Note: the scholarship of Kersey Graves has been questioned by numerous theists and nontheists alike; the inclusion of his The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors in the Secular Web's Historical Library does not constitute endorsement by Internet Infidels, Inc. This document was included for historical purposes; readers should be extremely cautious in trusting anything in this book.
For more information, see: Kersey Graves and The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors by Richard Carrier
FRIENDS and brethren -- teachers of the Christian faith: Will
you believe us when we tell you the divine claims of your religion
are gone -- all swept away by the "logic of history," and nullified
by the demonstrations of science?
The recently opened fountains of historic law, many of whose
potent facts will be found interspersed through the pages of this
work, sweep away the last inch of ground on which can be predicated
the least show for either the divine origin of the Christian
religion, or the divinity of Jesus Christ.
For these facts demonstrate beyond all cavil and criticism,
and with a logical force which can leave not the vestige of a doubt
upon any unbiased mind, that all its doctrines are an outgrowth
from older heathen systems. Several systems of religion essentially
the same in character and spirit as that religion now known as
Christianity, and setting forth the same doctrines, principles and
precepts, and several personages filling a chapter in history
almost identical with that of Jesus Christ, it is now known to
those who are up with the discoveries and intelligence of the age,
were venerated in the East centuries before a religion called
Christian, or a personage called Jesus Christ were known to
history.
Will you not, then, give it up that your religion is merely a
human production, reconstructed from heathen materials -- from
oriental systems several thousand years older than yours -- or will
you continue, in spite of the unanimous and unalterable verdict of
history, science, facts and logic, to proclaim to the world the now
historically demonstrated error which you have so long preached,
that God is the author of your religion, and Jesus Christ a Deity-
begotten Messiah? Though you may have heretofore honestly believed
these doctrines to be true, you can now no longer plead ignorance
as an excuse for propagating such gigantic and serious errors, as
they are now overwhelmingly demonstrated by a thousand facts of
history to be untrue. You must abandon such exalted claims for your
religion, or posterity will mark you as being "blind leaders of the
blind." They will heap upon your honored names their unmitigated
ridicule and condemnation. They will charge you as being either
deplorably ignorant, or disloyal to the cause of truth. And shame
and ignominy will be your portion.
The following propositions (fatal to your claims for
Christianity) are established beyond confutation by the historical
facts cited in this work, viz: --
- There were many cases of the miraculous birth of Gods
reported in history before the case of Jesus Christ.
- Also many other cases of Gods being born of virgin mothers.
- Many of these Gods, like Christ, were (reputedly) born on
the 25th of December.
- Their advent into the world, like that of Jesus Christ, is
in many cases claimed to have been foretold by "inspired prophets."
- Stars figured at the birth of several of them, as in the
case of Christ.
- Also angels, shepherds, and magi, or "wise men."
- Many of them, like Christ, were claimed to be of royal or
princely descent.
- Their lives, like his, were also threatened in infancy by
the ruler of the country.
- Several of them, like him, gave early proof of divinity.
- And, like him, retired from the world and fasted.
- Also, like him, declared, "My kingdom is not of this
world."
- Some of them preached a spiritual religion, too, like
his.
- And were "anointed with oil," like him.
- Many of them, like him, were "crucified for the sins
of the world."
- And after three days' interment "rose from the dead."
- And, finally, like him, are reported as ascending back to
heaven.
- The same violent convulsions of nature at the crucifixion
of several are reported.
- They were nearly all called "Saviors," "Son of God."
"Messiah," "Redeemer," "Lord," &c.
- Each one was the second member of the trinity of "Father,
Son and Holy Ghost."
- The doctrines of "Original Sin," "Fall of Man," "The
Atonement," "The Trinity," "The Word," "Forgiveness," "An Angry
God." "Future Endless Punishment," etc., etc. (see the author's
"Biography of Satan,") were a part of the religion of each of these
sin-atoning Gods, as found set forth in several oriental bibles and
holy books," similar in character and spirit to the Christian's
bible, and written, like it, by "inspired and holy men" before the
time of either Christ or Moses (before Moses, in some cases, at
least). All these doctrines and declarations, and many others not
here enumerated, the historical citations of this work abundantly
prove, were taught in various oriental heathen nations centuries
before the birth of Christ, or before Christianity, as a religion,
was known in the world.
Will you, then, after learning these facts, longer dare assert
that Christianity is of divine emanation, or claim a special divine
paternity for its author. Only the priest, who loves his salary
more than the cause of truth (and I fear this class are numerous,)
or who is deplorably ignorant of history will have the effrontery
or audacity to do so. For the historical facts herein set forth as
clearly prove such assumptions to be false, as figures can
demonstrate the truth of any mathematical problem. And no logic can
overthrow, and no sophistry can set aside these facts.
They will stand till the end of time in spite of your efforts
either to evade, ignore, or invalidate them.
We will here briefly state --
WHY ALL THE ANCIENT RELIGIONS WERE ALIKE.
Two causes are obviously assignable for Christianity in all
its essential features and phases, being so strikingly similar to
the ancient pagan systems which preceded it, as also the close
analogies of all the principal systems, whose doctrines and
practical teachings have found a place on the pages of history.
- The primary and constituent elements and properties of
human nature being essentially the same in all countries and all
centuries, and the feeling called Religion being a spontaneous
outgrowth of the devotional elements of the human mind, the
coincidence would naturally produce similar feelings, similar
thoughts, similar views and similar doctrines on the 'subject of
religion in different countries, however widely separated. This
accounts in part for the analogous features observable in all the
primary systems of religious faith, which have flourished in the
past ages.
- A more potent cause, however, for the proximate identity
extending to such an elaborate detail, as is evinced by the
foregoing schedule, is found in the historical incident which
brought the disciples of the various systems of worship together,
face to face, in the then grand religious emporium of the world --
the royal and renowned city of Alexandria, the capital of Egypt.
Here, drawn together by various motives and influences, the devotee
of India (the devout disciple of Buddhism), the ever-prayerful
worshipper of "Mithra, the Mediator," the representatives of the
crucified Quexalcoate of Mexico, the self-denying Essene, the
superstitious Egyptian, the godly Chaldean, the imitative Judean
founders of Christianity, and the disciples of other sin-atoning
Gods, met and interchanged ideas, discussed their various dogmas,
remolded their doctrines, and recast and rehabilitated their
systems of religious faith by borrowing from each other, and from
other systems there represented. In this way all became remarkably
similar and alike in all their doctrines and details. And thus the
mystery is solved, and the singular resemblance of all the ancient
systems of religion satisfactorily accounted for. (For a fuller
explanation of this matter, see Chapters XXX and
XXXI of this work.)
In conclusion, please note the following points: --
- The religious conceptions of the Old Testament are as
easily traced to heathen sources as those of the New Testament. But
we are compelled to exclude such an exposition from this work.
- The comparative exhibition of the doctrines and teachings
of twenty bibles which proves them to be in their leading features
essentially alike (originally designed for this volume), is found
to be, when completed, of sufficient magnitude to constitute a
volume of itself.
- Here I desire to impress upon the minds of my clerical
brethren the important fact, that the gospel histories of Christ
were written by men who had formerly been Jews (see Acts xxi. 20),
and probably possessing the strong proclivity to imitate and borrow
which their bible shows was characteristic of that nation; and
being written many years after Christ's death, according to that
standard Christian author, Dr. Lardner, it was impossible, under
such circumstances, for them to separate (if they had desired to)
the real facts and events of his life from the innumerable fictions
and fables then afloat everywhere relative to the heathen Gods who
had pre-enacted a similar history. Two reasons are thus furnished
for their constructing a history of Christ almost identical with
that of other Gods, as shown in chapters XXX,
XXXI and XXXII of
this work.
- The singular and senseless defense of your now tottering
system we have known to be attempted by members of your order, by
the self-complacent soliloquy "Christianity, whether divine or
human, is good enough for me." But such a subterfuge betrays both
a weak mind and a weak cause. The disciples of all the oriental
systems cherished a similar feeling and a similar sentiment. And
the deluded followers of Brigham Young exclaimed in like manner, "I
want nothing better than Mormonism." "Snakes, lizards and frogs are
good enough for me," a South Sea Islander once exclaimed to a
missionary, when a reform diet was proposed. Such logic, if
universally adopted, would keep the world eternally in barbarism.
No progress can be made where such sentiments prevail. The truth
is, no system of religion, whatever its ostensible marks of
perfection, can long remain "good enough" for aspiring and
progressive minds, unless occasionally improved, like other
institutions. And then it should be borne in mind, that our
controversy does not appertain so much to the character as to the
origin of the Christian religion. Our many incontrovertible proofs,
that it is of human and heathen origin, proves at the same time
that it is an imperfect system, and as such, needing occasional
improvement, like other institutions. And its assumed perfection
and divine origin which have always guarded it from improvement,
amply accounts for its present corrupt, immoral, declining and
dying condition. And it will ere long die with paralysis, unless
its assumption of divine perfection is soon exchanged for the
principles of improvement and reconstruction. This policy alone can
save it.
- We will here notice another feeble, futile and foolish
expedient we have known resorted to by persons of your order to
save your sinking cause when the evidence is presented with such
cogency as to admit of no disproof, that all the important
doctrines of Christianity were taught by older heathen systems
before the era of Christ. The plea is, that those systems were mere
types, or ante-types, of the Christian religion. But this plea is
of itself a borrowed subterfuge of heathenism, and is moreover
devoid of evidence. The ancient Egyptians, also the Greeks, claimed
that Brahminism was a type, or ante-type, of their religious
systems. And Mohammedans now claim that both Judaism and
Christianity were designed by God as foreshadowing types of
religion of the Koran. And the disciples of more than a thousand
systems of religion which have flourished in past ages, could have
made such logic equally available in showing, in each case, that
every system preceding theirs was designed by Infinite Wisdom as
simply a typical or ante-typical forerunner of theirs. How
ridiculous and senseless, therefore, is the argument thus shown to
be when critically examined in the light of history! So much so as
scarcely to merit a serious notice.
- Here permit us to say that we believe Christianity to be
not only of human origin, but of natural origin also; that is, a
natural outgrowth, like other systems, of the religious elements of
the human mind -- a hypothesis which accounts most beautifully for
the numerous human imperfections now visible in nearly every line
of its teachings. Those imperfections correspond exactly to the
imperfect minds which produced it.
- And we believe that the principle teacher of Christianity,
"the man Christ Jesus," possessed a very exalted and superior mind
for that age in the moral and religions departments, and in the
intellectual to some extent also. But his superiority in these
respects was not probably greater than that of Zera Colburn or
Henry Safford in the mathematical department. And all probably
derived their peculiar extraordinary traits of mind from the same
causes -- that of strong psychological influence impressed upon the
mind of the mothers prior to their births. Had these ante-natal
influences been as well understood then as now, we presume Christ
would have escaped the fate of an exaltation to the Godhead.
- In conclusion, permit us to say that the numerous and
overwhelming facts of this work render it utterly impossible that
the exalted claims you put forth for your religion and its assumed
author (that of a divine character) can be true. And posterity will
so decide, whether you do or not.
Cherishing for you naught but feelings of kindness and
brotherly love, and desiring to promote the truth, we will answer
any question, or discuss any proposition embraced in this work you
may desire.
Your brother,
KERSEY GRAVIES.
Order a copy of The World's Sixteen Crucified
Saviors now.
