what makes the bible/christianity any different from greek and other ancient mythology?

1) One God

2) No horse-drawn chariot (or equivalent) carrying the sun through the sky

3) No inexplicably absent palace of the gods atop Mount Olympus (or any other mount)

You've got the "Lilith" story cart-before-the-horse. It post-dates Genesis by centuries

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilith#Talmud

and it is pure post-Genesis myth that Lilith was "removed" from the bible (there is literally no evidence supporting such a claim)

As for the bible being altered - most of our modern bibles are translations of manuscripts that existed before any bible existed. Let me put it another way: if someone altered the bible to influence (subdue) the religious, that could easily be discovered by modern scholars because we have manuscripts of the individual separate books of the bible that are older than any bible known or recorded to have existed. In other words, for what you claim to be true, someone would have had to alter every religious Scripture that might one day appear in the bible centuries before anything like the bible was put together. Not very likely, I think you'll agree.

Please tell us a single myth that is EXACTLY like the Jesus story. Just one. I've never heard one even close (unless you consider Moses close) - let alone "exactly like" the Jesus story.

Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com/

Ancient Greek Mythology

The number of current believers.

The reasons why the number of current believers is all to do with how Christianity has been fabricated and sold to the masses. In Greek mythology it does not make a big difference what you believe, you end up in Hades along with the devout, the heretic, the good, the bad and the ugly. In the Christian mythology the devout go to heaven and the others go to hell. So, if you are worshiping Zeus and you hear of Christianity then Zeus does not care that much if you become Christian, but Yahweh is going to be pissed if you do not worship him.

In a society, all other things being equal, the mythology that has the biggest carrot and the biggest stick attached to it gets the most followers.

Edit:

Thundercatt9 is looking for evidence to justify his beliefs. Not determining his beliefs based on the evidence.

The Greek stories such as the Iliad and the Odyssey are just as historically and archaeologically accurate as the bible. Does that mean that the Greek gods are real?

There is a lot of historical and current fiction that are made as accurate as possible by the authors. That does not mean that the fictional characters that appear in them are real.

Geezah - Prometheus was chained to a rock and had his liver eaten by an eagle every day. I think you need to check your mythology there.

The only difference is that the bible/christianity is what's popular right now. The Greek and Roman stories that we now call myths, were once taken as seriously as these other religions today. Then, other people made up a whole new set of myths about a god and a son born of a mortal with a book telling you how to live life. People changed to that religion and stuck with it. Now we are starting to branch into other things like Scientology and other such things which people claim are nonsense. I don't see it being any more nonsensical than the unbelievable stories of the bible. When people realize that there is no need for religion, we'll be in much better shape.

Wow, Gertystorrud...what an insightful response....you really know how to, um, nevermind...

There is no difference in the leap it takes to believe it to be true. However, Christianity is fairly unique in it's concept vicarious sin redemption through Jesus. Pretty good marketing tool on the part of Christians, I must say. You know, not having to do anything but pray for forgivness and all. No personal accountability. Most other religions don't lay the guilt and idea of being born a sinner on it's followers.

The Greeks wrote better.

By the way, Greek mythology includes the story of Prometheus, who came down to earth to serve mankind, only to be nailed against a wall to suffer for three days, before being resurrected by the will of his father, Zeus the sky god. Sound familiar to story that came out later?

We find plenty of other stories in ancient Greek mythology (and other forms of mythology) involving gods becoming mortal, virgin births, raising the dead, etc. They're mythological archetypes. The Bible is no exception.

The Bible, especially the Gospels, simply doesn't match up with history, archeology, or reality. People who say otherwise have yet to prove their position (and the burden of proof is on them, since it's their story).

http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/

http://mama.indstate.edu/users/nizrael/jesusrefuta...

http://www.amazon.com/Mythmaker-Paul-Invention-Chr...

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/theism/chri...

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/richard_car...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSzQC1zKesU

There really aren't any appreciable differences, except maybe that Greek mythology is a more interesting read. The only thing that makes Christianity 'religion' and Greek polytheism 'mythology' is that Christianity is still widely practiced in the mainstream and (with all due respect to Hellenic Pagans) Greek polytheism no longer is.

There's certainly a good level of syncretism between Greco-Roman religion (due to their intimacy with Greco-Roman philosophy) and Christianity, but I don't think it's right to dismiss Christianity as a religion formed solely on these classical tenets, lest we completely ignore the Jewish Apocalypticism and messianic emphasis inherent in Christian theology.

ETA: I see we're haphazardly dropping quotes from Michael Shermer. Maybe we might find this article he wrote for Skeptic Magazine relevant to the discussion:

http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/09-02-25

Nothing essentially. All religions are based upon imaginary gods. One god is no better than any other. Zeus, God, Yu Ti, Ameratsu, Ahuramazda, Amon, Enlil, Marduk, Vishnu, Odin, etc. are all just fictional characters that some people have worshipped.

The 66 books of the Old testament and New Testament were written in Greek and Hebrew. By many different authors. Here's some more bible prophecy, preserved text, historical reliability, and it's indestructibility. The death, burial, and resurrection. Very general? Look for more answers and further insight from people like Lee Strobel and Josh McDowell. It's up to you.