The story of Jesus' birth isn't the only myth related to him. History has been filled with other gods/women, like Attis and Dionysus. Some of the earliest stories about Jesus were actually inspired by Egyptian gods. This article will take a look at some of these figures and tell their stories.
Horus
The similarities between Horus (Jesus) and Jesus are the subject of a lot of controversy. Both deities were popular in ancient Egypt and many of their stories are similar to Jesus. Both are distinct entities. While Christians tend to view Jesus Christ as the "savior and humanity", Egyptians viewed Horus as a literal savior who saved people against venomous serpents and scorpions.
There is some historical evidence that shows the similarities between Jesus Christ and Horus. John the Baptist baptized them both. However, they didn't have names for the Baptizer. Jesus was not able to identify all of his followers. Horus had at most four disciples.
Dionysus
Although there are some Dionysus stories similar to Jesus's, there are many differences. The Greek god Dionysus was not crucified like Jesus, and his trials were not as public as those of Jesus. After Dionysus' death, Rhea and Zeus raised him again. Jesus died for our sins.
Jesus and Dionysus shared common interests. There were also many similarities between them and other ancient religions. Both shared the belief in divine birth, resurrection, celebration. Both religions permitted women and children to participate. The cult also involved an initiation ritual that involved a winnowing basket full of phallus. This initiation ritual meant that a male was made an initiate or neophyte, and that the initiate would be reborn.
Attis
People have claimed that Attis stories are identical to Jesus stories. This is not true. In fact, Attis' resurrection myth is quite different. Attis is hanged from a tree and killed before being resurrected three days later. This is according to Greek mythology. Attis' mother is a virgin goddess like the Virgin Mary, but unlike Jesus.
In one version of the story, the god Dionysus puts wine in Agdistis' water and makes him sleep by tying a rope around Agdistis' genitals. He wakes up and picks pomegranate fruit. According to Attis stories Cybele, Attis' mother was the mother to the gods and a rival to Mary.
Dionysus’ mother
Dionysus the Greek god is the god for fertility, ritual dance and mysticism. He is both mysterious and contradictory and can be both gentle and frightening at the same. Euripedes, an ancient poet described him as "the gentlest of all the fiercest." Euripides examines the god’s relationship with the JudeoChristian tradition in this play.
Dionysus is described in the Odyssey as having a mother named 'Woman. After conceiving Dionysus, she gave birth to him. His mother was named Semele. Semele was pregnant with her first child. Her husband discovered the news and sent the child to the sea. She was later found dead, and Dionysus was raised by Ino in Brasiae. The plain of Brasiae was later known as the Garden of Dionysus.
Dionysus' resurrection
Dionysus' and Jesus' resurrection stories are very similar. Both deities were killed and buried and then resurrected within three days. While the myth of Dionysus's resurrection was likely to have been corrupted by some elements, the myth did contain certain aspects that were shared with the gods. Dionysus’ resurrection story is more likely based in an older myth. It involves Attis, a god that was born of Nana. He died three days later and was then reborn in the same body. This is similar in concept to Christian beliefs.
Although the stories of Jesus' resurrection are very similar, they are different from one another. Dionysus’s resurrection story was based in part on a myth written in first century AD, over two thousand years prior to Jesus' birth. A similar story is also available for Prometheus the mythological god light and fire.