False Christs

Recently, my best friend called me and said, "You have to come over and watch something I saw." I inquired what it was, but he just told me to come over and watch it with him as soon as I had some free time. A little while later, he showed me a movie he watched earlier entitled Zeitgeist: The Movie. Produced in 2007 by one Peter Joseph (b. 1979), it is an over two hour long movie in three parts. Joseph is the founder of the Zeitgeist Movement which has been accurately described as "the New Age Movement meets conspiracy theorists," and it produced the coined term "Conspirituality"---(Conspiracy + Spirituality).

The movie is full of the material published in rags like The National Enquirer, where Bigfoot, aliens, and nutty conspiracy theories are the tabloid fodder each week. Unfortunately, many of these same ideas are entertained by Traditionalists, and held dear by some. Such interesting notions include: the moon landing was faked, the Earth is flat, and 9-11 was staged. Zeitgeist does not mention the moon landing or the alleged flat Earth, but it has the same central idea, stated in the movie itself, "there are people guiding your life and you don't even know it."

When my friend asked for my reaction, I told him, "This is basically the same as The Matrix." I referenced the blockbuster 1999 film starring Keanu Reeves, which takes place in a dystopian future. Sophisticated computers and humans had a war in which the machines won and all surviving humans were placed in a giant computer simulation wherein they believe everything to be normal, while in reality the machines have people in pods, draining their energy for their nefarious purposes. The protagonist "Neo" (an anagram of the "One"), feels something isn't right with reality, and with the help of a few others like him, he realizes the truth about the world while the others remain as puppets, thinking all is as it appears to be. To be clear, there really are conspiracies at work in the world. There is even the crime of conspiracy (e.g., conspiracy to rob a bank or commit murder). The problem is when everything becomes a wild-eyed conspiracy tale (I refer to it as "The Great Conspiracy").

New Agers are basically Gnostics of old, those heretics who believed they held special knowledge of God apart from the Church. They are the "enlightened few." My friend really wanted my input on Part One of the movie, which is based loosely on the works of Dorothy Milne Murdock (d. 2015) who wrote mostly under the pen name "Acharya S." She supported the Christ myth theory; i.e., Christ never existed as an historical Person, but was rather a hodgepodge of various pre-Christian myths. Her books include The Christ Conspiracy: The Greatest Story Ever Sold (1999), and Did Moses Exist? The Myth of the Israelite Lawgiver (2014).

The idea of the "Christ Myth" will be the subject matter of my post. It is important because, as aforementioned, many Traditionalists buy into this "everything is a conspiracy" lunacy with devastating impact on the Faith. A Traditionalist I knew actually lost the Faith and became an atheist for some time before (Deo gratias) returning to the Church. When I asked him how he could possibly go from the True Faith to atheism, his answer was not what I was expecting. He believed that Jesus Christ never existed; He was invented as part of a Jewish conspiracy to weaken and undermine the Roman Empire from within, so that they would "turn the other cheek," and become "emasculated" by Christianity.

I had a long talk with my friend, and he was glad that the "Christ Myth Theory" is itself a myth. I will now set down in this post the information I imparted to him.

A Messiah from Paganism?

The Zeitgeist movie informs us that in the ancient religions of Egypt, Persia, and Greece (among others) there were gods born of a virgin on December 25, were accompanied by twelve followers, performed miracles, were crucified, and rose from the dead. Therefore, Jesus Christ is a fabrication from various mythologies. This goes much father than the assertion that Jesus of Nazareth was not the Christ; it claims He never existed at all. This is not a view held by a small minority of New Age loonies led by Peter Joseph. There is a 2011 book by Joseph Atwill entitled  Caesar's Messiah: The Roman Conspiracy to Invent Jesus, and a 2014 book by Kenneth Humphries called Jesus Never Existed: An Introduction to the Ultimate Heresy. The synopsis of Atwill's book on Amazon.com reads:

Was Jesus the invention of a Roman emperor? The author of this ground-breaking book believes he was. "Caesar’s Messiah" reveals the key to a new and revolutionary understanding of the origin of Christianity, explaining what is the New Testament, who is the real Jesus, and how Christ's second coming already occurred. The clues leading to these startling conclusions are found in the writings of the first-century historian Flavius Josephus, whose "Wars of the Jews" is one of the only historical chronicles of this period. Closely comparing the work of Josephus with the New Testament Gospels, "Caesar’s Messiah" demonstrates that the Romans directed the writing of both. Their purpose: to offer a vision of a "peaceful Messiah" who would serve as an alternative to the revolutionary leaders who were rocking first-century Israel...

What are we to make of these claims? In short, the assertions are absolutely false on several counts:

• The so-called similarities between paganism's myths and Christ are either twisted out of context, or proven lies

For example, the Zeitgeist movie claims that "Mithra [Sometimes "Mithras"] of Persia [a false god], was born of a virgin on December 25th; he had twelve disciples and performed miracles, and upon his death was buried for three days and resurrected." Mithra was not "born of a virgin." He emerged fully grown from a rock. The fact that rocks don't have sex does not make it a "virgin" except in a most contorted and deceptive way. This description of a "virgin" does not comport with the accepted English definition. There is no proof that Mithra was born on December 25th. It was simply made up (read:"they lied"). Furthermore the Church never defined the date of Christ's birth and December 25th isn't mentioned in the Bible. How could there be a similarity?

There is a painting of Mithra surrounded by twelve figures, but there is no mention anywhere of them being disciples; they actually correspond to the pagan Zodiac signs. Nor is there any ancient record of Mithra dying and being resurrected.  (See history scholar R.L. Gordon, "Mithraism and Roman Society: Social factors in the explanation of the religious change in the Roman Empire," Religion, Vol.2 , Issue 2, Autumn 1972, pg. 96. Gordon states bluntly, "There was no death of Mithras.") So far, it doesn't sound very similar, does it?

The movie claims the same similarities between Christ and the Egyptian false god Horus. Horus was conceived when his mother had sex with the dead body of his father Osiris. Again, in what sense is necrophilia a form of a "virgin birth"? The claim the Horus was crucified comes exclusively on images of Horus with his arms spread out--there is no "crucifixion" shown. The story ends with Horus being stung by a scorpion, and his mother begging the false god Thoth to bring him back from the dead; not a resurrection whereby Christ rose by His Own Divine Power.

The "similarities" are actually dissimilarities.

• Pagans copied from Christ

According to historian R.L. Gordon, the Mithra cult began no earlier than the early second century, so there's no possible way it could have influenced the New Testament which was already completed by the year 100 A.D. (Ibid, pg. 93). The cult of Isis and Osiris (apart from Horus) ends with Osiris becoming lord of the underworld while Isis regathers his dismembered body from the Nile River and subsequently magically restores it. E. A. Wallace Budge, recognized as "one of the greatest authorities of our century on ancient religions," (See Wilbur M. Smith, Therefore Stand ,[1981], p. 583) has this to say about the cult of Osiris: "There is nothing in the texts which justify the assumption that Osiris knew he would rise from the dead, and that he would become king and judge of the dead, or that Egyptians believed that Osiris died on their behalf and rose again in order that they might also rise from the dead." (Ibid).  Smith also quotes French scholar Andre Boulanger’s observation that, "The idea that the god dies and rises again to lead his worshipers to eternal life does not exist in any Hellenic pagan ["mystery"] religion." (Ibid).

Religion scholar Mircea Eliade points out that not only is the idea of Christians borrowing from the pagans wrong, but that any borrowing probably first began on the part of the pagans:

In 1958, one year before Campbell started publishing his fanciful theories in the Masks of God volumes, Mircea Eliade published in Patterns of Initiation a series of lectures he had given at the University of Chicago in the fall of 1956. In one of those lectures, Eliade said recent research did not support the theories that the origin of Christianity was influenced by pagans. "There is no reason to suppose that primitive Christianity was influenced by the Hellenistic mysteries," said Eliade. In fact, the reverse may actually be true:
"The renaissance of the mysteries in the first centuries of our era may well be related to the rise and spread of Christianity…. certain mysteries [pagan myths] may well have reinterpreted their ancient rites in the light of the new religious values contributed by Christianity." (See Tom Snyder, Myth Conceptions (1995), p. 191).


Eliade added that it was only much later, when Christianity had to compete with the renaissance of the pagan religions, that Christians began to borrow from the religious symbols of these cults. They did this in order to help them explain their religion to others (not to modify it), thereby hoping to win converts.

• Demonstrable drivel about "pagan" Easter from the "New Atheists"

Richard Dawkins, a God-hating atheist (or really an anti-theist; one who wants God stamped out of society) promoted a meme on Facebook that claimed the following:

Easter was originally the celebration of Ishtar, the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility and sex. Her symbols (like the egg and bunny) were and still are fertility and sex symbols (or did you actually think eggs and bunnies had anything to do with the resurrection?) After Constantine decided to Christianize the Empire, Easter was changed to represent Jesus. But at its roots, Easter (which is how you pronounce Ishtar) is all about celebrating fertility and sex.

The truth:

1. Ishtar is pronounced "Easter." No. There is not one credible linguistic source I could find to support this assertion. It is pronounced "ISH-tar" not "EAST-er." According to historian Anthony McRoy: "The argument largely rests on the supposed pagan associations of the English and German names for the celebration (Easter in English and Ostern in German). It is important to note, however, that in most other European languages, the name for the Christian celebration is derived from the Greek word Pascha, which comes from pesach, the Hebrew word for Passover. Easter is the Christian Passover festival.

Historian Anthony McRoy puts things in context, since the Church celebrates "Maundy Thursday" and "Good Friday" and "Holy Saturday." The names of the days of the week all derive from pagan origin; Thursday for the Norse pagan "god" Thor, Friday for the Germanic pagan "goddess" Freya, and Saturday for the Roman pagan "god" Saturn. Does the use of these names denigrate the True God, or imply we honor these false deities? Does it render the historical Last Supper, Crucifixion, and Vigil of the Resurrection "pagan"? This is a classic case of "guilt by association." 

(See https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/2009/april/was-easter-borrowed-from-pagan-holiday.html).

2. Easter is originally the celebration of Ishtar, the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility and sex.

Ishtar was associated with fertility and sex.  Easter is always celebrated near the Feast of Passover, when it took place. The Council of Nicea (325 A.D.) set the formula for calculating the date. (The Eastern Schismatics use a different calculation, and usually celebrate Easter a week later than Catholics and Protestants). In short, Easter has everything to do with Passover (when it took place) and nothing to do with the pagan deity Ishtar.

3.  Her symbols (like the egg and the bunny) were and still are fertility and sex symbols (or did you actually think eggs and bunnies had anything to do with the resurrection?)

Ishtar's symbols were the lion, the gate and the eight-pointed star; I can’t find any evidence of eggs or rabbits symbolically belonging to this pagan deity. (See, e.g., https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ishtar-Mesopotamian-goddess; there is no mention of rabbits or eggs). Admittedly, most of the popular associations with Easter do come from pagan traditions rather than Christian. However, traditionally the Church has taken these pagan elements and "converted" them to convey Christian principles. For example, the egg is a common pagan sign of fertility, but for Catholicism, the egg is often used to signify the resurrection to new life promised us by Christ's resurrection (See 1 Corinthians 15:37-38). The Polish were prominent in making this connection: "Polish traditions taught that eggs were symbols of 'new life' and used them in church services, which represented rebirth through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (See http://www.patheos.com/blogs/hedgerow/2017/04/know-easter-eggs-lent/).

Rabbits likewise are known for being fruitful and multiplying.  Butterflies are indicators of spring, and therefore new life, and at Easter, make a great symbol of the resurrection. Just as the caterpillar "dies," is "buried" in its cocoon, and then emerges in a "new body," so too Our Lord died, was buried, and was resurrected on the third day. We who belong to Him will be resurrected also (See Romans 8:11). Hiding eggs once symbolized the mysteries of the world of the gods and goddesses, who had to be coaxed into returning life to the Earth in spring. Early members of the Church used hiding-and-finding Easter eggs as a teaching tool to children that we have been "hidden" from God’s loving presence by our sin, but we are "found" by Christ, who forgives us, loves us, and treasures us (See St. Luke 15:4-7).

4. After Constantine decided to Christianize the Empire, Easter was changed to represent Jesus.

There is no citation to any relevant historical authority to support this ludicrous claim. When Constantine was alive, English--in any known form today--didn't even exist, and the emperor spoke Latin, in which the word would be pascha. According to Merriam-Webster, "The history of English is conventionally, if perhaps too neatly, divided into three periods usually called Old English (or Anglo-Saxon), Middle English, and Modern English. The earliest period begins with the migration of certain Germanic tribes from the continent to Britain in the fifth century A.D., though no records of their language survive from before the seventh century, and it continues until the end of the eleventh century or a bit later." (See https://www.merriam-webster.com/help/faq-history; Emphasis mine).

 There was no "Easter" at the time, and the celebration of Christ's Resurrection had been going on for almost 300 years.

5.  But at its roots Easter (which is pronounced Ishtar) was all about celebrating fertility and sex. 

It would be more believable to say Easter is all about the Tooth Fairy. Dawkins is a biologist and biology professor. He should stick with the subject. To promote a meme containing such blatant falsehood which an eighth grader could debunk doing minimal research, should drive Dawkins out of academia permanently. 

Other problems with Christ as a "Pagan Myth"

• Similarity does not prove dependence. The fact of some similarities between Christianity and the pagans no more proves Christianity was derived from them than similarities between people and monkeys proves people derived from monkeys

• As a devout Jew turned Catholic, the Apostle Paul would never have considered borrowing his teachings from pagan religion. There is not the slightest hint of pagan beliefs in his writings

• Christianity is demonstrably grounded in the actual events of history, not myths. Even hard core atheist historians admit Jesus of Nazareth was truly an historical Person

•  If any borrowing did occur, it was the other way around. In other words, as Christianity grew in influence and expanded in the second and third centuries, the pagan systems, recognizing this threat, would be likely to borrow elements of Christianity to capitalize upon its success. For example, the pagan rite of bathing in bull’s blood (taurobolium) initially held its spiritual efficacy at 20 years. But once in competition with Christianity, the cult of Cybele, recognizing that Christians were promised eternal life by faith in Jesus, raised the efficacy of their rite "from 20 years to eternity." (See Ronald H. Nash, Christianity & the Hellenistic World, [1984], pgs. 171-172). 

Conclusion

My good buddy was put at ease that Christ is not a fictitious creation of some conspiracy that made up a story from pagan myths.  Unfortunately, there are those modern day Gnostics who believe, like Peter Joseph, that nothing is as it seems, and only a chosen few can know the truth. Everything is part of the "Great Conspiracy." The Earth is flat, Elvis is alive, the Newtown shootings never took place and no one died there. If you confront them with facts, they will dismiss them as "part of the Great Conspiracy." I admit that I have a hard time dealing with such people because you can't reason with them. Once, I asked such a person, "How do you know 9-11 being faked isn't what the conspirators want you to believe because they don't want you to think it was real?" "That's crazy!" was the response. I had to suppress my laughter. 

Now, we have New Age conspiracy theorists selling the lie that Christ came from pagan myths and never existed.  Dorothy Milne Murdock, one of the "Christ Myth" theorists I referenced above, went to Judgement in 2015. If she didn't repent before death, she learned to her chagrin (and everlasting regret), that Christ is real and so is Hell.