How does one answer a non-Christian who states that Jesus was just another version of the Osiris-Dionysus myth? They referred me to authors Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy who wrote in their book "The JEsus Mysteries" the following points on Jesus.
Quote from pages 60 and 61:
• Jesus is the savior of mankind, God made man, the Son of God equal with the Father; so is Osiris-Dionysus.
• Jesus is born of a mortal virgin who after her death ascends to heaven and is honored as a divine being; so is Osiris-Dionysus.
• Jesus is born in a cave on December 25 or January 6, as is Osiris-Dionysus.
• The birth of Jesus is prophesied by a star; so is the birth of Osiris-Dionysus.
• Jesus is born in Bethlehem, which was shaded by a grove sacred to Osiris-Dionysus.
• Jesus is visited by the Magi, who are followers of Osiris-Dionysus.
• The Magi bring Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, which a sixth-century BCE Pagan tells us is the way to worship God.
• Jesus is baptized, a ritual practiced for centuries in the Mysteries.
• 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.
• Jesus offers his followers elemental baptisms of water, air, and faire, as did the Pagan Mysteries.
• Jesus is portrayed as a quiet man with long hair and a beard; so is Osiris-Dionysus.
• 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.
• 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.
• Like the sages of the Mysteries, Jesus is a wandering wonder-worker who is not honored in his home town.
• Jesus is accused of licentious behavior, as were the followers of Osiris-Dionysus.
• Jesus is not at first recognized as a divinity by his disciples, but then is transfigured before them in all his glory; the same is true of Osiris-Dionysus.
• Jesus is surrounded by 12 disciples; so is Osiris-Dionysus.
• Jesus rides triumphantly into town on a donkey while crowds wave branches, as does Osiris-Dionysus.
• Jesus is a just man unjustly accused of heresy and bringing a new religion, as is Osiris-Dionysus.
• 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.
• Jesus is betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, a motif found in the story of Socrates.
• Jesus is equated with bread and wine, as is Osiris-Dionysus.
• Jesus’ disciples symbolically eat bread and drink wine to commune with him, as do the followers of Osiris-Dionysus.
• Jesus is hung on a tree or crucified, as is Osiris-Dionysus.
• Jesus dies as a sacrifice to redeem the sins of the world; so does Osiris-Dionysus.
• Jesus’ corpse is wrapped in linen and anointed with myrrh, as is the corpse of Osiris-Dionysus.
• 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.
• Jesus was said to have died and resurrected on exactly the same dates that the death and resurrection of Osiris-Dionysus were celebrated.
• Jesus’ empty tomb is visited by three women followers; Osiris-Dionysus also has three women followers who visit an empty cave.
• Through sharing in his passion Jesus offers his disciples the chance to be born again, as does Osiris-Dionysus.
