Is Christianity unique or not?

[JairCrawford]

Um, Mithras is not a major factor in the First Apology.  I think it gets mentioned once near the end.

No, instead we get this:

But those who hand down the myths which the poets have made, adduce no proof to the youths who learn them; and we proceed to demonstrate that they have been uttered by the influence of the wicked demons, to deceive and lead astray the human race. For having heard it proclaimed through the prophets that the Christ was to come, and that the ungodly among men were to be punished by fire, they put forward many to be called sons of Jupiter, under the impression that they would be able to produce in men the idea that the things which were said with regard to Christ were mere marvellous tales, like the things which were said by the poets.

He goes on to yammer about Jupiter and Bellerophon and Pegasus and Perseus and Aesculapius...  He also gets in a couple of shots at Marcion for good measure.

BTW, the church was notoriously unsuccessful in suppressing Marcionism.  It continued for centuries in the East and there are Islamic records from the so-called Golden Age indicating that it was still in existence.  Scholars argue about the Golden Age but anywhere between the 8th and 14th centuries seems to fill the bill.

That's interesting! I'm reading through the entire First Apology now, and it is very interesring.