I don't get this obstructionist argument, you guys use double standards at every turn.
You want primary sources for the (oral) Mystery Religion, even though Christianity doesn't have any.
You want to cite the four canonical gospels as evidentiary, but dismiss the 76 other gospels and the Gnostic gospels despite them all being of equal provenance.
You want to cite the obvious interpolatons in Josephus histories, but neglect to mention that Christian Church Fathers such as Origen had read (and quoted) Josephus yet never noticed these supposed Jesus references... neglecting to use them even when citing every other faked piece of evidence for the historicity of Jesus in their apologist screeds.
Origen did notice those references. That's the reason he stated that Josephus didn't recognize Jesus as the Christ AND why he also criticized Josephus for not properly (in his mind) citing the death of Jesus' brother, James, as the reason for the Temple's destruction.
You dismiss the similarities between Jesus and MYSTERY RELIGION gods, based solely on the discrepancies between the Jesus story and the FOLKLORE VERSIONS of these gods... different religions guys, one is astrological (Mystery Religion) and one is allegorical (folklore). That's akin to claiming Batman never fought the Penguin 'cos the Penguin hasn't appeared in the Christopher Nolan Batman movies. Danny DeVito would disagree.
You haven't produced the "MYSTERY RELIGION gods", which you've been asked to do, for the better part of a YEAR.
And, what you call the "FOLKLORE VERSIONS" are the actual versions of those figures, that have been shown (time and time again) NOT TO MATCH Jesus Christ in the slightest.
You likewise dismiss every similarity between Jesus and Issa, despite their being no discrepancies and Issa loudly claiming to actually be Jesus... that's just plain dishonest.
Let me get this straight...
So, the only sources that count are the ones literalist Christians accept.
The gods similar to Jesus don't count because alternate folklore versions of their stories differ from the Jesus story... and the folklore versions of the Jesus story don't count because you guys don't accept them.
And the Issa guy doesn't count as a match for Jesus because he matches Jesus.
So I should find you guys a god that predates Jesus and matches Jesus in every single way with any difference grounds for disqualification, but doesn't match Jesus in every single way cause that likewise disqualifies him?
You not only can't find one that matches Jesus in every single way, the ones you've put forth hardly match Jesus AT ALL.
I simply can't provide you with references to back my point from Christian apologist websites... and that's all you guys will accept.
You can't provide references, because they either aren't there. Or, as Loco pointed out, they're from silly books that even some of the most ardent atheists have stated reek of poor scholarship.
The stuff you are posting is terrible.... for example:
The symbolism is almost impossible to interpret and may relate to some long lost mythology. The Willow and the Cranes are associated with the water's edge, so perhaps Esos was a marshland god. The tree is presumably that in which his victims were sacrificed, by why he prunes it is uncertain. Possibly it shows the destruction and rebirth of the Tree of Life in Winter and Spring. The birds may represent spirits during the former process. They are natural and matually beneficial companions for the Bull, which enhances the fertility symbolism of the tree. Magical groups of three birds appear in Welsh mythology and, to the Irish, cranes may reprsent women. In this context, the Tarvostrigaranus may just possibly be represnted by a small bronze triple-horned bull figurine found at the Roman Temple within the hillfort of Maiden's Castle (Dorset). It shows three female humoid figures perched on its back
...where do you guys get this hogwash?
"The symbolism is almost impossible to interpret".... bullshit... Esus is the sun; the Willow Tree is the Southern Cross constellation; the various birds are costellations and stars/planets in the Gaullish zodiac.
I cited the source. It's there for you to view. Your foolishly trying to fuse some astrological mess, in an attempt to paint Jesus as a composite of other figures simply doesn't hold water.
And, as usual, you don't even have your facts right about Esus.
Don't you guys comprehend metaphor?
Stop Google-Fu-ing encyclopedia entries and do some proper research.
There is nothing original in the Jesus story, but I can't explain that to you if you stubbornly refuse to concede any single similarity, no matter how obvious.
The Luke
We've done the proper research. But, you don't like the "Google-Fu-ing", because when the facts come up, your claims GO DOWN...in flames.
Luke, you continue to cry, when your pitiful takes get ripped apart. And when asked to back your statements, you flee and cower, as you've done with Loco and with me.
