The Jesus Mysteries: Was The Original Jesus A Pagan God?

Dionysus is the 'Son of Zeus, in his full nature God, most terrible, although most gentle to mankind'.[7] Jesus is 'Very God of Very God'.[8] Dionysus is 'Lord God of God born!'[

Justin Martyr acknowledges the similarities between Jesus' virgin birth and Pagan mythology, writing: In saying that the Word was born for us without sexual union as Jesus Christ our teacher, we introduce nothing beyond what is said of those called the Sons of Zeus.[

Although he had his 'spin doctor' Eusebius compose a suitably obsequious biography for him, he was actually a monster — just like many Roman Emperors before him.

The great Greek philosopher Pythagoras, for example, is remembered today for his mathematical theorem, but few people picture him as he actually was — a flamboyant sage who was believed to be able to miraculously still the winds and raise the dead.

John is born at the summer solstice when the sun begins to wane. Jesus is born six months later at the winter solstice when the sun begins to wax again — hence the Baptist's declaration about Jesus: 'He must grow greater, I must become less.'[

This is a more generous version of the 'diabolical mimicry' theory, but seemed no less ridiculous to us. There was nothing other than cultural prejudice to make us see the Jesus story as the literal culmination of its many mythical precursors. Viewed impartially, it appeared to be just another version of the same basic story.

These dates were not arbitrarily chosen. Both were once the dates of the winter solstice, the shortest day, which signals the turning point of the year and the returning of the life-giving sun.

We had been brought up in a culture which portrays Paganism and Christianity as entirely antagonistic religious perspectives. How could such astonishing resemblances be explained?

Justin Martyr found the similarities between Christian and Pagan rites of baptism deeply disturbing. He resorted once again-to the 'diabolical mimicry' argument. Evil demons, he claimed, had instigated a parody of Christian baptism in Pagan rites.