by Lewis Loflin
Introduction: Was Jesus a Zoroastrian myth or Buddhist mystic? Why the parallels to Mithra, Buddha, Zoroaster? New Age, occult, and atheism flood us with this—Unitarian Christians and all must face it. My note: Reason says enough—truth trumps popularity.
Historians agree Jesus existed (*Sanders*); He and Apostles left no writings, relying on oral tradition. Gospels post-date 70 CE (*Brown*). Earliest copies: fragments c. 125 CE (P52, *Metzger*), full texts 4th century (*Sinaiticus*). Nag Hammadi (3rd–4th CE, Coptic, *Robinson*) and Dead Sea Scrolls (1st century BCE–CE, Hebrew/Aramaic, *Vermes*)—no Jesus there. My note: Reason notes gaps—texts lag.
Zoroastrian texts, oral till 6th–9th CE (*Kellens*), preserved against Islam (*Frye*). Bias warps both secular and Christian sources—I lean on Jewish/Zoroastrian views, NAB, and KJV (*Catholic Encyclopedia*). My note: Deism sifts—reason cuts bias.
Zoroastrianism (c. 1200 BCE, *Boyce*), oldest revealed faith, numbers few (~150,000, *Rivett*), yet shaped Judaism, Christianity, Islam, maybe Hinduism/Buddhism (*Jewish Encyclopedia*). Monotheism, devil (Ahriman), dual worlds; Zoroaster’s era debated (1200–600 BCE, *Gnoli*), likely Iran. My note: Reason sees influence—small but mighty.
Legends: birth foretold, evil’s attacks (*Denkard*); preached monotheism, won Persia till 7th century CE (*Yasna 31*). Avesta/Gathas from him—Saoshyants, fire cleansing, judgment (*Yasht 19*). Marriage, kids celebrated; fire symbolizes God (*Vendidad 4*). No conversion, no damnation for outsiders (*Rivett*). My note: Reason contrasts—ethics, not dogma.
Four 3000-year cycles (*Bundahishn*): first man perfect, slain by Ahriman; man/woman reborn, devil trapped. Final virgin-born savior, of Zoroaster’s line, ends evil (*Yasht 13*). Heaven/hell, resurrection—echoed in Judaism/Christianity (*Yasna 48*). Mithra cult (Roman Sol, *Halsberghe*) spun off; Constantine blended it (*Drake*). OT lacks virgin birth (*Sandmel*). My note: Reason doubts—NT imports this.
Judaism may have shaped it—post-538 BCE Exile (*Ezra 1*), thousands in Babylon (*Kuhrt*). My note: Reason weighs—mutual flow fits.
Fredriksen: Sepphoris, Galilee’s jewel, Jewish yet Greco-Roman, Antipas’ capital (*Josephus, Antiquities 18*). Jesus, carpenter, likely worked there—3 miles from Nazareth, pious, Sabbath-bound (*Sanders*). My note: Reason asks—was it Jewish?
Smith: Sepphoris resisted Herod (39 BCE, *War 1*), razed 4 BCE, Romanized by Antipas (*Antiquities 18*). Theater (4000 seats, *Weiss*), no 66 CE revolt (*War 2*), rabbinic post-150 CE (*Neusner*). My note: Reason digs—pagan hints linger. Ref
Rebuilt 4 BCE–20 CE, Sepphoris offered work; Mary’s link unproven (*Meyers*). Jesus likely read Torah, maybe Greek—costly writing didn’t bar literacy (*Hezser*). Nazareth mixed Hellenism/Orthodoxy (*Reed*); Hillel’s ethics (d. 10 CE, *Neusner*) echo Jesus. Buddhism hit Alexandria (c. 200 BCE, *Clement*). My note: Reason says—local exposure, no travel needed.
Buddhism—negative, escapist (*Dhammapada*)—contrasts Zoroastrianism. Gautama (563–483 BCE, *Cousins*) birthed it in India. My note: Reason balks—suffering’s real, not all.
Four Noble Truths: 1. Life is suffering. 2. Suffering’s cause: desire, ignorance. 3. End suffering: Nirvana. 4. Path: Eightfold—Understanding, Thought, Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort, Mindfulness, Concentration. Five Precepts: 1. No killing. 2. No stealing. 3. No sexual misconduct. 4. No false speech. 5. No intoxicants.
No Jesus myth here—Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Greeks met him locally. My note: Deism cuts—Humanist fantasy flops.
