David, I just visited your site about Mithras for research on the novel I'm writing at first, but a lot of the things I read got me thinking. You see, I've known about Mithras for good few years now, but my parents would never let me research anything about him without a just reason (my father is a Presbyterian minister and my mom is quite set on her Christian beliefs...which is just about anything Dad preaches about). I think I discovered why--your site got me thinking. Not that that is a bad thing, but I think my parents wanted to keep me on the 'straight and narrow' so to speak and not question my faith.

The myth surrounding Mithras, this supposed god of Truth and Light, was it basically a prophesy by the Persians proclaiming the coming of a Savior, or am I looking at this all wrong? (You are right). Also, I had read somewhere that Mithras killed the white bull so that man could live forever, (not true, it is the defeat of darkness) and then he himself was crucified in a similar fashion to Jesus (not true, Mithras is a story created from the night sky constelations) ...though Mithras 'existed' much earlier in history (not true, no such histoical person was ever thought to exist by any group). And the star that led the Magi to Bethlehem...does that have a place in the myth as well? (myth points to central truth -Jesus Christ)
Thank you, Lorena
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MITHRAS AND THE TEACHING OF JESUS
From: Frances
I have been (still am) on a site called Christianity - General. For a very long time (70 years old) I have been reading everything I could on all the religions and have been struck by the similarities by them and the New Testament Gospels. I keep being told that the cult of Mithras was not around at the time of Jesus, yet everything I read tells me the opposite (Your readings are correct). For me, every past religion has lead up to Christianity and possibly to others newly as come. Was not Mithra the Roman soldiers god of worship and still in practice at the time of Jesus. (Yes) The similarities between Christianity and Mithra is just too coincidental. (There are also, major dissimilarities: Mithras is found in the star stories, not in history, Mithras has no death and resurrection. But there is truth contained in the Mithras myth that points to Jesus: light overcoming darkness, etc.) Not that Jesus was wrong to preach a way of life, but the Christian communities maniacal desire to erase anything that is even close to anything that Jesus taught. In a sense He did not teach "something" new, it was always there, (true, not so much in myth, as in Hebrew scriptures) but that He re-iterated all the positive concepts for people to follow. (Yes, but also "I am the way, the truth and the life" statements are unique to Jesus). Would you be kind enough to enlighten me if I am really as wrong as these fundamentalists believe I am. I am always ready to accept and repent of my errors.
Frances Greenfield

Response: Yes you are generally right. Many Christian have a deep fear of myth. I have none. And all myth points to a central truth: Jesus Christ. -David

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