The Vatican was built upon the grounds previously devoted to the worship of Mithra (600 B.C.). The Orthodox Christian hierarchy is nearly identical to the Mithraic version. Virtually all of the elements of Orthodox Christian rituals, from miter, wafer, water baptism, alter, and doxology, were adopted from the Mithra and earlier pagan mystery religions. The religion of Mithra preceded Christianity by roughly six hundred years.
Mithra was born on December 25th as an offspring of the Sun
He was considered a great traveling teacher and masters. He had twelve companions as Jesus had twelve disciples. Mithras also performed miracles.
Mithra was called "the good shepherd,” "the way, the truth and the light,” “redeemer,” “savior,” “Messiah." He was identified with both the lion and the lamb.
He was buried in a tomb and after three days he rose again. His resurrection was celebrated every year.
Mithra had his principal festival on what was later to become Easter, at which time he was resu
2007-08-12 08:02:57 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen048.html
2007-08-12 08:10:20 · update #1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraism
2007-08-12 08:10:52 · update #2
the Catholic Church has a way of taking pagan worship and turning it into Christianity. Santa Claus or the Easter bunny is a good example of that. I mean was there this goddess of VALENTINE that is this lover.
2007-08-12 08:14:08 · answer #1 · answered by Steven 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
REALLY. What I'VE read of Mithraism is that it holds no similarities whatsoever. For example, Mithraism inducted NO females into their ranks. It was simply not allowed. It was a religion for men ONLY. Not only that, but it was quite a militant religion.
Baptism was used in Judaism far prior to the conception of Mithraism, therefore, who copied whom on that?
Mithras, if he existed at all (he's not written about in ANY contemporary historical accounts, and his story has changed so much since the beginning that it's not certain who wrote it, nor is it certain when it was written), was NOT born of a virgin. He came from a ROCK. He had no mother.
Whether he was born on December 25th or not is irrelevant, since most Christians know that Jesus was actually probably born either after Passover, or in September.
The New Testament (specifically the Gospels) contain historical FACT, unlike any stories about Mithras that were passed around.
As if all that wasn't enough, the earliest artwork and writings about Mithras contain NO similarities whatsoever. Later, in about the third or fourth centuries BC, perhaps there were similarities. However, this is still AFTER prophecies were made regarding the Messiah.
A very small group of scholars CLAIM that communion was used in Mithraic ceremonies. However, there is no proof to this. Mithraism as it existed until the 4th century doesn't exist anymore, and there's no way to tell exactly how they worshipped.
Oh, and Mithras was never associated with a lamb, though he WAS associated with a lion (Leo).
2007-08-12 08:30:25 · answer #2 · answered by The_Cricket: Thinking Pink! 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not a Christian, but I fail to see how belief or non belief in one god proves the existence or non existence of another.
Mithraists at least believed that Jesus was somehow special and probably an avatar of Mithras. "Magus" was a rank of Mithran priesthood and, according to the Gospels three of them made a long trip to pay homage to the child. Which is where the Christian custom of gift giving at Christmas is supposed to have come from.
So the resemblances prove or disprove nothing except that Christians have historically suppressed the cults they've stolen from. Mithraism was the first and the pogroms started the minute a Christian Emperor took the throne in 390 CE.
But how Gods are worshipped and where their Mythoi come from has no bearing on their existence.
2007-08-12 08:18:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ha!
It seems you need to look at www.tektonics.org. JPH there addresses all the claims of copycatting, about more people can Mithras too. What you're saying is bunk... based of "fringe" scholars and unintelligent people.
I'm afraid I can't give you a link due to my computer, but look at this article:
"Mighty Mithraic Madness: Did The Mithraic Mysteries Influence Christianity?" by JP Holding at www.tektonics.org
He has links on every single person people claim influenced Chrsitianity, even when it was the other way around (Chrsitianity influenced them). Anyway, that is just a bunch of worthless junk - untrue and silly. The claims have been made before; Christianity is still standing.
2007-08-12 08:16:15 · answer #4 · answered by JustAsking 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
No. I have never heard of this. Maybe there is a reason why I have never heard of it. The reason? Because it isn't true. Christianity has caught on quite well. If this proceeded Christianity, wouldn't the people of that time have felt that Christianity was just a "copy cat?" If it proceeded Christianity, why isn't there a strong Mithra following too? Same reason as above---because it isn't real or true.
2007-08-12 08:16:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Mithra's was the major rival of Christianity in the its beginnings. Mithra's and Christianity competed and incorporated many things from each other. Mithra borrowed as much from Christianity as the other way around.
Now I ask you this: What was Mithra's teachings and message to mankind?
2007-08-12 08:10:48 · answer #6 · answered by Prof Fruitcake 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
When are you atheists ever gong to understand that all this means nothing to us. The devil will try to counterfeit everything he sees God do. We, as Christians, recognize the phony from the real...it is not history we are interested in, when we get saved..it is the future and the "personal" relationship we have with him...The devil cannot duplicate that. A personal, living God is something an atheist cannot understand. We don't care about your comparisons. If they found the ark tomorrow,,it would not change anything for me..I don't need anything to prove my reason for my faith and there is nothing that can disprove it. My spirit tells me what is true.
2007-08-12 08:29:47 · answer #7 · answered by dreamdress2 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Isnt mithra a character from the godzilla movies?
2007-08-12 08:11:49 · answer #8 · answered by Fae 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Old Testament is rift with passages that foretell the coming of Christ. You don't think that God could steer people through their myths to the coming of His Son also?
2007-08-12 08:22:44 · answer #9 · answered by Shintz62 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Lol, nice twisting of the words dere kid. That is a pagan religon. Christmas comes from that religon. christans used it to get pagans used to being christans. Nice try
2007-08-12 08:07:20 · answer #10 · answered by ITALLIAN STALLION 2 · 5⤊ 1⤋