Pagan influences on the biblical stories of Jesus' life

[Panatheist]

I know that some claims about pagan influences on Christianity are overblown or discredited, but is there any truth to the claim that the virgin birth, the death, and resurrection of Jesus (and possibly some other elements) took inspiration from pagan religions or mystery religions?

This matter is of strictly academic interest to me.

[Silver]

Studies in religious history shows that Christianity is first and foremost the last in the Judeo-Christian line.

Meaning that Christianity is the newest monotheistic god religion today.

Before monotheism became popular with society, there were around sixteen cultures that believed in the same characteristics in a god figure that Christianity describes in Jesus.

[Panatheist]

Studies in religious history shows that Christianity is first and foremost the last in the Judeo-Christian line.

Meaning that Christianity is the newest monotheistic god religion today.

Before monotheism became popular with society, there were around sixteen cultures that believed in the same characteristics in a god figure that Christianity describes in Jesus.

Islam is both monotheistic (and in a stricter more literal sense of affirming God's oneness) and newer than the Jesus-centered religious movements that gave rise to the various Christianities we have today.

When you say that about sixteen cultures "believed in the same characteristics in a god figure that Christianity describes in Jesus," are you specifically referring to virgin births, resurrections, and the like?  Do you have any links?

[Silver]

Islam is both monotheistic (and in a stricter more literal sense of affirming God's oneness) and newer than the various Christianities.

When you say about sixteen cultures "believed in the same characteristics in a god figure that Christianity describes in Jesus," are you specifically referring to virgin births, resurrections, and the like?  Do you have any links?

Sorry, I was not thinking properly. You are correct, Christianity is the middle child with the Judeo-Christian family. Islam is the newest, and will most likely be the most problematic even though that role is usually reserved for the oldest.

And in accordance with your second reference, I do have links.

And okay, I got the number wrong. I'm only human.

Sixteen is not correct.

Ten it is.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/unreasonabl...ate-jesus/
http://listverse.com/2009/04/13/10-chris...ate-jesus/

[Huggy Bear]

I know that some claims about pagan influences on Christianity are overblown or discredited, but is there any truth to the claim that the virgin birth, the death, and resurrection of Jesus (and possibly some other elements) took inspiration from pagan religions or mystery religions?

This matter is of strictly academic interest to me.

Nope

[Panatheist]

Islam is both monotheistic (and in a stricter more literal sense of affirming God's oneness) and newer than the various Christianities.

When you say about sixteen cultures "believed in the same characteristics in a god figure that Christianity describes in Jesus," are you specifically referring to virgin births, resurrections, and the like?  Do you have any links?

Sorry, I was not thinking properly.  You are correct, Christianity is the middle child with the Judeo-Christian family.  Islam is the newest, and will most likely be the most problematic even though that role is usually reserved for the oldest.

And in accordance with your second reference, I do have links.

And okay, I got the number wrong.  I'm only human.

Sixteen is not correct.

Ten it is.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/unreasonabl...ate-jesus/
http://listverse.com/2009/04/13/10-chris...ate-jesus/

That is not a very good source.  Right off the bat from the first two entites mentioned: Jesus would have lived very very far away from where Buddhism and Hinduism originated, and there are often exaggerations and errors in the purported similarities between Buddha, Krishna, and Jesus.  I was thinking of perhaps mystery religions or other cults closer to where the early Jesus movements would have originated.

I know that some claims about pagan influences on Christianity are overblown or discredited, but is there any truth to the claim that the virgin birth, the death, and resurrection of Jesus (and possibly some other elements) took inspiration from pagan religions or mystery religions?

This matter is of strictly academic interest to me.

Nope

That's what I'm thinking, too.  For some reason a book I'm reading with otherwise good information suggests that the story of Jesus was influenced by Mediterranean religions as to the virgin birth, etc.  I can give more weight to the claim that Christianity does at least have hellenic influences, but I don't know that such is responsible for Jesus' birth and resurrection stories.

[Angrboda]

I know that some claims about pagan influences on Christianity are overblown or discredited, but is there any truth to the claim that the virgin birth, the death, and resurrection of Jesus (and possibly some other elements) took inspiration from pagan religions or mystery religions?

This matter is of strictly academic interest to me.

Nope

How does one go about demonstrating that there was "no inspiration" from pagan religions in Christianity?

I'm genuinely curious as to how you support your claim that there is 'no truth' to claims of syncretism?

[Panatheist]

Nope

How does one go about demonstrating that there was "no inspiration" from pagan religions in Christianity?

I'm genuinely curious as to how you support your claim that there is 'no truth' to claims of syncretism?

I don't say there is no truth to it.  I'm still looking for information on it I can trust.  But not everything out there on this subject is even accurate. Having not found anything better I'm inclined to agree with above post's "nope" unless until I come across something, but I made no claim. And I wouldn't say no elements were borrowed from paganism at all. That would be ignorant. I'm referring specifically to the idea that most miraculous events in Jesus' life were copied from pagan gods.

[dyresand]

christmas or i should say winter solstice is a pagan holiday and has nothing to do with some
guy named jesus. christianity is a compilition of stolen mythologies and rituals just saying.

[Angrboda]

How does one go about demonstrating that there was "no inspiration" from pagan religions in Christianity?

I'm genuinely curious as to how you support your claim that there is 'no truth' to claims of syncretism?

I don't say there is no truth to it.  I'm still looking for information on it I can trust.  But not everything out there on this subject is even accurate.  Having not found anything better I'm inclined to agree with above post's "nope" unless until I come across something, but I made no claim.  And I wouldn't say no elements were borrowed from paganism at all.  That would be ignorant.  I'm referring specifically to the idea that most miraculous events in Jesus' life were copied from pagan gods.

I think that would be expecting too much of syncretism without harming the core claim, that Christianity borrowed from pagan beliefs.