How many deities have experienced a resurrection?

Question

I know the myth of the resurrection of Jesus is the most popular. Others include, Osiris, Adonis, Baldr, Tammuz, Odin, and Zalmoxis.

What is the significance of the resurrection in religious myth? Why so important? Does that help to sell divinity?

Answer 1

Yes, in a way, it does help sell religion, stories of resurrection help reinforce the invincibility or immortality of a god, and ppl want to worship a strong god.

Answer 2

It would certainly seem that way with all the christians we have in the world today beleiving that jesus is their saviour and lord. Most of whom have probably never heard of the dieties you mentioned.

Aside from the ones you mentioned i can only think of one more off the top of my head. which is Mithras. A very interesting character indeed (in relation to jesus)

he was born dec 25th, virgin birth, his blood and body were consumed in the form of bread and wine by his followers....... and the list of similarities continues.

In relation to this resurrection myth constantly re-emerging. The propagators of this nonsense probably fully grasped the concept of "if it aint broke don't fix it".

It always seems to have been popular throughout history. Sometimes it was stategically used in order to gain a large following, or to unite the beleivers of many religions who already beleived in this resurrection myth (especially in the case of jesus)

My beleife is that it started as a simple idea, which gained popularity up untill the point that it was soley used in order to please the people who already beleived in it.  

As to why it was such a popular idea, well, we can observe many abstract religious ideas that were popular with people for thousands of years up untill this day. such as cannabalism and human sacrifise.

None however, were as popular as the resurrection myth. I can only assume that the idea of mortality scared so many people. And the idea that one could rise from the dead (i.e one may defeat death) probably fasinated many worshippers.

Answer 3

The resurrection of Jesus is not a myth.