There are Muslims who claim that there are many pagan influences which shaped the Christian faith and corrupted it. Here we consider how serious these speculations should be taken.
- Mithraism The Charge of Pagan influence (www.answering-islam.org/Pagan/saleeb.html) and general assessment
by Abdul Saleeb (www.answering-islam.org/Testimonies/abdul.html)- Origins and developments of Mithraism Did the Mithraic mysteries influence Christianity? (www.tektonics.org/tekton_04_02_04_MMM.html)
- Mithras soc.religion.christian FAQ (http://athos.rutgers.edu/pub/soc.religion.christian/faq/mithra)
- Muslim/Christian Mithras and Osiris discussion (www.answering-islam.org/Pagan/dhia.html)
- Is the Trinity pagan? (www.letusreason.org/Trin8.htm)
- Savior Myths (www.christian-thinktank.com/copycat.html) [-1-] [-2-] [-3-] [-4-]
- Who is El? Did Jesus cry out to the pagan deity known as 'El' on the Cross? (www.christian-thinktank.com/elwho.html)
- Shattering the Christ-Myth The Reliability of the Secular References to Jesus (www.tektonics.org/tekton_01_01_01.html)
- Easter: Myth, Hallucination or History? Some have maintained that the Resurrection of Christ is a myth patterned after the prototypes of dying and rising fertility gods. (http://easter.everystudent.com/articles/yama.html)
- Special focus on Easter More than eggs (www.leaderu.com/focus/easter.html)
- Krishna and the claims in Doane's book (www.answering-islam.org/Pagan/doane.html)
- Was the New Testament Influenced by Pagan Philosophy? a paper by Dr. Ronald H. Nash (www.summit.org/resources/NT&PaganPhil.htm)
- Was the New Testament Influenced by Pagan Religions? a paper by Dr. Ronald H. Nash (www.summit.org/resources/NT&PaganRel.htm)
- Pagan Mythology and the Bible by Garry K. Brantley, M.A., M.Div. (www.apologeticspress.org/defdocs/rr1993/r&r9307a.htm)
- Religion of Mithra Doesn't the religion of Mithra prove that Christianity is false? (www.carm.org/evidence/mithra.htm)
Most of these �pagan origin� theories were very popular around 1900 but have been discarded by NT scholarship long ago. Only some atheist groups and Muslims seem to be stuck on it but none of the experts of early Christianity find this acceptable anymore (including those who are not Christians themselves).
"Christmas trees are pagan idolatry" and answers to that rather regular charge:
- Should Christians celebrate Christmas? by J. Hampton Keathley III, Th.M. (www.bible.org/docs/pastor/seasonal/xmas/argument.htm)
- God�s Christmas tree by J. Hampton Keathley III, Th.M. (www.bible.org/docs/pastor/seasonal/xmas/xmastree.htm)
- Dedate on Christmas trees at (soc.religion.christian.bible-study)
Gary: In service of my risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Maranatha!