-----Original Message-----
From: b <rrdd3939@aol.com>
To: rrdd3939 <rrdd3939@aol.com>
Sent: Wed, Apr 25, 2012 12:56 pm
Subject: PLATO'S MAN in the CAVE series continues...
From: b <rrdd3939@aol.com>
To: rrdd3939 <rrdd3939@aol.com>
Sent: Wed, Apr 25, 2012 12:56 pm
Subject: PLATO'S MAN in the CAVE series continues...
Plato's Man in the Cave Series continues...
Osiris* (our beer guy) to Mithra (mark his birthday on your calendar: December 25)
to Hercules** to Paul's Jesus
by Richard DePersio and Citizen Journalist
Article is largely self-contained and stands alone. However, you will get more out of series if you
begin with part one. Do it as we worked hard on them! Do it for Plato!
Reminder: RD & CJ are deist with a Splash of Plato; do believe in possibility of God and Heaven.
(Views which he will share with you soon). Strange Bedfellows? We Report/You Decide: A
strong believer in all of Amendment One, he is a proud member of ADF (Alliance Defense Fund -
protecting the rights of the religious, especially, Christian from lib attacks) and acknowledges the
largely positive role played by the Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist religions. Blind belief or a
critical examination of the Bible in order to get "Closer to the Truth" (Have you seen that series?-
PBS/CUNY. Our,activities have been similar for the past few years. Excellent show but we don't
always agree; we would also like to thank our ourselves for affording ourselves the opportunity to
recommend "the Naked Archeologist" on the HistoryChannel). Plato appears regularly at this venue
and rarely at www.rickcmtsite.blogspot.com He will be producing the next article there (will it be live?)
soon. Taking care of business.
Mithraism religion originated about 600 B.C. in Persia, made its way to Greece and, eventually, Rome.
He was human, yet, divine and born on December 25 from a rock. He is known for slaughtering a
bull and sharing a banquet with sun-god. Actually, he was an offspring of the sun-god. Mithra had
twelve companions and performed miracles (sound familiar?). He had 'nicknames': the Good
Shepard; the Way, the Truth and the Light; Redeemer; Savior (Sound familiar?). Upon death, he was
buried in a tomb and resurrected three days later. This day was celebrated. Later, Christians would
celebrate Easter on the self-same day.
He had a virgin mother. After birth, he was visited by three magi who adored him and
brought him gifts. Followers believed in the immortality of the soul, a last judgement and the
resurrection of the dead.
There was baptism to remove sin and a ceremony involving water and bread and, in which,
sacramental wine played a role. There are additional similarities between Christianity and Mithraism.
There are those that maintain that Mythra ideas were resurrected in the Roman Empire about
a decade or so after Jesus resurrected. It became a secret mystery cult particularly attractive
to Roman officers. Which elements were part of Roman version and which elements that are new
is uncertain. It might have been syncretistic. (The myth of Mithra may have originated in India three
thousand years ago went to Persia to Babylonian to Greece to Rome).
(Keep in mind for later: Christmas; Easter; Roman officers).
***
The 12 Apostles lived and worked with Jesus for three years. Many scholars consider it reasonable
to assume that Jesus knew some of them, especially, the fisherman in the Galilee before he began
his ministry at age 27.
And, then came Paul. He never knew Jesus; what he knew of his life and philosophy was
secondhand. He arrested followers of Jesus after Jesus was crucified. He was a strict Jew. As
we stated in a previous installment, he was likely more educated than the Apostles. It was
unusual for Jews to be Roman citizens. Some well-to-do Jews were; Paul's parents were. He
likely received a fairly good education and spoke Greek, Hebrew and Latin plus would have had an
accent. all of this added up to his being a strange one as far as the Apostles were concerned. On the
road to Damascus (wasn't that a Hope/Crosby movie?), he fell off of his horse, hit his head and had a
vision of Jesus which resulted in his conversion. Biblical experts indicate that he may have had more
visions or dreams in which he learned more. The Bible explicitly talks of one.
He considered himself the 13th Apostle which didn't sit well with most of the Originals, including,
Jesus' brother James. Experts tell us that he combined Jesus' philosophy with Greek philosophy,
especially, Greek Stoic Philosophy. He told pagans that they could become Jesus believers without
becoming Jews and, on at least one occasion, told Jews that they could abandon the Law. Over
two-thirds of New Testament is concerned with Paul's interpretation of Jesus theology, Paul's activities
and Paul's letters. He largely defined Holy Spirit, encouraged performing Communion every Sunday and
stated that baptism should replace circumcision (which was part of the sacred covenant made
between God and the Israelites), amongst other things. Why didn't Jesus tell these things during the
three yeas that he spent with the Apostles. Certainly, he would have made the time. Did he forget? Did he
have to make an appearance to the guy who hit his noggin' to tie up loose ends; loose ends? - more
like fundamental issues.
We haven't heard or read the following anywhere. Is it an original idea? In the past, we have been
certain of our originality on various issues. In this case, we claim such until the contrary rears its ugly
head. We think not. Others probably had it before us. The educated Paul would have known the
Hercules Myth. Might he not also have known of Osiris and Mitra. Did he create a syncretism involving
the lives of Jesus plus elements from these three other gods thus creating a new Jesus story? As stated
previously, the Apostles thought Jesus to be Messiah while Paul thought him to be Messiah and Son of
God. A few of the Apostles but not most came around to his way of thinking, including, Peter --- but not
James!
Upon the death of John the Baptist, Jesus became the leader of John's People of the Way group;
Upon Jesus' death, People of the Way became the Nazarenes headed by the Bishop of Jerusalem,
James (brother of Jesus according to Protestants but not Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholics).
Jesus and the Apostles were practicing Jews and the Apostles continued to be so after Jesus'
crucifixion. Jesus modified of few of the 613 commandments but did not abandon any of them; added
new prayers to existing Jewish prayers; ate kosher; was called rabbi; worshipped at the Jerusalem
(second Solomon) Temple; celebrated Jewish holy days - he celebrated Passover the day before he was
nailed to the cross. He nor his Apostles ever said that baptism could replace circumcision! The
circumcised Jesus was a Jew-boy!
It appears to more and more Biblical authorities that Jesus wasn't here to create a new religion but
a new Jewish denomination - what we call in hindsight Jewish-Christians. (which is what the Nazarenes
were while today we refer to followers of Paul as Pauline Christians).
It appears that Paul wanted to reconcile with James. When the Jerusalem congregation was in dire
financial straits, he raised a collection amongst his followers and brought it to Jerusalem in person. The
donation was soundly rejected. "Paul: Founder of Christianity" by Gerd Ludemann (Prometheus Books, 2002):
"...Paul was an apostate from the law (Editor's Note: Jewish law) almost from the beginning...in Acts
21:21, Paul teachers all Jews who are among the gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to
circumcise their children or observe the customs. This charge {apostate) runs like a scarlet thread
through the stories told by the Jewish Christian groups which claimed to be the successors of the original
Jerusalem church."
Rejection of Pascal's Wager: Collection rejected by James and Jerusalem community; James and
Jerusalem community very probably somehow responsible for Paul's arrest and certainly did nothing to
help him. Not original: A growing number of Bible experts think that James had a role in Paul's arrest.
Whereupon, Paul invokes his Roman citizenship and placed under semi-house arrest: continues to preach,
have visitors. Some suggest that he had been working with the Sadducees (the Temple rabbis, the wealthiest
and most powerful of the Jewish denomoinations) or the Pharisees (rabbis of Synagogues and their followers,
Paul is believed to have been a Pharisee) to cause a rift between Judaism and Jewish Christians.
Sadducees worked with Roman authorities and Paul lived the good prisoner life - though, eventually, he lost
his noggin' - the very noggin' that generated at least one vision.
In this corner, the guy who hits his noggin' and in the other corner, those who knew him. Remember:
This is the 21th Century. We don't think that demons are around every corner and hiding behind bushes.
And, then came Roman Emperor Constantine...
**Correction: In Hercules installment we stated that he rose body and soul after completing ten labors mostly
for humanity and after descending into Hades. His body burnt while SOUL rose during which time Zeus converted
him from a demi-god into a god.
*Footnote or Supplement to Osiris Installment? We Write/You Decide (Our former English teachers can hang
themselves with a dangly participle!). More on Osiris and beer: A Greek historian from the time of Julius Caesar
wrote that, "Osiris taught the people how to brew the beverage which is made of barley, which is not greatly
inferior to wine in odor and potency."
