Tatsächlich ist das Christentum nur eine weitere Manifestation der göttlichen Weisheit (philosophia perennis) so wie der Buddhismus, der Hinduismus, das Judentum und der Islam. „Es geschieht nichts Neues unter der Sonne“ - die Wahrheit ist ewig gleich, immer eins, immer nur die Wahrheit, egal in welchem religiösen Gewand sie präsentiert wird. Das Christentum mit anderen Religionen zu vergleichen und von ihren spirituellen Traditionen zu lernen, ist somit keine Häresie, auch wenn das manche inquisitorisch gesinnte Dogmatiker meinen. Das ist viel mehr das Gebot der Stunde, damit ein wirklich reifes, erwachsenes, illuminiertes Christentum die Welt bereichern kann.The idea prevalent in the minds of Christians that their faith is the one and only truly inspired doctrine, and that it came parentless into the world, is unreasonable in the extreme. A study of comparative religions proves beyond doubt that Christianity has begged, borrowed, or stolen its philosophies and concepts from the religions and philosophies of the ancient and medieval pagan worlds. Among the religious symbols and allegories which belonged to the world long ago before the coming of Christianity are a few to which we would like to call your attention. The following Christian symbols and concepts are of pagan origin: The Christian cross comes from Egypt and India: the triple miter from the faith of the Mithraics: the shepherd's crook from the Hermetic Mysteries and Greece: the immaculate conception from India: the transfiguration from Persia: and the trinity from the Brahmans. The Virgin Mary, as the mother of God, is found in a dozen different faiths. There are over twenty crucified world saviors. The church steeple is an adaptation of Egyptian obelisks and pyramids, while the Christian devil is the Egyptian Typhon with certain modifications. The deeper one goes into the problem, the more he realizes that there is nothing new under the sun. A truly sincere study of the Christian faith proves beyond all doubt that it is the evolutionary outgrowth of primitive doctrines. There is an evolution in religion as well as in physical form. If we accept and incorporate into our doctrines the religious symbolism of nearly forty peoples it behooves us to understand (at least in part) the meaning of the myths and allegories which we borrow, lest we be more ignorant than those from whom we secured them.
~ Excerpt from The Occult Anatomy Of Man, Part 1. The Human Body In Symbolism
Manly Palmer Hall
The New Atlantis