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At least the Romans, although misguided by anthropomorphism itself, had masculine gods to pray to such as Jupiter or Mars. By comparison, I've got to wonder how healthy it is for males to worship some guy who got himself humiliated by almost an entire town and in the end, got nailed to a cross whilst wearing a loin cloth. In other words, the overall homoerotic character of the whole thing, from magicjesus' "turn the other cheek" to ending up almost nude on a cross -- it's just not particularly healthy for a society that wishes to be strong, is it? However, it's great for leaders of a society who want their subjects to remain docile and easy to manipulate into believing that everything is "part of magicjesus' plan, praise da lord" or "my rewards are in the next life" -- good grief particularly to that last one. I mean, honestly...
In other words, the overall homoerotic character of the whole thing, from magicjesus' "turn the other cheek" (butt cheeks included?) to ending up almost nude on a cross --
Compared to 2 men 'fighting' each other? Why else would the American army have a don't ask, don't tell policy?
Am trying to remember world history class. Constantine, the 1st Roman emporer to embrace (no pun intended) christianity, it is said found christianity a help in bringing conquered societies under Roman control.
Also, promise of an afterlife for soldiers who died expanding Roman power. This was not a unique belief, compare vikings belief in valhalla, but was probably new for many mediterranean based soldiers who had never heard any norse mythology.
If what I read in history is true people were crucified nude, I think we added the clothes due to our religion imposed shame of the body.
The Romans used this shame to their advantage adding mental pain of exposure to the public death.
I would have to accept Jesus existed before I accepted he was crucified, and I just do not see the proof. He is not listed in Roman records as a problem, not as having been crucified, and not recorded as being a problem prior to his supposed death. This is very strange in the compulsive record keeping Roman culture.
Am trying to remember world history class. Constantine, the 1st Roman emporer to embrace (no pun intended) christianity, it is said found christianity a help in bringing conquered societies under Roman control.
Also, promise of an afterlife for soldiers who died expanding Roman power. This was not a unique belief, compare vikings belief in valhalla, but was probably new for many mediterranean based soldiers who had never heard any norse mythology.
This completely wrong. The very popular mystical religion of Mithras was very common among the Roman Legions. It was an older resurrection of the god religion from which much of Christianity probably borrowed. There were several afterlife beliefs among the ancient religions in the Mediterranean region that pre-date Christianity by centuries. Also with the widespread adventures of the Roman Legions, they knew quite a bit about the Norse and Tuetonic religions. It was not new at all.
By the time of Constantine (4th century AD), Christianity was becoming more widespread. Near the end of his life, he propagated a story of a vision and announced the empire would be Christian. What was the big difference was that Constantine changed the long-standing Roman policy of religious freedom enjoyed by the peoples of the Roman Empire with the declaration for Christianity. This was an attempt to control the people under increasing threat of rebellion and attack from the outside. It set the stage for the take over and totalitarian rule of the Catholic church of Europe and plunging the western world into the Dark Ages.
This completely wrong. The very popular mystical religion of Mithras was very common among the Roman Legions. It was an older resurrection of the god religion from which much of Christianity probably borrowed. There were several afterlife beliefs among the ancient religions in the Mediterranean region that pre-date Christianity by centuries. Also with the widespread adventures of the Roman Legions, they knew quite a bit about the Norse and Tuetonic religions. It was not new at all.
By the time of Constantine (4th century AD), Christianity was becoming more widespread. Near the end of his life, he propagated a story of a vision and announced the empire would be Christian. What was the big difference was that Constantine changed the long-standing Roman policy of religious freedom enjoyed by the peoples of the Roman Empire with the declaration for Christianity. This was an attempt to control the people under increasing threat of rebellion and attack from the outside. It set the stage for the take over and totalitarian rule of the Catholic church of Europe and plunging the western world into the Dark Ages.
Tesage that was a great post. Would have given you a point, but system would not let me. I love it when history is used to document an issue.
This completely wrong. The very popular mystical religion of Mithras was very common among the Roman Legions. It was an older resurrection of the god religion from which much of Christianity probably borrowed. There were several afterlife beliefs among the ancient religions in the Mediterranean region that pre-date Christianity by centuries. Also with the widespread adventures of the Roman Legions, they knew quite a bit about the Norse and Tuetonic religions. It was not new at all.
Christianity borrowed from so many it's hard to state exactly where their beliefs came from. There are elements of Mithraism, Zoroastrianism (the concept of duality and an "evil" Satan came from them), not to mention Hellenistic influences onto Essene Judaism that Jesus is thought by some to have followed.
Some historians have said that depite the conversion story of Constantine, that he remained a follower of Mithras until the day he died. BTW, hey y'all, nice to see a place to talk about these these things!
Christianity borrowed from so many it's hard to state exactly where their beliefs came from. There are elements of Mithraism, Zoroastrianism (the concept of duality and an "evil" Satan came from them), not to mention Hellenistic influences onto Essene Judaism that Jesus is thought by some to have followed.
Some historians have said that depite the conversion story of Constantine, that he remained a follower of Mithras until the day he died. BTW, hey y'all, nice to see a place to talk about these these things!
All true. Zoroastriasm is the precursor to Judiasm - much older than Xianity.
The whole Constantine history looks much like a cynical political manipulation than any religious conviction.
This completely wrong. The very popular mystical religion of Mithras was very common among the Roman Legions. It was an older resurrection of the god religion from which much of Christianity probably borrowed. There were several afterlife beliefs among the ancient religions in the Mediterranean region that pre-date Christianity by centuries. Also with the widespread adventures of the Roman Legions, they knew quite a bit about the Norse and Tuetonic religions. It was not new at all.
By the time of Constantine (4th century AD), Christianity was becoming more widespread. Near the end of his life, he propagated a story of a vision and announced the empire would be Christian. What was the big difference was that Constantine changed the long-standing Roman policy of religious freedom enjoyed by the peoples of the Roman Empire with the declaration for Christianity. This was an attempt to control the people under increasing threat of rebellion and attack from the outside. It set the stage for the take over and totalitarian rule of the Catholic church of Europe and plunging the western world into the Dark Ages.
Um pardon me but I never said that xtianity was the only mystery religion. you are preaching to the choir (nuther bad ironic pun), buddy.
one point i (attempted) to make was about soldiers being promised after life in norse mythology. whereas the many mediterranean mystery religions promised universal salvation to all followers.
further we could go on about how the gnostics were the original mystic believers and their faith was really hijacked by the literalists in the person of constantine and later leaders who found it expeditious to use xtianity to further their military and political power.
maybe next time dont assume a statement is meant to be all encompassing of all religious history. that would make this forum ludicrously impossible to read if we all had to address every last scrap of history everytime we opened our mouths.
how about build up your own ideas instead of trying to tear others down.
Um pardon me but I never said that xtianity was the only mystery religion. you are preaching to the choir (nuther bad ironic pun), buddy.
one point i (attempted) to make was about soldiers being promised after life in norse mythology. whereas the many mediterranean mystery religions promised universal salvation to all followers.
further we could go on about how the gnostics were the original mystic believers and their faith was really hijacked by the literalists in the person of constantine and later leaders who found it expeditious to use xtianity to further their military and political power.
maybe next time dont assume a statement is meant to be all encompassing of all religious history. that would make this forum ludicrously impossible to read if we all had to address every last scrap of history everytime we opened our mouths.
how about build up your own ideas instead of trying to tear others down.
Sorry you took offense but get your history right. Again, the Gnostics were not the original mystic believers. They might have been the original Christian mystic believers but mystical resurrection religions pre-dated even the purported Jesus time line by many, many centuries.
My point is that it is not likely that the Roman soldiers got some special spiritual gift from the forced conversion to Christiananity - they were much happier with the Myrithic religion - from which much of Cristianity was most likely derived (along with other cults that were all over the Empire) and also that the Christian lies thru the centuries paint the Romans as so anti-christian when in fact, they were very tolerant of the many differing religions in their Empire. Constantine changed that by forcing a single autocratic religion on all the people in the Empire.
There are so many misstatements and outright lies about the history of other religions and slanders of how the Romans actually behaved, I don't like to see them let stand without correction. The lies and misunderstandings lead so many people to justify behaviors and beliefs that are completely unsubstantiated.
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Why else would the American army have a don't ask, don't tell policy?
Again, the Gnostics were not the original mystic believers. They might have been the original Christian mystic believers but mystical resurrection religions pre-dated even the purported Jesus time line by many, many centuries. 
