Tertullian seems to have feared the parallels between Mithraism and Christianity the most, demonizing Mithraism as a perverted truth planted by the devil..."
And he wasn't the only Church father to get his panties in a bunch over this , they were thoroughly caught up in such efforts to try and sell their story & working overtime to discredit others , makes one only wonder if even St Paul & all his letters were a huge fiction too and the entire thing part of "the greatest story ever sold " . In this God Mithra which existed long before you have every similarity from the "contract" between oath bearers with God /Sun (the covenant of the Jew) , brotherhood , baptism ,protector of truth, celibacy , sacred meal , judgement of the good and allowing soul's crossing into heaven and the idea of the chosen Elect and predestination .
What is clearly in view is men's busying themselves with creating these new "thralls" of religiosity & injecting what philosophy , icons , stories , parts infused with the pious pretense of channeling the wishes then of One God rather than many . And that story goes thru many transformations & perfects itself as it grows and evloves as an article of rising power of the theocratic state and its protection under God . Same old story but instead of the Sun on the shield we now have the cross . |
