The Jesus Mysteries: Was the “Original Jesus” a Pagan God? by Timothy Freke (PDF)

Description

Drawing on the cutting edge of modern scholarship, this astonishing book completely undermines the traditional history of Christianity that has been perpetuated for centuries by the Church and presents overwhelming evidence that the Jesus of the New Testament is a mythical figure.“Whether you conclude that this book is the most alarming heresy of the millennium or the mother of all revelations, The Jesus Mysteries deserves to be read.” —Fort Worth Star-TelegramFar from being eyewitness accounts, as is traditionally held, the Gospels are actually Jewish adaptations of ancient Pagan myths of the dying and resurrecting godman Osiris-Dionysus. The supernatural story of Jesus is not the history of a miraculous Messiah but a carefully crafted spiritual allegory designed to guide initiates on a journey of mystical discovery.A little more than a century ago, most people believed that the strange story of Adam and Eve was history; today it is understood to be a myth. Within a few decades, authors Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy argue, we will likewise be amazed that the fabulous story of God incarnate—who was born of a virgin, who turned water into wine, and who rose from the dead—could have been interpreted as anything but a profound parable.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I’ve read dozens of books on the subject of Christianity, but none that had Christian origins as the main topic. This book puts forward the thesis that Christianity is a Jewish version of the Mystery Religions. There were many of these so called “Mystery Religions” in the eastern Mediterranean, and chances are (if you’ve done substantial reading) that you’ve heard of Christianity being a Jewish version of these religions. This book will probably teach you a great deal about these religions, and how Christianity parallels them. The parallels are astounding, and by the end of chapter 4 or 5, you too will see the connection. In the bible you will see the remnants of the Mysteries. The Jesus Mysteries is definitely one of the most interesting books I’ve read on the subject of religion. If I haven’t been too descriptive of the content and conclusions of this book, it is because I don’t want to be a ‘spoiler’. Buy this book, you will find it fascinating.

⭐I have to say that this work is not what I would read to understand the thesis presented (though I bought the book and have read it.) It is a meta work, that is a work describing other works, most of which are better. On the same subject, I would recommend many of the authors cited (that I have already read): Elaine Pagals. Bart Ehrman, David Fitzgerald, Bishop Spong, and John Dominic Crossan, not all of which deny the existance of Jesus, but all of which point to the literary creation of his biography. Was Jesus real? Maybe, but the Gospel narrative is most certainly not literal.

⭐+3 Stars for summarizing the theories of many previous thinkers so well. This book is very well written from a teaching standpoint. They clarify the old observation that the origins of Christianity are pagan and what Literalism is.The book excels in how clearly written it is. It’s entertaining and funny too. An 8th grader could read it and enjoy it.-2 stars: Black n White thinking & loss of perspectiveAll their proof for why “Roman” Church was/is evil is based on a handful of characters (bad actors) in Christian history. And All Christians are All bad. And nothing good ever came out of the Christian (Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant) Church period. The only good guys were pagans and Humanists. No mention of John Paul 2 and his war against totalitarian socialist tyranny that Liberalism/Humanism spawned.For a balanced view read Seraphim Rose’s book “Nihilism” – Theses guys are liberal humanists and never mention a hint of the horrors that liberalism has spawned, horrors that far outweigh anything the Roman Church ever came up with. Stalin v the Inquisition, hmmmm.They have a handful of the same Literalist, Roman Church “bad Guys” they refer to throughout the book for the proof that Christianity is evil. They leave out all the Literalist good guys of church history. They also leave out the contributions of Literalist Christianity to spirituality. For all it’s limitations and problems, Literalist Christianity does contribute to the good of the world in significant ways. But the authors throw the baby out with the bath water. All popes were evil destroyers and abusers of native peoples (not true historically). It’s a skewed view of history, partly accurate and partially false (by omission).Question for anyone who might know:On p. 165-166 they explain the Gnostic belief in an avatar sent by god to help mankind against the demon kings. The demon kings killed the avatar without knowing who he really was. This was Paul’s belief? So how does that square with the Gnostic esoteric understandings of myth? I was confused by this literalism and the author’s don’t explain the contradiction.

⭐Ignore the nitpicking attacks from the Biblical Scholarship community. They’re jealous. For a couple of centuries, they’ve ignored the massive influence of the mystery religions upon what came to be orthodox Christianity. And they are outraged that a book like this would be written for a lay audience, rather than reduced to proper academic form and be circulated among their own choir.Fascinating information here about the kaleidoscopic backdrop of the emergence of the institutional church and how it went wrong so early. My only criticism is that there was so much new information to digest. Maybe the authors could have been more judicious in the examples of Gnostic myths they discussed, but they chose to err–understandably–on the side of too much rather than too little. Take your time with the book and it will be time worth spent.

⭐An easy to read, heavily footnoted and intriguing essay into the origins of modern day Christianity and how various ancient mystery religions may have contributed to its development. Fundamentalists beware! These ideas were once branded as heretical and burned in the perpetual fires of the orthodox church. But if read with an open mind, most readers will finish the book agreeing the authors have done a really good job of stating and supporting their position. For that alone they should be respected.

⭐An interesting argument very well supported by historical and academic sources. Approach it with an open mind. Just one little gripe is about the style, namely the gross overuse of exclamation marks! It was unnecessary! Still worth a read for people of all religious persuasions.

⭐This book send a pretty interesting shock wave through christianity, and it takes a lot to shake a christian these days, the chuch being too busy trying to cover up one scandal after another in the present, it doesn’t have time anymore to deal with the ones rooted at its origins.Tim Freke makes it clear at the beginning of the book that its aim was not so much a single minded attack on christianity (and reitereates this at various points in the book) but to offer a different path, an alternate way of lookin at and dealing with its legacy, which no doubt the church will ignore and its proponents will decry as some of the books critics have tried, which some of the negative comments here are proof of, falling back on very weak arguments that the writer is not enough of a scholar or lacks the academic pedigree to be taken seriously or that the secondary literature on the subject he refers to is too obscure and hard to find. Really? That’s the best they came up with?Just read the book and judge for yourself and no, he’s no Dan Brown, thank unconscious field, he makes a very convincing case and offers a glimpse to a different path of spirituality which I can recommend and read some of his other work, especially The Mystery Experience.

⭐Thais is a brilliant book. Gave me a vocabulary to describe what I have always felt but not had the words for. A real revelation to find that there are others who have exactly the same views. Will definitely follow this up

⭐Great value. Book was used, but look like new. Arrived before date quoted and great price. Excellent all round !. Will use company again.

⭐A real insight into the thoughts, ideas, opinions and historic thinking. Quite thought provoking, definitely worth a read.

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