adminWE have noticed that the mythical story of the miraculous conception of Yahoshua the Nazarene was presented in a way to conceal the truth. The birth narrative was not Hebraic.
The Greek scribes and Roman political authorities gave us a mythical story that effectively destroyed the humanness of Yahoshua.
We now wish to look for the concept of miraculous conceptions and births in earlier civilisations of Rome, Greece, India and ancient Egypt.
The major religion of the Roman Empire was Mithraism by Roman soldiers who had imported it from Persia and the Roman Emperor Diocletian proclaimed Mithra the ‘protector of the Empire’ – ‘Sol Invictus – Mithra,’ around 305 BCE because there was an intense longing for a unifying force.
Mithra was the ancient Persian cosmic power of light and wisdom within the Persian religion, Zoroastrianism. The core of Zoroastrianism was centred on fire and sacrifice. Zoroaster’s name denotes an astronomical aspect and a study of the hidden or secret fire.
In Persian Zoroastrian cosmology, in the first stage, there was the infinite and eternal Light, “Ahura-Mazda,” and of infinite and eternal Darkness or Adversary, “Ahri-Man,” both of whom were utterly beyond human comprehension, and out of unknowable Time and Space (“Zervan Akarana”).
Where “Ahura” means Creation and Existence; “Maz” means Great and Entire; and “Da” stands for Wisdom. The word “Ahri-Mana” comes from the human mind, “Mana,” and “Ahri” the evil way.
In the second stage came the causative will of the infinite and eternal Light, “Ahura-Mazda.” This saw the emergence of a self-impelled evolutionary development.
The third stage saw the conflict between the instruments and forces of Light (Goodness) and Darkness (Evil).
Darkness was conquered and was absorbed and mingled within the forces of the infinite and eternal Light although this brought endless tension and instability.
From the invisible primal matter, the infinite conflict between the infinite and eternal Light and Darkness gave birth to a conceptual form, the finite world.
Out of the Light, “Ahura-Mazda,” we get six wonderful immortal beneficent attributes or bounteous forces (“Amesha-Spentas”) (good purpose, best truth, desirable dominion, noble devotion, wholeness and immortality), humanised as assistants, stewards or vicars all strengthened by the flame of the fire of Light, “Ahura-Mazda.” – Eloise Hart, Universal Life in Ancient Persia,’ July 2013.
Between the two cosmic powers of Light and Darkness, there is a perpetual war. The centre of battle is humanity and each of the cosmic powers are striving for humanity’s inner drive or soul.
The Divine created humanity with a free will and discernment to choose between good and evil.
Those who choose the good are rewarded with everlasting life in heaven and those who choose the evil are punished with endless misery in hell, here on earth.
The Divine for ancient Zoroastrianism was a life force in nature, which encompassed the whole universe, something that the whole system was made up of, something, which we humans are also, part of. No shape or form or symbol was ascribed to “Ahura-Mazda.”
Every human being can be one with “Ahura-Mazda” if he or she follows the seven steps called “Am-Asha-Sepantas,” the Eternal Law.
To save humankind, the “Ahura-Mazda” (Light, the Divine) was humanised and is considered to have sent a saviour in the person of Zoroaster with a divine revelation.
Zoroaster was to be served by several “yazatas” (beneficent one, or good spirit and ruler of the world)under “Ahura-Mazda.”There is a Zoroastrian belief ‘that a miraculous son of Zoroaster will be born many years after his death by a virgin.
This son will apparently raise the dead and crush the forces of evil. – William Harwood, ‘Mythology’s Last Gods: Yahweh and Jesus’ (1992).
The Zoroastrian sacred writing of the ancient Persians is called the ‘Zend-Avesta,’ a text compiled during the Sassanian period, 224-640 CE to preserve a much older oral tradition. In there, Mithra appears as the chief ‘yazata.’
According to Persian traditions, Mithras was incarnated into the human form of the Saviour, the mythical son of Zoroaster.
Mithras was born of Anahita, an immaculate virgin mother given the title ‘Mother of the Divine’ and once worshipped as a fertility cosmic power.
Anahita was said to have conceived Mithras from the seed of Zoroaster preserved in the waters of Lake Hamun in the Persian province of Sistan.
The Gospel of Matthew records that the mythical “IesousChristos” (translated as “Jesus Christ”) was visited by an unknown three wise men from the east called the Magi (named ‘Mahaji’ in Sanskrit).
These are the followers of Mithras from Persia. Other sources say that they were Zoroastrian priests from ancient Persia who were experts in astrology.
The word ‘magi’ is derived from ‘magus’ meaning an astrologer. The gospels’ three wise men or the magi who visited Bethlehem came from Mithraism. – ‘Astral Worship’ by J.H. Hill
The mythical story of Mithra, an offshoot and solar power of Zoroastrianism, precedes the story of mythical Iesous Christos by at least 600 years.
Next, let us search for the miraculous conceptionin India.
For feedback contact [email protected]. A gallery of previous articles is available on www.sundaymail.co.zw///?author=266. He also writes on different issues, www.shingaindoro.blogspot.com.
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