Magical Realist
Valued Senior Member
Correspondences between events in Jesus' and Krishna's life:
"Author Kersey Graves (1813-1883), a Quaker from Indiana, compared
Yeshua's and Krishna's life. He found what he believed were 346 elements
in common within Christiana and Hindu writings. 1 That appears to be
overwhelming evidence that incidents in Jesus' life were copied from
Krishna's. However, many of Graves' points of similarity are a real
stretch.
He did report some amazing coincidences:
45: Yeshua and Krishna were called both a God and the Son of God.
Both was sent from heaven to earth in the form of a man.
46: Both were called Savior, and the second person of the Trinity.
13, 15, 16 & 23: His adoptive human father was a carpenter.
18: A spirit or ghost was their actual father.
21: Krishna and Jesus were of royal descent.
27 & 28: Both were visited at birth by wise men and shepherds, guided by
a star.
30 to 34: Angels in both cases 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 as adults,
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 forgave his enemies.
128 to 131: Both descended into Hell, and were resurrected. Many people
witnessed their ascensions into heaven.
horizontal rule
---------------------
Errors in Graves' book:
Due either to carelessness, or the primitive knowledge of religious
history in the late 19th century, it appears that Graves made some
errors in his book. He reported that:
Both Krishna and Yeshua were born on December 25.
Actually, Krishna is traditionally believed to have been born during
August. The festival Janmashtami is held in honor of this birth.
The birth day of Jesus is unknown, but is believed by many to have also
been about August during some year between 4 and 7 BCE.
December 25th was chosen for Christmas to coincide with a pre-existent
Pagan Roman holiday, Saturnalia. December 25th was also recognized in
ancient times as the birth day of various other god-men such as Attis
and Mithra. All were linked to the winter solstice, which occurs about
DEC-21.
Jesus' and Krishna's mothers were holy virgins:
Actually, the virginal state of Mary when she conceived Jesus is a
matter of debate. Paul and the author(s) of the Gospel of John appear to
directly reject the concept. The author of the Gospel of Mark appears to
have been unaware of it. The authors of Matthew and Luke accepted the
belief. Christians today are divided.
The virginal state of Devaki is also a matter of debate. One tradition
states that Krishna was her eighth child. Another states that it was a
virgin birth: "In the context of myth and religion, the virgin birth is
applied to any miraculous conception and birth. In this sense, whether
the mother is technically a virgin is of secondary importance to the
fact that she conceives and gives birth by some means other than the
ordinary....the divine Vishnu himself descended into the womb of Devaki
and was born as her son Krishna." 11
Jesus' and Krishna's mothers had similar names: Miriam (Mary) and Maia
In reality, Krishna's mother may have been referred to as Maia, but only
because this is the Hindi word for "mother." His mother's actual name
was Devaki; his foster mother's name was Yashoda.
horizontal rule
-----------------------
Points of similarity found by other writers:
In addition, there are other points of similarity between Krishna and
Yeshua:
"The object of Krishna's birth was to bring about a victory of good over
evil."
"Krishna "came onto earth to cleanse the sins of the human beings."
"Krishna was born while his foster-father Nanda was in the city to pay
his tax to the king." 3 Yeshua was born while his foster-father, Joseph,
was in the city to be enumerated in a census so that "all the world
could be taxed."
Jesus is recorded as saying:
"if you had faith as a mustard seed you would say to the mountain uproot
yourself and be cast into the ocean" Krishna is reported as having
uprooted a small mountain.
Krishna's "...foster-father Nanda had to journey to Mathura to pay his
taxes" just as Jesus foster-father Joseph is recorded in the Gospel of
Luke as having to go to Bethlehem to pay taxes.
"The story about the birth of Elizabeth's son John (the Baptist), cousin
of Jesus, corresponds with the story in the Krishna myth about the birth
of the child of Nanda and his wife Yasoda." 10 Nanda was the
foster-father of Krishna.bulletThe Greek God Dionysos, Jesus and Krishna
were all said to have been placed in a manger basket after birth.
horizontal rule
---------------------
Were Krishna and Yeshua both crucified and later raised to heaven?
In addition to the above points of correspondence between Yeshua and
Krishna, there may be one more similarity: they may have both been
crucified.
In his book, Graves stated flatly that both Yeshua and Krishna were
crucified between two thieves, at the age of about 30 to 36 by "wicked
hands." However, this may have been wishful thinking. The "common,
orthodox depiction of Krishna's death relates that he was shot in the
foot with an arrow while under a tree." 5 But:
The author Jacolliot, referring to the "Bagaveda-Gita and Brahminical
traditions," states that the body of Krishna: "was suspended to the
branches of a tree by his murderer, that it might become the prey of the
vultures...[Later] the mortal frame of the Redeemer had disappeared--no
doubt it had regained the celestial abodes..." . Guigniaut's Religion
de l'Antiquité, which states: "The death of Crishna is very
differently related. One remarkable and convincing tradition makes him
perish on a tree, to which he was nailed by the stroke of an arrow."
There are other references to Krishna being crucified, and being shown
with holes in his feet, hands and side.
In the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) Yeshua's crucifixion on a
cross or stake is often referred to as being "hung on a tree:"
Acts 5:30: "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus...hanging him on a
tree.
Acts 10:39: "...hanging him on a tree."
Acts 13:29: "...they took him down from the tree..."
Galatians 3:13: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having
become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that
hangeth on a tree."
1 Peter 2:24: "...who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the
tree..." (All ASV)
horizontal rule
----------------------
Correspondences between Hinduism and some branches of Christianity:
At least some branches of Christianity share the following beliefs with
Hinduism:
A future reward in heaven or punishment in Hell.
Hinduism and Catholicism share the concept of Purgatory.
A day of judgment.
A general resurrection.
The need for repentance for sin.
Salvation requires faith in the Savior.
A belief in angels and of evil spirits.
A belief that disease and sickness is caused by evil spirits.
A past war in heaven between good and bad angels.
Free will.
God is considered the "Word of Logos."
Their religious texts talk of "the blind leading the blind," "a new
heaven and a new earth, "living water," "all scripture is given by
inspiration of God," "all scripture is profitable for doctrine," "to die
is great gain," etc.
Fasting.
Being born again.
horizontal rule
---------------------
Other points of similarity between Hinduism and Christianity:
Symbols: The trident -- traditionally carried by the Hindu God-Goddess
Shiva, is somewhat similar to the Christian cross. Adding a vertical
horn at both ends of the horizontal bar of a cross will convert it
into a trident with three prongs. This actually was done to a Christian
cross erected by a Baptist community of 1,200 in Ranalia, India. For
decades, the Baptists had annually whitewashed a cross symbol on a large
rock in a hill above the town. In early 1999, someone added two horns,
turning the cross into a trident. When the smoke cleared (literally)
more than 150 mud huts owned by Christians had been gutted by arson.
Some named the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party as perpetrators.
However, that was denied by the local head of the party. This is a very
unusual event, because Hindus in India are known for their unusually
high level of religious tolerance. Many Hindus believe that all
religions can lead their members to God.
The role of water: Most Christians baptize either mature members or
infants in the congregation. Sometime this is done by total immersion in
water; sometimes by sprinkling water over the individual's head. In the
Roman Catholic Church, baptism is a sacrament that washes away the
person's original sin. Immersion in water by Hindus is also an important
ritual. "Water in Hinduism has a special place because it is believed to
have spiritually cleansing powers...In the sacred water distinctions of
caste are supposed to count for nothing, as all sins fall away...Every
temple has a pond near it and devotees are supposed to take a bath
before entering the temple."---http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jckr1.htm
"Author Kersey Graves (1813-1883), a Quaker from Indiana, compared
Yeshua's and Krishna's life. He found what he believed were 346 elements
in common within Christiana and Hindu writings. 1 That appears to be
overwhelming evidence that incidents in Jesus' life were copied from
Krishna's. However, many of Graves' points of similarity are a real
stretch.
He did report some amazing coincidences:
45: Yeshua and Krishna were called both a God and the Son of God.
Both was sent from heaven to earth in the form of a man.
46: Both were called Savior, and the second person of the Trinity.
13, 15, 16 & 23: His adoptive human father was a carpenter.
18: A spirit or ghost was their actual father.
21: Krishna and Jesus were of royal descent.
27 & 28: Both were visited at birth by wise men and shepherds, guided by
a star.
30 to 34: Angels in both cases 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 as adults,
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 forgave his enemies.
128 to 131: Both descended into Hell, and were resurrected. Many people
witnessed their ascensions into heaven.
horizontal rule
---------------------
Errors in Graves' book:
Due either to carelessness, or the primitive knowledge of religious
history in the late 19th century, it appears that Graves made some
errors in his book. He reported that:
Both Krishna and Yeshua were born on December 25.
Actually, Krishna is traditionally believed to have been born during
August. The festival Janmashtami is held in honor of this birth.
The birth day of Jesus is unknown, but is believed by many to have also
been about August during some year between 4 and 7 BCE.
December 25th was chosen for Christmas to coincide with a pre-existent
Pagan Roman holiday, Saturnalia. December 25th was also recognized in
ancient times as the birth day of various other god-men such as Attis
and Mithra. All were linked to the winter solstice, which occurs about
DEC-21.
Jesus' and Krishna's mothers were holy virgins:
Actually, the virginal state of Mary when she conceived Jesus is a
matter of debate. Paul and the author(s) of the Gospel of John appear to
directly reject the concept. The author of the Gospel of Mark appears to
have been unaware of it. The authors of Matthew and Luke accepted the
belief. Christians today are divided.
The virginal state of Devaki is also a matter of debate. One tradition
states that Krishna was her eighth child. Another states that it was a
virgin birth: "In the context of myth and religion, the virgin birth is
applied to any miraculous conception and birth. In this sense, whether
the mother is technically a virgin is of secondary importance to the
fact that she conceives and gives birth by some means other than the
ordinary....the divine Vishnu himself descended into the womb of Devaki
and was born as her son Krishna." 11
Jesus' and Krishna's mothers had similar names: Miriam (Mary) and Maia
In reality, Krishna's mother may have been referred to as Maia, but only
because this is the Hindi word for "mother." His mother's actual name
was Devaki; his foster mother's name was Yashoda.
horizontal rule
-----------------------
Points of similarity found by other writers:
In addition, there are other points of similarity between Krishna and
Yeshua:
"The object of Krishna's birth was to bring about a victory of good over
evil."
"Krishna "came onto earth to cleanse the sins of the human beings."
"Krishna was born while his foster-father Nanda was in the city to pay
his tax to the king." 3 Yeshua was born while his foster-father, Joseph,
was in the city to be enumerated in a census so that "all the world
could be taxed."
Jesus is recorded as saying:
"if you had faith as a mustard seed you would say to the mountain uproot
yourself and be cast into the ocean" Krishna is reported as having
uprooted a small mountain.
Krishna's "...foster-father Nanda had to journey to Mathura to pay his
taxes" just as Jesus foster-father Joseph is recorded in the Gospel of
Luke as having to go to Bethlehem to pay taxes.
"The story about the birth of Elizabeth's son John (the Baptist), cousin
of Jesus, corresponds with the story in the Krishna myth about the birth
of the child of Nanda and his wife Yasoda." 10 Nanda was the
foster-father of Krishna.bulletThe Greek God Dionysos, Jesus and Krishna
were all said to have been placed in a manger basket after birth.
horizontal rule
---------------------
Were Krishna and Yeshua both crucified and later raised to heaven?
In addition to the above points of correspondence between Yeshua and
Krishna, there may be one more similarity: they may have both been
crucified.
In his book, Graves stated flatly that both Yeshua and Krishna were
crucified between two thieves, at the age of about 30 to 36 by "wicked
hands." However, this may have been wishful thinking. The "common,
orthodox depiction of Krishna's death relates that he was shot in the
foot with an arrow while under a tree." 5 But:
The author Jacolliot, referring to the "Bagaveda-Gita and Brahminical
traditions," states that the body of Krishna: "was suspended to the
branches of a tree by his murderer, that it might become the prey of the
vultures...[Later] the mortal frame of the Redeemer had disappeared--no
doubt it had regained the celestial abodes..." . Guigniaut's Religion
de l'Antiquité, which states: "The death of Crishna is very
differently related. One remarkable and convincing tradition makes him
perish on a tree, to which he was nailed by the stroke of an arrow."
There are other references to Krishna being crucified, and being shown
with holes in his feet, hands and side.
In the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) Yeshua's crucifixion on a
cross or stake is often referred to as being "hung on a tree:"
Acts 5:30: "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus...hanging him on a
tree.
Acts 10:39: "...hanging him on a tree."
Acts 13:29: "...they took him down from the tree..."
Galatians 3:13: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having
become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that
hangeth on a tree."
1 Peter 2:24: "...who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the
tree..." (All ASV)
horizontal rule
----------------------
Correspondences between Hinduism and some branches of Christianity:
At least some branches of Christianity share the following beliefs with
Hinduism:
A future reward in heaven or punishment in Hell.
Hinduism and Catholicism share the concept of Purgatory.
A day of judgment.
A general resurrection.
The need for repentance for sin.
Salvation requires faith in the Savior.
A belief in angels and of evil spirits.
A belief that disease and sickness is caused by evil spirits.
A past war in heaven between good and bad angels.
Free will.
God is considered the "Word of Logos."
Their religious texts talk of "the blind leading the blind," "a new
heaven and a new earth, "living water," "all scripture is given by
inspiration of God," "all scripture is profitable for doctrine," "to die
is great gain," etc.
Fasting.
Being born again.
horizontal rule
---------------------
Other points of similarity between Hinduism and Christianity:
Symbols: The trident -- traditionally carried by the Hindu God-Goddess
Shiva, is somewhat similar to the Christian cross. Adding a vertical
horn at both ends of the horizontal bar of a cross will convert it
into a trident with three prongs. This actually was done to a Christian
cross erected by a Baptist community of 1,200 in Ranalia, India. For
decades, the Baptists had annually whitewashed a cross symbol on a large
rock in a hill above the town. In early 1999, someone added two horns,
turning the cross into a trident. When the smoke cleared (literally)
more than 150 mud huts owned by Christians had been gutted by arson.
Some named the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party as perpetrators.
However, that was denied by the local head of the party. This is a very
unusual event, because Hindus in India are known for their unusually
high level of religious tolerance. Many Hindus believe that all
religions can lead their members to God.
The role of water: Most Christians baptize either mature members or
infants in the congregation. Sometime this is done by total immersion in
water; sometimes by sprinkling water over the individual's head. In the
Roman Catholic Church, baptism is a sacrament that washes away the
person's original sin. Immersion in water by Hindus is also an important
ritual. "Water in Hinduism has a special place because it is believed to
have spiritually cleansing powers...In the sacred water distinctions of
caste are supposed to count for nothing, as all sins fall away...Every
temple has a pond near it and devotees are supposed to take a bath
before entering the temple."---http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jckr1.htm
