Name:Pat •
Title: Are these facts of Jesus ? •
Date posted: 02/28/07 17:30
Q: Are these facts of Jesus true?
-was born on December 25th.
-was considered a great traveling teacher and master.
-had 12 companions or disciples.
-performed miracles.
-was buried in a tomb.
-after three days he rose again.
-his resurrection was celebrated every year.
-was called “the Good Shepherd.”
-was considered “the Way, the Truth and the Light, the Redeemer, the Savior, the Messiah.”
-was identified with both the Lion and the Lamb.
-his sacred day was Sunday, “the Lord’s Day,”.
-he had his principal festival on what was later to become Easter, at which time he was resurrected.
-his religion had a Eucharist or “Lord’s Supper.”
Well if you guessed Jesus Christ, well, YOU’D BE WRONG!!
In fact all of the above are attributes to … MITHRA, a Roman-Persian God who existed hundreds of years before Christ.
("He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made on with me and I with him, the same shall not know
salvation.” This inscription to Mithras, which parallels John 6:53-54, is inside the Vatican in the tomb of Saint Peter.)
Are these facts of Jesus true?
- God was his father
- He was born in a cowshed.
- A human woman, a virgin, was his mother.
- His birth was prophesized by a star in the heavens.
- At a marriage ceremony, he performed the miracle of converting water into wine.
- He was powerless to perform miracles in his hometown.
- His followers were born-again through baptism in water.
- He rode triumphantly into a city on a donkey. Tradition records that the inhabitants waved palm leaves.
- He had 12 disciples.
- He was accused of licentious behavior.
- He was killed near the time of the Vernal Equinox, about MAR-21.
- He died “as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.”
- He was hung on a tree, stake, or cross.
- After death, he descended into hell.
- On the third day after his death, he returned to life.
- After death, he descended into hell.
- On the third day after his death, he returned to life.
- The cave where he was laid was visited by three of his female followers.
- He later ascended to heaven.
- His titles: God made flesh. Savior of the world Son of God.
- He is “God made man,” and equal to the Father.
- He will return in the last days.
- He will judge the human race at that time.
- Humans are separated from God by original sin. The godman’s sacrificial death reunites the believer with God and atones for the original sin.
Well if you guessed Jesus Christ, again, YOU’D BE WRONG!!
In fact all of the above are attributes are to … OSIRIS-DIONYSUS, an Egyptian God that existed thousands of years before Jesus Christ allegedly came around.
The Catholic Church could of back then attributed both MITHRA and DIONYSUS, an Egyptian God to Jesus, in order to create a power full religion.
Name:steve •
Date: 02/28/07 19:13
A: Get your feet back on the solid ground man! Here's an excerpt from an essay that successfully refutes these claims.
Seven Arguments Against Christian Dependence on the Mysteries
I conclude by noting seven points that undermine liberal efforts to show that first-century Christianity borrowed essential beliefs and practices from the pagan mystery religions.
Arguments offered to "prove" a Christian dependence on the mysteries illustrate the logical fallacy of false cause. This fallacy is committed whenever someone reasons that just because two things exist side by side, one of them must have caused the other. As we all should know, mere coincidence does not prove causal connection. Nor does similarity prove dependence.
Many alleged similarities between Christianity and the mysteries are either greatly exaggerated or fabricated. Scholars often describe pagan rituals in language they borrow from Christianity. The careless use of language could lead one to speak of a "Last Supper" in Mithraism or a "baptism" in the cult of Isis. It is inexcusable nonsense to take the word "savior" with all of its New Testament connotations and apply it to Osiris or Attis as though they were savior-gods in any similar sense.
The chronology is all wrong. Almost all of our sources of information about the pagan religions alleged to have influenced early Christianity are dated very late. We frequently find writers quoting from documents written 300 years later than Paul in efforts to produce ideas that allegedly influenced Paul. We must reject the assumption that just because a cult had a certain belief or practice in the third or fourth century after Christ, it therefore had the same belief or practice in the first century.
Paul would never have consciously borrowed from the pagan religions. All of our information about him makes it highly unlikely that he was in any sense influenced by pagan sources. He placed great emphasis on his early training in a strict form of Judaism (Phil. 3:5). He warned the Colossians against the very sort of influence that advocates of Christian syncretism have attributed to him, namely, letting their minds be captured by alien speculations (Col. 2:8).
Early Christianity was an exclusivistic faith. As J. Machen explains, the mystery cults were nonexclusive. "A man could become initiated into the mysteries of Isis or Mithras without at all giving up his former beliefs; but if he were to be received into the Church, according to the preaching of Paul, he must forsake all other Saviors for the Lord Jesus Christ....Amid the prevailing syncretism of the Greco-Roman world, the religion of Paul, with the religion of Israel, stands absolutely alone."[21] This Christian exclusivism should be a starting point for all reflection about the possible relations between Christianity and its pagan competitors. Any hint of syncretism in the New Testament would have caused immediate controversy.
Unlike the mysteries, the religion of Paul was grounded on events that actually happened in history. The mysticism of the mystery cults was essentially nonhistorical. Their myths were dramas, or pictures, of what the initiate went through, not real historical events, as Paul regarded Christ's death and resurrection to be. The Christian affirmation that the death and resurrection of Christ happened to a historical person at a particular time and place has absolutely no parallel in any pagan mystery religion.
What few parallels may still remain may reflect a Christian influence on the pagan systems. As Bruce Metzger has argued, "It must not be uncritically assumed that the Mysteries always influenced Christianity, for it is not only possible but probable that in certain cases, the influence moved in the opposite direction."[22] It should not be surprising that leaders of cults that were being successfully challenged by Christianity should do something to counter the challenge. What better way to do this than by offering a pagan substitute? Pagan attempts to counter the growing influence of Christianity by imitating it are clearly apparent in measures instituted by Julian the Apostate, who was the Roman emperor from A.D. 361 to 363.
For the complete essay, go to http://www.summit.org/resource/-essay/show_essay.php?essay_id=2-9-
Name:ollypop •
Date: 02/28/07 19:57
A: steve.
Why did the Christians of antiquity change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday?
Why is Christs birth celebrated on December 25th?
So many questions and not a single Orthodox Christian to give a realistic answer?
It's just faith right..... Blind faith......
I BELIEVE Steve, but many peoples search will include a lack of ignorance that you seem to find necessary
Name:MWAnderson •
Date: 02/28/07 21:19
A: Steve,
While I'm sure this dis-information you've posted is from what you consider a reputable source, it's all wet. Connections to Mithra and the not-mentioned-above Zoarastrian religion are quite obvious, and reasonably well studied [but you won't find references in christian-oriented studies]. But what is documented by many accounts from early missionaries are the processes of "ritual replacement" performed by converting missionaries in an effort to fit Christian beliefs into existing systems. That's why in some cultures [Haiti comes immediately to mind], in the long run, Christianity ended up becoming the "host" that the indigenous religion inhabited--and does to this day. It's called Vou Dou.
Here's a little story for you:
A friend of mine decided that he wanted to be a Baptist Minister [and it's a goal he accomplished]. But mid-way into his studies at Emory College, we had a conversation where he expressed to me the great difficulty he was having. What he had never counted on was the eye-opening [and for him faith-threatening] revelations presented by learning of the true history of the church, and the many non-christian oriented additions and influences that resulted in the modern church.
Most Christians truly do not understand what has transpired in the last 2000 years, and are mostly unaware of the convulsions the religion went through to become what it is today [in it's still many varied forms]. But that's not the fault of the faithful; truth is, if ministers shared with their flock all that they know--well, I think they're be a lot less Christians in the world. And that opinion is based a very simple premise:
Understanding the origins of Christianity and maintaining faith in it at the same time isn't a simple or easy task. But accepting what you've been taught to accept, believing as you've always believed...that's much easier to do.
Name:blp1949 •
Date: 02/28/07 21:39
A: These facts are of Jesus Christ for the following reasons
1-Jesus was the only person that was the son of God
2- Jesus was the only one born of a virgin
3- He was nailed to a cross
4-He rose the third day ALIVE
5- He ascended back to heaven were he is at hte right hand of God
6- He will return to get his Church
7- No one existed before God
Name:joshua adesina •
Date: 03/01/07 1:58
A: i am a christian quite alright and i believe in JESUS CHRIST as my saviour and my redeemer.The spirit of GOD in me has told me in the time past and it is still witnessing in me that the end time is near as JESUS rightly said and supported by other scriptures.
One thing that baffles me so much is that nobody is disputing the existence/historical basis of people like ADAM,ABRAHAM,MOSES even DAVID just to mention but few of far far older generation and earlier in history than JESUS CHRIST but CHRIST attributes/existence/ perculiar activities/ firm declaration/promises/assurances etc people(especially non-christians) find it convenient busy criticising day in day out even though CHRIST'S EVENTS are more recent.
At a point in time they talk about some archeology discoveries,funny ones in EGYPT,then in INDIAN, then in JAPAN ,now back to ISRAEL and we don't know where next may be AFRICA or BRAZIL or AMERICA ,who knows.
ONE QUESTION we should ask ourselves is that if JESUS CHRIST is not important why are these worries and propaganda,why not another religious leader/founder ,as we have so many of them all over the world before JESUS and after JESUS even till today IN MY COUNTRY NIGERIA(among other countries in the world) more religious founders are springing up everyday.
one thing is certain,christians are not going to take to street or involve in suicide bombing because of all these disregard and disrespect for our faith ,we are ever focus and we will continue to be .
Cut across most of these critics(by my close observation),they do not believe in GOD(atheist) not to talk of THE HOLY BIBLE,pagans,cultist,abusers of mankind,etc we know them and we christians are not moved by their side talks,the BIBLE rightly described them as people that will not enter into heaven and they will still prevent people that want to enter from entering.JESUS CHRIST IS LORD FOREVER,AMEN.
GOD IS GOD,JESUS CHRIST REMAIN OUR SAVIOUR AND PILLAR /AUTHOR OF OUR FAITH AND HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR MENTOR.
Name:truth •
Date: 03/05/07 7:36
A: Thank you!!!!!!!!!! Peole will not READ!!!!!
For years people have replaced G-d with Jesus. I think G-d has had enough. Is your faith so weak that the bones of Jesus will make you abandon G-d? The Creator wants mankind to serve him in spirit and truth. It is said, “The truth will set you free!”
I find it strange that Judaism and Islam don’t view Jesus in the same manner as Christianity.
Is it not strange that Jesus was not thought of as god in flesh until years later? No where in the Jewish writings or Aramaic text does it state Jesus is a god.
Many of you will say it’s because the Jews killed him. You sadly mistaken and mislead. You have been lied to. Hoodwinked! Oppressed Jews didn’t have the authority to order anyone to be killed? The following are a few points to think about:
1)James, the brother of said in a debate over Jesus’ doctrine, that he (Jesus) never said, “He was the son of G-d.”
2)Jesus was Jewish, Jewish men marry and have families. Does not the Bible say, “He (Jesus) would kiss her (Mary) on her mouth often? As a Jew he would follow the law, would he not? Kissing her outside of marriage categorizes of fornication.
3)If the truth came out at this time the Catholic Church would lose billions of dollars and go into ruins. The people would know that they had been lying and leave the church.
4)The Orthodox Jews don’t want you to know the truth because you may try to become Jewish.
I will gather them from the four corners of earth, saith the L-rd our G-d. Some who believe in Jesus will become Muslims and those who don’t, Jews. I will make him (Ishmael) a Great Nation, saith the Lord our G-d.
5)My father would say, “If someone wants to rule over someone else all they have to do is Feed them and give them Money. And if they really want them to do what they say, Take It All Away!
Think about it, need I say more?
6) The Bible say’s, When the Messiah comes he will bring PEACE. We have not reached that state. However, I do see G-d unveiling the hearts of mankind and truth replacing the veil. Love never Fails!
7) READ, READ, READ, in the name of the L-rd. He will reveal the truth! Friday sundown to Sunday is not three days!
Lastly, I leave you the reader with this question. If there was no promise of Heaven or Hell would you continue to serve G-d? You say Yes, but would your heart still love Him the same if there were no streets paved of gold. Could you love Jesus for the doctrine he left Knowing that he is not G-d in flesh? ( G-d is G-d. Alone There is none else.) You would have to learn to TRUST G-d and Him Alone as does the Jew and Muslim.
Name:truth •
Date: 03/05/07 7:38
A: Thank you!!!!!!!!!! People will not READ!!!!!
For years people have replaced G-d with Jesus. I think G-d has had enough. Is your faith so weak that the bones of Jesus will make you abandon G-d? The Creator wants mankind to serve him in spirit and truth. It is said, “The truth will set you free!”
I find it strange that Judaism and Islam don’t view Jesus in the same manner as Christianity.
Is it not strange that Jesus was not thought of as god in flesh until years later? No where in the Jewish writings or Aramaic text does it state Jesus is a god.
Many of you will say it’s because the Jews killed him. You sadly mistaken and mislead. You have been lied to. Hoodwinked! Oppressed Jews didn’t have the authority to order anyone to be killed? The following are a few points to think about:
1)James, the brother of said in a debate over Jesus’ doctrine, that he (Jesus) never said, “He was the son of G-d.”
2)Jesus was Jewish, Jewish men marry and have families. Does not the Bible say, “He (Jesus) would kiss her (Mary) on her mouth often? As a Jew he would follow the law, would he not? Kissing her outside of marriage categorizes of fornication.
3)If the truth came out at this time the Catholic Church would lose billions of dollars and go into ruins. The people would know that they had been lying and leave the church.
4)The Orthodox Jews don’t want you to know the truth because you may try to become Jewish.
I will gather them from the four corners of earth, saith the L-rd our G-d. Some who believe in Jesus will become Muslims and those who don’t, Jews. I will make him (Ishmael) a Great Nation, saith the Lord our G-d.
5)My father would say, “If someone wants to rule over someone else all they have to do is Feed them and give them Money. And if they really want them to do what they say, Take It All Away!
Think about it, need I say more?
6) The Bible say’s, When the Messiah comes he will bring PEACE. We have not reached that state. However, I do see G-d unveiling the hearts of mankind and truth replacing the veil. Love never Fails!
7) READ, READ, READ, in the name of the L-rd. He will reveal the truth! Friday sundown to Sunday is not three days!
Lastly, I leave you the reader with this question. If there was no promise of Heaven or Hell would you continue to serve G-d? You say Yes, but would your heart still love Him the same if there were no streets paved of gold. Could you love Jesus for the doctrine he left Knowing that he is not G-d in flesh? ( G-d is G-d. Alone There is none else.) You would have to learn to TRUST G-d and Him Alone as does the Jew and Muslim.
Name:graham •
Date: 03/05/07 7:49
A: ok and your point being....? besides cleping philosophy/mythology? its based on faith....guess jesus did nothing good in your view...and yes but it wasn't the church that combined alot of those aspects in religion ....it was people that brought there pagan systems in with them....so would you rather live in a country that was not juda/christian based...I do not think you would like it very much....anyway His teachings have changed the world like it or not.....I would rather live in a world that he infuenced and saved then vice versa
Name:Gerri •
Date: 03/05/07 8:52
A: OLLYPOP - In response to your questions - Dec 25th was chosen in alignement with Roman Traditions and the Greek Orthodox picked Jan 6th - however some believe he was actually born on May 14, in 6 BC. Google it. Also - the Roman's celebrated RA the Sun God on Sunday - when they were polythesists. After converting to monotheism - with Christ as central figure - they kept Sun as the sabbath - and ignored Fri to Sat at sundown.
Name:Pat •
Date: 03/05/07 14:56
A: Twenty Messiahs, Saviors, and Sons of God, according to history or tradition, have, in past times, descended from heaven, and taken upon themselves the form of men, clothing themselves with human flesh, and furnishing incontestable evidence of a divine origin, by various miracles, marvelous works, and superlative virtues; and finally these twenty Jesus Christs (accepting their character for the name) laid the foundation for the salvation of the world, and ascended back to heaven.
1. Chrishna of Hindostan.
2. Budha Sakia of India.
3. Salivahana of Bermuda.
4. Zulis, or Zhule, also Osiris and Orus, of Egypt.
5. Odin of the Scaudinavians.
6. Crite of Chaldea.
7. Zoroaster and Mithra of Persia.
8. Baal and Taut, "the only Begotten of God," of Phenicia.
9. Indra of Thibet.
10. Bali of Afghanistan.
11. Jao of Nepaul.
12. Wittoba of the Bilingonese.
13. Thammuz of Syria.
14. Atys of Phrygia.
15. Xaniolxis of Thrace.
16. Zoar of the Bonzes.
17. Adad of Assyria.
18. Deva Tat, and Sammonocadam of Siam.
19. Alcides of Thebes.
20. Mikado of the Sintoos.
21. Beddru of Japan.
22. Hesus or Eros, and Bremrillah, of the Druids.
23. Thor, son of Odin, of the Gauls.
24. Cadmus of Greece.
25. Hil and Feta of the Mandaites.
26. Gentaut and Quexalcote of Mexico.
27. Universal Monarch of the Sibyls.
28. Ischy of the Island of Formosa.
29. Divine Teacher of Plato.
30. Holy One of Xaca.
31. Fohi and Tien of China.
32. Adonis, son of the virgin Io of Greece.
33. IxiOn and Quirinus of Rome.
34. Prometheus of Caucasus.
35. Mohamud, or Mahomet, of Arabia.
These have all received divine honors, have nearly all been worshiped as Gods, or sons of God; were mostly incarnated as Christs, Saviors, Messiahs, or Mediators; not a few of them were reputedly born of virgins; some of them filling a character almost identical with that ascribed by the Christian's bible to Jesus Christ; many of them, like him, are reported to have been crucified; and all of them, taken together, furnish a prototype and parallel for nearly every important incident and wonder-inciting miracle, doctrine and precept recorded in the New Testament, of the Christian's Savior. Surely, with so many Saviors the world cannot, or should not, be lost.
Bacchus of Egypt, Bacchus of Greece, Adonis of Greece, Chrishna of India, Chang-ti of China, Chris of Chaldea, Mithra of Persia, Sakia of India, Jao Wapaul (a crucified Savior of ancient Britain), were all born on the twenty-fifth of December, according to their respective histories.
Chrishna is represented to have been born at midnight on the twenty-fifth of the month Savarana, which answers to our December, and millions of his disciples celebrated his birthday by decorating their houses with garlands and gilt paper, and the bestowment of presents to friends.
It was once common for the women in Rome to perambulate the streets on the twenty-fifth of December, singing in a loud voice, "Unto us a child is born this day."
The twenty-fifth of December, then, it will be observed, was marked as the birthday of the incarnated Gods, Saviors, and Sons of God, of many of the religious systems of antiquity, long prior to the birth of Christ.
And why his birth was fixed at that date is not hard to account for. According to the celebrated Christian writer Mr. Goodrich, the Christian world had no chronology and recorded no dates for several centuries after the commencement of the Christian era. (See History of all Nations, p. 23.) No event of their history was marked by dates for nearly four hundred years. Hence, the time of Christ's birth is altogether a matter of conjecture, as is also every other event noticed in the Christian bible. This is proved by the fact that the ablest Christian writers and chronologists differ to the extent of thirty-five hundred years in fixing the time of every event in the bible. A Mr. Kennedy presents us with three hundred different chronological systems, by different Christian writers, all founded on the bible, and proving that the date of its various events are inextricably involved in a labyrinth of doubt, darkness and uncertainty.
NEARLY all religious history is prophetic of the coming of Saviors, Messiahs, Redeemers, and virgin-born Gods. Most religious countries, and more than a score of religious systems, had a standing prophecy that a divine deliverer would descend from heaven and relieve them from their depressed state, and ameliorate their condition. And in most cases that prophecy was believed to have been fulfilled by the birth of a being, who, as he approached the goal of moral and intellectual manhood exhibited such remarkable proof of superiority of mind as to be readily accepted as the promised Messiah.
Name: Pat • Date: 03/04/07 11:53
A: The Mithras cult arose c. 600 BCE, before the rise of Rome.
When the Christ myth was new Mithras and Mithraism were already ancient. Worshiped for centuries as God's Messenger of Truth, Mithras was long revered by the Persians (Zoroastrianism) and the Indians (see the Vedic literature).
Christian apologist Justin Martyr (1 Apologia, 66, 4) denounces the devil for having sent a God so similar to Jesus – yet preceding him.
Every year in Rome, in the middle of winter, the Son of God was born once more, putting an end to darkness.
Every year at first minute of December 25th the temple of Mithras was lit with candles, priests in in white garments celebrated the birth of the Son of God and boys burned incense.
Mithras was born in a cave, on December 25th, of a virgin mother. God, in the form of light, entered a virgin, Anahita.
"In Armenian tradition, Mithras was believed to shut himself up in a cave from which he emerged once a year, born anew. The Persians introduced initiates to the mysteries in natural caves, according to Porphyry, the third century neoplatonic philosopher. These cave temples were created in the image of the World Cave that Mithras had created, according to the Persian creation myth."
With twelve disciples, Mithras travelled far and wide as a teacher and illuminator of men.
At about age 30 he began his ministry, offering salvation based on faith, compassion, knowledge and valour.
He had 12 companions or disciples and was considered a great travelling teacher and master.
Mithras performed miracles.
The god remained celibate throughout his life, and valued self-control, renunciation and resistance to sensuality among his worshippers. Mithras represented a system of ethics in which brotherhood was encouraged in order to unify against the forces of evil.
Mithras was known as: Saviour; Son of God; Redeemer; Lamb of God; the Way, the Truth and the Light; Messiah; Light of the World.
He also was called the Good Shepherd and was identified with both the lion and the lamb.
Mithras was known as the God of Truth, and Lord of Heavenly Light, and said to have stated 'I am a star which goes with thee and shines out of the depths'."
Mithras was buried in a tomb from which he rose again from the dead – an event celebrated yearly (spring equinox) with much rejoicing.
After the earthly mission of this god had been accomplished, he took part in a Last Supper with his companions before ascending to heaven, to forever protect the faithful from above.
Mithras of Persia atoned for mankind, and prepared for the salvation of mankind through slaying the primaeval bull—the first sacrifice ... his celebrations at the spring and autumn equinoxes were associated with crucifixion on a tree.
These were the Persian New Year festivities described in the scriptural book of Esther, and involved the crucifixion of the old years, considered wicked, so that a new and uncorrupted year could take its place.
This was seen as an annual rehearsal of the eschaton when the wicked world is finally replaced by the purity of the original creation of Ahuramazda. Christian writers speak of Mithras being slain, and yet do not say how.
Mithras was one part of a holy trinity.
The worshippers of Mithras held strong beliefs in a celestial heaven and an infernal hell. They believed that the benevolent powers of the god would sympathize with their suffering and grant them the final justice of immortality and eternal salvation in the world to come.
They looked forward to a final day of Judgment in which the dead would resurrect, and to a final conflict that would destroy the existing order of all things to bring about the triumph of light over darkness
The followers of Mithras kept the Sabbath holy, eating sacramental meals in remembrance of Him. The sacred meal of bread and water, or bread and wine, was symbolic of the body and blood of the sacred bull.
"He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood will not be made one with me or I with him, the same shall not know salvation."
Persian Mithraic text
Baptism in the blood of the bull (taurobolum) – early baptism 'washed in the blood of the Lamb' – late baptism by water.
Mithraic baptism was recorded by the early Christian author Tertullian: "Mithra there brings in the symbol of a resurrection." Also, Tertullian: "
The Devil, whose business is to pervert the truth, mimics the exact circumstances of the divine sacraments in the mysteries of idols. He himself baptizes some, that is to say, his believers and followers; he promises forgiveness of sins in the sacred fount, and thus initiates them into the religion of Mithra."
Mithraic rituals brought about the transformation and salvation of his adherents – an ascent of the soul of the adherent into the realm of the divine.
From the wall of a Mithraic temple in Rome: 'And thou hast saved us by shedding the eternal blood.'
Like today's clergy, Mithrasian priests acknowledged a 'Last Supper' and performed baptisms first with water and then 'with the spirit'.
According to D Jason Cooper, (Mithras: Mysteries and Initiation Rediscovered, Red Wheel, 1996), the Mithrasians had a 'Last Supper' which, like the modern Communion or Eucharist, included wine as a symbol of sacrificial blood.
"Bread in wafers, or small loaves marked with a cross, was used to symbolise flesh," he writes.
"As to the future, the initiate into Mithraism was guaranteed a righteous judgment and a happy immortality.
He felt secure about the judgment, for Mithra, the guardian of truth, would preside at the great assize which determined his eternal destiny.
According to the picture suggested by the Emperor Julian, Mithra was also the guide who assisted the soul on its heavenly journey and, finally, like a fond father, welcomed the soul to its heavenly home."
"... reborn and created for delights," and "you have saved us by the shedding of eternal blood."
Inscriptions in a Mithraeum (temple of Mithras) in Rome
