Stories of saviors

[Leçi]

As far as I'm aware, the explanation of Jesus was that he may or may not have been a real historical person that was turned into a legend over time.
The thing that strikes me as odd is that the biblical Jesus has similarities with other saviors and gods. Why did they just copy old stories? Did they mix stories together to please different cultures at the same time or constantly repackage old stories to make the transition easier.

Thoughts?

 

[kenandkids]

Israel was occupied territory that Rome had renamed Palestine. Romans were generally good conquerers in that they allowed religious, and ofttimes political, leaders to retain some power under a governor. Traditionally, occupied territories lead to insurgency and/or martyr style doomsday cults.

All this is to say:
Can you really imagine a rabble-rouser walking around in occupied territory attracting crowds of hundreds or (allegedly) thousands at a time when even lightly disrupting the occupations status quo was immediate death? More likely there were many christs, each claiming this or that prophecy applied to themselves. Each was empowered by myth and religion, not always just judaism. When you consider that many jewish myths were stolen nearly whole from surrounding nations, like the Moses myths, it isn't much of a stretch that these cultists would do the same. I have no doubt that one or more would find themselves in trouble with both the established jews and Romans. A few get executed, then a few more. In their honour a few groups made churches and/or meeting places to remember them and their message. Later, letters and works get compiled into a book, conflicting birth accounts, conflicting dates, conflicting messages and all.

All in all, I think that numerous cults were started by numerous people and then combined into a single myth, largely enhanced by a broader regional, mythological, input.

 

[RedYellow]

And aside from all that, it's likely that human myths simply would have common threads anyway, being that basic human desires are the same. When you live a difficult, primitive existence where people frequently and sometimes violently die, you are likely to desire some kind of escape, or salvation that defies death. The other thing about human nature is that sometimes leaders are desired to motivate and lead people to better circumstances. Nothing appeals to a frustrated mass like a leader promising escape.

 

[Leçi]

Is there any official explanation or a documentary about this matter?

 

[kenandkids]

Is there any official explanation or a documentary about this matter?

I'll have to dig through my old papers, but it's pretty well documented. Even the Catholic church has numerous treatises on it.

 

[Master_Ghost_Knight]

There is a popular savior type myth in Portuguese culture; although not religious in nature I taught it was relevant to be mentioned here even because the events were recorded.
The Historical context is this: It was past mid XVI century when Portuguese had only discovered what would have become Brazil just half a century ago. Not 2 centuries before Portuguese had quarrels over territory whit the neighboring Nation that would have become modern day Spain, the territory in question was none other than the entire Portuguese country itself (they wanted that, but we said "HELL NO!"). Portuguese sovereignty was a matter of pride and the relation with our neighbors would always be one of suspicion and conflict compounded with the popular fear that they could try to bring their army any day and bye bye Portugal.

So mid XVI the king Joà£o III dies prematurely but not without leaving a 3 year old son Sebastian (so for now the Dynasty was saved). Sebastian being only 3 years old didn't knew much about politics so a regent had to be appointed, which happened to be a Archbishop. Sebastian grows up to be King by age 14. At the same time, the ottomans had been spreading havoc in northern Africa which didn't suit at all the Portuguese interests. Now fueled by religious fervor most probably instilled by the regent (imagine Sebastian like VFX) he tough he would try and rehash something heroic like the Crusades. Long story short, inexperienced and unprepared he got himself killed and was never seen again.
"Fuck!" They said. Because now the guy in the throne is the ArseBishop, the Archbishop wanted to get out of the church so he can have a wife and have kids and maintain Portuguese sovereignty. But the Pope said "Hell NO!", which coincidentally was a close relative of the King of Spain which in turn would be the next in line to the throne when the archbishop kicks the can. And that is what happened, and now without a fight Portugal was Spanish and everyone got *sad face* .

So the stupid king got himself dead and now we are Spanish (spoiler alert we got our independence back later *UFFF!*) and everyone was sad. And here is born the Sebastianic myth, since nobody saw him ever after and presumably it was fogy on the battle he got killed, people started to rumor that he was not in fact dead (wishful thinking because then we wouldn't be Spanish) but he was kidnapped by the fog. And the legend would tell that in a one fogy day he would return, kick the Spanish ass, save Portugal's independence and transform it in fabled 7th empire (inspired from apocalyptic biblical scripture). That didn't happen. And to this day there are still people who genuinely believe that he one day will come out of the fog and reclaim the throne (in mid Republican XXI century completely Spain free) and make everything magically better. Had it not been in recent history and whit proper records, Sebastian would have been Jesus by now.

So what the hell happened?
Firstly there is a political crisis that everyone wanted all heartedly not to be true. Secondly we have a convenient shady situation (i.e. where the hell is the king?) that with a bit of wishful thinking would make that political crisis not true (i.e. Portugal wasn't Spanish). Thirdly there where uneducated and ignorant people drawing theories from unrelated events and stories (like the apocalyptic literature from the bible). Fourthly, add a bunch of people who don't know any better and it becomes pop culture and the legend catches fire. The savior figure resonates as a wishful solution for all the world's problems and that is how the story goes.



It wouldn't have surprised me that something similar could have happen in the case of Jesus. Where originaly unrelated stories from somewhere else becomes integrated into a new story, because it hads content to the legend and embelishes your whishful story. It is an all to human error.