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==98:6. MITHRAISM AND CHRISTIANITY==

==98:6. MITHRAISM AND CHRISTIANITY==

98:6.1 Prior to the coming of the mystery cults and Christianity, personal religion hardly developed as an independent institution in the civilized lands of North Africa and Europe; it was more of a family, city-state, political, and imperial affair. The Hellenic Greeks never evolved a centralized worship system; the ritual was local; they had no priesthood and no " sacred book. " Much as the Romans, their religious institutions lacked a powerful driving agency for the preservation of higher moral and spiritual values. While it is true that the institutionalization of religion has usually detracted from its spiritual quality, it is also a fact that no religion has thus far succeeded in surviving without the aid of institutional organization of some degree, greater or lesser.

98:6.1 Prior to the coming of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_cults mystery cults] and [[Christianity]], [[personal]] [[religion]] hardly [[developed]] as an [[independent]] [[institution]] in the civilized lands of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Africa North Africa] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Europe Europe]; it was more of a [[family]], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_state city-state], [[political]], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_cult imperial] affair. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellene Hellenic Greeks] never evolved a centralized [[worship]] [[system]]; the [[ritual]] was local; they had no [[priesthood]] and no "[[Scripture|sacred book]]." Much as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Romans Romans], their [[religious]] [[institutions]] lacked a powerful driving [[agency]] for the [[preservation]] of higher [[moral]] and [[spiritual]] [[values]]. While it is true that the [[institutionalization]] of [[religion]] has usually detracted from its [[spiritual]] [[quality]], it is also a [[fact]] that no [[religion]] has thus far succeeded in [[surviving]] without the aid of [[institutional]] [[organization]] of some [[degree]], greater or lesser.

98:6.2 Occidental religion thus languished until the days of the Skeptics, Cynics, Epicureans, and Stoics, but most important of all, until the times of the great contest between Mithraism and Paul's new religion of Christianity.

98:6.2 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occident Occidental] [[religion]] thus languished until the days of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhonism Skeptics], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynics Cynics], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicureans Epicureans], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoics Stoics], but most important of all, until the times of the great [[contest]] between [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraism Mithraism] and [Paul, the Apostle|Paul]'s new [[religion]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauline_Christianity Christianity].

98:6.3 During the third century after Christ, Mithraic and Christian churches were very similar both in appearance and in the character of their ritual. A majority of such places of worship were underground, and both contained altars whose backgrounds variously depicted the sufferings of the savior who had brought salvation to a sin-cursed human race.

98:6.3 During the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/300_AD third century after Christ], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraism Mithraic] and [[Christian]] churches were very similar both in [[appearance]] and in the [[character]] of their [[ritual]]. A [[majority]] of such places of [[worship]] were underground, and both contained [[altars]] whose backgrounds variously depicted the [[sufferings]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savior savior] who had brought [[salvation]] to a [[sin]]-[[cursed]] [[human]] [[race]].

98:6.4 Always had it been the practice of Mithraic worshipers, on entering the temple, to dip their fingers in holy water. And since in some districts there were those who at one time belonged to both religions, they introduced this custom into the majority of the Christian churches in the vicinity of Rome. Both religions employed baptism and partook of the sacrament of bread and wine. The one great difference between Mithraism and Christianity, aside from the characters of Mithras and Jesus, was that the one encouraged militarism while the other was ultrapacific. Mithraism's tolerance for other religions (except later Christianity) led to its final undoing. But the deciding factor in the struggle between the two was the admission of women into the full fellowship of the Christian faith.

98:6.4 Always had it been the [[practice]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraism#Rituals_and_worship Mithraic worshipers], on entering the [[temple]], to dip their fingers in [[holy]] [[water]]. And since in some districts there were those who at one time belonged to both religions, they introduced this [[custom]] into the [[majority]] of the [[Christian]] churches in the vicinity of [[Rome]]. Both [[religions]] employed [[baptism]] and partook of the [[sacrament]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucharist bread and wine]. The one great [[difference]] between [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraism Mithraism] and [[Christianity]], aside from the characters of [http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/mithra.html Mithras] and [[Jesus]], was that the one [[encouraged]] [[Aggression|militarism]] while the other was [[Peace|ultrapacific]]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraism Mithraism]'s [[tolerance]] for other [[religions]] (except later [[Christianity]]) led to its final undoing. But the deciding [[factor]] in the [[struggle]] between the two was the admission of [[women]] into the full fellowship of the [[Christian]] [[faith]].

98:6.5 In the end the nominal Christian faith dominated the Occident. Greek philosophy supplied the concepts of ethical value; Mithraism, the ritual of worship observance; and Christianity, as such, the technique for the conservation of moral and social values.

98:6.5 In the end the [[Superficial|nominal]] [[Christian]] [[faith]] dominated the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occident Occident]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_philosophy Greek philosophy] supplied the [[concepts]] of [[ethical]] [[value]]; [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraism Mithraism], the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraism#The_Banquet ritual of worship observance]; and [[Christianity]], as such, the [[technique]] for the [[conservation]] of [[moral]] and [[social]] [[values]].

==98:7. THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION==

==98:7. THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION==