[Fegasderty]

By around 1500 BCE, Mithra worship had made it to the Near East...............

Mithras and Christ were described as 'the Way,' 'the Truth,' 'the Light,' 'the Life,' 'the Word,' 'the Son of God,' 'the Good Shepherd.'

Mithras is often represented as carrying a lamb on his shoulders, just as Jesus is and midnight services were found in both religions.

Mithra's virgin mother...was like the virgin mother Mary while Petra, the sacred rock of Mithraism, became Peter, the foundation of the Christian Church

Mithra took birth on December 25th and was born of [a] Virgin. He travelled far and wide and has twelve disciples....His symbol is the Lamb...

Mithra is depicted as a sun disc in a chariot drawn by white horses, another solar motif that made it into the Jesus myth, in which Christ is to return on a white horse. (Rev 6:2; 19:11)



Mithra has the following in common with the Jesus character:

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Mithra was born on December 25th of virgin birth.
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The babe was placed in a manger and attended by shepherds.
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He was a great traveling teacher and master.
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He had 12 companions or "disciples."
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He performed miracles.
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Mithra sacrificed himself for world peace.
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He ascended to heaven.
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Mithra was viewed as the Good Shepherd, the "Way, the Truth and the Light," the Redeemer, the Savior, the Messiah.
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Mithra is omniscient, as he "hears all, sees all, knows all: none can deceive him."
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He was identified with both the Lion and the Lamb.
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His sacred day was Sunday, "the Lord's Day," hundreds of years before the appearance of Christ.
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His religion had a eucharist or "Lord's Supper."
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Mithra "sets his marks on the foreheads of his soldiers."
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Mithraism emphasized baptism.



Sir Arthur Weigall says:

December 25th was really the date, not of the birth of Jesus, but of the sun-god Mithra. Horus, son of Isis, however, was in very early times identified with Ra, the Egyptian sun-god, and hence with Mithra...

"The 25 December was observed as his birthday, the natalis invicti, the rebirth of the winter-sun, unconquered by the rigours of the season."