Sometimes, it seems that the more I learn the less I know.

Growing up in a religious Orthodox Christian family, I took all of the stories around Christ’s life as fact, the unquestionable truth. But the more I dig, looking for clearer understand, I find only a shifting foundation of sand.

Take for example the Jesus, Osiris, Dionysus connection.

Jesus, Osiris, Dionysus
Dionysus, a Greek God (1500—1100 BC) and Osiris, an Egyptian God (pre-2500 BC) were viewed as ‘mythical’ characters…though there is some evidence that points to Osiris as being real and that Dionysus was only modelled after Osiris. Despite that the two characters were used interchangeably in ancient times and in the 3rd century they were even referred to by the composite name “Osiris-Dionysus“.

At the time of Jesus’ stay on the Earth some 2000 years ago the story of Dionysus and Osiris were well established but nobody seemed to notice the similarities between the 3 of them??

A Closer Look
The following stories appear both in the Gospels and in the myths of many of the god-men:

Conception: God was his father. This was believed to be literally true in the case of Osiris-Dionysus; their God came to earth and engaged in sexual intercourse with a human. The father of Jesus is God in the form of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18). A human woman, a virgin, was his mother.

	Birth: He was born in a cave or cowshed. Luke 2:7 mentions that Jesus was placed in a manger – an eating trough for animals. One early Christian tradition said that the manger was in a cave. His birth was prophesized by a star in the heavens.
	Ministry: At a marriage ceremony, he performed the miracle of converting water into wine. He was powerless to perform miracles in his home town. His followers were born-again through baptism in water. He rode triumphantly into a city on a donkey. Tradition records that the inhabitants waved palm leaves. He had 12 disciples. He was accused of licentious behavior.
	Execution, resurrection, etc: He was killed near the time of the Vernal Equinox, about MAR-21. He died “as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.“ He was hung on a tree, stake, or cross.  After death, he descended into hell. On the third day after his death, he returned to life. The cave where he was laid was visited by three of his female followers He later ascended to heaven.
	His titles: God made flesh. Savior of the world. Son of God.
	Beliefs about the God-man: He is “God made man,” and equal to the Father. He will return in the last days. He will judge the human race at that time. Humans are separated from God by original sin. The god-man’s sacrificial death reunites the believer with God and atones for the original sin. Source: Religious Tolerance.org

Nobody Noticed?
The reason that nobody noticed the similarities between Jesus and Osiris-Dionysus was because those aspects of Jesus’ life were added hundreds of years later when Rome finally accepted Christianity and fused it with her other pagan beliefs.

Jesus Was A (Great) Man
I choose to believe that Jesus was a real person, a socialist, a rebel against a corrupt Roman-Jewish alliance and perhaps someone who through study and practice of mysticism had come to a deep understanding of the world, the Universe and our place in it. And from that understanding preached love and tolerance.

If we could follow THAT example, I think the world would be a better place.