Why did Jesus borrow so much from the Pagans if he came to save us from Paganism?

Question

He stole the Virgin Birth motif, which was practically a requirement to be taken seriously in the Mediterranean.

He stole the "Child King as a threat" motif and had Herod come after him.

He stole the precocious child story, taken from Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Krishna and Buddha, all boy geniuses by the age of twelve, according to legend.

He borrowed December 25th as his birthday, hardly original since it was already a common holiday celebrating the birth of Mithras by the time the Christians took over.

The Madonna and Child iconography was taken from Mithras, ISIS and Horus, Zarathustra and Apollo.

The shepherd god concept was taken fro Apollo.

The Dying/Rising God from Dionysus, Perseus, Horus, Osiris,
Heracles, etc, etc, etc.

The ascension to the heavens from Julius Caesar, Heracles, Horus and others.

The healing of lepers from Elijah, Vespasian and Krishna.

Did he do anything original?

Nice point, Question This.

It's a shame the "Christian Pacifism" didn't last longer.

It was gone the second they came to power in Rome.

Good point, auntb93.

But still, his "biographers" had little real information to work with and chose to build a composite god-man from Mythology.

Answer 1

Not really, it's mostly renaming of pagan holidays and Greek/Roman mythology. That way, people were willing to accept the change of religion. As long as there was still a feast day on Dec. 25th, Joe Brick-maker was happy.

The funny part is that educated people in Greek times knew the stories were myths. There are many philosophical dialogues talking about how the gods did not exist.

So when did we decide that it was all "real"?

Are we the stupidest generation of humanity?

Anyway, I do think the "willingly crucified" bit was new.

In prior mythology that death would have been considered "dishonorable". Thus began the Christian pacifism.

Answer 2

Well, it wasn't Jesus who stole all that. He seems to have just gone along with it and helped to perpetrate the Great Lie. First it was the Jews who believed that he was their Mesiah that stole the Mithras Virgin Birth story. Then it was the Christians when they began establishing themselves as a religion. They used all the old mythology they could find in order to make people switch from the true Gods that they already worshipped to Christianity by making it seem like their Jesus had all the attributes of the Old Gods.

Oh, and Jesus definitely did not come to save us from Paganism. That, too, is somebody's misinterpretations of the Bible. We are Pagans and we do not need to be saved.

And, no, I do not believe that Jesus did anything original. The Christians who wrote and rewrote the Bible stole everything in it from various Pagan traditions that existed at the time they were writing it and spreading their religion orally. And they did it on purpose.

One more thing, could you please tell us your sources for all this you've asked about. I would like to read them and use them in my own research. Thanks.

Answer 3

Jesus neither borrowed nor stole the concepts. His disciples wrote about him and the church was the one who edited and put together the bible. They used the borrowed concepts in order to bring the pagans over to their side and later to persecute the women who they deemed dangerous to the church (IE: the witches/wise women... see burning times) and so a threat to the male population! This took place long after Jesus left this mortal world. Has anyone done anything original? He preached forgiveness and helped people who needed it. Besides, how do we know he didn't have the ability to change water to wine or heal the sick? How do we know that we can't do it too?

Answer 4

Jesus didn't take anything fro christianity Christianity is made entirely from paganism.

Jesus was never a historical person, Christianity is Judaism set to pagan overtiones to be more acceptable with the people.

So all jesus type events were previously done by pagan deities

Answer 5

Strategy! What better way to get a population to better accept your new "product" than to wrap it in something that they are familiar with. As many who follow a belief system know, faith is a hard thing to take away once it is part of your history and tradition. Even as a new belief system, laws, rulers, etc were starting out...it doesn't bode well and is logistcally impossible to wipe out the "enemy"...rulers/belief systems have to have followers to exist. If you can't beat them, join them! Wrap it in something that doesn't seem so bad. Before you know it you have converts. I've always believed that the best way to fight the enemy is from within their own fortress...that is what, in my view, the leaders of the new Christianity did. Just like myself, now. I represent myself as a "normal" productive, ethical, professional. Eventually, people find out that I am Pagan. It makes is difficult for them to reconcile the Hollywood version of Pagan with their perception of me. If I don't sacrifice the occational goat and walk around with "666" carved on my forhead...what else about the commonly held Hollywood version is not true? It usually opens conversation.

Answer 6

It has to do with the corrupt nature of human flesh.

If the church is the body of Christ, and the pagan's are the body of a beastly spirit, then the inspiring of the word transforms that body. It's a mystery.

You could very well ask how a pig-farmer could possibly become a Christian, and maintain his farm. The pigs still stink, but the farmer is much better off.

Answer 7

Why is it hard to believe all these things weren't stolen from the Pagans, they reflect what people of the time would accept. I'm a Pagan lifer and I really don't care what Christians borrow as long as they don't deny my right to believe as I choose. Maybe if we start showing Christian what we want, they might be willing to give it to us. Peace!

Answer 8

No, all modern religion is a piece of this, sprinkle of that, with dash of something ells. From it's core beliefs to it Icon's, they've all been done before by everybody ells.

Funny how educated people, who read more than just one book know this, and those who so blindly fallow their religion don't. Read more books people, research the history of your chosen religion, you will be shocked and amazed.

Answer 9

Thank you ; Father Guido
Summerhawk

Answer 10

Actually, I don't think it was so much Jesus as his biographers who adapted all those ancient stories. But please don't call it "stole;" copyright had not yet been invented.