Unique concepts of Christianity

[Confused]

I look at how Christianity has spread like wildfire since the time it became the "Official Religion" of Rome. Then I look at its scripture, its celebrations, its heritage and I have to wonder, what is so unique about it? Is there any portion of Christianity that is soley related to it alone? In other words, is there anything found within Christianity that doesn't have roots from an older religion? For example, the creation myth can also be found dating back to before the OT in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Many Christian traditions are celebrated on dates not coinciding with dates of the bible or they coincide with a previous religions/beliefs such as the birth of Christ was celebrate on Jan 6 in early Christian dates (http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa1.htm) as was the Alexandria God-man Aion, the death and resurrection of Christ dates coincide also with the Mithraites Attis death and resurrection. Rituals done for Christians have a history of being done in other religions as well:

Early Christians initiated converts in March and April by baptism. Mithraism initiated their new members at this time as well.
Early Christians were naked when they were baptized. After immersion, they then put on white clothing and a crown. They carried a candle and walked in a procession to a basilica. Followers of Mithra were also baptized naked, put on white clothing and a crown, and walked in a procession to the temple. However, they carried torches.
At Pentecost, the followers of Jesus were recorded as speaking in tongues. At Trophonius and Delos, the Pagan priestesses also spoke in tongues: They appeared to speak in such a way that each person present heard her words in the observer's own language.
An inscription to Mithras reads: "He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made on with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation." 1 In John 6:53-54, Jesus is said to have repeated this theme: "...Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (KJV)
The Bible records that Jesus was crucified between two thieves. One went to heaven and the other to hell. In the Mithras mysteries, a common image showed Mithras flanked by two torchbearers, one on either side. One held a torch pointed upwards, the other downwards. This symbolized ascent to heaven or descent to hell.
In Attis, a bull was slaughtered while on a perforated platform. The animal's blood flowed down over an initiate who stood in a pit under the platform. The believer was then considered to have been "born again." Poor people could only afford a sheep, and so were literally washed in the blood of the lamb. This practice was interpreted symbolically by Christians.
There were many additional points of similarity between Mithraism and Christianity. 2 St. Augustine even declared that the priests of Mithraism worshiped the same God as he did: Followers of both religions celebrated a ritual meal involving bread. It was called a missa in Latin or mass in English.
Both the Catholic church and Mithraism had a total of seven sacraments.
Epiphany, JAN-6, was originally the festival in which the followers of Mithra celebrated the visit of the Magi to their newborn god-man. The Christian Church took it over in the 9th century.

This along with many other things leads me to search for anything in Christianity that may be considered unique to Christianity.

[Jester]

Your belief of a more ethical society today based on the teachings of Christ is grounded in what proof?

There is no way to scientifically measure the data of such a subject. Thus, there is no absolute proof for or against the claim; I can only speak in terms of likelihoods and probable explanation (like much of any field of study). It is reasonable to claim that our society has “grown up” a bit since Christianity was introduced, however.

A more ethical society? Perhaps you would care to share your insights into this in the thread I started about Where is God. The 20th century consisted of more vicious atrocities committed by man against man than any previous century. The 21st century has started off with a bang as well. I can see where you might see a more ethical society in terms of the individual societies, but in regards to mankind as a whole, I think th escalating violence of man negates this concept.

I’ll have do check some numbers for you, but I’ve been taught just the opposite. The only thing that’s clearly “worse” in the modern era is the straight number of crimes, if one doesn’t adjust for population growth. In the first century, government abuse of citizens was far greater than it is today, particularly in the most developed nations (which are those which have the longest history with Christianity), there were more fights, more weapons being carried by citizens (and more need to carry a weapon for defense), severe punishments (such as Crucifixion) happening daily, no one in history had ever organized a means to help the poor of a different ethnic or religious group before the early church did so, and so on.

But back to OP: what combinations of beliefs do you propose would make Christianity unique?

Personally, I have not changed my belief, that Christianity was the first philosophy/religion to offer paradise without requiring a certain amount of merit. I have yet to see any other religion that takes that position, and have not seen any argument that has convinced me that Christianity does not take that position. The references to doing good things in the Bible (particularly the New Testament) seem to be references to doing good as a reaction to “grace”, rather than a requirement for it.

[arayhay]

Your belief of a more ethical society today based on the teachings of Christ is grounded in what proof?

There is no way to scientifically measure the data of such a subject. Thus, there is no absolute proof for or against the claim; I can only speak in terms of likelihoods and probable explanation (like much of any field of study). It is reasonable to claim that our society has “grown up” a bit since Christianity was introduced, however.

A more ethical society? Perhaps you would care to share your insights into this in the thread I started about Where is God. The 20th century consisted of more vicious atrocities committed by man against man than any previous century. The 21st century has started off with a bang as well. I can see where you might see a more ethical society in terms of the individual societies, but in regards to mankind as a whole, I think th escalating violence of man negates this concept.

I’ll have do check some numbers for you, but I’ve been taught just the opposite. The only thing that’s clearly “worse” in the modern era is the straight number of crimes, if one doesn’t adjust for population growth. In the first century, government abuse of citizens was far greater than it is today, particularly in the most developed nations (which are those which have the longest history with Christianity), there were more fights, more weapons being carried by citizens (and more need to carry a weapon for defense), severe punishments (such as Crucifixion) happening daily, no one in history had ever organized a means to help the poor of a different ethnic or religious group before the early church did so, and so on.

But back to OP: what combinations of beliefs do you propose would make Christianity unique?

Personally, I have not changed my belief, that Christianity was the first philosophy/religion to offer paradise without requiring a certain amount of merit. I have yet to see any other religion that takes that position, and have not seen any argument that has convinced me that Christianity does not take that position. The references to doing good things in the Bible (particularly the New Testament) seem to be references to doing good as a reaction to “grace”, rather than a requirement for it.

the same is TRUE/MORE-SO of Judaism. they were to be a light to the world by the grace of God not because they earned it. they were chosen as the instrument that God would use to bring the Messiah/salvation to the world. not the object of God's wrath, i.e. this is what happens if you don't do what I tell you to do.

Matt.19:16-21 covers the connection, not one or the other.
since the chicken came first, it's not what goes in ... it's what comes out ... sin is already in my being. i need a cure that only can come from God.

[joer]

Confused wrote:

This along with many other things leads me to search for anything in Christianity that may be considered unique to Christianity.

I have two thoughts on this Confused.

One, It's silly to believe the concepts Christ's clarified with unique or originated in Him as a man of the realm. Clearly If God has always been around and as you so aptly pointed out His message to mankind has been constant and from many sources. Just reading the bible you can see how through the prophets and other biblical characters God has been trying to teach man the right way to live for thousands and thousands of years through many many sources. And WE (humankind) have been consistent even to today in our rejection of God's teachings.

A better question would be is why have we as humans rejected God's message to us to live peaceful righteous lives in every religion and from every source that God has tried to reach us through?

The second response of course is Christ! Christ is unique to Christianity. All the other concepts you mentioned that were not from Christ may have been consistent with what Christ taught but came from other sources. But if they taught God's constant message to us. That there is one God and we should love each other as God loves us. that message has been given to us over and over again through thousands and thousands of sources in many many ways of expression!

But why do we continue to reject it? Even unto today? That.... is the question!

Peace be with all of us at this site!

[bernee51]

A better question would be is why have we as humans rejected God's message to us to live peaceful righteous lives in every religion and from every source that God has tried to reach us through?

Because religions are labels and labels are divisive.

The second response of course is Christ! Christ is unique to Christianity.

Christ is certainly unique to christianity (other than bit roles on some other religions) but the attributes he is given in the gospels are not. That is the point.

[Cathar1950]

I am reading "Mythology's Last God", 1992 buy William Harwood.
He points out the creator-god's only creation seems to be the book they claim he wrote.
Also he quotes George Smith concerning Ancient Judaism and Christianity as “by any reasonable standard of human decency, must be judged as morally repugnant”. Because humans wrote stories of their gods we are stuck with an unchanging god that we have out grown as we have grown and changed. He points out that omnipotence is impossible as you cannot make a four-sided triangle and omniscience is equally impossible because you cannot know the future and still act or use any power. Basically he says they have defined god out of existence with the attributes they have given him.

[joer]

Cathar1950 and bernee51, nice posts.

And yet in spite of everything humans have done to screw up what God REALLY IS

God still exists as a reality in the minds, hearts and spirits of the majority of humanity.

Why is that? Is it possible that with all the misinformation and misrepresentation and mistrust of each other's vision or (lack there of) of God we are missing something that is real and true about the existence of GOD?

[Metatron]

Cathar1950 and bernee51, nice posts.

And yet in spite of everything humans have done to screw up what God REALLY IS

God still exists as a reality in the minds, hearts and spirits of the majority of humanity.

Why is that? Is it possible that with all the misinformation and misrepresentation and mistrust of each other's vision or (lack there of) of God we are missing something that is real and true about the existence of GOD?

Just to pick a nit here, I should point out that Christians at best make up 2 billion out of over 6 billion people on Earth, so worship of God does not make up a majority unless your willing to add Allah or maybe Brahma into the God category.

[joer]

Cathar1950 and bernee51, nice posts.

And yet in spite of everything humans have done to screw up what God REALLY IS

God still exists as a reality in the minds, hearts and spirits of the majority of humanity.

Why is that? Is it possible that with all the misinformation and misrepresentation and mistrust of each other's vision or (lack there of) of God we are missing something that is real and true about the existence of GOD?

Just to pick a nit here, I should point out that Christians at best make up 2 billion out of over 6 billion people on Earth, so worship of God does not make up a majority unless your willing to add Allah or maybe Brahma into the God category.

Exactly Metatron! That was my intention when I said God. So it could include just about everybody’s concept of God.

Allah's in. I don't know if Brahma is thought of as God. I believe Buddhists take it all the way to just shy of believing in a God.

Cheers my good friend. May the God of all our predecessors be happily with You!

Thanks Metatron!

[bernee51]

Cathar1950 and bernee51, nice posts.

And yet in spite of everything humans have done to screw up what God REALLY IS

God still exists as a reality in the minds, hearts and spirits of the majority of humanity.

Why is that? Is it possible that with all the misinformation and misrepresentation and mistrust of each other's vision or (lack there of) of God we are missing something that is real and true about the existence of GOD?

Just to pick a nit here, I should point out that Christians at best make up 2 billion out of over 6 billion people on Earth, so worship of God does not make up a majority unless your willing to add Allah or maybe Brahma into the God category.

Exactly Metatron! That was my intention when I said God. So it could include just about everybody’s concept of God.

Allah's in. I don't know if Brahma is thought of as God. I believe Buddhists take it all the way to just shy of believing in a God.

Cheers my good friend. May the God of all our predecessors be happily with You!

Thanks Metatron!

Brahma is the god of the hindus but is not revered nor even understood in the same way the JCI god is. Brahma is described variously as 'cosmic conciousness' or 'universal soul'.

Some buddhists believe in a supreme being, many don't. Belief in a supreme being is not a pre-requisite of buddhism.

The point still remains that even if some 50% of the world's population (if you include Hindus) having a god belief of some sort it does not mean that any supreme being exists.

The question for me is why the god belief? The answer is really quite simple. At a particular moment of primate evolution we asked of ourselves the question "who am I?" The search for 'god', and as a result of that search, god belief is an attempt to answer to that question.

That is what is 'real and true' about the existence of god.

[joer]

Bernee you wrote:

The question for me is why the god belief? The answer is really quite simple. At a particular moment of primate evolution we asked of ourselves the question "who am I?" The search for 'god', and as a result of that search, god belief is an attempt to answer to that question.

The answer for me Bernee was not so simple. First I was taught about God. Then I embraced some of what I was taught that rang true for me, like many of the teachings of Jesus but I questioned the rules and laws of the church. I then found something else. Putting the teachings to the test. And actually over many many years of testing some years more serious than others I eventually evolved into a “God believing being” via trial and error. And my most troubling question as a youth embarking on this journey was not “Who am I” It was, “Why am I here?’

Ultimately the answer being something I was taught as a young age but that I didn't profundly grasp until much later. Something very simple, but that took me a long time to embrace and incorporate into my life:

I'm here to Love, honor and worship God. And the best way I can do that here on this earth is by service to my fellow human being. Loving and caring for them as God loves and cares for me.
Cheers my friend Bernee!