Jesusism - Just Another First Century Mystery Cult

[Minimalist]

Aw, fuck.  Let's piss RR off. 

http://www.earlychristianhistory.info/mystrel.html

The mystery religions all had different features; there was no uniformity among them. However, they had certain points in common. Among them are:

• Ritual meal on a regular basis
  
• Ritual bath, or baptism, as part of initiation
  
• A godman who died, or was assumed dead, but was restored
  
• A goddess in attendance (usually a mother but sometimes a consort)
  
• Miraculous or remarkable birth and death of the godman
  
• The godman ultimately ends up in heaven
  
• While living, the godman is ridiculed (by some, or by many)
  

There are more than this, but these suffice to make the point: The mystery religions had a good deal in common with each other, and with Christianity.

Cue "but...but...but... we're DIFFERENT" in  5...4...3...2...1...