That doesn't make it false. Most historical scholars agree Christianity is a mystery religion.
The Religious Context of Early Christianity
A Guide to Graeco-Roman Religions
HANS-JOSEF KLAUCK
Professor of New Testament Exegesis, University of Munich, Germany
Mystery Religions
The ( )is a Greek mystery religion term.
In Plato's Symposium Socrates relates that the seeress Diotima has told him that he can indeed be initiated (puTiGeiqs) into the eros of philosophical thinking, but she does not know whether he will attain the higher stages of initiation, namely perfection ((reXea) and the mysterious vision (eTTOTTTiKd, Symp. 28 [209e-210a]). The path of philosophical knowledge resembles the gradual penetration into the (puarfipiov), and this surrounds philosophy with the aura of a religious consecration, no doubt a primary aim here. Detached from cultic practices, the concept of mystery takes on more the sense of a secret teaching. Along complex paths, the concept of (puarqpiov) entered the theological vocabulary of Judaism and Christianity too. The bridge was built in the Hellenistic-Jewish wisdom literature. In the Book of Wisdom we find both polemic against the pagan cults and the adaptation of (puCTTqpiov) to the author's own theological langu^e. Wis 14:15 is polemic: 'A father, consumed with grief at an untimely bereavement, made an image of his child, who had been suddenly taken from him; he now honoured as a god what was once a dead human being, and handed on to his dependants secret rites (puaTi^pia) and initiations (TeXerds)', as is 14:23: 'For whether they kill children in their initiations (TeXerds), or celebrate secret mysteries (puari^pia), or hold frenzied revels with strange customs'. Wis 12:3fif. anachronistically makes use of the vocabulary of the mysteries, when it castigates the worship of idols by the Canaanites whom the people of Israel found when they took possession of the land: 'Those who lived long ago in your holy land you hated for their detestable practices, their works of sorcery and unholy rites, their merciless slaughter of children, and their sacrificial feasting on human flesh and blood.' We find the positive reception of the terminology at Wis 2:22, where it is stated that the fools 'did not know the secret purposes of God', and at 6:22: 'I will tell you what wisdom is and how she came to be, and I will hide no secrets from you, but I will ... make knowledge of her clear', and 8:4, where Wisdom is called 'an initiate (puCTTis)' in the knowledge of God.
Dr Carrier also gives many examples in his book.
38:50 Mysteries in scripture
1C. 4:1 We are entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed
R. 11:25 (Do not) be ignorant of this mystery
R. 16:25 (the) message I proclaim about Jesus Christ is in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past but now revealed
1C. 2:6, 7 (We) speak a message of wisdom among the mature….(and) declare God’s wisdom, a. Mystery that has been hidden
1C. 15:51 Listen I will tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed
1C. 3:1-2 I could not address you as people who live by the spirit but as people who are still worldly - mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. (Milk and solid food is mystery cult terminology)
H. 5:13-14 Anyone living on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for that mature. (Clearly conceiving the religion in mystery terms)
Mark 4:11-12 (Jesus) told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables, so (they won’t understand)”
Dead giveaway Mark is conceiving the teachings in mystery cult terms
Jews were forced there. Probably those writings were their, or influenced by them.
I don't think you actually care at all about what is true. You are forcing solutions with zero care about it's plausability.
The Mesopotamian versions of the flood and creation story are up to 1 thousand years older.
The exile was in 600 BCE and they were exposed to the stories then. That is when Genesis was written as well.
I don't believe their context is older.
Egypt and Mesopotamia are older by thousands of years. Again, why bother going to a debate forum if you just say "no" based on nothing?
Why are you even discussing this with me if you are not going to demonstrate these beliefs with evidence?
AGAIN, having a belief doesn't make something true.
2nd millennium BCE IS OLDER:
A large part of this section is a recasting of a second-millennium BCE Egyptian work, the
Instruction of Amenemope, and may have reached the Hebrew author(s) through an Aramaic translation.
The "wisdom" genre was widespread throughout the
ancient Near East, and reading Proverbs alongside the examples recovered from Egypt and Mesopotamia reveals the common ground shared by international wisdom
I think it can be that at one point God had not used the name Yahweh for them. It is not a contradiction, if it is told that later he used that name for them. Crucial is not is it said in Genesis or Exodus, but about what tie period they are speaking of.
At
Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Books, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine you can read Bart Ehrmans book Jesus Interrupred, he goes over hundreds os major contradictions.
Is it really not possible that they got new?
No, it's more likely it's just a story, made up by people.
