I think if you look at mankind in general through the millenia there has always been somewhat of a tribal structure with a chief, lesser chiefs and people within the society with specific roles (medicine man. hunter etc.). Children have always been told of things like the boogey man (insert naughty deity here)to keep them in line and as a tool to teach them to fit in with society. I think that's why the majority of religions are structured the same way as most people understand that structure which therefore makes the religion more believable. Pointless trying to promote a belief if it's completely beyond belief in my opinion.
You don't like being reported and, with hindsight, I get that, considering your RTG banning. Going back I would do things differently, and I apologise for reporting you and for the upset that you have felt. What you actually said in THAT POST was "I'd do it just to spoil his Christmas ... knowing he's sitting at home worrying would be victory enough." You didn't say 'If I was SD I would do it just to ruin his Xmas' I'm sorry for misunderstanding your intention, but I genuinely didn't see a connection to your previous post. The fact that you had said previously "I've said what I'd do if I was Donald, that's me talking not him" seemed to reinforce my reading of the situation. I still maintain that mentioning someone has wives and kids to keep is just mentioning fact and not bringing them (wives & kids) personally into anything and any lawsuit brought would a) be unfounded and b) would fail. Blaming me for your avoiding this forum is a bit off - if only because of the fact that you responded in a timely manner to each of my posts, thus indicating that you haven't actually avoided this place during this period. Also I'm not some WUM who has set out to take the piss, I have just had a misunderstanding with you. And no, I am not going to go back and read anyone's posts to see if they are a WUM before I post anything. For a start I don't have the time. Secondly I only post about something that I am interested or concerned about (and accepting that even the most rampant WUM can, from time to time, come up with a valid point). If nothing else, we have at least started a conversation about he meaning of Xmas and that is the best that can be said about this misunderstanding. With that I will say mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa and offer a handshake of peace.
Sol Invictus . The 3 Kings are stars in the belt of of Orion. The 3 kings follow the star which is Sirius. There are 12 disciples. There are 12 signs of the Zodiac. Jesus is a sun god.
Draig. Mostly I lurked - took me about 15 years to achieve the exalted position of midfield. Can't remember doing any stalking over there though.
There are some close similarities with the story of Mithras too. Although Mithras and Sol Invictus get intertwined somewhere along the way. I think it's most likely that that was deliberate, either by Jesus himself or later followers, to make his story familiar and relatable for the people of the Roman world.
There is another viewpoint about this. The knowledge and longing for God is imprinted in man's soul and these other repeating deic stories are but a manifestation of that longing in peoples to whom God had not been revealed.
You do attract the trolls mind, that has been noticable over the years. Don't think you should stay off the board because of it, not here anyways. This place isn't riddled with raging mentalists like PF is and anyone who tries to bring that PF culture over here gets the ban hammer fairly sharpish from what I've seen.
I didn't say I believed in it but this theory was brought up in a book on comparative theology I glanced through in the Poly library when I was doing an essay about The Selfish Gene. As for kissing women - to be fair, no - I've only kissed ladies.
Yeah. My earlier comment about the similarities between the different sets of gods was intended to hint along those lines
Got to say although this thread went off in another direction I have been reading up on the stories and myths of the two you mentioned. Very interesting readings, I’m in my late 50s now and the saying “you learn something new everyday” is certainly the case here. Have a look at Too long in the sun by Richard Rives (PS with me being a Taurean though I think the bull would’ve knacked him)