An extraordinary book that looks at one of the greatest cover-ups in history.
The myth of Dionysus bears startling resemblances to the story of Jesus Christ. It compares with the biblical story in the following ways:
Dionysus is God made flesh and is hailed as the 'Saviour of Mankind' and the 'Son of God'
His father is God and his mother is a mortal virgin who afterwards becomes worshipped as
the 'Mother of God'
He is born in a cowshed
He drives out demons, turns water into wine and raises people from the dead
He rides triumphantly into town while people wave palms to honour him.
The date revered by the first Christians as Jesus' birthday was originally that of Dionysus, also the three day Spring Festival of Dionysus celebrating his death and resurrection coincides with the Christian festival of Easter. The Last Supper and the Eucharist are also parallel Dionysian rites.
This is not common knowledge as the story was a closely guarded secret of the Pagan mysteries. Secondly the evidence of Christianity's pagan roots were systematically covered up by the Roman Church. The comparisons between the Christian story and the Dionysian myths have been mentioned by many scholars. Tim Freke and Peter Gandy have taken the next step and thought the unthinkable – that Christianity was a Jewish Mystery School modelled on the ancient pagan mysteries.
In writing this book the authors are in no way wishing to diminish the Christian tradition, but are placing it within its true spiritual context. This book does challenge the views of the Christian fundamentalists, but it will be welcomed by many other Christians who have known of the interconnectedness of Christianity with other ancient spiritual traditions.
