Doane 157

Selected FOOTNOTES with Text - from: A MARTIAN EXAMINES CHRISTIANITY Chapter XI The Martian Inquires As To Miracles [ The ancient myth of the taxing: Page 158 BIBLE MYTHS. See also: Page 361. More references at bottom of this page.]
Page 84 “ I find it on record,” said the Martian, “ that when Buddha (called the saviour of the world) was born a dim light danced around his person; ²³ that when Bacchus was born a bright light shone around him so that there was a brilliant light in the cave; ²⁴ that when the saviour Aesculapius was born his countenance shone like the sun and he was surrounded by a fiery ray; ²⁵ that as soon as Zoroaster was born the glory arising from his body enlightened the whole room.” ²⁶ ²³ Doane, Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions, 7th ed., p. 157. ²⁴ Ibid. ²⁵ Ibid. ²⁶ Ibid. Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions CHAPTER XVI (Page) 157 THE BIRTH-PLACE OF CHRIST JESUS. We have seen it is recorded that, at the time of the birth of Jesus “ there was a great light in the cave, so that the eyes of Joseph and the midwife could not bear it.” This feature is also represented in early Christian art. “ Early Christian painters have represented the infant Jesus as welcoming three Kings of the East, and shining as brilliantly as if covered with phosphuretted oil.” ^a In all pictures of the Nativity, the light is made to arise from the body of the infant, and the father and mother are often depicted with glories round their heads. This too was a part of the old mythos, as we shall now see. ^a Inman: Ancient Faiths, vol. ii. p. 460. The moment Crishna was born, his mother became beautiful, and her form brilliant. The whole cave was splendidly illuminated, being filled with a heavenly light, and the countenances of his father and his mother emitted rays of glory. ^b ^b Cox: Aryan Mythology, vol. ii. p. 133. Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 130. See also, Vishnu Purana, p. 502, where it says: “ No person could bear to gaze upon Devaki from the light that Invested her.” So likewise, it is recorded that, at the time of the birth of Buddha, “ the Saviour of the World,” which, according to one account, took place in an inn, “ a divine light diffused around his person,” so that “ the Blessed One” was “ heralded into the world by a supernatural light.” ^c When Bacchus was born, a bright bight shone round him, ^d so that, “ there was a brilliant light in the cave.” ^c See Beal: Hist. Buddha, pp. 43, 46, or Bunsen’s Angel-Messiah, pp. 34, 35. ^d See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 322, and Dupuis: Origin of Religious Beliefs, p. 119. When Apollo was born, a halo of serene light encircled his cradle, the nymphs of heaven attended, and bathed him in pure water, and girded a broad golden band around his form. ^e When the Saviour Æsculapius, was born, his countenance shone like the sun, and he was surrounded by a fiery ray. ^f ^e Tales of Ancient Greece, p. xviii. ^f Bell’s Pantheon, vol. i. p. 27. Roman Antiquities, p. 136, In the life of Zoroaster, the common mythos is apparent. He was born in innocence of an immaculate conception of a Ray of the Divine Reason. As soon as he was born, the glory arising from his body enlightened the whole room, and he laughed at his mother. ^g It is stated in the legends of the Hebrew Patiarchs that, at the birth of Moses a bright light appeared and shone around. ^h ^g Inman: Ancient Faiths, vol. ii. p. 460. Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 649. ^h See Hardy: Manual of Buddhism, p. 145. There is still another feature which we must notice in these narratives, that is, the contradictory statements concerning the time when Jesus was born. As we shall treat of this subject more fully in the chapter on “ The Birthday of Christ Jesus,” we shall allude to it here simply as far as necessary. (Page) 158 BIBLE MYTHS. The Matthew narrator informs us that Jesus was born in the days of Herod the king, and the Luke narrator says he was born when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria, or later. This is a very awkward and unfortunate statement, as Cyrenius was not Governor of Syria until some ten years after the time of Herod. ⁱ ⁱ See the chapter on “ Christmas.” The cause of this dilemma is owing to the fact that the Luke narrator, after having interwoven into his story, of the birth of Jesus, the old myth of the tax or tribute, which is said to have taken place at the time of the birth of some previous virgin-born saviours, looked among the records to see if a taxing had ever taken place in Judea, so that he might refer to it in support of his statement. He found the account of the taxing, referred to above, and without stopping to consider when this taxing took place, or whether or not it would conflict with the statement that Jesus was born in the days of Herod, he added to his narrative the words: “ And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.” ^j [ Cyrenius appointed to office — p. 367. ] ^j It may be that this verse was added by another hand sometime after the narrative was written. We have seen it stated somewhere that, in the manuscript, this verse is in brackets. We will now show the ancient myth of the taxing. According to the VishnuPurana, when the infant saviour Crishna was born, his foster-father, Nanda, had come to the city to pay his tax or yearly tribute to the king. It distinctly speaks of Nanda, and other cowherds, “ bringing tribute or tax to Kansa” the reigning monarch. ^k ^k See Vishnu Purana, book v. chap. iii. It also describes a scene which took place after the taxes had been paid. Vasudeva, an acquaintance of Nanda’s, “ went to the wagon of Nanda, and found Nanda there, rejoicing that a son (Crishna) had been born to him. “ Vasudeva, spoke to him kindly, and congratulated him on having a son in his old age. ^l ^l Here is an exact counterpart to the story of Joseph— the foster-father, so-called— of Jesus. He too, had a son in his old age. “ ‘ Thy yearly tribute,’ he added, ‘ has been paid to the king . . . why do you delay, now that your affairs are settled? Up, Nanda, quickly, and set off to your own pastures.’ . . . Accordingly Nanda and the other cowherds returned to their village.” ^m ^m Vishnu Purana, book v. chap. v. Now, in regard to Buddha, the same myth is found. Among the thirty-two signs which were to be fulfilled by the mother of the expected Messiah (Buddha), the fifth sign was recorded to be, “ that she would be on a journey at the time of her child’s birth,.” THE BIRTH-PLACE OF CHRIST JESUS. 159 Therefore, “ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets,” the virgin Maya, in the tenth month after her heavenly conception, was on a journey to her father, when lo, the birth of the Messiah took place under a tree. One account says that “ she had alighted at an inn when Buddha was born.” ⁿ ⁿ Bunsen: the Angel-Messiah, p.34 See also, Beal: Hist. Buddha, p. 32, and Lillie: Buddha and Early Buddhism, p. 73. The mother of Lao-tsze, the Virgin-born Chinese sage, was away from home when her child was born. She stopped to rest under a tree, and there, like the virgin Maya, gave birth to her son. ^o ^o Thornton: Hist. China, vol. i. p. 138. Pythagoras (B. C. 570), whose real father was the Holy Ghost, ^p was also born at a time when his mother was away from home on a journey. She was travelling with her husband, who was about his mercantile concerns, from Samos to Sidon. ^q ^p As we saw in Chapter XII. ^q Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 150. Apollo was born when his mother was away from home. The Ionian legend tells the simple tale that Leto, the mother of the unborn Apollo, could find no place to receive her in her hour of travail until she came to Delos. The child was born like Buddha and Lao-tsze— under a tree. ^r The mother knew that he was destined to be a being of mighty power, ruling among the undying gods and mortal men. ^s ^r See Rhys David’s Buddhism, p. 26. ^s See Cox: Aryan Mythology, vol. ii. p. 21. Thus we see that the stories, one after another, relating to the birth and infancy of Jesus, are simply old myths, and are therefore not historical. Doane, Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions, 7th ed., pp. 181 et seq. Doane, Bible Myths pp. 154 et seq. Martian Visitor: Quoted excerpts and Footnotes to: Bible Myths. INDEX of Subjects. Martian Visitor ( Home ) Metaphysics: Which is PRIMARY? The Pagan origins of Easter THE WORLD’S SIXTEEN CRUCIFIED SAVIORS or Christianity Before Christ CONTAINING New, Startling and Extraordinary Revelations In Religious History, Which Disclose The Oriental Origin Of All The Doctrines, Principles, Precepts, And Miracles Of The CHRISTIAN NEW TESTAMENT And Furnishing A Key For Unlocking Many Of It’s Sacred Mysteries, Besides comprising the History Of 16 HEATHEN CRUCIFIED GODS BY KERSEY GRAVES Copyright, 1875

Selected FOOTNOTES with Text - from:
A MARTIAN EXAMINES CHRISTIANITY
Chapter XI
The Martian Inquires As To Miracles

[ The ancient myth of the taxing: Page 158 BIBLE MYTHS.
See also: Page 361. More references at bottom of this page.]

Page 84
“ I find it on record,” said the Martian, “ that when Buddha (called the saviour of the world) was born a dim light danced around his person; ²³ that when Bacchus was born a bright light shone around him so that there was a brilliant light in the cave; ²⁴ that when the saviour Aesculapius was born his countenance shone like the sun and he was surrounded by a fiery ray; ²⁵ that as soon as Zoroaster was born the glory arising from his body enlightened the whole room.” ²⁶

²³ Doane, Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions, 7th ed., p. 157.
²⁴ Ibid.
²⁵ Ibid.
²⁶ Ibid.

Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions
CHAPTER XVI (Page) 157
THE BIRTH-PLACE OF CHRIST JESUS.

We have seen it is recorded that, at the time of the birth of Jesus “ there was a great light in the cave, so that the eyes of Joseph and the midwife could not bear it.” This feature is also represented in early Christian art. “ Early Christian painters have represented the infant Jesus as welcoming three Kings of the East, and shining as brilliantly as if covered with phosphuretted oil.” ^a In all pictures of the Nativity, the light is made to arise from the body of the infant, and the father and mother are often depicted with glories round their heads. This too was a part of the old mythos, as we shall now see.

^a Inman: Ancient Faiths, vol. ii. p. 460.

The moment Crishna was born, his mother became beautiful, and her form brilliant. The whole cave was splendidly illuminated, being filled with a heavenly light, and the countenances of his father and his mother emitted rays of glory. ^b

^b Cox: Aryan Mythology, vol. ii. p. 133. Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 130. See also, Vishnu Purana, p. 502, where it says: “ No person could bear to gaze upon Devaki from the light that Invested her.”

So likewise, it is recorded that, at the time of the birth of Buddha, “ the Saviour of the World,” which, according to one account, took place in an inn, “ a divine light diffused around his person,” so that “ the Blessed One” was “ heralded into the world by a supernatural light.” ^c
When Bacchus was born, a bright bight shone round him, ^d so that, “ there was a brilliant light in the cave.”

^c See Beal: Hist. Buddha, pp. 43, 46, or Bunsen’s Angel-Messiah, pp. 34, 35.
^d See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 322, and Dupuis: Origin of Religious Beliefs, p. 119.

When Apollo was born, a halo of serene light encircled his cradle, the nymphs of heaven attended, and bathed him in pure water, and girded a broad golden band around his form. ^e
When the Saviour Æsculapius, was born, his countenance shone like the sun, and he was surrounded by a fiery ray. ^f

^e Tales of Ancient Greece, p. xviii.
^f Bell’s Pantheon, vol. i. p. 27. Roman Antiquities, p. 136,

In the life of Zoroaster, the common mythos is apparent. He was born in innocence of an immaculate conception of a Ray of the Divine Reason. As soon as he was born, the glory arising from his body enlightened the whole room, and he laughed at his mother. ^g
It is stated in the legends of the Hebrew Patiarchs that, at the birth of Moses a bright light appeared and shone around. ^h

^g Inman: Ancient Faiths, vol. ii. p. 460. Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 649.
^h See Hardy: Manual of Buddhism, p. 145.

There is still another feature which we must notice in these narratives, that is, the contradictory statements concerning the time when Jesus was born. As we shall treat of this subject more fully in the chapter on “ The Birthday of Christ Jesus,” we shall allude to it here simply as far as necessary.

(Page) 158 BIBLE MYTHS.

The Matthew narrator informs us that Jesus was born in the days of Herod the king, and the Luke narrator says he was born when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria, or later. This is a very awkward and unfortunate statement, as Cyrenius was not Governor of Syria until some ten years after the time of Herod. ⁱ

ⁱ See the chapter on “ Christmas.”

The cause of this dilemma is owing to the fact that the Luke narrator, after having interwoven into his story, of the birth of Jesus, the old myth of the tax or tribute, which is said to have taken place at the time of the birth of some previous virgin-born saviours, looked among the records to see if a taxing had ever taken place in Judea, so that he might refer to it in support of his statement. He found the account of the taxing, referred to above, and without stopping to consider when this taxing took place, or whether or not it would conflict with the statement that Jesus was born in the days of Herod, he added to his narrative the words: “ And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.” ^j

[ Cyrenius appointed to office — p. 367. ]
^j It may be that this verse was added by another hand sometime after the narrative was written. We have seen it stated somewhere that, in the manuscript, this verse is in brackets.

We will now show the ancient myth of the taxing. According to the VishnuPurana, when the infant saviour Crishna was born, his foster-father, Nanda, had come to the city to pay his tax or yearly tribute to the king. It distinctly speaks of Nanda, and other cowherds, “ bringing tribute or tax to Kansa” the reigning monarch. ^k

^k See Vishnu Purana, book v. chap. iii.

It also describes a scene which took place after the taxes had been paid.
Vasudeva, an acquaintance of Nanda’s, “ went to the wagon of Nanda, and found Nanda there, rejoicing that a son (Crishna) had been born to him.
“ Vasudeva, spoke to him kindly, and congratulated him on having a son in his old age. ^l

^l Here is an exact counterpart to the story of Joseph— the foster-father, so-called— of Jesus. He too, had a son in his old age.

“ ‘ Thy yearly tribute,’ he added, ‘ has been paid to the king . . . why do you delay, now that your affairs are settled? Up, Nanda, quickly, and set off to your own pastures.’ . . . Accordingly Nanda and the other cowherds returned to their village.” ^m

^m Vishnu Purana, book v. chap. v.

Now, in regard to Buddha, the same myth is found.
Among the thirty-two signs which were to be fulfilled by the mother of the expected Messiah (Buddha), the fifth sign was recorded to be, “ that she would be on a journey at the time of her child’s birth,.”

THE BIRTH-PLACE OF CHRIST JESUS. 159

Therefore, “ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets,” the virgin Maya, in the tenth month after her heavenly conception, was on a journey to her father, when lo, the birth of the Messiah took place under a tree. One account says that “ she had alighted at an inn when Buddha was born.” ⁿ

ⁿ Bunsen: the Angel-Messiah, p.34 See also, Beal: Hist. Buddha, p. 32, and Lillie: Buddha and Early Buddhism, p. 73.

The mother of Lao-tsze, the Virgin-born Chinese sage, was away from home when her child was born. She stopped to rest under a tree, and there, like the virgin Maya, gave birth to her son. ^o

^o Thornton: Hist. China, vol. i. p. 138.

Pythagoras (B. C. 570), whose real father was the Holy Ghost, ^p was also born at a time when his mother was away from home on a journey. She was travelling with her husband, who was about his mercantile concerns, from Samos to Sidon. ^q

^p As we saw in Chapter XII.
^q Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 150.

Apollo was born when his mother was away from home. The Ionian legend tells the simple tale that Leto, the mother of the unborn Apollo, could find no place to receive her in her hour of travail until she came to Delos. The child was born like Buddha and Lao-tsze— under a tree. ^r The mother knew that he was destined to be a being of mighty power, ruling among the undying gods and mortal men. ^s

^r See Rhys David’s Buddhism, p. 26.
^s See Cox: Aryan Mythology, vol. ii. p. 21.

Thus we see that the stories, one after another, relating to the birth and infancy of Jesus, are simply old myths, and are therefore not historical.

Doane, Bible Myths and their Parallels
in other Religions, 7th ed., pp. 181 et seq.

Doane, Bible Myths pp. 154 et seq.

Martian Visitor: Quoted excerpts
and Footnotes to: Bible Myths.
INDEX of Subjects.

Martian Visitor ( Home )

Metaphysics: Which is PRIMARY?

The Pagan origins of Easter

THE WORLD’S
SIXTEEN CRUCIFIED SAVIORS
or
Christianity Before Christ
CONTAINING
New, Startling and Extraordinary Revelations In
Religious History, Which Disclose The Oriental
Origin Of All The Doctrines, Principles,
Precepts, And Miracles Of The
CHRISTIAN NEW TESTAMENT
And Furnishing A Key For Unlocking Many Of
It’s Sacred Mysteries, Besides comprising the
History Of 16 HEATHEN CRUCIFIED GODS
BY
KERSEY GRAVES Copyright, 1875