Mythic Origins of Christianity and How It's Similar to Paganism

Is Christianity Based on Pagan Religions?

During the first century CE, the Roman Empire encompassed most of the territory surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, including parts of Italy, Greece, Egypt, and Judea. Many different religions flourished in this time and place—pagan religions, Judaism, and the beginnings of Christianity.

Religious syncretism—fusing different and sometimes even contradictory beliefs and practices—was common. It was “cafeteria religion” run amok. Various gods and religions were merging and splitting off from others all the time.

During the first century, hundreds of mystery cults thrived. A mystery cult was a secret religion that involved the worship of a god (or gods and goddesses). Many of these were savior-gods with rites and rituals that included baptisms, the symbolic eating of flesh and blood of the god, and celebrations around their resurrection.

Similarities Between Christianity and Paganism

Christianity may have begun as a mystery cult, or it might have only assumed some of the beliefs and practices of these cults. Ancient pagan cultures shared a common set of ideas about gods. Christianity may have adopted those ideas and applied them to Jesus. It seems entirely possible Jesus Christ began as a celestial god, then became a character in allegorical stories, and finally was seen as a historical person who actually existed.

This article discusses how mystery cults that worshipped the gods Horus, Mithra, and Attis held beliefs about them that are similar to Christians who worship Jesus Christ.

Did Christianity Begin as the Worship of a Sun God?

The “Christ” of Christianity may have just been another celestial god. There are a number of similarities between various pagan/mystery cult gods and Christianity. These are some of them.

• The birth date of most of the sun gods is December 25. It's the date of the winter solstice and the date adopted by the church as the birth date of Jesus Christ. The December 25 date is given even though the Bible says the shepherds were in their fields when Jesus was born, meaning Jesus had to have been born in the spring (Luke 2:8).
• At the time of the winter solstice, the sun "dies" for three days starting around December 22, when it stops its movement south; it is then born (resurrected) on December 25, when it begins its movement north.
• The sun was seen as traveling through the 12 signs of the zodiac. It's possible Jesus' 12 disciples symbolized the signs of the zodiac. The sun gods often had disciples or attendants (although not always 12 in number).
• The pagan gods had magical births, and some were born to a virgin. The gods frequently impregnated young human maidens.
• The pagan gods often had titles like “The Light of The World,” “The Way,” “The Good Shepherd," etc. These names have been used for Jesus Christ.
• The pagan gods sometimes had a “Last Supper” with their followers before their deaths.
• The pagan gods often were resurrected after death.
• Baptism was a common ritual among the followers of the mystery cults. John the Baptist may have been mimicking this ritual, importing it into Judaism.
• The tradition of consuming bread and wine as the symbolic (or actual) blood and flesh of the god was part of the mystery religions. This corresponds to Jesus saying, “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:54).

The early Christian church acknowledged these similarities. Christian apologists Justin Martyr (100–165 CE) and Tertullian (160–220 CE) commented on the similarities of the Christian beliefs, rites, and rituals to those of the mystery religions. However, they attributed these correspondences to the work of the devil, who they claimed planted these similarities to discredit Christianity.

How Does Horus Resemble Jesus?

Horus is an Egyptian deity that dates back to about 3100 BCE and was commonly worshipped during Greco-Roman times. Horus was a sky god—one translation of his name is “The One Who is Above.” He was also called “The Lord of the Sky.” He traversed the sky in the form of a falcon—his right eye the sun and his left the moon.

There are many variations of the story of Horus, which is unsurprising for a myth as ancient as this one. Different myths appear to have merged and become part of the Horus myth.

Horus had a magical birth. His mother was the goddess Isis, who used her magic powers to reassemble her dead husband (also her brother) Osiris from his dismembered parts. His penis was missing, so she fashioned a golden phallus and used it to conceive her son. The pregnant Isis had to flee her home because her brother Set, who ruled at the time, killed Osiris, and she knew he would want to kill her son as well. Horus was born at the time of the winter solstice.

He also came to be identified with his father, Osiris, so he was both son and father at the same time. Horus was a god, but he also was a man because every pharaoh was considered the incarnation of Horus. The story of Horus was also blended with the story of Ra since they were both sun gods. Ra was born to a virgin mother who had been impregnated by a divine spirit.

There are some common themes between the story of Horus and the story of Jesus Christ. Horus had a magical birth at the time of the winter solstice. Depictions of Isis suckling Horus closely resemble those of the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus. Both mothers had to flee because a ruler threatened to kill them (Set for Horus and Herod for Jesus.)

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Both were father and son at the same time, and both took on human forms (pharaohs for Horus, an ordinary man for Jesus). Both had followers (Horus had four, Jesus had twelve) and both performed miracles (though different kinds). Horus’ father, Osiris, was resurrected after his death.

How Does Mithra Resemble Jesus?

Mithra was an ancient Zoroastrian deity, a god of light. The myth dates back to 1400 BCE but probably goes back much further. He was called the “The Way” and “The Truth and the Light.” Mithra was associated with other sun gods like the Greek god Helios, and the Roman god Sol Invictus. Anahita, a virgin goddess of fertility, is sometimes identified as his companion/consort. (In some stories, she is his virgin mother.)

Mithraism was a strong competitor with Christianity to become the most popular religion of the time. Some of the Roman emperors were followers of Mithra and called him the “Protector of the Empire.”

Mithra was born from a rock, and shepherds heralded his birth. He was known as a god of truth, light, justice, and salvation. He performed many miracles while on Earth and ascended to heaven after his death. He promised to return for a final day of judgment of the living and the dead.

The slaying of a bull was a ritual in the cult of Mithra. His followers would eat the flesh of the bull and drink (some say bathe in) its blood. Water or wine and bread could be substituted if a bull was not available.

The worship of Mithra also included a eucharistic-style “Lord’s Supper.” Mithra had a banquet with his followers right before his death. An inscription found in a temple of Mithra reads, "He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made one with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation."

Compare this to the words of John 6:53-54, "...Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (King James Bible).