Some authors say, that the Christian religion partly origins from the Attis cult. To support this view, they see a number of parallels, as listed below.

Attis (a deity or semi-deity in the ancient Greek culture) is known to be worshipped between 500 B.C. and 400 A.C., first in Phrygia and eventually even in Rome. During this period, the legend of Attis has taken many forms, which makes it hard to comment on the parallels. It is hard to determine which version of the legend was most popular at the time when and the place where Christianity emerged.

1. Jesus and Attis were both born from a virgin.

   > One difference is, though, that Jesus's mother was human while Attis's mother Nana was a nymph. Further, Maria got pregnant by the Holy Spirit and Nana got pregnant by an almond from a daemon. Another version of the legend tells that the goddess Cybele (not a virgin) was his mother.

2. Jesus and Attis both died a violent death.

   > Jesus was crucified and Attis killed himself, or, in an old Lydian version of the story, was killed by a boar.

3. Jesus and Attis both resurrected from the death.

   > According to some versions, Attis was reborn as the evergreen pine, in another version, he just disappeared and in yet other versions, he was indeed resurrected by either Zeus or Cybele. The resurrection played an important role in the Roman cult in the first century. This may be influenced by Christianity.

4. The Attis cult included that the worshippers had a meal, that symbolized the body of Attis, just like the Holy Communion of the Christians.

   > They did have a meal, but there is no evidence that this symbolized the body of Attis. Furthermore, this meal was part of an extensive yearly ritual, while in the first century the christian communion was held separately and frequently, although the exact frequency is not known.

Whether or to what extent the Christian belief was influenced by the Attis cult or vice versa is not known, but the similarities are not very striking. The theologies and the cultural contexts of both religions are very different.

Here are a few examples of figures from other religions with the same or similar traits as the Christian Jesus:

Buddha

• Spoke in the temples at the age of twelve and astonished all with their wisdom.
• Fasted in solitude for about 40 days
• Began teaching at about 30
• Refused diabolic temptation

Krishna

• Was born without a sexual union
• Called both God and the Son of God and were sent from heaven to earth in the form of a man
• Adoptive human father was a carpenter
• WWas of royal descent
• Visited at birth by wise men and shepherds, guided by a star.
• Saved by Angels from a local dictator planned to kill him.
• Was the son of man and god.
• Went into the wilderness as adults and fasted. Was crucified and both were resurrected.

Romulus (founder of Rome)

• Born of a vestal virgin who claimed that ta god impregnated her.
• Called the son of god.

Dionysus

• Born of a virgin on December 25 and was placed in a manger.
• Rose from the dead on March 25
• Turned water into wine.
• Titles included "King of Kings", "God of Gods", "Only Begotten Son," Savior", "Redeemer," "Sin Bearer," Anointed One," and the "Alpha and Omega."

Glycon

• Son of the God Apollo
• Came to earth in fulfillment of divine prophecy, gave his chief believer the power of prophecy, gave believers the power to speak in tongues, performed miracles, healed the sick, and raised the dead.

Zoroaster/Zarathustra

• Born of a virgin and immaculate conception.
• Baptized in a river.
• Astounded wise men with his wisdom
• Tempted in the wilderness by the devil
• Started his ministry at age 30.
• Cast out demons and restored the sight to a blind man.
• Expected to retuen in a "second coming"

Attis of Phrygia

• Born on December 25 of the Virgin Nana.
• Crucified on a tree
• After death descended into the underworld and returned after three days.

Horus

• Born of a virgin (Isis) and was the son of the God Osiris.
• Birth was announced by the star Sirius.
• Birth celebrated at a festival arounf December 21.
• Walked on water, cast out demons, healed the sick, restored sight to the blind.
• Was crucifed, died and descended into Hell but wasresurrected after three days.
• Born of a virgin (Isis) and was the son of the God Osiris.
• Birth was announced by the star Sirius.
• Birth celebrated at a festival arounf December 21.
• Walked on water, cast out demons, healed the sick, restored sight to the blind.
• Was crucifed, died and descended into Hell but was resurrected after three days.

On this day, children, adults and all people with a sense of humor play practical jokes on one another. Even The daily televised news programs and professors in college have been known to pull a leg on their audiences.

This holiday has been observed for centuries in many different countries, including France, Britain, and Germany although its true origin is unknown. The oldest mention of April Fool's Day was in 1686 in a note written in Aubrey:,'Fooles holy day. We observe it on ye first of April. And so it is kept in Germany and everywhere.' Others speculate that Hilaria, a festival of ancient Rome (March 25) or the Holi festival of India (ending March 31) may be possible origins of the April 1st holiday.

The custom of playing April Fools' jokes in the US was brought here by the British.

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII ordered a new calendar (the Gregorian Calendar) to replace the old Julian Calendar. The new calendar called for New Year's Day to be celebrated Jan. 1. That year, France adopted the reformed calendar and shifted New Year's day to Jan. 1. According to a popular explanation, many people either refused to accept the new date, or did not learn about it, and continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April 1. Other people began to make fun of these traditionalists, sending them on "fool's errands" or trying to trick them into believing something false. Eventually, the practice spread throughout Europe.

"In a way," explained Prof. Boskin, "it was a very serious day. In those times fools were really wise men. It was the role of jesters to put things in perspective with humor."

This explanation was brought to the public's attention in an Associated Press article printed by many newspapers in 1983. There was only one catch: Boskin made the whole thing up. It took a couple of weeks for the AP to realize that they'd been victims of an April Fools' joke themselves.

The French call April 1 Poisson d'Avril, or "April Fish." French children sometimes tape a picture of a fish on the back of their schoolmates, crying "Poisson d'Avril" when the prank is discovered.

Don't you mean *April fools day?*. well its traditional to play a practical joke *prank* on some one and say April fools after words.

Christianity, in the form of Catholicism, was "invented" by Constantine in an attempt to unite Europe. There had been several attempts to "defeat" Europe by invaders, but Constantine actually succeeded.

While Christianity actually existed before Constantine, it was actually a minor sect of Judaism. Several of the European belief systems were combined with the belief of the Jewish people who had considered Jesus to be their Rabbi.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth birthed Christianity in the area of Jerusalem?(He practically lived in Europe). Constantine did not even "kind of" invent Christianity.

Christianity was not ?actually a minor sect of Judaism?. This was no small group of followers. Also, Christianity grew not from combining other European belief systems, but began directly from/as a result of Jesus Christ walking/living/dying on the earth...claiming to actually be God in the form of a man. He invited others to follow/join Him. He set a living example. In addition, anyone with a belief system comprised of the ?belief of the Jewish people? and ?several of the European belief systems? are not Christian. There is only one "Way" when it comes to Christianity. Finally, Jesus proved to be more than a mere Rabbi.

Those who chose to accept Jesus? invitation to follow Him became His followers after watching His behavior and by and listening to, believing and obeying His spoken word and commands (which are all now listed today in His Word the Bible). Indeed, some of His commands were already solidly rooted in Judaism (the Ten Commandments) however He added to them...He actually boiled them all down to two: Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, soul and strength, and Love others as you love yourself. He said all the other commandments rest on these two.

Many thousands completely changed their life and dedicated themselves to Jesus Christ at His invitation while He spoke to them in huge crowds. He also caused some huge changes in how men were to view/access God:

 While He lived He eliminated the need to be Jewish to go to Heaven (He allowed Gentiles, or non Jews into the fold).

 When He died, the annual Jewish ceremony of atonement was eliminated. (His blood paid/pays the price as a living sacrifice).

 When He rose from the dead, He effectively eliminated the Jewish need for a Temple building to pilgrim to yearly (Christ?s resurrected body and the bodies of His followers became the new Temple, and His Holy Spirit lives in them).

 While He walked the earth, and immediately following His death He made the things about God that were once hidden to average men became clearly revealed to all who would follow Him. Jesus ushered in a new humanity, giving man a chance at a right relationship with God.

 When Jesus Christ rose from the dead and was seen by hundreds of witnesses for a forty day period, the general idea that He was may simply be a great Rabbi or Teacher, changed to an actual certainty that He was in deed all that He (and no one else in history) claimed to be: The Son of God.

Roman leaders and Jewish leaders who refused to believe that Christ was actually God feared the popularity of the new movement. "The Way" (which is what Christianity was first known as) became huge when the Romans began to really persecute the Church due to their fear, because their intense, violent persecution caused the Church to scatter to the far corners of the earth which in turn caused it to quickly grow in places it may not have.

Not long after Christ's resurrection the Church followers of "The Way" began to be called Christians. (King Agrippa used the term ?Christian? in Acts, and Peter used it a few times in first Peter, following Christ's resurrection).

Christ died and was resurrected around 2,000 years ago. His true friends and followers obeyed the commands He gave when He walked the earth. His Apostles and Disciples carefully and clearly wrote to the thousands in the first churches both in the nearby and the European Cities to encourage them all to obey, behave and live in the same manner as Christ did when He walked the earth with them. They were quite driven and quite organized. They were encouraged to follow His commands, teachings and examples at all times and as best as was possible. Todays followers of Christ still obey the same commands and are still called Christians.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth invented Christianity. Some of His friends coined it while they were still alive. Europe is a near neighbor to Jerusalem, hence the growth there.

New Answer

To get back to the original question (and the topic), Christianity of course originated in Judea (Palestine) and could easily spread westward from there due to the well developed communications system of the Roman Empire. Within 30 years or so of the Crucifixion, there were enough Christians in Rome itself for Paul to write an Epistle to them, and for Nero to persecute them.

It was well established in Roman Africa from an early date, with Carthage and Alexandria as important centres. Carthage and its neighbouring towns produced important early Christian figures such as Tertullian and Cyprian (2nd and 3rd Centuries) and St Augustine of Hippo (4th Century) whilst in Alexandria Athenasius (4th Century) famously led the fight against the Arian heresy.

To answer that question, let's also take a look at some themese common to the beginnings of many ancient religions: specifically, the Sun, the twelve constellations, and the keltic cross.

The sun, is the most adored object of mankind's time on this planet. The ancient civilizations understood that the Sun provided warmth, energy for crops to grow, and that the Sun was essential to the life on this planet. The sun was considered to be a gift from God that saved the world: God's sun.

The zodiac represents twelve star constellations, each of which the sun passes through each year, and in another fashion, every few thousand years. The ancients had personified these constellations, giving them characters, forms, stories, and legends. By watching the constellations, people could predict the change of seasons, full moons, and even eclipses.

Next, let's take a look at some ancient Sun dieties. We have Horus, from Egypt. He is the Sun, anthropomorphized, and his life is a series of allegorical myths of the Sun's movement through the sky.

Horus, being "the light of the world," had an enemy, Set, who personified darkness, or night. In the morning, Horus would win the battle against Set, and then in the evening, Set would conquer Horus, and send him into the underworld. Such a duality between dark and light is the most common religious theme.

Horus was born in December 25th to the virgin mother Isis-Meri. His birth was accompanied by a star in the East, and upon his birth, he was adored by three kings.

At the age of twelve, he was a prodigal child teacher, and at the age of thirty he was baptized by Anup, and began his ministry among men.

He had twelve disciples he travelled about with. and performed miracles such as healing the sick and walking on water.

Horus was known by many names, including The Light, The Good Shepherd, The Lamb of God, The Truth, and God's Anointed Son.

After being betrayed by Typhon, horus was crucified on a cross, buried for three days, and then resurrected.

Horus is one of many gods throughout the world with such a story:

In 1200 BC, Attis of Phrygia Greece, was born on December 25th to the virgin Nana. He had a similar ministry, including being killed on a cross, placed in a tomb upon death, and after three days, resurrecting.

Also in 1200 BC, Mithra of Persia was born on December 25th to a virgin. He had twelve disciples, performed miracles, died, and was resurrected three days later. Once a week, the Day of the Sun (Sun Day) was set aside to worship Mithra.

In 900 BC, Krishna of India was born to the virgin Devaki, accompanied by a star in the East signifying his birth. He performed miracles, had disciples, and after dying, was resurrected.

In 500 BC, Dionysis of Greece was born to a virgin on December 25th. He was a travelling teacher of men. He performed miracles, such as changing water into wine. He was referred to as the "King of Kings," "God's Only Begotten Son," "Alpha and Omega," and several others. After he died, he was resurrected.

Factually, there has been numerous saviors from various parts of the world, and from different time periods, all which share these similar attributes.

Next, let's look at why. Why the virgin birth on the 25th of December, announced by a star in the East?

Let's look towards the heavens: The brightest star in the sky, Sirius, on December 24th, aligns with the three stars in Orion's belt (the three kings). If we follow the line that these stars make points to where the sun rises the following morning on December 25th.

Then we have the constellation Virgo (latin for virgin). Another name for Virgo translates into "House of Bread," as the virgin was popularly personified as holding a stalk of wheat. In Hebrew, Bethlehem translates into "House of Bread." On December 25th, the sun was born in the constellation Virgo, or the constellation Breadhouse (Bethlehem).

As Autumn turns into winter, the sun spends less time in the sky, and travels its path much lower up until Winter Solstice. To the ancient people, the process was symbolic of the sun's death.

For three das, from the 22nd to the 24th of December, the Sun stays perceivably at its lowest point in the sky, in the vicinity of the constellation known as the Southern Cross. Then, on the 25th, the moves North, foreshadowing the rebirth of life in the Spring to come. So, essentially, the sun dies for three days at the cross, and then is resurrected.

The resurrection was not celebrated until the Spring Equinox, when the sun's daily journey through the sky becomes longer than the darkness of night, and the plants all around begin to bud and show new life.

The cross is also a pagan symbol of the zodiac, dividing the four seasons. Many early depictions of Jesus show a cross in a circle behind his head. The twelve disciples are the twelve constellations, with whom the Sun travels about with.

There's also another religious/astrological concept of age. Every 2100 years, the sun's retrograde movement moves through a different astrological sign. Before Moses, it was Taurus (the golden calf). Moses was Aries, the ram (sounding of the Ram's horn). Jesus, is the age of Pisces the fish, starting around 1 AD. That is why there are so many references to fish and fishing in the stories of Jesus. With each new age, the old age must be shed.

When asked by his disciples about where the last passover would be held, in Luke 22:10, Jesus says,

Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you bearing a pitcher of water.... follow him into the house where he entereth in.

This represents the next constellation that the sun's retrograde path will enter into after the age of Pisces is over: Aquarius, the water bearer.

(For the full story with more details, check out Zeitgeist the Movie.)

Basically, the christian god Jesus started some time in the 1st century AD.

The difficult thing about defining Christianity, is that there were many differing sects with very contrasting beliefs, and the belief that most Christians hold about it being a unified belief system is actually quite wrong.

Here are just a few of the 1st and 2nd Century Christian flavors:

Apollinarianism

Alogi

Arianism

Docetism

Donatism

Ebionites

Gnosticism

Manicheaism

Marcion

Monarchianism

Montanism

Nestorianism

Pelagianism

There are actually more, but many of them are lost due to the warfare and bloodshed practices of the competing Christian sects, who would often wage war on one another to destroy those with differing beliefs.

Most Christians would be really surprised if they spend the time to really learn about Christianity's origin. Most don't even know that Paul and James were very much opposed to each other's understanding of who Jesus even came to save.

After centuries of these different religious sects killing one another, Constantine ordered his religious leaders to come to a mutual agreement, First Council of Nicaea, where they essentially formed a committee and decided on what the the Christian religion would be.

This was also opportunity for Constantine and others in power to create a belief system in which the masses could be controlled. If somebody committed a crime, it was also a sin, and his eternal happiness was on the line. This worked for hundreds of years, until religious leaders who believed more in the goodness of religion rather than the power that came with it, started to break off into different religious sects, and the absolute power that the religion entailed was also lost.

Answer:

Christianity was started by a man called Jesus who selected twelve men to follow him and learn from him. After Jesus' death and resurrection, the twelve men started spreading the good news wherever they went. This spreading eventually reached Europe.

Another Answer:

Christianity of course originated in Judea (Palestine) and could easily spread westward from there due to the well developed communications system of the Roman Empire. Within 30 years or so of the Crucifixion, there were enough Christians in Rome itself for Paul to write an Epistle to them, and for Nero to persecute them. It was well established in Roman Africa from an early date, with Carthage and Alexandria as important centres. Carthage and its neighbouring towns produced important early Christian figures such as Tertullian and Cyprian (2nd and 3rd Centuries) and St Augustine of Hippo (4th Century) whilst in Alexandria Athenasius (4th Century) famously led the fight against the Arian heresy.

{| ! ! width="100" | English name ! width="450" | Description | Aφροδίτη (Aphroditē) Aphrodite Goddess of love, lust, beauty, wife of Hephaestus. Ares is her lover. Eros is her son. Known as the most beautiful of the Greek goddesses. Her symbols are the scepter, myrtle, and dove. Aπόλλων (Apollōn) Apollo God of music, prophecies, poetry, and archery. Also said to be the god of light and truth. Is associated with the sun. Also referred to as the most beautiful of the gods. He is Artemis's twin brother, and son of Zeus. His symbols are the bow, lyre, and laurel. Άρης (Arēs) Ares God of war, murder and bloodshed. Brother to Athena, and is the son of Zeus. Has an affair with Aphrodite. His symbols are vultures, dogs, boars, and a spear. Άρτεμις (Artemis) Artemis Goddess of the hunt and wild things, and the moon. Protector of the dewy young. She became associated with the moon. Apollo is her twin brother. Artemis is a virgin goddess. Her symbols are the bow, dogs, and deer. Αθηνά (Athēna) Athena Goddess of wisdom, warfare, handicrafts and reason. Sister of Ares, and is the daughter of Zeus. Sprung from Zeus's head in full body armor. She is the wisest of the gods. Her symbols are the aegis, owl, and olive tree. Δήμητρα (Dēmētra) Demeter Goddess of fertility, grain and harvest. Demeter is a daughter of Cronus and Rhea and sister of Zeus. Her symbols are the scepter, torch, and corn. Διόνυσος (Dionysus) Dionysus God of wine, parties/festivals, madness and merriment. He represents not only the intoxicating power of wine, but also its social and beneficial influences. His symbols are the grape vine, ivy, and thyrsus. ᾍδης (Hades) Hades God of the underworld. Brother of Poseidon, Zeus and Hera, and consort to Persephone. His symbols are the bident, the Helm of Darkness, and the three-headed dog, Cerberus. Ήφαιστος (Hēphaistos) Hephaestus God of fire and the forge (god of fire and smiths) with very weak legs. He was thrown off Mount Olympus as a baby by his mother and in some stories his father. He makes armor for the gods and other heroes like Achilles. Son of Hera and Zeus is his father in some accounts. Married to Aphrodite, but she does not love him because he is deformed and, as a result, is cheating on him with Ares. He had a daughter named Pandora. His symbols are an axe, a hammer and a flame. Ήρα (Hēra) Hera Goddess of marriage, women, and childbirth. Zeus' wife and sister. Appears with peacock feathers often. Her symbols are the scepter, diadem, and peacock. Ερμής (Hērmēs) Hermes God of flight, thieves, commerce, and travelers. Messenger of the gods. He showed the way for the dead souls to Hades's realm. He shows up in more myths than any other god or goddess. Likes to trick people and is very inventive. Hermes invented the lyre using a turtle shell and sinew. His symbols are the caduceus and winged boots. Ἑστία (Hestia) Hestia Goddess of the hearth and home, the focal point of every household. Daughter of Rhea and Cronus. Gave up her seat as one of the Twelve Olympians to tend to the sacred flame on Mount Olympus for Dionysus. Her symbol is the hearth. Ποσειδῶν (Poseidon) Poseidon God of the sea. He created horses from sea foam. God of earthquakes as well. Also called 'Earth Shaker' and 'Storm Bringer'. His symbols are horses, sea foam, dolphins, and a trident. Ζεύς (Zeus) Zeus The king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky and thunder. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull, and oak. ! width="145" | Greek name ! width="100" | English name ! width="450" | Description | Αιθήρ (Aithēr) Aether God of the upper air. Χάος (Khaos) Chaos Non-gendered deity of the nothingness from which all else sprang. Κρόνος or Kronos Kronos or Cronus Titan of eternal time and father of six of the Olympian gods. Cronus and Chronos (Kρόνος and Xρόνος) are two separate entities altogether. Chronos is The Keeper of time; Cronus or Kronos is the father of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. In addition, in the Greek language "χρονια" means "year" or "years" depending on accent. Έρεβος (Erebos) Erebus God of darkness and shadow. Γαία (Gaia) Gaia Goddess of the Earth (Mother Earth), mother of Kronos (Cronus). Ημέρα (Émera) Hemera Goddess of daylight and the sun. Ζέφυρος (Zephuros) Zephyrus God of the west wind. Νύξ (Nux) Nyx Goddess of darkness/night. She is also the only being from which Zeus turned from when her son Hypnos, who had angered Zeus, hid behind her. Τάρταρος (Tartaros) Tartarus Is the darkest, deepest part of the underworld controlled by Hades. Ουρανός (Ouranos) Uranus God of the heavens (Father Sky) and father of the Titans; banished the Cyclopes to the underworld because they did not please him. * Themis * Cronus * Atlas * Oceanus * Tethys * Hyperion * Theia * Coeus * Phoebe * Rhea * Crius * Iapetus * Prometheus * Helios * Briareus (or Aegaeon) (Βριάρεως) * Gyes * Cottusgeit * Arges * Brontes * Steropes * Polyphemus (Πολύφημος) * Achelous (Αχέλους or Αχελώος in contemporary Greek) * Acheron (Αχέρων) * Acis * Alpheus (Αλφειός) * Asopus (Ασωπός) * Cladeus * Eurotas (Ευρώτας) * Peneus (Πηνειός) * Styx * Emanopsus * Adrasteia (Αδράστεια) * Clytie * Crataeis * Daphne (Δάφνη) * Dryads (Δρυάς-Δρυάδες in plural) * Hamadryads (Αμαδρυάς-Αμαδρυάδες in plural) * Metope (Μετώπη) * Naiads (Ναιάδες) ** Cleochareia * Nereids (Νηρηίδες) ** Amphitrite (Αμφιτρίτη) ** Arethusa (Αρετούσα) * Oceanids (Ωκεανίδες) ** Eidyia * Oreads ** Echo (Ηχώ) * Agrius * Alcyoneus * Aloadae ** Otus ** Orion (Ωρίων) ** Ephialtes (Εφιάλτης) * Antaeus (Ανταίος) * Argus (Άργος) * Enceladus (Εγκέλαδος) * Tityos * Achilles Ascendant hero * Adephagia Goddess of gluttony * Aeolus (Aiolos) (Αίολος) God of the winds * Agdistis hermaphroditic demon * Alastor God/demon of family feuds * Alectrona Goddess of the morning or waking up * Alexiares and Anicetus Twin guardians of Mount Olympus * Amphitrite (Αμφιτρίτη) Goddess of the sea, wife of Poseidon * Anakes * Antheia Goddess of flowers and flowery wreaths * Aphaea Minor goddess of agriculture and fertility * Aristaeus A good hunter and inventor * Asclepius (Ασκληπιός) God of healing * Astraea (Αστραία) Virgin Goddess of Justice * Ate Goddess of foolish acts * Attis * Bia Goddess of violence * Boreas (Βορέας) God of the north wind and of winter * Brizo Goddess of sailors * Cabiri * Caerus God of luck and opportunity * Calypso (Καλυψώ) * Ceto Goddess of the dangers of the ocean and of sea monsters * Charon Hades' ferryman * Circe (Κίρκη) * Cotys * Cragus * Cybele (Κυβέλη) * Dike Goddess of Justice * Dioscuri (Διόσκουροι) ** Castor (Κάστορ) ** Polydeuces (Πολυδεύκης) * Doris (Δωρίς) Goddess of the sea's bounty * Efreisone (Ευφροσύνη) Personification of the olive branch * Eileithyia Goddess of childbirth * Elpis (Ελπίς) Goddess of hope or expectation * Enyalius Minor god of war * Enyo Goddess of destructive war * Eos (Ηώς) Goddess of the dawn * Eosphorus God of the morning star * The Erinyes, or "Furies" * Eris (Έρις) Goddess of strife and discord * Eros (Έρος) God of lust, love, and sex * Eurynome (Ευρυνόμη) * Eurus (Euros) God of the east wind * Glaucus Minor sea god * Gorgons (Γοργόνες) ** Stheno ** Euryale ** Medusa (a mortal) (Μέδουσα) * Hêbê (Ήβη) Goddess of youth * Hecate (Εκάτη) * Hêlios (Ήλιος) Personification of the sun * Heracles (Ηρακλής) Ascended hero * Hespera * Horae (Ώρες) (the hours) ** Thallo (Θαλλώ) ** Auxo (Αυξώ) ** Karpo (Καρπώ) ** Eunomia (Ευνομία) ** Dike (Δίκη) ** Eirene (Ειρήνη) * Hybris (Ύβρις) God of hubris * Hygieia (Υγεία) Goddess of cleanliness * Hymen God of Marriage and Marriage Feasts * Hypnos (Ύπνος) God of sleep * Iris (Ίρις) Goddess of the rainbow and minor messenger * Moira (Μοίρα) * The three Moirae, or "Fates": (Μοίρες) ** Clotho (Κλωθώ) ** Lachesis (Λάχεσις) ** Atropos (Άτροπος) * Mania (Μανία) Goddess of insanity * Metis (Μέτις) Goddess of wisdom and thought * Momus God of satire and criticism * Morpheus (Μορφέας) God of dreams * Muses (Μούσες) ** Calliope (Καλλιόπη) ** Clio (Κλειώ) ** Erato (Ερατώ) ** Euterpe (Ευτέρπη) ** Melpomene (Μελπομένη) ** Polyhymnia (Πολυμνία) - (Πολύμνια) ** Terpsichore (Τερψιχόρη) ** Thalia (Θάλεια) ** Urania (Ουρανία) * Nemesis (Νέμεσις) Goddess of retribution * Nereus (Νηρέας) * Nike (Νίκη) Goddess of victory * Notus (Νότος) God of the south wind * Pan (Πάν) God of shepherds, pastures, and fertility * Phoebe Goddess of the moon: Bright * Perséphonê (Περσεφόνη) Goddess of the earth's fertility * Peitho (Πειθώ) Goddess of persuasion and seduction * Pleiades (Πλειάδες) * Psyche Goddess of the Soul ** Alcyone (Αλκυόνη) ** Sterope (Στερόπη) ** Celaeno (Κελαινώ) ** Electra (Ηλέκτρα) ** Maia (Μαία) ** Merope (Μερόπη) ** Taygete (Ταϋγέτη) * Phorcys (Φόρκυς) * Proteus (Πρωτεύς) Minor sea god * Priapus (Πρίαπος) God of male virility * Satyr (Σάτυροι) * Selene (Σελήνη) Goddess of the moon * Thanatos (Θάνατος) God/demon of death and mortality * Thetis (Θέτις) * Triton (Τρίτων) Poseidon's messenger * Typhon (Τυφών) * Zephyrus (Ζέφυρος) God of the west wind * ** This page was last modified on 28 March 2009, at 12:25 (UTC). ** All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)

Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a U.S. registered 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit charity.

** Privacy policy ** About Wikipedia ** Disclaimers |} {| ! ! width="100" | English name ! width="450" | Description | Aφροδίτη (Aphroditē) Aphrodite Goddess of love, lust, beauty, wife of Hephaestus. Ares is her lover. Eros is her son. Known as the most beautiful of the Greek goddesses. Her symbols are the scepter, myrtle, and dove. Aπόλλων (Apollōn) Apollo God of music, prophecies, poetry, and archery. Also said to be the god of light and truth. Is associated with the sun. Also referred to as the most beautiful of the gods. He is Artemis's twin brother, and son of Zeus. His symbols are the bow, lyre, and laurel. Άρης (Arēs) Ares God of war, murder and bloodshed. Brother to Athena, and is the son of Zeus. Has an affair with Aphrodite. His symbols are vultures, dogs, boars, and a spear. Άρτεμις (Artemis) Artemis Goddess of the hunt and wild things, and the moon. Protector of the dewy young. She became associated with the moon. Apollo is her twin brother. Artemis is a virgin goddess. Her symbols are the bow, dogs, and deer. Αθηνά (Athēna) Athena Goddess of wisdom, warfare, handicrafts and reason. Sister of Ares, and is the daughter of Zeus. Sprung from Zeus's head in full body armor. She is the wisest of the gods. Her symbols are the aegis, owl, and olive tree. Δήμητρα (Dēmētra) Demeter Goddess of fertility, grain and harvest. Demeter is a daughter of Cronus and Rhea and sister of Zeus. Her symbols are the scepter, torch, and corn. Διόνυσος (Dionysus) Dionysus God of wine, parties/festivals, madness and merriment. He represents not only the intoxicating power of wine, but also its social and beneficial influences. His symbols are the grape vine, ivy, and thyrsus. ᾍδης (Hades) Hades God of the underworld. Brother of Poseidon, Zeus and Hera, and consort to Persephone. His symbols are the bident, the Helm of Darkness, and the three-headed dog, Cerberus. Ήφαιστος (Hēphaistos) Hephaestus God of fire and the forge (god of fire and smiths) with very weak legs. He was thrown off Mount Olympus as a baby by his mother and in some stories his father. He makes armor for the gods and other heroes like Achilles. Son of Hera and Zeus is his father in some accounts. Married to Aphrodite, but she does not love him because he is deformed and, as a result, is cheating on him with Ares. He had a daughter named Pandora. His symbols are an axe, a hammer and a flame. Ήρα (Hēra) Hera Goddess of marriage, women, and childbirth. Zeus' wife and sister. Appears with peacock feathers often. Her symbols are the scepter, diadem, and peacock. Ερμής (Hērmēs) Hermes God of flight, thieves, commerce, and travelers. Messenger of the gods. He showed the way for the dead souls to Hades's realm. He shows up in more myths than any other god or goddess. Likes to trick people and is very inventive. Hermes invented the lyre using a turtle shell and sinew. His symbols are the caduceus and winged boots. Ἑστία (Hestia) Hestia Goddess of the hearth and home, the focal point of every household. Daughter of Rhea and Cronus. Gave up her seat as one of the Twelve Olympians to tend to the sacred flame on Mount Olympus for Dionysus. Her symbol is the hearth. Ποσειδῶν (Poseidon) Poseidon God of the sea. He created horses from sea foam. God of earthquakes as well. Also called 'Earth Shaker' and 'Storm Bringer'. His symbols are horses, sea foam, dolphins, and a trident. Ζεύς (Zeus) Zeus The king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky and thunder. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull, and oak. ! width="145" | Greek name ! width="100" | English name ! width="450" | Description | Αιθήρ (Aithēr) Aether God of the upper air. Χάος (Khaos) Chaos Non-gendered deity of the nothingness from which all else sprang. Κρόνος or Kronos Kronos or Cronus Titan of eternal time and father of six of the Olympian gods. Cronus and Chronos (Kρόνος and Xρόνος) are two separate entities altogether. Chronos is The Keeper of time; Cronus or Kronos is the father of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. In addition, in the Greek language "χρονια" means "year" or "years" depending on accent. Έρεβος (Erebos) Erebus God of darkness and shadow. Γαία (Gaia) Gaia Goddess of the Earth (Mother Earth), mother of Kronos (Cronus). Ημέρα (Émera) Hemera Goddess of daylight and the sun. Ζέφυρος (Zephuros) Zephyrus God of the west wind. Νύξ (Nux) Nyx Goddess of darkness/night. She is also the only being from which Zeus turned from when her son Hypnos, who had angered Zeus, hid behind her. Τάρταρος (Tartaros) Tartarus Is the darkest, deepest part of the underworld controlled by Hades. Ουρανός (Ouranos) Uranus God of the heavens (Father Sky) and father of the Titans; banished the Cyclopes to the underworld because they did not please him. * Themis * Cronus * Atlas * Oceanus * Tethys * Hyperion * Theia * Coeus * Phoebe * Rhea * Crius * Iapetus * Prometheus * Helios * Briareus (or Aegaeon) (Βριάρεως) * Gyes * Cottusgeit * Arges * Brontes * Steropes * Polyphemus (Πολύφημος) * Achelous (Αχέλους or Αχελώος in contemporary Greek) * Acheron (Αχέρων) * Acis * Alpheus (Αλφειός) * Asopus (Ασωπός) * Cladeus * Eurotas (Ευρώτας) * Peneus (Πηνειός) * Styx * Emanopsus * Adrasteia (Αδράστεια) * Clytie * Crataeis * Daphne (Δάφνη) * Dryads (Δρυάς-Δρυάδες in plural) * Hamadryads (Αμαδρυάς-Αμαδρυάδες in plural) * Metope (Μετώπη) * Naiads (Ναιάδες) ** Cleochareia * Nereids (Νηρηίδες) ** Amphitrite (Αμφιτρίτη) ** Arethusa (Αρετούσα) * Oceanids (Ωκεανίδες) ** Eidyia * Oreads ** Echo (Ηχώ) * Agrius * Alcyoneus * Aloadae ** Otus ** Orion (Ωρίων) ** Ephialtes (Εφιάλτης) * Antaeus (Ανταίος) * Argus (Άργος) * Enceladus (Εγκέλαδος) * Tityos * Achilles Ascendant hero * Adephagia Goddess of gluttony * Aeolus (Aiolos) (Αίολος) God of the winds * Agdistis hermaphroditic demon * Alastor God/demon of family feuds * Alectrona Goddess of the morning or waking up * Alexiares and Anicetus Twin guardians of Mount Olympus * Amphitrite (Αμφιτρίτη) Goddess of the sea, wife of Poseidon * Anakes * Antheia Goddess of flowers and flowery wreaths * Aphaea Minor goddess of agriculture and fertility * Aristaeus A good hunter and inventor * Asclepius (Ασκληπιός) God of healing * Astraea (Αστραία) Virgin Goddess of Justice * Ate Goddess of foolish acts * Attis * Bia Goddess of violence * Boreas (Βορέας) God of the north wind and of winter * Brizo Goddess of sailors * Cabiri * Caerus God of luck and opportunity * Calypso (Καλυψώ) * Ceto Goddess of the dangers of the ocean and of sea monsters * Charon Hades' ferryman * Circe (Κίρκη) * Cotys * Cragus * Cybele (Κυβέλη) * Dike Goddess of Justice * Dioscuri (Διόσκουροι) ** Castor (Κάστορ) ** Polydeuces (Πολυδεύκης) * Doris (Δωρίς) Goddess of the sea's bounty * Efreisone (Ευφροσύνη) Personification of the olive branch * Eileithyia Goddess of childbirth * Elpis (Ελπίς) Goddess of hope or expectation * Enyalius Minor god of war * Enyo Goddess of destructive war * Eos (Ηώς) Goddess of the dawn * Eosphorus God of the morning star * The Erinyes, or "Furies" * Eris (Έρις) Goddess of strife and discord * Eros (Έρος) God of lust, love, and sex * Eurynome (Ευρυνόμη) * Eurus (Euros) God of the east wind * Glaucus Minor sea god * Gorgons (Γοργόνες) ** Stheno ** Euryale ** Medusa (a mortal) (Μέδουσα) * Hêbê (Ήβη) Goddess of youth * Hecate (Εκάτη) * Hêlios (Ήλιος) Personification of the sun * Heracles (Ηρακλής) Ascended hero * Hespera * Horae (Ώρες) (the hours) ** Thallo (Θαλλώ) ** Auxo (Αυξώ) ** Karpo (Καρπώ) ** Eunomia (Ευνομία) ** Dike (Δίκη) ** Eirene (Ειρήνη) * Hybris (Ύβρις) God of hubris * Hygieia (Υγεία) Goddess of cleanliness * Hymen God of Marriage and Marriage Feasts * Hypnos (Ύπνος) God of sleep * Iris (Ίρις) Goddess of the rainbow and minor messenger * Moira (Μοίρα) * The three Moirae, or "Fates": (Μοίρες) ** Clotho (Κλωθώ) ** Lachesis (Λάχεσις) ** Atropos (Άτροπος) * Mania (Μανία) Goddess of insanity * Metis (Μέτις) Goddess of wisdom and thought * Momus God of satire and criticism * Morpheus (Μορφέας) God of dreams * Muses (Μούσες) ** Calliope (Καλλιόπη) ** Clio (Κλειώ) ** Erato (Ερατώ) ** Euterpe (Ευτέρπη) ** Melpomene (Μελπομένη) ** Polyhymnia (Πολυμνία) - (Πολύμνια) ** Terpsichore (Τερψιχόρη) ** Thalia (Θάλεια) ** Urania (Ουρανία) * Nemesis (Νέμεσις) Goddess of retribution * Nereus (Νηρέας) * Nike (Νίκη) Goddess of victory * Notus (Νότος) God of the south wind * Pan (Πάν) God of shepherds, pastures, and fertility * Phoebe Goddess of the moon: Bright * Perséphonê (Περσεφόνη) Goddess of the earth's fertility * Peitho (Πειθώ) Goddess of persuasion and seduction * Pleiades (Πλειάδες) * Psyche Goddess of the Soul ** Alcyone (Αλκυόνη) ** Sterope (Στερόπη) ** Celaeno (Κελαινώ) ** Electra (Ηλέκτρα) ** Maia (Μαία) ** Merope (Μερόπη) ** Taygete (Ταϋγέτη) * Phorcys (Φόρκυς) * Proteus (Πρωτεύς) Minor sea god * Priapus (Πρίαπος) God of male virility * Satyr (Σάτυροι) * Selene (Σελήνη) Goddess of the moon * Thanatos (Θάνατος) God/demon of death and mortality * Thetis (Θέτις) * Triton (Τρίτων) Poseidon's messenger * Typhon (Τυφών) * Zephyrus (Ζέφυρος) God of the west wind * ** This page was last modified on 28 March 2009, at 12:25 (UTC). ** All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)

Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a U.S. registered 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit charity.

** Privacy policy ** About Wikipedia ** Disclaimers |}

But when Jesus calls himself God's son, he is not identifying himself as divine, he is identifying himself as a descendant of David, just as the scripture uses the term in Ps 29:1. The coronation hymn in Ps 2:7 declares that the king of Judah becomes God's son on the day he is annointed by the High Priest.

You see a perfect example of this when God commanded Zechariah (Zechariah 6:11-13) to annoint as king, Jesus, son of Josedech, who was the high priest. God calls him "branch" which is used to mean descendent of Jesse (David's father) in several places in scripture. -- see Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Isaiah 4:2, etc.

Of course a Levite and descendent of Aaron is not literally a descendent of Jesse, but by the time of Zechariah, the term "branch" has become synonymous with "king", which is also spoken of as "son of God". Jesus is the second part of the Trinitarian God head. All three "persons" are co-eternal, co-powerful and co-equal.

Back in those days, it was considered blasphemy, though, he was not commiting blasphemy.

Answer

There is one small passage in scripture which testifies that Christ (Jesus) knew exactelly who He was. Remember when his parents missed him when they were journying home. That had to return to where they were last at to try and find him.

Eventually they found him with the priests and clergy discussing the gospel with them. His mother perhaps said to him somewhat curtly. "We have been looking for you for ages and we were worried". Do you remember what he said, he said words to this affect " You should not have worried mother, for I was only doing what my Father in Heaven wanted me to do". Jesus, from an early age, knew exactly who his real father was.

So basically it was not blasphemy because it was the truth.

--

Another Answer:

The priests are descendants of Levi, Israel's son and are called Levites.

The Gospel is loaded with examples of Jesus knowing who He is. When His parents missed Him in Luke 2 He said, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"

He referred to Himself as the Son of Man 35 times. A term the Old Testament often used for God.

He referred to His relationship with the Father 33 times.

He Prayed to His Father in Heaven 4 times, specifically John 17.

He referred to Himself as the Son of God 5 times, and was referred to as the Son of God 41 times, once in Daniel.

He addresses God as "My Father" 39 times.

He certainly does identify himself as divine.

Another View:

Certainly not blasphemy though that was the charge the religious leaders placed against HIm. Here is an example from the Gospel of John. The setting is the 7th and last day of the Feast of Tabernacles - a ritual done during this Feast is the 'water pouring ceremony' at the temple altar that now reaches its height. Jesus proclaimed: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:37-38). Jesus is essentially proclaiming Himself to be the Messiah and Lord God of Israel, the source of living waters of God's Holy Spirit.

Surely, the peoply would of been amazed at the words from Jesus but just as surely, others would have been offended and these wanted to kill Him (verse 44).

So the very next day - the sacred 8th day of the Feast following the Feast of Tabernacles - Jesus is again teaching in the temple complex. In this holy setting on this Holy Day, the enemies of Jesus cast their 'foolproof' plot to trap and try to discredit Him - worthy of being condemned by the multitude. It's the well known story of the scribes and Pharisees throwing a woman before Him who was caught in adultery - and the crowd gathers to see His response.

These religious leaders quote Moses as to her prescribed punishment - death by stoning. If Jesus agrees, the position of the religious leaders would be upheld thus contradicting His reputation for compassion and forgiveness. But if Jesus said no to punishing the woman, the religous leaders would charge Him with breaking or contradicting the Law. What a spot for a mere human to be in.

Jesus, to their amazement, bends down and starts to write in the ground with His finger (John 8:6) paying them no mind - or so it seems. Was this something private for the Son of God to ponder before He spoke or could it relate to Jeremiah 17:13: "Those who depart from the Lord, 'the fountain of living waters (which Jesus declared Himself to be the day before),' shall be 'written in the earth.' This means being written in the sand - without permanence - while others strive to be 'written in heaven' (see Luke 10:20) and written in the 'book of life' in Revelation 13:8; 20:12, 15. These religious leaders surely would have gotten the meaning of the scriptural message being sent - even if they didn't see the writing itself. Blasphemy is what they thought but only the divine Son of God could be consistently perfect, judging these and all mankind at the end of the reign of man.

Additional Comment:

Nobody can say for sure that Jesus ever said he was the son of God because the scriptures where written at least 70 years after his death and by authors no one can identify. No one has ever identified who Mathew, Mark, Luke and John where. There is no historical evidence of their existence other than the scriptures that where part of hundreds of others the Church decided to include in what is now known as the Bible.

" O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah (God and same God worshiped in Christianity and Judaism) except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs" (4:171).

Answer-3

Al-Qur'an: Sura: Al-Maidah: Verses: 116, 117, 118

Translation:

"And when Almighty Allah will say, "O Jesus son of Maryam! Did you say to people that take me and my mother as your Lord besides Allah, he will say, 'You are free (from any kind of Partner), it does not suit me to say such (things to people) for which I have no right (to say). If I had said it, it would have been in Your Knowledge, You know even what is (hidden) in my heart, and I don't know what you know. You are the True Knower of the Hidden. 116. I didn't say to them (the people) except what You Commanded me to say that worship Allah Who is the Rabb (Lord-Provider) of you and me. And as long as I was among them I was aware of them, thus when you ascended me (to heavens) You remained aware of them. And You are witness to all things. 117. If You chastise them, they are Your slaves. And if You forgive them, no doubt You are the Supreme, the Wisest." 118

Allah Almighty is the Sole Creator, Sustainer, Provider and Ruler of the Universe. He has No Son, No Parents, No off-spring. He is Omnipotent, Omni-Present, All-Knowing, All-Seeing, All-Listening. HE and He alone deserves worship. All powers lie in His Hands. He alone is the Master of the Day of Judgment. He has No Partner, No Associate whatsoever. No one can understand Him completely. There is Nothing like Him. He is Most Merciful, Most Gracious, Most Forgiving..