Did Christianity steal from religions before it? (moved from AE)

[basketballforhim]

such as pagan religions and hinduism? I've heard christians from the 2nd century AD stole from the older religions to make everything a myth

[markedward]

Nope. It's not true.

Do you have any specific things in mind that you would like to have looked at?

[Kahtar]

It always amazes me that the authors of the OT 'stole' from the Babylonians, and Christians 'stole' from something else. Have you noticed that you NEVER hear that any of those religions stole from the Jews, or from the Christians?
The knowledge of the truth was held by Noah and his sons, the tower of Babel came later. Nimrod 'took' from the known truth of that time and twisted it, making his own religion, and it has proceeded since.
Many religions include stories of a flood, one born of god and man, and stories of resurrection from the dead. Even the Navajo have such. Shall we consider that perhaps Moses or the Christians stole that information from the Navajo?
The fact is, the knowledge that one would be born, die for our sins, and raise from the dead was known before the flood. Nearly all religions have a flood story simply because there was one.

[Gulah Papyrus]

such as pagan religions and hinduism? I've heard christians from the 2nd century AD stole from the older religions to make everything a myth

You heard wrong.

http://www.thedevineevidence.com/jes...ilarities.html

[genealogist]

such as pagan religions and hinduism? I've heard christians from the 2nd century AD stole from the older religions to make everything a myth

When we look at the family lines all the way back to Adam, according to the bible men received the prophecy of God from the earliest generations. Included in that knowledge was for example the coming of the promised seed (Messiah) (c.f. Genesis 3:15). These stories and lessons were passed down from generation to generation. In the flood, Noah would have taught his sons the knowledge of the Lord. Genesis 10 is a genealogy called "the table of the nations" from where all the nationalities originate from Noah. Each society would have heard these stories handed down from father Noah, but corrupted them into their own gods and legends. This is why there is similarity between some pagan concepts and Christianity. God then later on in the family line decided to call Abraham, from whom a people (and the future Messiah) would come to be the oracle people for the rest of the world (which is known as Judaism). This would "set the record straight" so-to-speak. Christianity is the same as Judaism except for the fact that the Jews did not recognize their Messiah in His first coming to this earth. Everything in the gospel is foreshadowed in the Old Testament in other words.

So, it's not a matter where Christianity stole from anything, but rather the similarity is from a common source that was wrested by different interpretations and ideologies into a multitude, albeit similar thought (such as a savior concept).

[crossnote]

If Christianity started in the Garden with the promised Redeemer (Gen 3:15), then I concede that paganism is a tad older ("ye shall be as gods"); but Christianity did not steal that, it rather rejects it.

[crawfish]

No, Christianity/Judaism did not steal from other religions, although some of its laws and text are definitely reactions to the existence of other religions.

[Buzzword]

Every religion has elements which are true and Godly.

To say Christianity "stole" from another religion because elements of our mythology and day-to-day belief system seem to mirror those of others, is like saying the Egyptians "stole" the concept of the pyramid from the Incas because both used it.

If a thing is true, God will lead men to it, regardless of differences in terminology and geography.

[decrumpit]

Similarities do not mean evidence of stealing. I would suggest reading Surprised by Hope by NT Wright to see how markedly different Christianity is from all religions and mythologies the world has seen, including Judaism.

[MeekandHumble]

If lets say those who profess themselves to be Christians are practicing things from other religions, then that's not Christianity. To my knowledge, there are things being practiced in the Christian world that is considered to be paganism. Do most people know that they are practicing other religions, no. Christianity is what the Bible say it is and if anything else is added (not in the Bible) then.....

With a few exceptions though. The Mosaic law is not practiced by Christians because that was done away with at the cross.