Contradiction, Compliment or Competition

With respect to certain elements of mythology and similar stories found within the Bible, does the presence of like-stories negate the Bible?
What other possibilities are there to explain the presence of the similarities?

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
With respect to certain elements of mythology and similar stories found within the Bible, does the presence of like-stories negate the Bible?
What other possibilities are there to explain the presence of the similarities?

I, for one, do not know what you're talking about.

Originally posted by rwingett
I, for one, do not know what you're talking about.

Do (for example) the striking parallels between the Mithras legend and the tale of Christ, or Utnapishtim's floods vs. Noah's, detract from the authenticity of the Word of God?

Or any other similarities, for that matter.
For instance, the fact that every culture has some type of Flood motif.
Are these similarities contradictions, compliments or competition?

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
Do (for example) the striking parallels between the Mithras legend and the tale of Christ, or Utnapishtim's floods vs. Noah's, detract from the authenticity of the Word of God?

Are we still on about Mithras and Christ?

Originally posted by lucifershammer
Are we still on about Mithras and Christ?

Use whichever myth you prefer, but the thought behind the thread is to discuss whether the existence of ANY of them cause a contradiction, are complimentary or are in competition with, the Bible.

Originally posted by lucifershammer
Are we still on about Mithras and Christ?

Just an example.

What's your take on the Mithras-Christ parallels? That there are none? What would you have said to Celsus?

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
With respect to certain elements of mythology and similar stories found within the Bible, does the presence of like-stories negate the Bible?
What other possibilities are there to explain the presence of the similarities?

I believe it lends a great deal of credence to the fact that Christianity is riddled with the borrowing of pieces of other beliefs to make up its own.
--Christ's birth being changed to a winter birth (when, according to scripture - it was much close to the summer solstice) to accomodate the huge population that celebrated Yule.
--The simlarities between Mithras and Jesus.

As just a couple of examples....

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
With respect to certain elements of mythology and similar stories found within the Bible, does the presence of like-stories negate the Bible?

I would have to answer that it depends on how you interpret the Bible--as literal fact, or as a combination of myth, legend, history, literature, poetry, and revelation. If the former, yes; if the latter, no.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
With respect to certain elements of mythology and similar stories found within the Bible, does the presence of like-stories negate the Bible?
What other possibilities are there to explain the presence of the similarities?

I think the reasons are that the myths try to copy the bible stories in order to make the bible less relevent.
Satan is a great couterfeiter.

Originally posted by checkbaiter
I think the reasons are that the myths try to copy the bible stories in order to make the bible less relevent.
Satan is a great couterfeiter.

LOL, even the myths that predated the writing of Genesis?

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
LOL, even the myths that predated the writing of Genesis?

Yes, what difference does the writing of Genesis have to do with it?

Originally posted by checkbaiter
Yes, what difference does the writing of Genesis have to do with it?

How could Genesis have been copied if it hadn't been written yet?

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
How could Genesis have been copied if it hadn't been written yet?

Easy; Satan knew it was going to be written, so he prepared counterfeit myths paralleling it and put them in writing first to discredit the REAL story. And you fell for it!! Don't you feel like a complete sucker now??

Originally posted by no1marauder
Easy; Satan knew it was going to be written, so he prepared counterfeit myths paralleling it and put them in writing first to discredit the REAL story. And you fell for it!! Don't you feel like a complete sucker now??

The great deceiver is a genie that ought never be let out of the bottle. What makes you think that he hasn't simply deceived you into thinking that he has deceived me, in which case it would be you who has fallen for his tricks.