I stumbled across the article below while reading about the survey on Religious Literacy in America and taking an interest in a
. While browsing articles on the American Atheist website I discovered what appears to be a serious case of plagiarism.
The following article purports to have been written by one "Edward Kagin," who is a lawyer and
.
The comparisons to the original are provided below the quote in blue. As we can see, it's a virtual lift from Acharya's book
(1999).
Pre-Christian Christmas Stories with Other GodsBy Edwin Kagin
Deities "born" on December 25:
Horus c. 3000 BCE
--born of the virgin Isis-Merion December 25 in a cave/manger with his birth being announced by a star in the East and attended by three wise men.
--his earthly father was named “Seb” (“Joseph”).
--was of royal descent.
--at 12, he was a child teacher in the Temple, and at 30, he was baptized having disappeared for 18 years.
--baptized in the river Eridanus or Iarutana (Jordan) by “Anup the Baptizer” (“John the Baptist”), who was decapitated.
--had 12 disciples, two of who were his “witnesses” and were named “Anup” and “Aan” (the two “Johns”).
--performed miracles, exorcised demons and raised El-Azarus (“El-Osiris”), from the dead.
--walked on water.
--his personal epithet was “Iusa,” the “ever-becoming son” of “Ptah,” the “Father.” He was thus called “Holy Child.”
--delivered a “Sermon on the Mount” and his followers recounted the “Sayings of Iusa.”
--was transfigured on the Mount.
--crucified between two thieves, buried for three days in a tomb, and resurrected.
--he was also the “Way, the Truth, the Light,” “Messiah,” “God’s Anointed Son,” “the “Son of Man,” the “Good Shepherd,” the “Lamb of God,” the “Word made flesh,” the “Word of Truth,” etc.
--he was “the Fisher” and was associated with the Fish (“Ichthys”), Lamb and Lion.
--came to fulfill the Law.
--called “the KRST,” or “Anointed One.”
--was supposed to reign one thousand years.
Inscribed about 3,500 years ago on the walls of the Temple at Luxor were images of the Annunciation, Immaculate Conception, Birth and Adoration of Horus, with Thoth announcing to the Virgin Isis that she will conceive Horus; with Kneph the “Holy Ghost,” impregnating the virgin; and with the infant being attended by three kings, or magi, bearing gifts. In addition, in the catacombs at Rome are pictures of the baby Horus being held by the virgin mother Isis—the original “Madonna and Child.”
Osiris c. 3000 BCE
--Father of Horus, considered to be part of a triune godhead -- Osiris, Horus and Isis.
--Osiris was identified with nearly every other Egyptian god and was on the way to absorbing them all. He had well over 200 divine names.
--He was called the Lord of Lords, King of Kings, God of Gods.
--He was the Resurrection and the Life, the Good Shepherd, Eternity and Everlastingness, the god who “made men and women to be born again.” --From first to last, Osiris was to the Egyptians the god-man who suffered, an died, and rose again, and reigned eternally in heaven. They believed that they would inherit eternal life, just as he had done .
--Osiris’s coming was announced by Three Wise Men: the three stars Mintaka, Anilam, and Alnitak in the belt of Orion, which point directly to Osiris’s star in the east, Sirius (Sothis), significator of his birth . . .
--Osiris was a prototypical Messiah, as well as a devoured Host. His flesh was eaten in the form of communion cakes of wheat, the “plant of Truth.” . . .
--The cult of Osiris contributed a number of ideas and phrases to the Bible. The 23rd Psalm copied an Egyptian text appealing to Osiris the Good Shepherd to lead the deceased to the “green pastures” and “still waters” of the nefer-nefer land, to restore the soul to the body, and to give protection in the valley of the shadow of death (the Tuat).
--The Lord’s Prayer was prefigured by an Egyptian hymn to Osiris-Amen beginning, “O Amen, O Amen, who are in heaven.” Amen was also invoked at the end of every prayer.
Attis of Phrygia c.1400 BCE
-- born on December 25 of the Virgin Nana (or sometimes Cybelem).
-- considered the savior who was slain for the salvation of mankind.
-- his body as bread was eaten by his worshippers
-- his priests were “eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven.”
-- he was both the Divine Son and the Father.
-- he was crucified on a tree on “Black Friday,” from which his holy blood ran down to redeem the earth.
-- descended into the underworld for three days.
-- was resurrected on March 25 (as tradition held of Jesus) as the Most High God. -- reborn as the evergreen pine.
Krishna c. 1400 BCE (possibly as early as 5771 BCE)
-- born of the Virgin Devaki (“Divine One”) on December 25.
--his earthly father was a carpenter, off in the city paying tax when K. was born.
--birth was signaled by a star in the east and attended by angels and shepherds, at which time he was presented with spices.
--heavenly hosts danced and sang at his birth.
--persecuted by a tyrant who ordered the slaughter of thousands of infants.
--anointed on the head with oil by a woman whom he healed.
--depicted as having his foot on the head of a serpent.
--worked miracles and wonders, raising the dead and healing lepers, the deaf and the blind.
--used parables to teach the people about charity and love, and he “lived poor and he loved the poor.”
--castigated the clergy, charging them with “ambition and hypocrisy . . . Tradition says he fell victim to their vengeance.”
--his “beloved disciple” was Arjuina or Ar-jouan (Jouhn).
--transfigured in front of his disciples.
--gave his twelve disciples the ability to work miracles.
--his path was “strewn with branches.”
--died on a tree or was crucified between two thieves.
--killed around the age of 30, and the sun darkened at his death.
--rose from the dead and ascended to heaven “in the sight of all men.”
--depicted on a cross with nail-holes in his feet, as well as having a heart emblem on his clothing.
--the “lion of the tribe of Saki.”
--called the “Shepherd of God” and considered the “Redeemer,” “Firstborn,” “Sin-Bearer,” “Liberator,” “Universal Word.”
--deemed the “Son of God” and “our Lord and Savior,” who came to earth to die for man’s salvation.
--the second person of the Trinity.
--his disciples purportedly bestowed upon him the title “Jezeus,” or “Jeseus,” meaning “pure essence.”
Zoroaster/Zarathustra c. 1000 BCE or earlier
--born of a 15-year-old virgin, Dughdhava and “immaculate conception by a ray of divine reason.”
--he was baptized in a river.
--in his youth he astounded wise men with his wisdom.
--was tempted in the wilderness by the devil.
--began his ministry at age 30 wandered around with twelve followers.
--baptized with water, fire and “holy wind.”
--cast out demons and restored the sight to a blind man.
--taught about heaven and hell, and revealed mysteries, including resurrection, judgment, salvation and the apocalypse.
--had a sacred cup or grail.
--was slain.
--his religion had a eucharist.
--he was the “Word made flesh.”
--followers expected a “second coming” in the virgin-born Saoshynt or Savior, who is to come in 2341 CE and begin his ministry at age 30, ushering in a golden age.
Mithra of Persia c. 600 BCE
--born of a virgin on December 25 in a cave, and his birth was attended by shepherds bearing gifts.
--considered a great traveling teacher and master.
--had 12 companions or disciples.
--his followers were promised immortality.
--performed miracles.
--the “great bull of the Sun,” Mithra sacrificed himself for world peace.
-- buried in a tomb and after three days rose again.
--resurrection was celebrated every year.
--called “the Good Shepherd” and identified with both the Lamb and the Lion.
--considered the “Way, the Truth and the Light,” and the “Logos,” [Word] “Redeemer,” “Savior” and “Messiah.”
--sacred day was Sunday, the “Lord’s Day,” hundreds of years before the appearance of Christ.
--had his principal festival on what was later to become Easter.
--his religion had a eucharist or “Lord’s Supper,” at which Mithra said, “He who shall not eat of my body nor drink of my blood so that he may be one with me and I with him, shall not be saved.”
--his annual sacrifice is the Passover of the Magi, a symbolical atonement of pledge of moral and physical regeneration.
ALSO, the Vatican is built upon the papacy of Mithra, and the Christian hierarchy is nearly identical to the Mithraic version it replaced . . . Virtually all of the elements of the Catholic ritual, from miter to wafer to altar to doxology, are directly taken from earlier Pagan mystery religions.
Buddha (Siddartha Gautama) c. 563 BCE
--born on December 25
--born of the Virgin Maya (“the Queen of Heaven”)
-- announced by a star and attended by wise men presenting costly gifts.
--at his birth Brahma angels sang hymns.
--tempted by Mara, the Evil One, while fasting, but overcame the temptation, putting the Evil One to flight.
--taught in temple at age 12 and was able to match the wise religious scholars in their understanding.
-- He healed the sick; fed 500 from a small basket of cakes.
--walked on water.
--Buddha's disciple wanted to hear his lord preach so he started to cross a stream – he doubted and started to sink but he built up his faith and continued to walk across the water.
--came to fulfill the law and preached the establishment of a kingdom of righteousness.
--He obliged followers to live in poverty and to renounce the world.
--In his final years, Buddha was said to have 'crushed a serpent's head' and to have been transfigured on a mount ...'
--It was Buddha, not Christ, who first said: 'If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also'
Heracles c. 800 BCE
--born on December 25 to a virgin who refrained from sex with her until her God-begotten child was born.
--sacrificed at the spring equinox.
Dionysus c. 186 BCE
--born of a virgin on December 25 and, as the Holy Child, was placed in a manger.
--a traveling teacher who performed miracles.
--rode in a triumphal procession on an ass.
-- a sacred king killed and eaten in an eucharistic ritual for fecundity and purification.
--rose from the dead on March 25.
--the God of the Vine, and turned water into wine.
--called “King of Kings” and “God of Gods.”
--considered the “Only Begotten Son,” Savior,” “Redeemer,” “Sin Bearer,” Anointed One,” and the “Alpha and Omega.”
--identified with the Ram or Lamb.
--His sacrificial title of “Dendrites” or “Young Man of the Tree” indicates he was hung on a tree or crucified.
Tammuz c. 400 BCE
--born to a virgin, named Mylitta, on December 25
Adonis c. 200 BCE
--born on December 25 was son of the virgin Myrha. (Almost certainly based on Tammuz).
Hermes
--born on December 25 was the son of the virgin Maia,
--member of a holy trinity Hermes Tris-Megistus.
Bacchus
--born on December 25, was crucified in 200 BCE.
Prometheus
--born on December 25, descended from heaven as a god incarnate as man, to save mankind, and was crucified, suffered, and was redeemed from death.
http://atheists.org/Pre-Christian_Chris ... Other_Gods In order to compare them with Kagin's article quoted above, I've provided below a few of the lists as they appear in Acharya's book,
, except without the footnote numbers. There are more gods discussed in "The Characters" chapter, pp. 105 to 128, along with all of the proper citations.
These lists were originated by Acharya S, in her own words, and where she's quoting or paraphrasing others, she cites her source. If you see similar lists across the net, make sure people know that they were created by Acharya S, and please ask for proper citation to be posted. It appears that many, many more have plagiarized her work without proper citation.
Click on the names of each god in bold below for the Google books link to the original from
Some of these lists in Acharya's book originally came from her 1993 article "The Origins of Christianity and the Quest for the Historical Jesus Christ," the updated version (2009) of which can be found here:
I think that's enough for readers to get the idea of what's going on here. Kagin's article has also been posted on his myspace and blogspot pages:
If this was done on purpose and is not an error, then it is blatantly obvious that Edwin Kagin's article is a copy/paste job of Acharya's work, with a few words changed and some phrases added here and there - an activity that indicates that he knew exactly what he was doing and others have done the same. The fact that he has posted it in several places also suggests it didn't just mistakenly end up on the AA website, and the fact that no one, including Kagin, is correcting the commenters in his blog that it wasn't HE who wrote it but Acharya also indicates intent, rather than error.
turns up quite a few links, and they appear to be posted on a number of major atheist websites. Would that recognition still be the case if the article were properly cited with
as the source? Would Edwin Kagin and all the other atheists who posted it around still have copied/pasted it if they knew
was the source? If the information is good enough for American Atheists to post on their website, why has Acharya herself been ignored by them all these years?
We have no problem with others sharing these important points; in fact, we encourage it. However, we do expect proper citation. As any lawyer should know, this sort of plagiarism is a very serious offense - so serious that Edwin Kagin could be sued and disbarred. We have no intention of doing that because we'd prefer to work it out in an amicable manner - in fact, we want to give him and the AA the benefit of the doubt. The American Atheist website and Edwin Kagin simply needs to post the proper citation and link for the article.
We consider ourselves freethinkers and a part of the same team. The discrimination, abuse and any potential misogyny against Acharya S/D.M. Murdock must stop.
Our major problem with this issue aside from what looks like blatant plagiarism is the fact that some atheists hold nothing but contempt for Acharya's work; meanwhile, they actually agree with her thesis when her name isn't mentioned. Acharya has been abused and derogated by some atheists for years, including some from American Atheists who've been holding their noses at the mere mention of her name, even if they've never read her work. Yet, when someone copies her work wholesale, it's plenty good enough to post on the American Atheist website and every other major atheist website as well. People stealing her work and abusing her in multiple ways, including not citing her and deliberately ignoring her and refusing to post her work for discussion i.e.
- this is what Acharya goes through day after day. In the case of plagiarism, it's not just
and others who haven't read a single book of hers but who pretend to know all about it -
.
I'm completely fed-up and disgusted by this poor treatment of one of the greatest independent scholars of comparative religion, mythology and astrotheology in history. Her work in astrotheology is outstanding! Where is the help for Acharya? Are atheists just going to sit back and let all the work she's dug up on astrotheology and mythology be buried for another 2,000 years? People have a right and a responsibility to be aware of our very ancient astrotheological past. We feel it's the origin of religious concepts based on natural phenomena. I know she lives frugally and with almost no assistance from anyone, totally independent of all organizations - being ignored by the likes of AA and others, while they steal her work holding it up as respectable and credible under another name -
So, I'm curious to see how this will turn out - like I say, I'm willing to give Kagin and the AA the benefit of the doubt. Will the American Atheist website (and the other atheist websites) provide the correct citation and link to the article, or will they just remove it altogether when they find out Acharya S is the proper source? We would like to see the article
, but with the necessary adjustments and proper citation and link. I've given Kagin and the AA an easy out here and I don't think it's too much to ask. Do you?
link and video. Never before has there been such a succinct, clearly explained position for mythicists;
. Many atheists and freethinkers would most likely appreciate it.
Bust out the popcorn and beers.
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