I will admit here that I am an atheist, but fear not, I am not here to lambast you.

Mithra was a Persian/Indian god of the 6th century BC. Apparently, he was born of a virgin on December 25th (as were the gods Osiris, Horus, Marduk, Sol, Saturn, and Apollo), a birth witnessed by shepherds, and by gift-bearing Magi who had followed a falling star. He became known as the Light / Good Shepherd / Son of God, and was said to be able to raise the dead, cast out devils, and cure the blind, lame, and sick. Like the god Attis, Mithra was sacrificed at the spring equinox (Easter, or 'Eostre', being the ancient goddess of spring), rose up after three days, and ascended to paradise (a Persian word). Prior to this, Mithra celebrated a Last Supper with his 12 disciples (representing the 12 signs of the zodiac). In memory of this, his followers would 'eat' their god in the form of wafers and bread (like the followers of Osiris, Adonis, and Dionysus) - bread marked with the cross, a symbol borrowed from another god, Tammuz. Mithra's worshippers also believed there would be a 'day of judgment' when sinners and the 'unbaptised' would be dragged down to darkness

This was 6th century BC and, of course, well before Christianity came to fruition. For further reading, there are also similar stories of Gods even further back that seem to Christianity appears to be a replica of, for example, Attis being held as a Greek God in 1200 BC, and Horus as an Egyptian God all the way back in 3000 BC.

Please allow me to stress that I am not here to insult or belittle your beliefs, I am merely looking for your thoughts, and what, exactly, a Christian thinks of these much older stories that seem to encompass all Christianity is.

This post was edited by Razzattack on Mar 6 2011 06:10pm

Well Christianity was the first religion.
This here sounds like a religion/story of man.
Christianity was here before 6 B.C., Jesus wasn't.
Deffinately false stories judging by it never lasted and I've never heard of it.

Do you deny Egyptian worship, Hindu worship, Judaism, and even Pagan worship existed? They go back far, far longer. In fact, Christianity split from the already existing Jewish faith to form Christianity after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. It was most certainly not the first religion.

It came well before Christianity and described an identitical life to that of Jesus, if you claim this is a story then you also denounce the Christian teachings of Jesus's life as a story invented by man.

Again, Christianity was formed in about 70CE, over 6000 years later than Mithra. It really wasn't around as early as you think it was. As a matter of fact, The Vatican, devoted to Christian worship, was built upon the very grounds previously devoted to the worship of Mithra (As evidenced in the second link).

It never lasted? Clearly it has. You've never heard of it? That makes it false? Ridiculous. There are countless sources of proof for Mithra. Look them up.

Here's some for you:

http://www.truthbeknown.com/mithra.htm
http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen048.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10402a.htm
http://www.edwardjayne.com/christology/mithra.html
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/mithra.html

Can I ask, are you a Christian?

This post was edited by Razzattack on Mar 6 2011 08:18pm

First of all, the unbaptised don't go to hell as described in there, second of all I agree with the first comment, I've never heard of this argument and I've argued with a lot of atheist and if it was a very informational and valid argument I'm sure I would have heard it before.
Also to the contrary of the first response, Christianity was not the first religion at all, Judaism(i think i spelt this wrong...) or the "Jews" where the first religion, according to the Holy Bible.
Though I do agree I can't say what you claim is false by my first sentence, it's just my opinion and you know very well its a valid one, just not a very probable one.
Also, Jesus's birthday was not on December 25th, thats just a date that one of the popes, i don't know which, set to celebrate his birthday because some religion, I think it was in the Celtics culture, I'm not sure if im correct had a very important holiday on that date, so the catholic pope( being stupid as they usually where) put the Christian holiday over the Celtics holiday in order to make it easier for their culture to convert to christians, because it would be easier for them to celebrate a different holiday on that date, rather than none at all. So for you to use that date "December 25th," would not have much meaning to us christians, as its just a date of celebration and not really the date that he was actually born.
Plus, does this mithra god have a whole few other religions backing up facts, Muslims, Jews, and Christians all have beleifs ont he same God, but different interpretations of what was said and which prophets they beleive where true prophets.

Jesus was the fulfillment of all the things in the OT which talked about His coming.

I always find it odd on how people can get so much out of a few pieces of carved rock and call it facts

Inb4tormquotesfairytalescripture

It says right in the Bible (not word for word obv) that is ONE SINGLE word in the entire Bible can be dis-proven then we are to disregard the entire thing. Even the most anti-christian legitimate scientists/professors have stated that not one thing (so far) has been dis-proven. The Bible is the only established religious text that this is true for and that is a fact. I am not stating this in any aggressive way (its hard to convey context over text), just check it out for yourself and maybe your world will be changed.

Surely, then, even that date is indicative that Christianity is a constructed religion as it has, in one form or another, borrowed a date from another group that came before it. Pagan solstice, most likely. Also, if that is true, why do so many Christians believe the 25th of December is His birthday?

With regards to people not having heard of him, check out the links, google it, read up on it. He's one of many historical figures that people cite when referencing Christianity's 'unoriginality' as a means of solidfying that Christianity is false.

Mithra wasn't a religion, to my knowledge, he was one of many people hailed as Gods, and Christianity based itself off of the story of this man.



I don't really see how this blanket statement actually answers the questions or counters the points that you quoted.



In a way you are right, the Bible cannot be disproven, but only so far as that it cannot be proven, either, as it was about 2000 years ago. I, however, would cite the miricles Jesus supposedly performed, some of his feats and the things he is known for. If you were to ask anyone qualified who wasn't biased by religion, they would tell you that a man cannot logically, under any circumstance, rise from the dead; that a man cannot possibly turn water into wine at the drop of a hat; that one cannot cure blindness, least of all 2000 years ago. I'd argue things like that can be in a way disproven, simply because they are literally impossible.

Besides, if you pose the existance of something, you need to back it up, not ask for it to be disproved and thus call it true. That's called the burden of truth.

This post was edited by Razzattack on Mar 7 2011 02:05am

isnt this forum for christians to talk? not christians to argue with you?