Were Mithra religion and Christianity merged under Emperor Constantine to form the catholic church?

Question

There are many things that these two religions have in common, a son who came down to save man, who was killed but arose after three days, who had twelve diciples, and many other things. It was a male only religion just like the religion of Peter, all of the christian holidays from old are Mithra, one of the early christian leaders said " that the devil had went back in time and created the Mithra religion to confound christianity!!!

Emperor Constantine was a high priest in the mithra religion, the coins of his regime were stamped for the sun god. Yet the catholic church called him saint, and the third apostile, if that isn't a merger what is it?

Answer 1

In short, yes. But there were other pagan beliefs besides Mithraism. It's nonsense to think the "devil" went back in time, he doesn't have that kind of power.

No one wants to research these facts, but when they do it has remarkable results.

BTW Yeshua had hundreds of disciples, not just 12.

Answer 2

No. Constantine did not start the catholic church as many think. His contribution to Christianity was to make it illegal to persecute Christians for their belief (c 312). Prior to this time Christianity was not a legally recognised religion in the Roman empire thanks to the numerous complaints of the Jews. Mithra and other pagan beliefs did eventually get twisted in, but not because Christians wanted it but because the law combined them later. Christianity did not become the "state" law until around the 360's under the emperor Julian or Jovian??? Maybe wrong on the emperor, but the date is close.
We must remember that early Christianity was extremely persecuted. They spent more time trying to stay alive than understanding theology. By the time Christianity became the law of the land- Christians had just about lost control of it to power brokers.

Answer 3

I would say no. Mithraism was a soldier's religion, and would in many cases would involve rites of passage and some degree of exclusion. The christian churches under Constantine became a somewhat unified political force instead of separate "spiritual" movements.

The Roman empire was a big melting pot. People and ideas blended casually together. Many religions of that time shared similar concepts, philosophies, and beliefs.

I wouldn't say that "all" the christian holidays are from mithraism... just december 25th as the birth of Yeshua. That was definitely a compromise on the Catholic church's part to accomodate both the followers of Yeshua and Mithra.

As far as christian leaders saying crazy things like that, they always have and they always will. They said that Elvis shaking his hips was sinful and immoral, for example. Religious leaders are often conservative, conservative meaning "let's not change anything", and even more so when "let's not change anything that would lessen our influence over others".


Saul

Answer 4

That's just sillyness!

We can go back in early Christian writing to 2 and 1/2 centuries BEFORE Constantine, and confirm EVERYTHING that Nicea codified.

Please! A little scholarship, and a lot less theological cant and provincial dudgeon is in order!

Answer 5

no, this was yet another example of Christianity absorbing the similarities of an indigenous religion to facilitate conversion of the locals.

Answer 6

The mistake most people make, is to view 1st century Jews as if they were modern orthodox Jews. They were not. They were as pagan as any other religion of the time. Paganism was not grafted onto Christianity, instead, Christianity grew out of it.

Answer 7

The Catholic Church was not invented by constantine, we had followers before he.

Answer 8

Stumbling on the "Truth" are we????

Answer 9

probably!

Answer 10

no,,