How can we believe in the Virgin Birth when Christianity is the 7th religion to claim it as part of their doc-

Question

trines? Here are some other examples of ideas stolen from earlier religions -

Worship of Mithra is the religion often said to be the source of Christianity. http://www.tektonics.org/copycat/mi... is a source you might use to learn more about current thought on the matter.

Some of the stated similarities are listed below. I was not there.

1. Mithra was born of a virgin on December 25th in a cave, and his birth was attended by shepherds.
2. He was considered a great traveling teacher and master.
3. He had 12 companions or disciples.
4. Mithra's followers were promised immortality.
5. He performed miracles.
6. As the "great bull of the Sun," Mithra sacrificed himself for world peace.
7. He was buried in a tomb
7. He was buried in a tomb and after three days rose again.
8. His resurrection was celebrated every year.
9. He was called "the Good Shepherd" and identified with both the Lamb and the Lion.
10. He was considered the "Way, the Truth and the Light," and the "Logos," "Redeemer," "Savior" and "Messiah."
11. His sacred day was Sunday, the "Lord's Day," hundreds of years before the appearance of Christ.
12. Mithra had his principal festival of what was later to become Easter.
13. His religion had a Eucharist or "Lord's Supper," at which Mithra said, "He who shall not eat of my body nor drink of my blood so that he may be one with me and I with him, shall not be saved."
14. "His annual sacrifice is the passover of the Magi, a symbolical atonement or pledge of moral and physical regeneration."
15. Shmuel Golding is quoted as saying that 1 Cor. 10:4 is "identical words to those found in the Mithraic scriptures, except that the name Mithra is used instead of Christ."
16. The Catholic Encyclopedia is quoted as saying that Mithraic services were conduced by "fathers" and that the "chief of the fathers, a sort of pope, who always lived at Rome, was called 'Pater Patratus.'"

Answer 1

This hasn't only been on the Internet. I've also read it many other places. However, I'm more likely to believe it than a religious text that has been translated and re-translated over and over again and often with the translater's personal agenda attached. I will say that believers in that religion really should make an effort to learn the original language the Bible was written in so they can read it and come to their own conclusions instead of relying on second-hand information they get from their religious leaders. The truth is a lot of people believe in that religion and really don't know much about it. I remember a poll that came out in USA Today where specific questions were asked of Americans about religion. Most of them really couldn't answer questions like what are the Four Gospels and who gave "The Sermon On The Mount". There's nothing wrong with believing in a particular religion but you really should know what you are believing in. Being ignorant like that really makes you look stupid and uneducated and does not help your cause any. Believe it or not, I've actually had people tell me that Jesus spoke English. If that isn't ignorant and uneducated, then I don't know what is

Answer 2

You are uninformed about Zoroastrianism and Christianity. You have taken a few basic facts, many inaccuracies, confused times, events, and details and consequently reached incorrect conclusions. Obviously, someone made an attempt to discredit Christianity using this unique approach, and instead of doing a tiny bit of research, you've gulped it down

One example, "Sun"day has nothing to do with original Christianity. You will find no reference to it in the Bible. It was 300 years after Christ's death (33 A.D.) in 321 A.D. that Constantine decreed Sunday to be a day of rest for everyone except the farmers. That was to appease the "Sun" worshipers who he wanted to convert to Christianity, while dragging their Sun worshiping practices along.

And you've got many details about Mithra off. You've been listening to some anti-Christian propaganda.

Not to say that many Christians are not deserving of criticism, but at least get your facts straight.
Best to educate yourself first before spreading what is embarrassingly inaccurate information.

Answer 3

I understand that there were more than 200 religions with virgin births. Actually many cases of virgin births have been recorded where the male has ejaculated over the hymen of the female which normally has openings to allow the ejection of menstrual fluids.
None of this is important as religion is basically a question of faith.

Answer 4

don't need to sort through all that crap to find a reason not to believe in that silly-a*ss story.

Hey, let's stick a tree in our living room, run out to the malls and wander around looking miserable maxing out our credit cards buying totally useless crap for people we don't even like, stuff our faces with every fattening load of stuff in sight, get wasted off of sickeningly sweet liqueurs and booze-fortified egg yuck, and cover our house with more colored lights than they have on a aircraft carrier ....all to celebrate the birth of the son of a virgin impregnated by a horny ghost, who got followed around by stars and three white men bringing frankinputz and manure and all and got warmed by the breath from somebody's a*ss because there was no room in the inn, who who grew up to make many fish out of few and started a religion that brought us the inquisition and kid's crusades and who said basically believe in me or one of my dads will kick your a*ss and throw you in hell even though their love is perfect and pure but they won't get rid of evil even though they could if they wanted to and they forsaked my butt all to hell and let me get whupped and scourged and hung on a hanger (and had Mel Gibson make a movie about it and get so rich he forgot what he was saved and went out and got s*hitfaced again) so lots of people did what he said and go off to church every weekend and blubber and beg and praise his holy hugeness and drink wine and eat pieces of him.

I've come up with some whoppers, but none THAT crazy or elaborate.

Hoo-boy. That one oughta do it.

Answer 5

The two religions merged. Most people don't know this.

Answer 6

It doesn't say anywhere in the bible that Jesus was born on December 25th, but other than that, I think you make very good points.

Answer 7

*yawn*
All good paths lead to the same destination. Simple as that.

Answer 8

Well, educated and intelligent people usually don't, though there are interesting exceptions.

Answer 9

If it's on the internet it must be true! I know of at least half of these to be false without any further research. It is a wonderful example, however, of the extent to which atheists will go to spread their religious beliefs and your unwillingness to probe topics beyond inaccurate lists posted on the internet. It reminds me of Islamic fundamentalism. Oh yeah, and wrong category, too, genius.

BTW, somebody copied and pasted a refutation of your erroneous list in one of your several spam-like cross posts:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=An7B5pvQy65dKhwoNtSKUsrsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071212100439AANx7VX

Now the real question is, why do atheists resort to lying in order to support their beliefs and rally others to their cause?

Answer 10

The devil is always trying to be like God. Nothing has changed. You are free to believe any lie you want. For me and my house we choose the Lord God of Abraham.

Hell will be full of non believers.