I’m having a small discussion at a Christian blog regarding the origins of the universe. One of the participants wrote,
I worship the Transcendent Uncaused Immaterial First cause of the Material Universe.
We’re celebrate His birthday on Dec. 25th.
He could use a little knowledge of ancient religions. My response:
Sorry, can’t resist. December 25th is “His” birthday, eh? In that case, “He” could be:
Horus, Osiris, Attis of Phrygia, Krishna, Zoroaster/Zarathustra, Mithra, Buddha, Heracles, Dionysus, Tammuz, Adonis, Hermes, Bacchus, Prometheus, or Jesus.
So, which one is it? “Born of a virgin” doesn’t help narrow the list down. All of these qualify too.
Obviously, he was referring to Jesus, but had no idea how many other deities prior to Jesus tradition holds were born on December 25th. And why this day in particular? It’s actually a fascinating story, superbly related in Zeitgeist – The Movie (after about 13 minutes in).
As I eluded, the parallels between Jesus and many other deities now widely regarded as myths go beyond simply birth on December 25th. For obvious reasons, the Christian church ignores them, but they were patently manifest to pagan critics far back in early Christian history, who chastised the new religion for plagiarism. Their apologists’ response? Guilty as charged! Justin Martyr (100 – 165 CE):
And when we say also that the Word, who is the first-birth of God, was produced without sexual union, and that He, Jesus Christ, our Teacher, was crucified and died, and rose again, and ascended into heaven, we propound nothing different from what you believe regarding those whom you esteem sons of Jupiter.
Of course, to admit their god was just another in a long line of mythic deities would not do. There had to be a reason, and who or what was involved? Who could it be, I just don’t know. Could it be…Satan!!
Martyr continues:
For having heard it proclaimed through the prophets that the Christ was to come, and that the ungodly among men were to be punished by fire, [wicked demons] put forward many to be called sons of Jupiter, under the impression that they would be able to produce in men the idea that the things which were said with regard to Christ were mere marvelous tales, like the things which were said by the poets.
The devils… said that Bacchus was the son of Jupiter, and gave out that he was the discoverer of the vine, and they number wine among his mysteries; and they taught that, having been torn in pieces, he ascended into heaven.
It is facts like the above–and this only scratches the surface–which make it impossible to accept the Christian claim that there existed a Jesus as described in the New Testament gospels.
Making My Way 