REVIEW:

The Jesus Mysteries

WAS THE “ORIGINAL JESUS”

A PAGAN GOD?

By Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy

Copyright © 1999

Three Rivers Press

Random House, Inc.

Paperback, 340 Pages

Illustrated

$14.00 U.S.

†††††††

THE JESUS MYSTERIES (henceforward abbreviated TJM), is a perfect “companion” or complementary reading to SEX, DRUGS, VIOLENCE & THE BIBLE.

As we suggested in the Review of the latter, both works—rather interestingly enough each co-authored by a partnership of two male writers—present somewhat diametrically opposed interpretations of Biblical Christianity, interpretations that in many ways can also be reconciled as valid positions of Modern Gnosticism.

The Authors of THE JESUS MYSTERIES present a concise overview of their theory:

The Jesus Mysteries proposed that the Jews had created their own version of

the ancient Mysteries with Jesus as their Osiris-Dionysus. How could this have happened?

The traditional history paints a picture of the Jews as an insular people…staunchly nationalistic

and fanatically devoted to their religion, fiercely loyal to their one god Jehovah and entirely hostile

to the Paganism of their neighbors. From this perspective, the idea that the Jews could possibly have

adopted the Pagan Mysteries seems unthinkable. And so it would be,

if any of this were true.

[P.175]

The Authors make no secret of their agenda to present an engaging, if intellectualized, version of a contemporary, highly secularized (i.e. non-devotional) Gnostic Christianity that somehow renders useless other religious forms, particularly Paganism, in the world today. In this regard, the they argue what amounts to a rehash of 1960’s “Depth Psychology” and “Consciousness Expansion” that, while novel and truly a form of Gnostic Revelation for that time, tends to beg the question of why this brand of secularism has definitely NOT improved conditions on the mundane plane. Nonetheless, the Authors of TJM contribute a worthy bounty of new facts and insights for the Gnostic Reader.

The Gnostic Christianity presented in TJM (including the inference that Paganism is a moribund museum piece) and Traditional Christianity might have more in common than the Authors may be aware. Although it must be said, TJM’s portrayal of “Orthodox” Christianity is none too pretty—and well deserving.

This is not to imply that Freke and Gandy are in any way insincere. On the contrary, their work is extremely well researched and professionally presented—and their recognition of Paganism’s historic philosophical contributions are both fair and effusive. In fact, the Authors are so supportive of our (i.e. fellow Contemporary Pagans’) Ancestors and Past--that perhaps either they, or we, or both are not as far apart as “labels” might make us appear to be? They perceive Paganism as valid, yet “dead;” and we perceive even the word “Christianity,” if not the embodiment of social reaction.

†††

The Authors back up their thesis (that Christianity was a result of a grafting of The Pagan Mysteries onto a Judaeo-Christian branch) with statements such as the following, condemning the ideological “Church Fathers” of the Early Period, when Christianity was a loose affiliation of conflicting sects (including many, equally conflicting sects of “Gnosticism”):

Pagan critics of Christianity, such as the satirist Celsus,

Complained that this recent religion was nothing more than a

pale reflection of their own ancient teachings. Early “Church Fathers,”

such as Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Irenaeus, were understandably disturbed

and resorted to the desperate claim that these similarities (between the Pagan Mysteries

and Early Christianity--.Ed) were the result of diabolical mimicry. Using one of the most absurd

arguments ever advanced, they accused the Devil of “plagiarism by anticipation,” of deviously copying the true story of Jesus before it had actually happened in an attempt to mislead the gullible! These Church fathers struck as no less devious than the Devil they hoped to incriminate.

[Pgs. 5-6]

This propensity of Organized Christianity for damaging and ludicrous defamation of character continued right through “The Burning Times,” the Salem Witch Trials, and up to the Anti-Red McCarthy period—and later the “Satanic Conspiracy” persecution of Day Care Centers & Providers.

The Authors set out to demonstrate how the Early Church was split between two major factions, the more open, Eastern Gnostics, and the dogmatic or “Literalist” Western or Roman faction. From the onset, the narrow-minded Literalists set out to slander—and eventually bury—all traces of Gnostic theology (until their rediscovery in the 20^th Century.)

The Great Political Savior for the Literalists was the Roman Emperor Constantine.

The Authors of TJM are unsparing in their biographical critique of this “Hero” of Western Civilization:

This “Christian” Emperor…returned home from [the Council of] Nicaea and had

his wife suffocated and his son murdered. He deliberately remained unbaptized until his

deathbed so that he could continue his atrocities and still receive forgiveness of sins and a

guaranteed place in heaven by being baptized at the last moment. Although he had his “spin doctor”

Eusebius compose a suitably obsequious biography for him, he was actually a monster—just like many

Roman Emperors before him. Is it really at all surprising that a “history” of the origins of Christianity

created by an employee in the service of a Roman tyrant should turn out to be a pack of lies?

[P.11]

And on the same page, continuing to the next, the Authors draw a very apt parallel:

History is indeed written by the victors.

The creation of an appropriate history has always

been part of the arsenal of political manipulation. The Roman

Church created a history of the triumph of Literalist Christianity in

much the same partisan way that, two millennia later, Hollywood created

tales of “cowboys and Indians” to relate “how the West was won” not “how

the West was lost.” History is not simply related, it is created…All too often…it

is simply [used] to glorify and justify the status quo. Such histories conceal

as much as they reveal.

From such historical insights, the Authors succumb to an emotional appeal for Christianity to “reform” itself:

We hope that by understanding its true origins in the ongoing

evolution of a universal human spirituality, Christianity may be able to

free itself from…self-imposed isolation.

[P. 13]

That’s not likely, considering how Christianity remains bound hand-in-glove with the “status quo” and the (now supposedly secular, Capitalist) Power Structure.

In CHAPTER 2, The Pagan Mysteries, the Authors begin this important section by stating that Paganism has been “exterminated” [P. 15]. The Gnostic Pagan School would prefer stating it something like: A damn good attempt was made to exterminate it, but Paganism is an expression of the daemonic realm that defies physical means to suppress it. It may change, may go underground; but sooner or later reemerges to the dismay of those self-same Literalists (whom are not all Christians).

[See also, REVIEW: DAIMONIC REALITY]

The remainder of the Chapter is a brief and very cogent overview of The Pagan Mysteries, discussing levels of initiation, their philosophical relevance and extreme popularity, etc.

CHAPTER 3, Diabolical Mimicry, elaborates on that truly “devilish” theory promoted by the Early Roman Church to explain away everything that effectively contradicted its own, literalist interpretation of The Christ Mythos. This Alice-in-Wonderland type hypothesis is similar to the sinister “spectral evidence” accusation used against the victims in Salem, and the guilt-by-association mentality of the McCarthy Period.

The Authors quote again from the perceptive pagan satirist Celsus (criticizing Christian attempts “to pass off the Jesus story as a new revelation:”)

Are these distinctive happenings unique to the Christians—and if so,

how are they unique? Or are ours to be accounted myths and theirs believed?

What reasons do the Christians give for the distinctiveness of their beliefs? In truth

there is nothing at all unusual about what the Christians believe, except that they believe

it to the exclusion of more comprehensive truths about God.

[P. 27]

This salient observation is, if anything, even truer today.

On Page 32, the Authors quote a truly marvelous “Hymn to Ra” (circa 1100 BCE). Its wording matches almost so perfectly with the Christian hymn, “O, Come Let Us Adore Him,” that the synchronicity is surely no slight coincidence.

This revealing Chapter also draws the parallel between the number Pythagoras indicted as “the fish,” and its relationship to the Christos Mythos. This too is addressed in SEX, DRUGS, VIOLENCE & THE BIBLE, as well as on The Gnostic Pagan site pages NUMBERS, MAGICK & MOTION and NUMBERS, MAGICK & MOTION II.

On Page 49, TJM indicates the use of psychedelics in (at least) the Pagan counterpart Rituals of Christ:

The holy communion in the Mysteries of Mithras was developed from older rites,

which used consecrated bread and water mixed with the intoxicating juice of a psychedelic plant

called Haoma. The Mysteries of Mithras replaced the Haoma, a plant unknown in the Occident, with

the juice of the vine…Plato enthuses about its revelationary (sic) power in the Mysteries of Dionysus, writing,

“Rather the madness of the god than the sobriety of men.”

Right On, Plato!

†††††††

Continuing the exposition regarding “Holy Communion,” we find this:

From the time of Justin Martyr…up to the present day, Catholic Christians

have believed that the bread and wine of the Eucharist literally become “the flesh

and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.” Some initiates of the Mysteries seemed

to have shared this rather strange literal interpretation of their “holy communion.” The more

enlightened initiate Cicero felt forced to explain to them that equating the god with corn and the vine

was symbolic only…he writes, “Is anybody so mad as to believe that which he eats is actually a god?”

[P.50]

This is very similar to the “secularization” of The Mysteries argument presented in SDVB. Whereas the Authors of SDVB indicate that biblical Anointing Oil is significant only if it contains psychoactive substances; Cicero infers that The Communion is only significant as an allegorical relationship. Obviously by Cicero’s time The Mysteries had already devolved into more of a secular, social or intellectual pursuit.

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On Page 58, the Authors of TJM correctly explain the connection between the so-called “Black Madonna” depictions of The Virgin (found predominately in Eastern Europe), with that of Isis (from Egypt, or “The Black Earth”).

And regarding the New Testament “Three Marys,” we find:

According to another early Christian tradition all three women are called Mary—

Mary Magdalene, Jesus’ companion; Mary his mother; and Mary her sister. In the Gospel

of John the same three Marys are pictured at the foot of the cross. The fact that we are given three Marys is a clear indication that we are in ancient mythological territory—the triple goddess was a familiar figure in the Pagan world. At Eleusis she appears as Demeter, Persephone, and Hecate…

[P. 58]

Chapter 4, “Perfected Platonism” is a treasure trove of information—most of it relating to Christianity’s total indebtedness to Pagan Philosophy and The Mystery Cults. For example, the concept known in Roman Catholicism as “Examination of Conscience” was routinely practiced by Pagan Initiates (P. 66). The Gnostic Pagan School continues this discipline, and equates it with the concept Aleister Crowley termed “Crossing the Abyss” and ultimately achieve “Conversation with The Holy Guardian Angel” (the Daemon, or “Higher Self.”)

As for the so-called originality of the Christian idea of “loving thy neighbor,” the Pagan philosopher Sextus stated the concept this way:

Such as you wish your neighbor to be to you, such also be to your neighbor.

[P. 67]

[NOTE 03/04: An astute Reader emailed the following, It would seem

as though the Hebrews were the first to formally pronounce the "love thy neighbor"
sentiment. Rabbi Hillel (the elder), who is thought to have lived sometime
in the 1st century BCE, proclaimed "That which is hateful to you, do not
do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary. Go and study it."]

Regarding the concept of “humility” (and, in a round about way, the deforming nature of material wealth on an individual), the Authors again quote Celsus:

Not surprisingly, they [Early Christian Propagandists--.Ed] emphasize the virtue

of humility, which in their case is to make a virtue of necessity! Here again prostituting

the noble ideas of Plato. Not only do they misunderstand the words of the philosophers, they

even stoop to assigning words of the philosophers to their Jesus. For example, we are told that Jesus

judged the rich with the saying “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Yet we know that Plato expressed this very idea in a purer form when he said, “It is impossible for an exceptionally good man to be exceptionally rich.” Is one utterance more inspired than the other?

[P. 71]

Hell, no.

And speaking of Hell, TJM continues to demonstrate how not even the ideas concerning Heaven and Hell were unique to Judaeo-Christianity; and also how Christianity was unique in its distorted and threatening applications of the idea. Indeed, it was only Judaeo-Christianity that consigned non-believers to Eternal Damnation.

The Authors do point out [P. 72] that certain of The Mystery Cults believed that the uninitiated, rather than being tortured after death, would simply not transition to the next phase of life (equating with the Gnostic idea that the passive soul requires “activation” through the pursuit of Direct Knowledge of God, or Gnosis.)

Regarding the Doctrine of Ages (or Aeons) and a coming Apocalypse, TJM states:

Pisces is symbolized by the fish, and Christians obviously viewed

their faith as a new religion for this New Age. The most common symbol

used to represent Christianity was the symbol of the Pythagorean vesica piscis…

[representing the number 153, the Authors discuss on Pgs. 39-40 –Ed.]

The apostles were known as “fishers of men.” Early Christians called themselves

“little fishes.” The Greek word ICTHYS, which means “fish,” was used by early Christians

as a code word for Jesus [or, Joshua-ben-Joseph—Ed.]

This was regarded as an acronym for “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.

The great mouthpiece of Christian orthodoxy, Tertullian, writes:

“But we, the Christians, are little fishes after the type of our great Fish

(ICTHYS) Jesus Christ, born in the water.”

However, Icthys had for centuries been the Greek name for Adonis

The god-man in the Syrian Mysteries!

[P.76]

Regarding the misleading notion that Orthodox Christianity is strictly monotheistic, the Authors state:

And then, of course, there is the decidedly polytheistic Christian doctrine

of the Holy Trinity. The idea that God can manifest in “three persons” is identified

with the Pagan concept of the many natures or faces of one supreme…God.

[P.82]

In other words, Orthodox Christianity is no more monotheist than Hinduism; and, in fact, the Hindu Faith expressed the idea of the Trinity-of-Godhead long, long before Christianity came upon the scene. Then, of course, there was the Matriarchal Pagan Triple Goddess—also well before Christianity.

And, too, there were the Ancient Egyptians whose highly stylized—yet spiritually mutable—religion is illustrated in a hymn quoted by the Authors:

Three are all the gods, Amon, Ra, Ptah;

there are none like them. Hidden in his name as Amon,

he is Ra, his body is Ptah. He is manifested in Amon, with Ra and Ptah,

the three united.

[P.82]

On Page 84, we find this perceptive remark:

The essential idea that divided the Pagans and Christians

of the ancient world was the Christian belief that one man, and one man only,

had literally been the Logos made flesh. To the Pagans the notion that the Logos we all share

could in some way be manifest in a single human being was impossible. The extraordinary claim

that a carpenter from Nazareth actually was the one and only Son of God and incarnation of the Logos

was the only thing that Christians could latch onto that definitely differentiated them from

their Pagan neighbors. They would, however, spend centuries arguing over what it could possibly mean.

[Pgs. 84-85]

This statement is breathtaking in its pure simplicity and accurate portrayal of the historic reality.

†††††††

Chapter 5, The Gnostics, addresses many topics that are obvious interest to Gnostic Readers.

For example, concerning the Early Gnostic portrayal of the Demiurge:

Jehovah was pictured as a presumptuous lesser deity

who ignorantly believes himself to be the one true God. In the

Old Testament Jehovah proclaims: “I am a jealous God, and there is

no other God besides me.” However, the Gnostic Secret Book of John

calls this “madness” and comments:

By announcing this he indicated to the angels that another God

does exist; for if there were no other one, of whom would he be jealous?

[P. 94]

And,

In complete contrast to the crass anthromorphism (sic) of the traditional

Jewish view, the Gnostic sage Basilides taught the Pagan doctrine that: We must

not even call God ineffable, since this is to make an assertion about Him;

He is above every name that is named.

[P. 95]

This sounds very much like the Ancient Egyptian description of the god Amun as “The Hidden One.”

[See also Kenneth Grant’s The Hidden God.]

On Pgs. 98-99, the Authors of TJM comment that there were originally at least three separate versions of the “Gospel of Mark.” Furthermore, they comment on a specific section of the Gnostic Secret Gospel of Mark dealing with the “raising of Lazarus,” and a rather curious incident said to have occurred when “Jesus” was supposedly arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, quoted on P. 99:

Among those who followed Jesus was a young man with nothing on

but a linen cloth. They tried to seize him, but he slipped

out of the linen cloth and ran away naked.

[Mark 14 v. 51]

The Secret Gospel “suggests that this naked man was a candidate for initiation” P. 99.

Taking into consideration the fact that Initiates of the Pagan Mysteries often did wear simple white linen around the waist, this conclusion is not at all a stretch of the imagination. However, in contrast, the Authors of SEX, DRUGS, VIOLENCE & THE BIBLE, assert that the incident may indicate some sort of homosexual tryst with the soon-to-be-crucified Joshua ben Joseph. Comparing the two interpretations raises a number of questions between both views. For example, if the Author’s of TJM are correct, and there never was an historical Jesus, why even bother to mention this small, even insignificant, detail of an unnamed initiate and at such a critical point in the Myth? As for the SDVB alternative that the passage represented something of a homoerotic nature, the evidence is pretty “scanty” (we couldn’t resist the pun).

Of course a third alternative could be that there was an historic “Jesus;” and that he happened to be arrested while conducting some form of Judea-Gnostic initiation rite that would have left him vulnerable to the capital punishment charge of heresy. Of course had he likewise been caught committing a homosexual act the end result would have been the same.

Regarding the concept of the Daemon, we find:

The most important injunction on the spiritual path

of the Pagan Mysteries was inscribed over the sanctuary of Apollo

at Delphi: Gnothi Seauton—“Know Thy Self…”

But what is the self?

The Pagan sages taught that every

human being has a mortal lower self called the eidolon

and an immortal Higher Self called the Daemon…The Mysteries

were designed to help realize that the eidolon is a false self and that

their true identity is the immortal Daemon.

[P. 101]

The terms “Daemon” and “Holy Guardian Angel” and “Heavenly Twin” are interchangeable.

On Pgs. 104-105 the Authors present various theories and views on Reincarnation, followed by a section concerning the Sexual Equality practiced by (some) Gnostic circles.

[It should be noted that many Gnostic sects, particularly those in territory we now call The Middle East, were ascetic and strictly male.]

The Chapter concludes with the notion of Gnostic libertinism or amorality. To paraphrase, the idea here is that Gnostics must reject the Established Order be it secular or religious, since this “Order” is based on a misconception of reality as construed by the Demiurge. Aleister Crowley practiced this doctrine and carried it to extreme and masochistic lengths. The Pagan/Gnostic Initiate is to free the ego-self from all psychic constriction. Terms like “good” and “bad,” “beautiful” and “ugly,” etc. are to be rejected. Of course we are speaking of true Initiates here, those who have already achieved the “sinless” state of Right Action through devout Spiritual Discipline. Nonetheless, the dangers of this philosophy as practiced by the uninitiated and uneducated are obvious.

Chapter 6, The Jesus Code, sets out to demonstrate the direct allegorical parallels between The Jesus Myth, Early Gnosticism, and The Pagan Mysteries.

For example, TJM quotes from Mark v: 11-12:

And he said to them, “Things are hidden only to be revealed,

and made secret only to be brought to light. If any have ears to hear,

let them hear.” And he kept speaking to them in allegories, according as they

could hear, and he said nothing to them without allegories, but privately

to his own students he always gave the key.

[P.112]

There are intimations in this passage that are of profound significance to Initiates of The New Aeon.

Also in reference to the passage, the Authors (in a footnote) state:

In the Gospel of John [16 v: 12 & 25], Jesus promises his disciples more explicit

teachings when they are ready to receive them: “I have yet many things to say unto you,

but cannot bear them now…the hour is coming when I shall no more speak in parables, but

shall tell you plainly of the Father.” Kingsland, W. [1937] 25-6, notes that none of these “Mysteries”

are in fact explained by Jesus in the canonical gospels. Instead we must turn to apocryphal

and Gnostic texts to find them.

[P. 284]

On Page 115, we find:

Over Plato’s Academy were written the words

“Let no man who knows no mathematics enter here”

Presumably in the original Greek the double negative does not sound quite so awkward. At any event, it’s the thought that counts. We are also presuming that Plato was implying more than knowledge of gematria, or numerology—but that he was also indicating the need for at least some training in classical mathematics. We agree and, if anything, such knowledge (including an understanding of Chemistry and Physics) is even more vital for the successful Initiate today. MODERN GNOSTICISM must include the study of every field, particularly the Scientific.

This section of TJM also contributes a brief numerological examination of Jesus (IESOUS = 888) and the NUMBER 666.

The Chapter also suggests Christ as the Universal Daemon and the idea that the physical body is “a tomb” [Pgs. 126-127].

We believe it is absolutely essential for contemporary Initiates to so fully divorce themselves from The Legend of Jesus Christ, as to completely nullify the term “Christ” itself—in so far as that term equates with any form of Organized Christianity, be it religious or secular.

As for the negation of the body and sublimation of the flesh; Pagans do not nullify Nature, but seek to protect it.

In dealing with “Levels of Initiation” in the same Chapter, the Authors begin a process of what we perceive to be a somewhat inaccurate intellectualization of Initiation. (Incidentally, this process reaches full throttle in their companion book, JESUS AND THE LOST GODDESS.) They state as facts theoretical relationships that sound more of mid-20^th Century psychology than Early (particularly Pre-Christian) Gnosticism. It may be possible that an aspirant could read or seminar themselves into Enlightenment (and understanding written knowledge is assuredly a major step); but it’s very doubtful that intellectual knowledge alone is sufficient to complete The Great Work. In bringing The Mysteries down to the non-devotional and profane, you lose The Mystery.

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Chapter 7, The Missing Man, purports to demonstrate the lack of historical evidence that the Mythological Jesus ever existed. The Chapter opens with a quotation from one of our more multidimensional Ancestors, Albert Schweitzer:

There is nothing more negative than the result of the critical study

of the life of Jesus. The Jesus of Nazareth who came forward publicly as

the Messiah, who preached the ethic of the kingdom of God, who founded the

kingdom of heaven upon earth, and died to give his work its final consecration,

never had any existence. This image has not been destroyed from without, it has

fallen to pieces, cleft and disintegrated by the concrete historical problems

which came to the surface one after another.

[P.133]

The Chapter is extremely thought provoking and supported by excellent research. Included is an extensive list of the foremost historians of the times—none of whom mention any Jesus.

However, it could be argued that other…literature…which may well have

mentioned Jesus, has been lost over time. But surely such texts would have been

carefully preserved by the Roman Church once it held power in the Empire…

it is safe to assume that well-educated early Christians, such as Justin Martyr,

would have quoted these texts in support of Literalist Christinity,

but they do not.

[P. 135]

Also included is evidence that the New Testament is as plagiarized and falsified as the Old Testament; photographs of Pagan Art (Isis holding the Child Horus, etc.) that prefigure Christian depictions of Jesus and Mary; and crude Dionysos Cult drawings illustrating the Crucifixion motif, later adapted by early Christians [Pgs. 152-153]

Chapter 8, Was Paul a Gnostic? This Chapter opens up almost as much potential controversy as the Author’s original thesis. In brief, the Authors claim that this early “Church Father’s” words were either deliberately misinterpreted or outright falsified; and that he was, in fact, a Gnostic Sympathizer. We recommend that Readers follow the trail of evidence in this Chapter and reach their own conclusion.

The Authors (no doubt inadvertently), suggest Paul to be a pre-Crowley advocate of Thelema (“Do What Thou Wilt…”):

Like the Gnostics, Paul does not preach moral servitude to the Law, [of the

Old Testament-Ed.] but spiritual freedom through Gnosis. He declares “Where the

spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” For Paul, “Nothing is unclean in itself. Later Gnostics,

such as Carpocrates, quote Paul to defend their own doctrines of natural morality against those

who accused them of immorality. After all, it was Paul, not some “loony” heretic,

who had famously proclaimed: “All things are authorized for me!”

[P. 170]

Chapter 9, The Jewish Mysteries, continues to explore the influence of Paganism on Judaism:

A Jewish scripture called 2 Maccabees records that the Temple of Jerusalem…

was transformed into a Greek temple to Zeus and festivals of Dionysus were celebrated.

The high priest Jason built a Greek-style gymnasium…alongside the Temple which clearly

appealed to Jewish clergy more than their traditional ways.

According to 2 Maccabees:

The priests no longer showed any enthusiasm for their duties…

they treated the Temple with disdain…and whenever the opening gong called…

they hurried to join in the sports at the wrestling school in defiance of the Law.

And this:

In the Old Testament, the prophet Ezekiel describes Jewish women

ritually mourning the death of Tammuz [the Babylonian Osiris-Dionysus]

at the north gate of the…Temple itself…there was a shaded grove sacred to

Adonis…In Syria striking Pagan Mystery symbols have been found painted alongside

traditional Jewish motifs on the walls of the synagogue. In Asia Minor Jews equated…

Jehovah with Sabazius, the Phrygian Osiris-Dionysus…Jews were expelled from Rome

In 139 BCE for trying to introduce the Mysteries of Sabazius into the city!

[Pgs. 177-78]

And this balanced summation:

The view of Jews as united in their opposition to Paganism is an illusion

fostered by Christianity to act as the foundation for its…claims to be spiritually

distinct from Paganism. The truth is that different Jews adopted different positions

toward Pagan culture… Many sought to synthesize their own traditions with

Paganism and have the best of both worlds.

[P. 179]

Chapter 10, The Jesus Myth, details the glaring inconsistencies concerning the Literalist interpretation of The Legend of Jesus Christ, including the following:

…Yet Jesus the Messiah is actually only a thin veil concealing

the quite different figure of Jesus the dying and resurrecting godman…

This is particularly clear from the accounts of his birth. Both Matthew and Luke

give us long and detailed genealogies to show that Joseph is of the line of David…

yet both of them…tell us that Jesus is not Joseph’s son at all, but God’s son…commentators

pass over the extraordinary contradiction within these two gospels without offering any…explanation.

Did Matthew and Luke not realize the absurdity of what they were saying?

…surely such a paradox could not have been intentionally allowed to remain in the gospels!

The Jesus Mysteries Thesis…solves this…enigma by

suggesting that the gospel writers…were writing… a myth encoding

secret teachings…they each presented a genealogy to make it appear that Jesus was

the Jewish Messiah, son of David, while at the same time telling “those with ears to hear”

that Jesus was actually Osiris-Dionysus, the Son of God and a virgin mother.

[Pgs. 192-193]

†††

The concluding Chapters 10 & 11 contain a philosophical summation of the Jesus Mystery Thesis,

including the type of well-researched material the Reader

can expect from the Authors.

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