Quoted remarks,  and Reference  Text -  from:
A  MARTIAN  EXAMINES  CHRISTIANITY
Chapter  XII
The Martian Examines Into Faith

   [More references at bottom of this page.]
Page  94
the Modernist
“ We know that the so-called laws of Moses were written by a group of priests at the time of King Josiah  after the Babylonian captivity; . . .”

Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions
(Page)  58            CHAPTER VII.

RECEIVING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.


     The receiving of  the  Ten Commandments  by Moses,  from the Lord,  is recorded in the following manner:

     “ In  the  third  month,  when  the  children  of  Israel  were  gone  forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  the  same  day  came  they  into  the  wilderness  of  Sinai, . . .  and  there,  Israel  camped  before  the  Mount. . . .
      “ And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  third  day  that  there  were  thunders  and  lightnings,  and  a  thick  cloud  upon  the  Mount,  and  the  voice  of  the  tempest  exceedingly  loud,  so  that  all  the  people  that  was  in  the  camp  trembled. . . .
      “ And  Mount Sinai  was  altogether  on  a  smoke,  because  the  Lord  descended  upon it  in  fire,  and  the  smoke  thereof  ascended  as  the  smoke of  a  furnace,  and  the  whole  mount  quaked  greatly.  And  when  the  voice  of  the  tempest  sounded  long,  and  waxed  louder  and  louder,  Moses  spake,  and  God   answered  him   by  a  voice.
      “ And  the  Lord  came  down  upon  the  Mount,  and  called  Moses  up  to  the  top  of  the  Mount,  and  Moses  went  up.” a

      The  Lord  there  communed  with  him,  and  “ he  gave  unto  Moses . . . .  two  tables  of  testimony,  tables  of  stone,  written  with  the  finger  of  God.” b
a Exodus xix.
b Exodus xxxi. 18.
     When  Moses  came  down  off  the  Mount,  He  found  the  children  of  Israel  dancing  around  a  golden  calf,  which  his  brother  Aaron  had  made,  and,  as  his  “ anger  waxed  hot,”  he  cast  the  tables  of  stone  on  the  ground,  and  broke  them. c  Moses  again  saw  the  Lord  on  the  Mount,  however,  and  received  two  more  tables  of  stone. d  When  he  came  down  this  time  from  off  Mount Sinai,  “ the  skin  of  his  face  did  shine.” e
c Exodus xxii. 19.
d Exodus xxxiv.
e Ibid.  It was a common belief  among ancient Pagan nations  that the gods appeared  and conversed with men.  As an illustration  we may cite  the following,  related by  Herodotus,  the  Grecian historian,  who,  in  speaking of  Egypt  and  the Egyptians,  says:  “ There is  a  large city  called  Chemmis  situated  in  the  Thebaic district,  near  Neapolis,  in which  is  a  quadrangular temple  dedicated to  (the god)  Perseus,  son of  (the virgin)  Danae;  Palm-trees  grow  round it,  and  the portico  is  of  stone,  very spacious,  and  over it  are placed  two  large  stone statues.  In  this enclosure  is  a temple,  and  in it  is placed  a statue  of  Perseus.  The Chemmitæ  (or inhabitants of  Chemmis),  affirm that  Perseus  has  frequently appeared  to them  on earth,  and  frequently  within  the temple.”  (Herodotus,  bk. ii. ch. 91.)

     THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.   59

     These  two  tablets  of  stone  contained  the  “ Ten  Commandments ”, f  so  it  is  said,  which  the  Jews  and  Christians of  the  present  day  are  supposed  to  take  for  their  standard.
They are,  in  substance,  as  follows:
      1.— To have  no other God  but  Jehovah.
      2.— To make  no image  for purpose  of  worship.
      3.— Not  to take  Jehovah’s name  in vain.
      4.— Not  to work  on  the  Sabbath-day.
      5.— To honor  their parents.
      6.— Not  to kill.
      7.— Not  to  commit  adultery.
      8.— Not  to steal.
      9.— Not  to bear  false witness  against  a neighbor.
    10.— Not  to covet. g
f Buddha,  the founder  of  Buddhism,  had  TEN commandments.  1.  Not to kill.  2.  Not to steal.  3.  To be chaste.  4.  Not to bear false witness.  5.  Not to lie.  6.  Not to swear.  7.  To avoid impure words.  8.  To be  disinterested.  9.  Not to avenge  one’s self.  10.  Not to be  superstitious.  (See  Huc’s  Travels,    p. 328, vol. i.)
g Exodus xx.  Dr. Oort says,  “ The original ten commandments  probably  ran  as follows;  I  Yahwah  am  your God.  Worship  no other gods  beside me.  Make  no image of  a god.  Commit  no perjury.  Remember  to  keep holy  the  Sabbath day.  Honor  your father  and  your mother.  Commit  no murder.  Break not  the  marriage vow.  Steal not.  Bear  no  false witness.  Covet not.”  (Dr. H. Oort,  The Bible  for Learners,  vol i, p. 18.)
     We have already seen,  in  the last chapter,  that  Bacchus  was called  the  “ Law-giver,”  and  that  his laws  were  written  on  two tables  of  stone. h  This feature  in  the  Hebrew legend  was  evidently  copied from  that  related  of  Bacchus,  but,  the idea  of  his  (Moses)  receiving  the commandments  from  the Lord  on  a  mountain  was  obviously  taken from  the  Persian legend  related  of  Zoroaster.
     Prof. Max Müller says:

     “ What applies to the religion of Moses  of Zoroaster.  It is placed before us  as a complete system  from the first,  revealed by Ahuramazda,  (Ormuzd).  proclaimed by Zoroaster.” i
h Bell’s  Pantheon,  vol. i. p. 122.  Higgins  (Godfrey:  Anacalypsis),  vol. ii. p. 19.  Cox,  George W.,  Aryan Mythology,  vol. ii. p. 295.
i Müller,  Origin of  Religion,  p.  130.
     The disciples of Zoroaster,  in their profusion of legends of the master,  relate that one day,  as he prayed  on a high mountain,  in the midst of thunders and lightnings,  ( “ fire from the heaven” ),  the Lord  himself  appeared before him,  and delivered unto him the  “ Book of the Law.”  While the King of Persia  and the people were assembled together,  Zoroaster came down from the mountain unharmed,  bringing with him the  “ Book of the Law”,  which had been revealed to him by Ormuzd.  They call this book the  Zend-Avesta,  which identifies the  Living Word. j
j See  Prog. Relig. Ideas,  vol. i. pp. 257, 258. This book,  the  Zend-Avesta,  is similar,  in many respects to the Vedas,  of the  Hindoos.  This has led many to believe that Zoroaster was a Brahman;  among these are Rawlinson,  (See Inman’s:  Ancient Faiths,  vol ii. p. 831.)  and Thomas Maurice.  (See  Indian Antiquities,  vol. ii. p. 219.)
     The Persians themselves  had a tradition  that he came from some country to the East of them.  That he was a foreigner  is indicated by a passage in the Zend-Avesta  which represents Ormuzd  as saying to him:  “ Thou,  O Zoroaster,  by the promulgation of my law,  shalt restore to me  my former glory,  which was pure light.  Up!  haste thee  to the land of Iran,  which thirsteth after the law,  and say,  thus said Ormuzd,  &c.”  (See  Prog. Relig. Ideas,  vol. i. p. 263.)

(Page)  60        BIBLE MYTHS.

     According to the religion of the Cretans,  Minos,  their law-giver  ascended a  mountain,  (Mount Dicta)  and there received from the Supreme Lord  (Zeus)  the sacred laws  which he brought down with him. k
k The Bible for Learners,  vol i, p. 301.
     Almost all nations of antiquity have legends of their holy men  ascending a mountain,  to ask counsel of the gods,  such places being invested with peculiar sanctity,  and deemed nearer to the deities  than other portions of the earth. l
l “ The deities of the  Hindoo Pantheon  dwell on  the sacred  Mount Meru;  the gods of Persia  ruled from  Albordj;  the Greek  Jove  thundered  from Olympus;  and  the Scandinavian gods  made  Asgard  awful  with  their presence. . . .  Profane history  is full of  examples  attesting  the attachment  to  high places  for  purpose  of sacrifice.”  (Squire:  Serpent Symbols,  p. 78.)
“ The offerings of  the Chinese  to the deities  were generally  on the summits of  high mountains,  as they seemed  to them  to be  nearer  heaven,  to the majesty of which  they were  to be offered.”  (Christmas’s Mytho.  p. 250,  in Ibid.)   “ In the infancy of civilization,  high places  were chosen  by the people  to offer sacrifices  to the gods.  The first altars,  the first temples,  were erected  on mountains.”  (Humboldt:  American Researches.)   The Himalayas  are the  “Heavenly mountains.”   In Sanscrit  Himala,  corresponding to  the  M. Gothic.  Himins;  Alem.,  Himil;  Ger.,  Swed.,  and Dan.,  Himmel;  Old Norse,  Himin;  Dutch,  Hemel;  Ang.-Sax.,  Heofon;  Eng.,  Heaven.  (See Mallet’s  Northern Antiquities,  p. 42.)
     According to  Egyptian belief,  it is  Thoth,  the Deity  itself,  that speaks  and reveals  to his  elect  among men  the will  of  God  and the  arcana  of  divine things.  Portions  of them  are  expressly stated  to  have  been  written by  the  very  linger  of  Thoth  himself;  to  have  been  the work  and composition  of the  great god. m
m Bunsen’s Egypt,  quoted in  Isis Unveiled,  vol. ii. p. 307.  Mrs. Child says:  “ The laws of Egypt  were handed down from the earliest times,  and regarded with  the utmost veneration  as  a portion of religion.  Their first legislator  represented them  as dictated by  the gods themselves,  and framed  expressly for  the benefit of mankind  by their secretary  Thoth.”  (Prog. Relig. Ideas  vol. i. p. 173.)
     Diodorus,  the  Grecian historian,  says:
     The idea promulgated by  the ancient Egyptians  that their laws  were received direct from  the  Most High God,  has been adopted  with success  by  many other law-givers,  who have thus  insured  respect  for  their institutions.n
n Quoted in Ibid.
     The Supreme God of the ancient Mexicans was Tezcatlipoca. He occupied a position corresponding to the Jehovah of the Jews, the Brahma of India, the Zeus of the Greeks, and the Odin of the Scandinavians. His name is compounded of Tezcatepec, the name of a mountain (upon which he is said to have manifested himself to man) tlil, dark, and poca, smoke. The explanation of this designation is given in the Codex Vatican us,  as follows:

     THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.   61

     Tezcatlipoca was one of their most potent deities;  they say  he once appeared on top of a mountain.  They paid him great reverence and adoration,  and addressed him,  in their prayers,  as  “ Lord, whose servant  we are.”  No man ever saw his face,  for he appeared only  “  as  a shade.”  Indeed,  the Mexican idea  of the godhead  was similar  to that  of the Jews.   Like Jehovah,  Tezcatlipoca dwelt in the  “ midst of  the  thick darkness.”   When he descended upon the mount of Tezcatepec,  darkness overshadowed the earth,  while fire and water,  in  mingled streams,  flowed from beneath  his feet,  from its summit.o
o See  Squire’s  Serpent Symbol,  p. 175.
Thus,  we see that other nations,  beside the Hebrews,  believed that  their laws  were actually received from God,  that they had legends to that effect,  and that a mountain  figures conspicuously  in  the stories.
Professor Oort,  speaking  on this subject,  says:
“No one  who has any knowledge of antiquity  will be surprised  at this,  for  similar beliefs  were very common.  All peoples  who had  issued from  a life of barbarism  and acquired  regular political institutions,  more  or less  elaborate laws,  and established worship,  and  maxims of morality,  attributed  all this  their birth  as  a nation,  so to speak  to  one  or more  great men,  all of whom,  without exception,  were supposed  to have  received  their knowledge  from  some deity.
“ Whence  did Zoroaster,  the prophet of the Persians,  derive  his religion?   According to  the beliefs of his followers,  and  the doctrines of their sacred writings,  it was from Ahuramazda,  the God of light. Why did the Egyptians represent  the god  Thoth  with  a  writing tablet  and  a pencil  in his hand,  and honor him  especially  as  the god  of the priests?  Because he was the Lord of the divine Word, the foundation of all wisdom, from whose inspiration the priests, who were the scholars, the lawyers, and the religious teachers of the people, derived all their wisdom. Was not Minos, the law-giver of the Cretans, the friend of Zeus, the highest of the gods? Nay, was he not even his son, and did he not ascend to the sacred cave on Mount Dicte to bring down the laws which his god had placed there for him? From whom did the Spartan law-giver, Lycurgus, himself say that he had obtained his laws? From no other. than the god Apollo. The Roman legend, too. in honoring Numa Pompilius as the people s instructor, at the same time ascribed all his wisdom to his intercourse with the nymph Egeria. It was the same elsewhere; and to make one more example, this from later times Mohammed not oni} believed himself to have been called immediately by God to be the prophet of the Arabs, but declared that  he had received every page  of  the  Koran  from  the hand of  the  angel  Gabriel.” p
p Bible for Learners,  vol. I. p. 301.

Doane,  Bible Myths and their Parallels
in other Religions,  7th ed.,  pp. 77 et seq.

Doane,  Bible Myths  pp. 48 et seq.

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