Jesus and the Golden Shower

Ancient stories aren’t short on gods and heroes with extraordinary origins. A common narrative is the miraculous birth, where divine intervention plays a critical role. In Greek and Roman mythology, several gods and demigods were born through these mysterious ways.

Take Hercules, for example, one of the most renowned heroes in Greek mythology. He was the son of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Alcmene, a mortal woman. Zeus disguised himself as Alcmene’s husband to conceive Hercules. Another notable example is Perseus, who was born to Danaë after Zeus visited her in the form of a golden shower. These stories, along with many others, set a precedent for miraculous births involving divine intervention.

The story of Jesus’ birth in Christian tradition replicates certain elements of these ancient myths while holding a unique significance for believers. According to Christian teachings, Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary, who conceived him through the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ nothing short of miraculous birth, occurring without a biological father, aligns with the theme of divine intervention found in many mythologies.

For example, in Hindu mythology, Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas in the scripture, was granted a wish by the sage Durvasa, allowing her to conceive children by involving various gods without losing her virginity (every girl’s dream?). She used this wish to give birth to Karna, Yudhishthira, Bhima, and Arjuna.

However, Christians believe Jesus’ birth is unique and holds special significance as it marks the incarnation of God in human form, which Christians view as a one-of-a-kind event.

While Muslims agree with Christians on the uniqueness of Jesus’ birth and his status as the prophesied Messiah, they don’t buy his divinity.

Sacrifice and resurrection are abundant in ancient myths. Long before Jesus, many deities and heroes had undergone death and returned to life, symbolizing renewal and triumph over death for their followers. In Egyptian mythology, Osiris, the god of the afterlife, was murdered by his brother Set and later resurrected by his wife, Isis. According to believers, the resurrection of Osiris represented the cyclical nature of life and death, hope and continuity.

Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection are central to Christianity. Its followers see Jesus’ death as a sacrifice for humanity’s sins and his resurrection as a victory over death and the promise of eternal life. While the themes aren’t original, Christians view Jesus’ resurrection as a historical and unique event with profound theological implications.

That being said, Gnostic Christians, who emerged in the early centuries of Christianity, held conflicting views about Jesus’ death and resurrection. While some Gnostics accepted what later became the orthodox Christian doctrine, others believed that Jesus ascended to heaven before the crucifixion and that Judas was crucified in his place, a view that was later adopted by Islam in the 7th century.

One of the more controversial aspects of Christian practice is the Eucharist, also known as Communion. During this ritual, believers eat bread and drink wine, which symbolizes the body and blood of Jesus, based on his instructions at the Last Supper.

There are no records of a ritual mimicking the awkward Communion; hence, it seems Christianity holds the copyright.

Belief in God and religious narratives fulfill a utilitarian purpose, providing morals, thought, and meaning to life. From this perspective, belief in God is key to understanding the world, morality, and human existence.

For many, belief in God provides comfort and a sense of connection to something greater than themselves. It can offer moral guidance and a foundation for community and shared values. The stories of divine births, sacrifices, and resurrections reinforce these beliefs by illustrating themes of hope, renewal, and moral integrity.

However, it is also possible to derive meaning and morality from secular sources, such as human reason, empathy, and cultural traditions. To many, secular approaches provide a strong understanding of human existence and ethical living.

At the end of the day, it is up to individuals which source they pick to base their understanding of reality on. However, one must bear in mind that the utility of belief says nothing about its validity.

Among Abrahamic religions, what Christianity sells is arguably the toughest to buy. However, unlike many other religion critics, I can relate to belief in a higher power than oneself. However, wouldn’t this power be too intelligent to follow the borrowed narratives of divine births, sacrifices, and resurrections to guide their people with confusing texts that will be interpreted in many ways as well as obviously misinterpreted?

By the way, If there has to be a higher power for our universe to make sense, why should there have to be only the one?

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