For well over a century, scholars have recognized the Xtian gospels (e.g. Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are a retelling of older Buddhist ~ fables.
Around 1900, Albert J. Edmunds proposed that the early Christian movement grew at least partially out of the influence of Buddhist missionaries send to the Levant by Ashoka. (Edmunds felt that there was sufficient literary evidence to support the thesis that Ashoka (or Asoka) sent Buddhist missionaries to five Greek (and
Macedonian) emperors, including Antiochus, Ptolemy and
Alexander (Macedonian), between 262–258 B.C.)
Alexander's general, Menander I (Macedonian), may indeed have first supported Buddhism. see: "The Greeks in Bactria and India", W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press.
There remains the possibility that Menander II, rather than Menander I, was actually the Buddhist Greek (Macedonian) king referred to in the Milinda Panha.
So (Macedonian) Buddhism begat Xtianity.
But Roman Xtianity (a child of Byzantine Xtianity) begat Islam!
"Pope" Gregory's humiliation in very public debate with Eutychius also had the background of Byzantine emperors in whose shadows the Romans could only aspire to hide. The "Eastern Empire" was - by far - greater than the so-called "Roman Empire" or Western Offspring. They were not even siblings! Popular books were not written to tell the truth (e.g. several historical Greeks - like Cleopatra - were actually Macedonian). To bring about the end of Byzantium, Gregory I (Bishop of Rome) needed an army attacking the flank of the Byzantine Empire. That army wound become Mohammad's!
Byzantine Iconoclasm constituted a ban on religious images by Emperor Leo III and continued under his successors. Rome was littered with Icons of the old Gods = Jupiter becoming St. Peter, and so on. Iconophiles - icon lovers vs. Iconoclasts - ikon destroyers was the debate of the day! (εἰκονολάτραι)are normally known as "iconodules" (εἰκονόδουλοι), or "iconophiles" (εἰκονόφιλοι).
Iconoclasm is the destruction of religious icons; the statue was decapitated and its remaining parts were smashed into rubble.
Buddhism (pre-Christian) and Islam (post-Christian)
share ONE point.
In fact, "Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shintoism, and several [
varieties of anamism] spoke against idolatry and polytheism."
SOURCE [a PDF]
So, plastic Jesus is recycled plastic. Christianity is recycled Buddhism. Roman Cotholicism is Christianity with Idolatry. And Islam is recycled
Gregorian Romanism reprocessed by Iconoclasts.
The Old Testament borrowed from BOTH Egyptian and Sumerian sources - as well as those found locally in the Levant.
So what?
Believe whatever you want to believe - if you have a believing mind. Think whatever you want to think - if you have a thinking mind.
Either way, don't loose sleep over it. We will all have a LONG SLEEP soon enough.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted [for] fools
The way to dusty death.
Out, out, brief candle!
Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more:
It is a tale told by an idiot,
full of sound and fury, [yet]
Signifying NOTHING.
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act V, Scene 5.
Is nothing sacred?
Yes.
NOTHING is sacred!
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