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M*W: Recently asked this question, I believe Dr. M.D. Magee has the best answer, and I wanted to share it with you for your comments:
"The doctrine of salvation by crucifixion had an astronomical origin. The sun is hung on a cross or crucified when it passes through the equinoxes. The sun god exists as twins, a bright twin and a dark twin, summer and winter, bright and dark. People in northern climates were saved by the sun’s crucifixion when it crossed over the equatorial line into the season of spring, at the vernal equinox at Easter. The sun that is crucified is the dark winter sun, lacking the warmth and brightness of the summer. It is resurrected as, or supplanted by, its twin, the bright warm fertilizing summer sun that continues on to ascend into heaven. In the hot climates of the ancient near east, the summer sun is the wicked sun. Crucified was the salvific cool winter sun that had brought the rains, and his death was bewailed by people forlorn until he came again in the autumn. In Ezekiel, women outside the temple gates bewailed the death of Tammuz. Christianity confused the two traditions."
~ Dr. M.D. Magee (c) May 7, 2001
M*W: Recently asked this question, I believe Dr. M.D. Magee has the best answer, and I wanted to share it with you for your comments:
"The doctrine of salvation by crucifixion had an astronomical origin. The sun is hung on a cross or crucified when it passes through the equinoxes. The sun god exists as twins, a bright twin and a dark twin, summer and winter, bright and dark. People in northern climates were saved by the sun’s crucifixion when it crossed over the equatorial line into the season of spring, at the vernal equinox at Easter. The sun that is crucified is the dark winter sun, lacking the warmth and brightness of the summer. It is resurrected as, or supplanted by, its twin, the bright warm fertilizing summer sun that continues on to ascend into heaven. In the hot climates of the ancient near east, the summer sun is the wicked sun. Crucified was the salvific cool winter sun that had brought the rains, and his death was bewailed by people forlorn until he came again in the autumn. In Ezekiel, women outside the temple gates bewailed the death of Tammuz. Christianity confused the two traditions."
~ Dr. M.D. Magee (c) May 7, 2001