Since modern christianity is based on Jesus, my claim that christianity has pagan origins (not really my claim, but I'm the one claiming it here) has got to be based on the story of Jesus. The pagans had pseudo-religions called Mysteries, which were gnostic traditions which used the myths of god-men as allegories for the initiation and dedication to the mysteries, and then the attainment of Gnosis. For simplicity, I'll refer to all pagan god-men as Osiris-Dionysus. I'll number the comparisons so you can refer to them as you wish
1. Jesus is the saviour of mankind, God made man, the Son of the God equal with the Father; so is Osiris-Dionysus.
2. Jesus is born of a mortal virgin who after her death ascends to heaven and is honoured as a divine being; so is Osiris-Dionysus.
3. Jesus is born in a cave on 25 December or 6 January, as is Osiris-Dionysus.
4. The birth of Jesus is prophesied by a star; so is the birth of Osiris-Dionysus.
5. Jesus is born in Bethlehem, which was shaded by a grove sacred to Osiris-Dionysus.
6. Jesus is visited by the Magi, who are followers of Osiris-Dionysus.
7. The Magi bring Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, which a sixth-century BCE Pagan tells us is the way to worship God.
8. Jesus is baptized, a ritual practiced for centuries in the Mysteries
9. The holy man who baptizes Jesus with water has the same name as a Pagan god of water and is born on the summer solstice celebrated as a Pagan water festival.
10. Jesus offers his followers elemental baptisms of water, air and fire, as did the Pagan Mysteries.
11. Jesus is portrayed as a quiet man with long hair and a beard; so is Osiris-Dionysus
12. Jesus turns water into wine at a marriage on the same day that Osiris-Dionysus was previously believed to have turned water into wine at a marriage
13. Jesus heals the sick, exorcises demons, provides miraculous meals, helps fishermen make miraculous catches of fish and calms the water for his disciples; all of these marvels had previously been performed by Pagan sages.
14. Like the sages of the Mysteries, Jesus is a wandering wonder-worker who is not honoured in his home town.
15. Jesus is accused of licentious behaviour, as were the followers of Osiris-Dionysus.
16. Jesus is not at first recognized as a divinity by his disciples, but then is transformed before them in all his glory; the same is true of Osiris-Dionysus.
17. Jesus is surrounded by 12 disciples; so is Osiris-Dionysus.
18. Jesus rides triumphantly into town on a donkey while crowds wave branches, as does Osiris-Dionysus.
19. Jesus is a just man unjustly accused of heresy and bringing a new religion, as is Osiris-Dionysus
20. Jesus attacks hypocrites, stands up to tyranny and willingly goes to his death predicting he will rise again in three days, as do Pagan sages.
21. Jesus is betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, a motif found in the story of Socrates.
22. Jesus is equated with bread and wine, as is Osiris-Dionysus.
23. Jesus' disciples symbolically eat bread and drink wine to commune with him, as do the followers of Osiris-Dionysus
24. Jesus is hung on a tree or crucified, as is Osiris-Dionysus
25. Jesus dies as a sacrifice to redeem the sins of the world; so does Osiris-Dionysus
26. Jesus' corpse is wrapped in linen and anointed with myrrh, as is the corpse of Osiris-Dionysus
27. After his death Jesus descends to hell, then on the third day resurrects before his disciples and ascends into heaven, where he is enthroned by God and waits to reappear at the end of time as a divine judge, as does Osiris-Dionysus.
28. Jesus was said to have died and resurrected on exactly the same dates that the death and resurrection of Osiris-Dionysus were celebrated.
29. Jesus' empty tomb is visited by three women followers; Osiris-Dionysus also has three women followers who visit an empty cave
30. Through sharing in his passion Jesus offers his disciples the chance to be born again, as does Osiris-Dionysus
Not a question, but discussion topic. Some points may seem odd, like Jesus being born in a cave, which I will explain in a minute. Anything you think isn't actually what happened to Jesus, please feel free to comment :)
3. Jesus is born in a cave on 25 December or 6 January, as is Osiris-Dionysus.
The word usually translated as 'stable' in the gospels is "katalemna" which literally means a temporary shelter or cave. It was widespread early Christian tradition that Jesus was born in a cave.
