Can you name one idea in Christianity that didn't exist previously in another religion?

Question

I doubt it. It's evident that everything was composited from Ancient Egyptian, Judaism, Ancient Greek monotheism (see Plato) and Zoroastrianism (with some Babylonian likely thrown in.) This happened because, during the empire of Alexander the Great, all of these traditions overlapped and entered dialogue within a single governing body.

Answer 1

The vilest evil concept ever created by mankind: the threat of an eternity of suffering in hell.

Answer 2

First, I'm thinking this question is in the politics category because it's really more of a history question than a religious question. (Is there a history category in Yahoo!Answers?)

I starred it as "interesting" because I was hoping someone with a true background in religious history might chime in. It's a great question.

Anyone with any real historical perspective knows that most religions are essentially the same. Most of the major themes in Christianity are recycled over and over from other religions. . . The virgin birth, a savior performing miracles, the resurrection, a second coming, etc

Even modern Christian religious traditions are rooted in paganistic rituals - most evolved when Constantine (being the politician that he was) was merging the traditions of the two largest communities he ruled.

The answers I'm seeing appear to be mainly from fundamentalist Christians who are hung up on the details of their Christian beliefs and probably have absolutely no knowledge or historical perspective of other religions. Fundamentalist Christians, like all religious fundamentals, view the teachings of their religion in a very literal sense - not ever realizing that even that requires a historical perspective. For example, most fundamentalists love to quote scripture believing that they are quoting God himself. However, the language of their bible (English mainly) has been translated and re-translated over and over. Many different interpretations exist between the original text and what is commonly considered the Word of the Lord today.

So, again, I'm very disappointed that no one has really been able to answer your question. The reason is that I was raised a Christian and have raised my children in the Christian faith but the current radical Christians in the United States has turned me sour on the whole thing. Their zealotism and literal interpretation of everything (and using it for the purpose of exclusion and intolerance) have left me looking for a more intellectual approach to my faith. Christ was an educated man in his time and I believe his disciples should be able to ask intellectual questions about why they should follow him - something other than the ridiculous fire and brimstone argument.

So I am hoping that someone much smarter than me can provide a real educated answer to this person's question. In the mean time, I'll keep it starred and keep watching.

Thanks for asking such a great question.

Answer 3

I won't argue your point, but I will dispute the reasons why....
of course it is derived from Judaism, Jesus was a Jew, the promised Messiah prophesied throughout the Old Testament.

And could it also have something to do with all the peoples of the world being given some innate revelation of the One True and Living God and thus getting at least part of it right??
I find it too weird to be coincidence that all primitive tribes and cultures as well as the historic cultures you name have these similarities of belief--it's much more likely to me that they all stemmed from a common source (oral tradition passed from Adam through Noah and beyond) and got perverted or changed along the way.

Answer 4

i can call 4. Transubstantiation (and the different -substantiations), the Trinity, the twin nature of Christ, and salvation with the aid of grace quite than works. If we would desire to be somewhat loose with issues, freewill is likewise a candidate for an theory in Christianity (greater of an theory as a results of Christianity, in spite of the undeniable fact that). Purgatory would desire to paintings too, in spite of the undeniable fact that it relies upon on if that counts because of fact that's no longer supported with the aid of Christian cannon. notice: that's no longer that the Trinity is unique to Christianity, purely that it did no longer exist previously in yet another faith. in spite of the undeniable fact that, given each and every of the theological whatnots that surrounds the Trinity, even whilst there are similarities in different ideals they nevertheless are not precisely the comparable.

Answer 5

How about this one, if you die in your sins and are not a Christian, you will split hell wide open, and you will be cast into the lake of fire. Did you find that one is the ancient religions. Christianity came from Judaism. The revelation started there and Jesus Christ was the promised messiah.

Also, Jesus and Paul both proclaimed that Jesus was the only way to God the Father.

Answer 6

Holy trinity, blood sacrifice, miracles, born on Dec. 25th, falling out of fellowship with their people, died, rose, all been done before.

There is only one, the marketing.

The early Christian church founders answered the criticism of copying all the religions before it by proclaiming that satan knew the day would come and had counterfeited the others, in advance.

It's of course ridiculous and should send up a red flag. But this today remains the explanation as to why the bible and jesus are real and everyone else isn't.

Attis, Adonis, Mithra, Oedipus, and all the savior gods before, all known to be mythical, but in this one instance it's actually true. Yeah right.

Answer 7

I don't think that people understand your question. The virgin birth and resurrection, the flood, the son is really, the sun. There are much older versions of these stories than christianity and there isn't any valid basis for the myth being factual. Religion is designed to control people, and it seems to work quite well.

Answer 8

The concept of Jesus Christ dying on the cross to atone for the sins of all mankind. That's the main one.

Answer 9

That your name must be written in the Lamb's Book of Life to be saved. The Book of Revelation talks about the Lamb's book of life.

No other religion spoke about the Lamb's book of Life. Yeshua being the Lamb of God has the power to determine who will be saved and who is not saved.

Answer 10

Well, your question is wrong. You ask about Christianity being derived from other religions, and list Judaism as one of the founding faiths.

Judaism is a branch of Christianity.

Christianity includes all religions that believe in Christ: Judaism, Catholicism, Protestants, Methodists, Baptists, etc. So get your facts right.

Also, religion is a man-made function. So naturally it will be "imperfect" and will borrow some attractive elements from other faiths. Nearly all religions stole something from some other sect. Deal with it.