Hinduism and Jesus

Hi Josephus-

I came across the Religious Tolerance site.

It contains a comparison of Hindu religion and Christianity. Specifically, it implies the possibility that stories of Jesus' birth, ministry, execution, and resurrection were copied, at least in part, from Krishna's life.

The wierd thing is all the similarities betweem Jesus' life, and those of Krishnas.

What do you think? Here is the list:

Author Kersey Graves (1813-1883), a Quaker from Indiana, compared Yeshua's and Krishna's life. He found 346 elements in common within Christiana and Hindu writings. Some selected events are:

6 & 45: Yeshua and Krishna, called both a God and the Son of God, were selected as the victim for the atoning sacrifice.
7: Both was sent from heaven to earth in the form of a man.
8 & 46: Both were called Savior, and the second person of the Trinity.
13, 15, 16 & 23: Their mothers were holy virgins, who had similar names: Miriam (Mary) and Maia. His adoptive human father was a carpenter.
18: A spirit or ghost was their actual father.
21: Krishna and Jesus were of royal descent.
26: They were both born on DEC-25.
27 & 28: Both were visited at birth by wise men and shepherds, guided by a star.
30 to 34: An angel issued a warning that the local dictator planned to kill the baby and had issued a decree for his assassination. The parents fled. Mary and Joseph stayed in Muturea; Krishna's parents stayed in Mathura.
41 & 42: Both Yeshua and Krishna withdrew to the wilderness and fasted.
56: Both were identified as "the seed of the woman bruising the serpent's head."
58: Jesus was called "the lion of the tribe of Judah." Krishna was called "the lion of the tribe of Saki."
60: Both claimed: "I am the Resurrection."
64: Both referred to themselves having existed before their birth on earth.
66: Both were "without sin."
72: Both were god-men: being considered both human and divine.
76, 77, & 78: They were both considered omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent.
83, 84, & 85: Both performed many miracles, including the healing of disease. One of the first miracles that both performed was to make a leper whole. Each cured "all manner of diseases."
86 & 87: Both cast out indwelling demons, and raised the dead.
101: Both selected disciples to spread his teachings.
109 to 112: Both were meek, and merciful. Both were criticized for associating with sinners.
115: Both encountered a Gentile woman at a well.
121 to 127: Both celebrated a last supper. Both were crucified at the age of about 30 to 36 by "wicked hands," between two thieves. Both forgave his enemies. [Since Graves' book was written, there has been some debate whether Krishna was actually crucified.]
128 to 131: Both descended into Hell, and were resurrected. Many people witnessed their ascensions into heaven.

Even Jesus knew that there would be antiChrists in the world, and he warns us as such. Satan is pretty good at counterfieting, except for one small difference: Satan has a pride problem, and it always shows up in his counterfiets as the root. Krishna came to be looked at. Jesus came to die.

(and off the subject, Jesus was not born on December 25. He was most likely born on the Feast of Tabernacles, in September).

Yes, this is one possibility I have considered. Also, is it true that the Old Testament prophecies are older than Krishna? If so, then Hindus could have copied those as a basis for making stories about Krishna.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

If Jesus' birthday is not on December 25th, why is it celebrated on December 25th? Was it borrowed from Hinduism?

"Christmas" is celebrated on the 25th because when Constantine united Rome under his Christianity, he really was united a pagan and Christian culture. This posed some problems for him. He solved two of these by combining already existing and revelrous pagan holidays with Christian themes. Dec. 25 is actually the birth date of a Roman deity and is in connection with the winter festivals of the time. Likewise, our word Easter comes from the name of the fertility goddess likewise associated with spring. Her name was Astarte (seen in the OT as Asherah--and speaking of which, did you know "Baal" of the OT really just meant "Lord"--Satan is a copycat indeed! And he catches many in his snares).

In response to the statements about Christ and Krishna, here's perhaps the biggest difference:

Krishna's Trinity included Shiva the Destroyer as the parallel of the Holy Spirit. Shiva lives only to destroys all things to end all worlds, regardless. The Spirit is life and love embodied in us. Those are some intense differences!

Furthermore, Krishna and Shiva, as I understand it, were not One God, but fought with eachother. The Hindu Trinity is not One God in three Persons, but three gods as the strongest and most powerful causes of all things in the universe. YHWH is a totally unique phenomenon.

I'm hardly a master on apologetics, but these answers should be enough to enlighten to some extent. Research will confirm the truth of them.

Peace to all who seek it.
<><

__________________
"Man will believe anything, as long as its not in the Bible."
-Napolean

hehe, don't mean to be a stickler, but this topic on 12/25 should be asked in another thread.

Back on topic, in regards to Krishna, I don't know for certain, but I am almost sure that you are correct in that the prohecies regarding Jesus are far older than Krishna. At least one prophecy is: that Jesus would be born of a woman.

Othniel, your answers show incredible insight. I am impressed. May the Lord continue to guide your answers. Expect a PM from me shortly.

Josephus-

I asked my priest about this topic last night, and specifically, whether Hindus that haven't heard about Jesus, would be sent to Hell.

He said that if anyone hasn't heard of Jesus, then they haven't rejected Him, and a loving God wouldn't torture someone for all eternity due to ignorance. Of course its different if they just outright reject Him. So if they are ignorant, yet live good lives, as best they understand them, then they will be judged accordingly. This idea applies to tribes in Africa, etc. Its all relative to our level of knowledge.

He also said in reference to Jesus that His life is based in historical fact, whereas Krishna is just stories. I don't know if there is any historical evidence for Krishna.

Your priest has given you a popular answer in our "compromising" culture, but it denies Scriptural truth and makes the Great Commission into the cruelest statement ever. Let me explain:

If those who haven't heard of Christ can be saved by their ignorance and pure heartedness, then by telling someone about Christ you are effectively giving them a chance to be damned which, if you just kept your mouth shut, they'd never face. They're a good person right? Then they'd have a better chance to go to heaven on their own...but
that line of logic forgets that we all were supposed to go to hell in the first place. We are all damned. The Bible says that all men are evil. We only desire to sin. Without Christ no one is righteous. (Romans 3). No one can live that "good life" your priest referred to. For "if righteousness could be obtain by the law then Christ died for nothing"! (Gal 2:21)


And that's not even the most heretical problem. Here it is:

Such a statment makes salvation something God owes us! If He does not save those who do not hear, He is then (in our eyes) unjust and therefore not love. By this, we display that we are justified in our own eyes before salvation! This thinking states that it is God's duty to save us! Where then is His grace? How is His love then undeserved?


It is only by faith in Christ that we are redeemed, because His atoning death on the cross takes our punishment for us. If Christ does not take one's punishment, they cannot enter the Kingdom of God.

Somewhat ironically, your priest's view deglorifies God by subjecting Him to our standards. The Bible uplifts God as absolutely Just, punishing the wicked (which is everyone) and redeeming the faithful (those blessed and predestined to see the Messiah as their Savior).


If this troubles you, I suggest reading and contemplating the book of Joshua. In it you will see the nature of God's Justice. On first glance, human reason would see God in this book as evil...but when one remembers that we are the evil ones and that we all deserve hell, it changes the perspective (and in fact allows for repentance leading to forgiveness.) Suddenly the grace God has shown you and me by leading us to His Son becomes that much more gracious, and God is that much more good to us, and we can praise Him with more of ourselves, which is what He desires in the end after all.


Also, remember that God says He knows who belong to Him. We can rest assured that God will reach all that are His. Those whom He calls will come because He only calls those who will hear, and no others. But we who come are surely not there by our good works, but by the grace of Christ!


Peace to all who seek it.

<><

__________________
"Man will believe anything, as long as its not in the Bible."
-Napolean

Any insight is the glory of His Spirit in me. Thank you for affirming His work in my life.

I pray also that God enlightens and guides you in this difficult task which is seemingly appointed for you.

<><

__________________
"Man will believe anything, as long as its not in the Bible."
-Napolean