Christ Conspiracy_ The Greatest Story Ever Sold - Acharya S [131]
Walker relates the true meaning of "antichrist":
Antichrist was the Christian equivalent of the Chaldean Aciel, lord of the nether world, counterbalancing the solar god of heaven.4
In other words, it was the night sky.
Armageddon
In the earlier Persian version of the mythos, it was the devil Ahriman who was to bring his legions against the holy nation, which in this case was Persia, or Iran, where Armageddon was to be fought. Thus, Armageddon is yet another ages-old concept that did not originate with Judaism, Christianity or the Bible.
Baptism
Baptism is quite common around the world, long predating the Christian era, as is evidenced by the fact that it was already in practice when Jesus encountered John the Baptist. As Massey says, "Baptismal regeneration, transfiguration, transubstantiation, the resurrection and ascension, were all Egyptian mysteries."5
Baptism was done not only by the sprinkling of water but also by immersion into it. It was also by "holy wind/spirit" and by fire, the latter of which in actuality was popular in many parts of the world and is considered "Zoroastrian." In the baptism by fire, the participant, willing or otherwise, is generally passed through the fire unharmed. Baptism by fire was still practiced as of the last century in India and Scotland.6
Christmas
Many people today are aware that Christmas, December 25,11, is the winter solstice and not the actual birthdate of the Jewish savior-god, yet they continue to look for some other birthdate, because this was one of the numerous significant "historical" facts conveniently overlooked by the gospel writers. Over the centuries, a number of birthdates had been put forth before the Western church decided to incorporate the December 2511, element of the typical sun god mythos, in large part to usurp the followers of Mithra.
In addition, not a few people have noticed the irreconcilability of the December birthdate with the circumstances of the birth, which could not have taken place in the winter, with "shepherds tending their flock," etc. A date earlier adopted in Christianity and still maintained by the Eastern Orthodox church is January 61h,, which would also not be correct according to the biblical tale, since it is also winter. ben Yehoshua relates the origins of the January 611, date: "Originally the eastern Christians believed that [Jesus] was born on 6 January. . . . Osiris-Aion was said to be born of the virgin Isis on the 6 January and this explains the earlier date for Christmas."
The early Western Church fathers assigned two birthdays to Jesus: One at Christmas (winter solstice) and the other at Easter (vernal equinox),7 which is to be expected, since these dates are not historical but are reflective of the various stages of the sun. The dual birthdate is found in Egyptian mythology as well, as Horus was said to have been born as a babe on December 25th and to have been reborn as a man on March 25th, the same date traditionally held as the resurrection of the Savior Adonis, as well as of Christ, as is related by Byzantine writer Cedrenus:
The first day of the month ... corresponds to the 25th of March . . . On that day Gabriel saluted Mary, in order to make her conceive the Saviour. . . . On that very same day, our God Saviour (Christ Jesus), after the termination of his career, arose from the dead; that is, what our forefathers called the Pass-over, or the passage of the Lord.8
The "babe" aspect reflects the "smallness" of the sun in December (northern hemisphere), while the "man" born again or resurrected in spring signifies the sun passing over (Passover or "Crossification") the celestial equator, when the day and night are briefly equalized, and the day then begins to become longer than the night. Thus, it was said that the solar hero had two birthdays and two mothers.