Ancient Quote by Thomas Paine
“The fable of Christ and his twelve apostles is a parody of the sun and the twelve signs of the Zodiac, copied from the ancient religions of the Eastern world. Every thing told of Christ has reference to the sun. His reported resurrection is at sunrise, and that on the first day of the week; that is, on the day anciently dedicated to the sun, and from thence called Sunday.”
About This Quote
Interprets Christian narratives as allegories of solar cycles, suggesting mythic origins tied to ancient sun worship.
In simple terms: Christ story mirrors sun and zodiac symbolism.
Key Takeaway
Recognize symbolic layers in religious texts.
Themes
religion
myth
astronomy
symbolism
Mood
analytic
skeptical
Type
critical
academic
When to use this quote
- historical analysis
- literary criticism
- cultural studies
Key Concepts
comparative religion
mythology
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence supports this view?
- How does symbolism affect belief?
A Different Perspective
Such readings can be contested by scholars.
![“That many good men have believed this strange fable [Christianity], and lived very good lives under that belief (for credulity is not a crime) is what I have no doubt of. In the first place, they were educated to believe it, and they would have believed anything else in the same manner . There are…” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ef2/thomas-paine-267_absurdity_that-many-good-men-have-believed-this-st_2075778.jpg)
