Can you point me in the direction of somewhere that I can read about this supposed Ra story? I can't find a single thing about it. (I am familiar with Ra, but not this particular story).
Some facts about Ra in the Egyptian Book of the Dead,
His mother was a woman called Meri
His father was called Jo-Sep
His father was of royal descent
His birth was heralded by a star
His birth was witnessed by Shepherds
King Herut tried to have him killed
He was 30 when baptized
His baptizer went on to be beheaded
He was followed by 12 disciples
He walked on water and healed the sick
He gave a 'sermon on the mount'
He was crucified
...between 2 thieves
He was buried in a tomb
He was resurrected after 3 days
(On a side note Where did Moses come from? I understand he didn't have anything to do with the new testament however the story of a messiah prevails throughout.)
Regardless of whether or not the Ra story pans out, I have heard the claims that Christianity is just a mash-up other religions, but the Bible as a whole is much too cohesive for this to be a legitimate argument.
Christianity today is a mash-up of Judaism and Paganism we have Constantine to thank for this. More Pagan then Jude however. Easter, Christmas and even the Sabbath have been basterdized from the original faith of the Apostles. Look up what Constantine wrote in Canon #29.
It was written over multiple centuries (millennia actually), by dozens of authors from different social, professional, and cultural backgrounds, yet the story reads like a singular composition.
The bible you are talking about I assume your grouping the New Testament and the Old / Torah together to say it is the bible. The Qur’an also uses the Old Testament to complete its bible and The book of Book of Mormon uses Old and New testament to complete its teachings spanning a longer time than traditional Christianity and still reads like a singular composition.
Furthermore, the message contained in the Bible remains amazingly relevant when considered against modern culture, while all of these "mystery" religions of the past have long since vanished and are generally not even historically and factually verifiable anywhere even close to the degree that the Bible is.
Judaism, Islam, Buddhism are three that I could still say is relevant against modern culture. The mystery religions of the past have only vanished to us because again, Constantine incorporated the all the pagan beliefs at the time and rolled it all up into what is today Christianity.
Furthermore, you're leaving Jesus out of it entirely, who is a historical figure written about not only by Christian authors, but whose existence is also corroborated by secular authors from the same time period.
Yeshua indeed was written about by his followers and his existence was also mentioned by secular authors from the same time period. However were the secular authors talking about Yeshua of Nazareth or the Messiah? In the time of Yeshua of Nazareth there were many claiming to be the Messiah. You have Simon of Peraea 4BC, Athronges 3BC, Judas of Galilee, Theudas 46AD the list continues
here.
Even further still, consider the disciples who actually spent time with Jesus. Aside from Judas (who hung himself after betraying Jesus), and John, all were martyred for their faith. These people had nothing to gain, and
they died gruesome, horrible deaths, which no man would have died only to preserve a lie about a Jesus who didn't actually exist or wasn't actually legitimate.
I agree no man would die only to preserve a lie, I believe that they thought Yeshua was the Messiah with as much conviction as Heavens Gate killing themselves because they though the messiah was in a spaceship behind hale-bop. Like Jim Jones followers poisoning themselves and their children because they were controlled by a diabolical manipulator teaching peace and love. Just like Jihadist blowing up not only themselves but their children with the promise of virgins and paradise. Were these teaching lies? Just because someone takes their or their children’s life in martyrdom only shows the conviction that they think something is real. However, it doesn’t make it real.
The above argument only shows martyrdom however lets consider homicide. Think of the witch trials, I’m sure the majority denied they were witches with supernatural powers but they were burned to the stake anyway. Does this mean that they were really witches?
I grew up in a Christian fundamentalist Church and was brought up in the Hebrew roots movement. I understand how it feels to lose my faith. I would like to have a rational explanation and to be proved wrong preferably before I die.
) - Where are we from? Why are we here? Where are we going? Annoying enough for me to not be able to take it seriously as a viable religion or even cultural doctrine.
