By: Simon Ewins
To: Johnny Mckinney
Re: ARK HOAX

 JM> MITHRAISM

 JM>   [MYTH rah iz em]-- a Persian religious cult that flourished in
 JM> the late Roman Empire. In the second century A. D. it was stronger than
 JM> Christianity in the Roman Empire. But it declined rapidly in the third
 JM> century. Mithras was considered the god of light and wisdom and the
 JM> guardian against evil by the Persians. Also see GODS, PAGAN.
 JM> (from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
 JM> (Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

 That little bit of pablum leaves out the interesting parts.

 Mithras was born of a virgin in a cave where shepherds came to attend him
 with gifts. Baptism played a role in ancient Mithraic rites as did
 communion. In fact the Mithraic communion rite contains a particularly
 interesting section:

 "He who shall not eat of my body nor drink of my blood so that he may be one
  with me and I with him, shall not be saved."

 Sound familiar? It predates Jesus' birth by at least 300 years.

 It is also interesting to note that Tammuz, an ancient Sumerian and
 Phoenician god had also been born of a virgin, died with a wound in his side
 and, after 3 days, rose from the grave leaving an empty tomb with the stone
 rolled away from the entrance.

 In the above regard it is further significant to note that Bethlehem was not
 only David's city, but was also the site of a shrine to Tammuz that remained
 active until as late as the early 2nd century A.D.

 Furthermore, Mithraeums have been found in the same section of uncovered
 ancient villages within spitting distance of Christian churches and Jewish
 Synagogues. Mithraism was far more important in its influences on early
 Christianity than you will ever admit to, regardless of the evidence.

 The current distortions of the meanings of the words messiah and christ are
 as bizarre. The Hellenistic belief in a 'saviour' who would come from the
 'World of Light' and act as a divine sacrifice in the 'World of Darkness'
 became associated with the word christ and has stuck. However, there were
 many such gnostic, mystic, Hellenistic beliefs that were absorbed and
 adapted by early christians. Take the story of Hercules for example: He was
 born of the union of a God (Zeus) and a mortal woman. He was intended by his
 father to 'save' mankind. He spent time in the wilderness and was tempted by
 his adversary (the Hebrew word for adversary is Satan). He died with his
 mother and some of his followers present. At the moment of his death he
 cried out "It is done.". The man who was responsible for his death, by
 betrayal, went and hanged himself when the deed was done.

 Sound familiar? It should.

 You might also want to read about Attis and the Great Mother, Osiris and
 Isis, as well as Mithras. Christianity survived its fellow myths by
 absorbing them and because its greatest PR man (Paul) was a Hellenistic
 mystery cult expert (well versed in Gnostic beliefs as well as the specific
 myths of Mithras and Tammuz who was the main god-thing in Tarsus where Paul
 grew up) who gave it the same appeal as the other mystery cults that were so
 popular at the time. He added a pinch of Hercules, for good luck, and
 whammo... off to the Inquisition and then to shooting abortion doctors in
 the back.  Amazing how stupid mankind can be, isn't it?