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kaniz
That one, overthere.


Registered: 07/23/04
Posts: 4,166
Loc: Ontario
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Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology?
#5663231 - 05/23/06 07:46 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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The other day I just started reading a book called "The Pagan Christ", only about 7 chapters into it so far, but it’s a pretty interesting read so far. The book is making the claim that Christianity is pretty much a plagiarized Egyptinism, and that Jesus, and many of the stories in the bibles are simply archetypical myths that have existed for hundreds of years before Christianity was around.
It is also making the claim that the stories are meant as allegorical myths, and not as literal historical events. It’s the truths/messages and teachings in the stories that are important, but that they are not actual historical events. However, at some point in history the early Christians started to take a literalist point of view on the stories and embodied the Christ Figure into one man (Jesus), instead of allowing for the potential of Christ to live in all of us.
While the tone of his book seems to be a bit 'grandiose' calling for a new era of Christianity, which I think at times serves to undercut his point and almost discredit him, some of the information that is being presented in the book is very interesting. To me, it almost makes more sense - I've often looked at the bible as a Myth, but not in a bad sense. Myths in their most true form, before the word got butchered to mean lies and fake and decite - taught lessons, stories, morals and gave people a bit of a guide to sort of live by.
Like with Greek Mythology, we know that there was no Icarus who actually flew too close to the sun and fell into the water. However, the lesson being taught in the story is still a very true and relevant one today. And, I think when looking at the Bible and its stories in the same way - as an allegory, and not as a literal historical event, they seem to make a lot more sense to me.
Still reading the book and it has me thinking a bit. Its funny though, google the book - and you'll see a bunch of people putting a lot of effort into trying to discredit it. Which, makes sense - however, I think a lot of the people that are trying to discredit the book, think that the author is trying to undermine Christianity. However, the Author is just trying to take an approach to it which is more spiritual in nature and actually seems to of found new faith in Christianity by taking this approach instead of a historical/literal one.
Either way, its an interesting read so far and has me thinking a bit.
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KingOftheThing
the cool fool


Registered: 11/17/02
Posts: 27,397
Loc: USA
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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: kaniz]
#5663332 - 05/23/06 08:47 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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this is true
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Gomp
¡(Bound to·(O))be free!


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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: kaniz]
#5663684 - 05/23/06 10:52 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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The world spirals!?
Events reoccurs, in different settings.
"what goes around, comes around!" ..
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Silversoul
Rhizome


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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: kaniz]
#5664135 - 05/23/06 12:14 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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I'm familiar with the "Jesus Myth" theory, and frankly, I'm unimpressed, as are most scholars. The fact that one's life may be similar to certain myths does not mean it didn't happen. You can narrate many people's lives in such a way that you draw parallels to myths. There are even people in modern times for whom you could draw parallels with Jesus. The reason we have myths is precise because we can relate them to our daily lives, so it's no wonder that Jesus' life could be related to Egyptian mythology(as well as Greek mythology). Paul's epistles show there were several Christian communities already established throughout the empire by 55 AD, which means that Christianity had already had quite a while to spread by then. There are also historical accounts by non-Christian writers shortly after this. I'm certainly open to the possiblity that certain aspects of the story of Jesus are allegorical, such as the resurrection, but there seems to be about as much evidence for the historical Jesus as we can hope for regarding some poor, illiterate carpenter.
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kotik
fuckingsuperhero


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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: Silversoul]
#5664242 - 05/23/06 12:40 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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yep. According to Jung, Jesus could have just been using various personas from archetypes already set in the unconscious mind.
that, and his story has probably been distorted all to hell.
-------------------- No statements made in any post or message by myself should be construed to mean that I am now, or have ever been, participating in or considering participation in any activities in violation of any local, state, or federal laws. All posts are works of fiction.
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magiciangob
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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: kotik]
#5675295 - 05/26/06 12:01 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Read R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz and watch John Anthony West(torrents are available). Egyptian symboligy represents a whole lot more than Jung's archaetypes
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soulcircus
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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? *DELETED* [Re: magiciangob]
#5677677 - 05/26/06 04:49 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Post deleted by soulcircusReason for deletion: .
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Telepylus
Babyman


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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: soulcircus]
#5677929 - 05/26/06 06:12 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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all mythological archetypes resemble each other, through the ages.
the word pharoah basically means Christ.
there was a pharoah named Akenaton, he was the first pharoah to proclaim that there was ONE GOD. and essentially, he was the Son of God. he was a christ figure before Jesus.
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Law of Love
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MarkostheGnostic
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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: kaniz]
#5686193 - 05/29/06 11:56 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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If you'd like to continue in this Gnostic interpretation of Christianity (one that certainly should NOT be overlooked in one's own person spiritual formation), then allow me to suggest Freke's & Gandy's The Jesus Mysteries.
If you would like a scholarly non-Gnostic approach to how the canonical Bible was compiled, I highly recommend Rev. John Shelby Spong's Liberating the Gospels: Reading the Bible With Jewish Eyes. It continues somewhat the 'demythologizing' of the school of Rudolph Bultmann without destroying one's faith in God or Christ. It demonstrates how NT writings were made to conform to the Jewish liturgical calendar; the PR work of the 'tomb narratives' and how they could appeal to even the most concrete, literal, childish mentality and yet serve higher intellects as well (unfortunately, concrete minds or "Literalists" came to dominate Christendom, thereby dragging most people down to absurdly literal interpretations). I read Harpur's book with interest as well!
Peace. -MtG
-------------------- γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself
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Corporal Kielbasa

Registered: 05/29/04
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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: kaniz]
#5686204 - 05/29/06 12:03 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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In Hinduism they use many faces each to embody and tell a storey, even though their roots come down to the same thing. Just like the charechters of the bible they are each used to portray a message to simplefy the storey. It always boils down to 1. What ever you want to call that 1, wich in my mind is simply nature/universe
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fivepointer
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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: kaniz]
#5686831 - 05/29/06 02:52 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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...that Jesus, and many of the stories in the bibles are simply archetypical myths ...
The author of that book is one of many antichrists that are in this world.
1John 4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
2John 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
Luke 24:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
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MarkostheGnostic
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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: kotik]
#5689807 - 05/30/06 06:37 AM (17 years, 7 months ago) |
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Actually, Jung regarded Christ in the West and Buddha in the East to be the exemplars or manifestations of the archetypal Self. He saw it from his psychological model - that they are projections of ours of the Self. The Self is the 'objective psyche' however, and as such exists independently of our conscious projections. Thus, Christ [anointed] and Buddha [awakened] are Self-realized paradigms for human development. Much of what we 'know' of them are in fact projections of mythic and magical elements of our own psyches rather than objective historical events. I mean, did baby Buddha really have lotus blossoms spring from the ground at His first baby steps? No, of course not. This is mythological. So is much of what the Gospels say about Jesus. Only the blind and brainwashed Literalist reads the Biblical myths as historical events (while relegating everyone else's religious stories to myth, or lies or "the antichrist").
-------------------- γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself
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magiciangob
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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: MarkostheGnostic]
#5697803 - 06/01/06 12:53 AM (17 years, 7 months ago) |
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I forget which deity but I downloaded a movie that discussed enthogens and in it it described an egyptian deity such that it was indistinguishable from what Christians believe of Christ. A deity originating much earlier than Christ. I think your supposition is mostly correct.
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MarkostheGnostic
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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: magiciangob]
#5698639 - 06/01/06 07:10 AM (17 years, 7 months ago) |
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Osirus [Ausar] is the murdered, 'dismembered' and resurrected deity of Egypt. While Jesus wasn't dismembered, he was spread on a cross and nailed down, later to be lanced through the heart. Osirus was 'dis-membered' also in the sense of his penis cut off. It was the only organ that was not recovered by his wife Isis. With a magically imbued artificial phallus, fashioned by Thoth [Tehuti], Isis was able to become pregnant by Osirus and produce Horus.
Horus, the Son of the Supernal Parents Osirus (Father) and Holy Mother (Isis) can also be seen as one third of a trinity. Horus has a strong martial element, but that part of Jesus (e.g., "I have come to bring a sword...") is often overlooked.
-------------------- γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself
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BlueCoyote
Beyond


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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: MarkostheGnostic]
#5714000 - 06/05/06 05:40 AM (17 years, 7 months ago) |
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I like these analogies very much and see them very true, also in regard of any natural religion or 'basic' spiritual native view of the world and life. There had been many 'sun-kings' in history, like the pharaoh, who consider themselves direct ascendants of the sun-god (egyptian Ra (?)), as this was the prime interpretation of g*d, all the time. The old indoeuropean tribes had this, France had this until the 'recent' revolution in 1789.
I once read that Osiris was more related to the hebrew Adam, but I miss the connections, as I am not so much into egyptian mythology. I remember Osiris is/was buried underground at some place like golgotha, the connection of the parts of the earth, and will be/is resurrected after some specific time or event.
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MarkostheGnostic
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Re: Christianity based off of Egyptian Mythology? [Re: BlueCoyote]
#5714353 - 06/05/06 10:16 AM (17 years, 7 months ago) |
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At first, Osirus was put into a coffin, sailed down the Nile where it came to rest, and a tree grew up around it. The coffin-tree was cut down and made into a pillar, for a building which Isis found. However, Osirus' evil brother Set, who had killed him, then found, dismembered and scattered the remains. Again Isis found all of Osirus except his penis. Thoth helped Isis fashion a magical phallus at that point with which Isis later conceived Horus. Osirus is the original god of resurrection and has represented that state for millennia.
Now crucifixion is different, but if one considers that the crucified would lose blader and bowel control, and upon asphixiation, a spontaneous erection and ejaculation might occur, one sees yet another connection with the phallic-solar god. Jusy because Jesus is often depicted with a loin cloth of some kind (if not priestly vestments), doesn't mean that addition humiliation wasn't achieved by hanging the unfortunate person stark naked.
-------------------- γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself
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