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[Dave]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
[UNLURK]The Mithraic cult did not decline until the conversion of Constantine in the early fourth century and the official adoption of Christianity as the state religion. Subsequent emperors played upon Mitharism's associations with Rome's rival, Persia (birthplace of the cult), in order to foster Roman hostility to lingering elements. At the same time, the writings of the early Church fathers attributed Mithraism's close parallels to Christianity to some kind of satanic mockery of Christianity, i.e., Satan created Mithraism as an early Black Mass. (Of course, Mithraic mythology actually predated Christianity, so Satan really got the jump on us by thinking of things like baptism and sacred meals first.) The irony of this satanism accusation is that Pauline Christianity and Mithraism can both be said to be mere side effects of the Hellenization of Persia and the usurpation of Zoroastrian dualism. One form just proved to be more lasting than the other.

As for Nag Hammadi, no.[LURK]

Rain Man?