinvented.

I'm not bashing either, but the similarities are there.

Answer 4

* The Hebrews spent 400 years as slaves to Egypt and they were exposed to Egyptian religions and belifs, so i do not find it odd at all that the Jewish beliefs written in the old Testement came from the much older Egyptian beliefs and were changed to make it appear their one God guided them out of Egypt.

History proves that slaves adapt the religions and beliefs of their captors. The oppressed people need something to give them hope until they are set free, and then those beliefs are so strong it never leaves them.

Look at Christianity today. It tried to kill out us pagans, but the only thing they succeded in doing is changing Christianity into a disguised pagan religion that keeps our holy days and ways.*

Answer 5

yes Christianity has Pagan DNA.

with the ammount of travel that people have been capable of for the last 2000 years it would be hard to find 2 religions that did not now share something in common with each other.

there is also the story of Mirthas, born of a virgin mother as a man-god to walk the world and learn mortal compassion.

and the story of Finnan Macdonald, who drove the snakes from Ireland.

Achen do, whom defended his tribe with an unbreakable shield that was gifted to him by the gods.

and do not forget the Fearie lore that seems to perment all cultures.

Answer 6

Laci and Goodly Devil,Christianity did not steal from pagan myths and cultures.The basis of all Christian themes are found in the Old Testament.including:Baptism,begotten son,crucifixion,slavation,incarnation of God,monotheism,sacrifice,trinity,and the virgin birth.That's why I do not take 'pagan copycatists' seriously,because it demonstrates a lack of knowlege of the Bible and history.Even a basic education can tell you that Mithra,Dionysus,etcc are not the basis of Jesus,and are deliberately twisted.
http://www.carm.org/evidence/ot_nt_themes.htm
http://www.tektonics.org/copycat/copycathub.html
As for the original question,it is not just Christians who have the Old Testament.Judaism does too.As for the common themes,that hardly proves anything.Out of all the gods that people have worshopped,there are bound to be similarities,much like real historical figures that shared things in common.ON top of that,I have never seen this story about Horus and Isis anywhere.
A little tip-Archarya and books in the same vein don't count,especially since her claims have been proven false so many times.

Answer 7

precisely which ones are you taking under consideration? i do not ignore about them, (when you're taking under consideration an similar ones) i imagine about them like this, the Bible says that the devil makes use of all his skills that he's authorized to apply to lie to anybody, and couple of those are confusion, alongside with lies, and at the same time as people discuss the pagans that had "messiahs" like Jesus or at the same time as guy doctrines the "non secular guidelines and traditions with pagan like ritual" this stuff are a number of them. Jesus grow to be for authentic, he's reality no longer a unmarried reality yet reality itself, and in trouble-free terms once you've faith and settle for him are you able to initiate to learn reality. Or keep in suggestions the OT the magicians ought to do all 9 plagues. Why can not pagan ( devil ) religions then have approaches to lie to with trouble-free lies or prophesy about a real savior?

Answer 8

Because christianity stole the ideas from pagan myths
blessed be )0(

Answer 9

Well, obviously those earlier belief structures had mastered the art of time-travel and went forward through time to steal their stories and ideas from the Christian faith. They must have had great insight into the awesome and true Christian faith to know which religion to steal their ideas from.

Answer 10

I agree. Long before there were pictures of Mary holding baby Jesus, there were wall paintings (sorry for got the word for it), and statues of Lady Isis holding Lord Horus.