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Born on December 25th

© Linda Casselman

The Christmas season is now upon us wrapping us in its warmth, light, and good cheer. And all who celebrate this glorious holiday eagerly await that most special day, December 25th, the day that Jesus Christ was born - or was he? Scholars tell us that Christ was probably born 4 years before the Common Era and most likely in the Spring time! So just who was born on December 25th then? The ancient god Mithras, that's who!

Read on and discover for yourself the striking similarities between Mithras and Jesus, and the belief systems of Mithraism and Christianity.

Worship of the god Mithras began around 4000 years ago in Persia where he was venerated as the protector of tribal society. Other gods in this ancient pantheon included Ahura-Mazda, the sky god, and Ahriman, the god of darkness. When Zoroaster (Zarathrusta), a prophet from the kingdom of Bactria, implemented a reform of polytheism (628-55 BCE), Mithras lost his place among the gods, lost his powers and attributes; and Ahura-Mazda and Ahriman were pushed to opposite ends of the deistic spectrum where Ahura-Mazda became the symbol of supreme good while Ahriman became the embodiment of ultimate evil. All of the other Persian gods then took on a hierarchical position beneath one of these two gods. This dichotomy of pure good versus pure evil influenced the Jews under Babylonian captivity (597 BCE) - the Babylonians venerated Mithras under the name of Shamash and had refined the theology, mythology, rituals, and doctrines of the Persians embedding them into their own belief system - creating the strong adversity between Yahweh and Ha Shatan which led to the Jehovah-Satan struggle of Christianity.

Under this new theology of Zoroaster, Mithras took his new place in the hierarchy under Ahura-Mazda and became the Judger of Souls. And now we will see how Mithras compares to Jesus Christ.

Like Jesus, Mithras, part of a Holy Trinity, was conceived of Holy seed and born on December 25th into human form of an immaculate virgin mother - Anahita, once worshiped as a fertility goddess. He was born as the divine representation of Ahura-Mazda on earth, to protect his righteous followers from the evil powers of Ahriman, and guide them into Paradise. (Sound familiar?)

It is said that Mithras was "omniscient, undeceivable, ever watchful, and never resting". He ensured the authority of contracts and promises. In fact, his name means, "contract". Monarchs and the nobility, in particular, saw him as their protector. Furthermore, the handshake developed from the worship of Mithras as a token of friendship and to show proof that one was unarmed.

The copyright of the article Born on December 25th in Mythology is owned by Linda Casselman. Permission to republish Born on December 25th in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.