Is Christianity based on older myths?

[SteveII]

I have heard some level the charge the Christianity is a recycling of older myths. I don't believe this to be so and if anyone is so inclined, I would like to hear the arguments.

[FatAndFaithless]

Are you actually willing to address evidence in this thread, or are you simply going to deny anything that's contradicted by your Bible?

[pocaracas]

Start reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teacher_of_Righteousness

This figure [...] rose to prominence during the reign of Alexander Jannaeus, and had been a priest and confidant to the king. However, he became dissatisfied with the religious sects in Jerusalem, and in reaction, founded a "crisis cult". While amassing a following, the Teacher (and his followers) claimed he was the fulfillment of various Biblical prophecies, with an emphasis on those found in Isaiah. The Teacher was eventually killed by the religious leadership in Jerusalem, and his followers hailed him as messianic figure who had been exalted to the presence of God's throne. They then anticipated that the Teacher would return to judge the wicked and lead the righteous into a golden age, and that it would take place within the next forty years.

Sounds familiar?

[abaris]

Well, let's start at the beginning, shall we. The garden story of Adam and Eve is very similar to the much older tale in the epic of Gilgamesh. The flood story is nearly a one to one copy of the epic of Gilgamesh. The resurrected god is a very old archetype, featured in many religions much older than christianity.

The list could be continued, but I wait and see if it's worth the effort.

[Alex K]

Wasn't Yahweh himself part of an older polytheistic religion before he became the deity of Judaism, as far as the history of belief in him goes?

[Neo-Scholastic]

There is little doubt that the advent of Christ was foreshadowed by pagan myths, like Mithras and Osiris, but that does not diminish the truth of our Lord and Savior's actual coming.

[Esquilax]

There is little doubt that the advent of Christ was foreshadowed by pagan myths, like Mithras and Osiris, but that does not diminish the truth of our Lord and Savior's actual coming.

How do you justify this assertion, please?

[pocaracas]

I think he wants stuff about the christ myth... not the yahweh one...

[abaris]

Wasn't Yahweh himself part of an older polytheistic religion before he became the deity of Judaism, as far as the history of belief in him goes?

Yahweh was one of 12 siblings, children of El, in the Ugarit culture. Now I'm not entirely sure if he was a weather god or a warrior.

[Nope]

Jesus' teachings are very similar to a Jewish Rabbi named Hillel.

When a heathen who wished to become a Jew asked him for a summary of the Jewish religion in the most concise terms, Hillel said: "What is hateful to thee, do not unto thy fellow man: this is the whole Law; the rest is mere commentary" (Shab. 31a)

and

"Appear neither naked nor clothed, neither sitting nor standing, neither laughing nor weeping." Man should not appear different from others in his outward deportment; he should always regard himself as a part of the whole, thereby showing that love of man which Hillel taught. The feeling of love for one's neighbor shows itself also in his exhortation (Ab. ii. 4): "Judge not thy neighbor till thou art in his place" (comp. Matt. vii. 1). In the following maxim is expressed also his consciousness of his own insufficiency: "Trust not thyself till the day of thy death." How far his love of man went may be seen from an example which shows that benevolence must act with regard to the needs of him who is to be helped. Thus a man of good family who had become poor Hillel provided with a riding horse, in order that he might not be deprived of his customary physical exercise, and with a slave, in order that he might be served (Tosef., Peah, iv. 10; Ket. 67b).

Even if the word are not the same, the general lessons are very similar to what Jesus taught.

I have often wondered if the Jesus figure was just Hillel repackaged with mythologies that were popular at the time.

The bible even says that Paul was a student of Hillel's grandson, Gamaliel so there is a connection
http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/7698-hillel