Christianity is unoriginal

[LookingUp]

A friend shared with me that he can't believe in Christianity because it's obvious we borrowed our traditions from other religions that existed before Christianity. Any advice? This is his note to me:

The similarities of beliefs and religions that predate Christianity. take for instance: Horus 300B.C., Attis 1200B.C., Dionysus 500 b.C., Mithra 1200 B.C..............Most of which were born of a virgin, Dec 25th birthday, performed miracles, known as the Light Alpha omega etc., Dead for 3 days, resurrected.........It seems to me that traditional Christian values were infact barrowed from other predated beliefs. Including the pegan cross.......

[jesse]

When the Anti-Christ comes will you recognize him? OR will you say... he looks like Nero, Hitler, The Pope... etc.

The fact is that the birth of Christ was known even in the Garden of Eden.

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Genesis 3:14-15

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. Genesis 3:21

These are just fake Christs that your friend is talking about. If there is some religion that is older than the Garden of Eden, then you may be on to something. It is no surprise that Satan sent people to fulfill partially what Jesus fulfilled in full.

[quiet dove]

Well, to me, the prophecies were given long before Jesus was born....my point there is that there is no doubt that Satan desired to thwart the plan, of course he couldn't, but, he could-can-and continues to put forth one counterfeit or another.

The many prophecies about Christ narrow down the time frame for His First Advent. Also, none of the others fulfilled the time frame, or the many required prophecies. Sometimes what gets lost to our understanding is that there were Jews expecting the Messiah because they understood the time frame requirement.

What we also tend to forget when people throw this stuff at us, is God came first, so to speak. All else, outside of His revelation toward men in regards to Himself, is counterfeit. In other words...what appears to be either similarity, or even taken from other religions into both OT and NT teachings ....it is actually the other way around...because God came first and all that He revealed to true men of God. All others were taking from those truths and presenting counterfeit.

For example, with the timing. One place it is found is in Daniel 9:24-26. We know the starting date of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem, and we know that the promised One would be cut off prior to the destruction of the Second temple, which we know happened in 70AD.

There is another that comes to mind, though there are more I think. In Genesis 49:10, before the sepulcher, ruling authority over Jerusalem, leaves Judah. I think it is 49:10.

Maybe do some digging around. Your friend is wrong. Plus, none of those was born a virgin. There is not a hoot of evidence to back it up, plus we know from God's word, it didn't happen.

He is talking like he knows something and is stating facts and it is all bologna. I mean, those things were probably claimed, but they are bogus imitations brought forth by the father of lies.

There is much more out there I just can't remember all I have read and studied about it. I know it is frustrating though.

[Brother Mark]

A friend shared with me that he can't believe in Christianity because it's obvious we borrowed our traditions from other religions that existed before Christianity. Any advice? This is his note to me:

The similarities of beliefs and religions that predate Christianity. take for instance: Horus 300B.C., Attis 1200B.C., Dionysus 500 b.C., Mithra 1200 B.C..............Most of which were born of a virgin, Dec 25th birthday, performed miracles, known as the Light Alpha omega etc., Dead for 3 days, resurrected.........It seems to me that traditional Christian values were infact barrowed from other predated beliefs. Including the pegan cross.......

Check out some books by Josh McDowell. He was an atheist and was challenged to prove the bible false. His studies led him to God. He wrote "Evidence that Demands a Verdict" and "More than a Carpenter"

One thing that is hard to get by, the apostles were eye witnesses to Jesus. They were tortured and eventually killed for their preaching. If Jesus wasn't real, and if Jesus didn't rise again, why were his apostles willing to be martyrs? Is it worth dying for a lie when you know it to be a lie? The response of the eye witnesses to Jesus is a strong support of his truthfulness and deity. Personal testimony is very strong. What will he say when you tell him what God has done for you? What can he say to that?

Finally, keep in mind that salvation is a miracle. How do you describe the color red to someone who has been blind since birth? When will he understand? Only when his eyes are opened. Don't forget the spiritual warfare around unbelievers who have been blinded by the god of this world.

[BrckBrln]

I recently watched a debate between Mike Licona and Shane Puckett (link to apologetics315.com) where Puckett brings exactly this charge and uses the same people listed in the OP. Licona dealt specifically with a few of them and points out the parallels are anything but actual parallels. But I think the question that needs to be asked is who is borrowing from whom? I think the answer Licona gave is that the sources we have for some of the supposed Christian parallels all post date Jesus by a great deal, which means it's more likely they copied from Jesus rather than the other way around. So you should ask your friend for the specific sources for each of those listed and see if they are actual parallels and also make note of the date of the sources.

[LookingUp]

Thanks all. He's pretty adamant that there are sources that will prove that Christianity is a copycat religion. I'll try to get the sources from him and look at them.

[ewq1938]

Foreshadows or types are common in scripture. What your friend knows about are negative foreshadows which did exist at least in story before Christ etc....meant to cause doubt, to make things seem like copies.

[Al_S]

There's a couple different ways to approach this situation. You could either research each of these and try to debunk them or you can work to show why Christ's claim is valid. It sounds like your friend has found an easy strawman excuse to not give a valid look into Jesus. This means he probably hasn't done research into the claims he's offered you aside from a quick Google search or something--regurgitating info he's heard but not researched in depth. You'd think that would make it easy to knock down his argument, but it will likely make it more difficult. Just like a Christian who was raised in the church, but never took the time to read the Bible and examine its claims, he'll be quick to discount evidence opposing his theory because it forces him to evaluate the condition of his soul and consider the gospel. Even if you do disprove things, he'll dance round to more. Given that, I'd focus mainly on showing why Jesus claims are valid. Pull out OT prophecies that show a clear picture of Jesus before His time. Show historical proofs from the NT regarding Jesus and archaeological proofs to back it up. Focus on the truth of Jesus and at the very least you can walk away knowing that your friend heard the truth and the Holy Spirit was able to testify to his heart. It's not our job to convert, just our job to share the gospel.

[LookingUp]

He said this source supports his view. I plan to look over it.

http://www.exposingchristianity.com/...Testament.html

[ewq1938]

He said this source supports his view. I plan to look over it.

http://www.exposingchristianity.com/New Testament.html

rishna of India, 1200 BCE
Buddha, 600 BCE. There is also a striking similarity here- the nazarene was hung from a tree (Acts 5:30 "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree." I Peter 2:24 "24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.") Buddha sat beneath a tree and experienced a rebirth, kind of ressurection.

WOW, that is an amazazing similarity.....derp

I'm gonna go sit under a tree so I can do what Jesus did!

[jesse]

you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse. You must not desecrate the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance. Deuteronomy 21:23

No wonder Buddha didn't want to hang from the tree. He probably read what was written several years before he was born.... and several years after he died it was finished.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Galatians 3:13

[BrckBrln]

He said this source supports his view. I plan to look over it.

http://www.exposingchristianity.com/...Testament.html

From just a very quick look at the webpage, there don't seem to be any primary sources cited. You need to ask your friend to actually give you the ancient sources.

[Ta-An]

Well, to me, the prophecies were given long before Jesus was born....my point there is that there is no doubt that Satan desired to thwart the plan, of course he couldn't, but, he could-can-and continues to put forth one counterfeit or another.

The many prophecies about Christ narrow down the time frame for His First Advent. Also, none of the others fulfilled the time frame, or the many required prophecies. Sometimes what gets lost to our understanding is that there were Jews expecting the Messiah because they understood the time frame requirement.

.

Exactly!!
Sorry I can't rep you again....

[ewq1938]

Exactly!!
Sorry I can't rep you again....

You can just rep me instead lol Then I'll rep Dove Circumventing the system!

[Ta-An]

You can just rep me instead lol Then I'll rep Dove Circumventing the system!