The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors or Christianity Before Christ [Paperback]

Kersey Graves (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0948390158 | ISBN-13: 978-0948390159 | Publication Date: December 1, 1999

New, startling, and extra ordinary revelations in religious history, which disclose the oriental origin of all doctrines, priciples, percepts, and miracles of the Christian New Testament.

Editorial Reviews

Review

First published in 1875, this is a popular discussion of the Saviors, Messiahs, or Sons of God preceding the Christian era, and the rituals and religious which surrounded them. It is a vigorous criticism of the orthodox Christian position...This book has been a clandestine best seller for nearly a century. -- Leslie Shepard

Is the Bible true? Ever since Tom Paines daring Age of Reason at the end of the eighteenth century, Freethinkers have sought a rational, non-mystical view of the universe, and their arguments against dogmatic Christianity have often been reinforced by appeals to pagan religions which contain myths paralleling the New Testament stories and throwing doubt on their priority or historicity. Freethinkers aggressive attacks on dogma. Nowadays the cause of literary freedom and tolerance demands that the Freethought case be properly heard. THE WORLDS SIXTEEN CRUCIFIED SAVIORS is a Freethought classic. It is a popular discussion of the Saviors, Messiahs, or Sons of God preceding the Christian era, and the rituals and religions which surrounded them. It is a vigorous criticism of the orthodox Christian position. -- Leslie Shepard, London, 1970

Startling and extraordinary revelations in religious history, which disclose the oriental origin of all the doctrines, principles, percepts, and the miracles of the Christian new Testament and furnishing a key for unlocking many of its sacred mysteries, besides comprising the history of 16 Heathen Crucified Gods. -- Publisher

About the Author

KERSEY GRAVES was born in 1813 at Richmond, Indiana, where he spent much of his life. He was born of Quaker parents and brought up in their faith. He had a humble background and once claimed that he was graduated in a pole-cabin schoolhouse. It seems, however, that he also had some further education. His family and friends wanted him to become come a preacher, but his faith in the divine call was shaken by observing that it was sometimes opposed by others who claimed to be moved by same divine power to oppose the preaching. He concluded that he did not have a call.

As a young man he read widely and avidly; and was particularly drawn to the pseudo-sciences of his day like Phrenology and Spiritualism. He became a phrenologist and lectured on the subject;traveling all over the western states examining heads. He gradually came to doubt the dogmas of religious orthodoxy, since it seemed to him that mens minds and actions corresponded with the conformation and character of their brain; and that divine agency had little to do with the matter. He developed into a liberal thinker and embraced Spiritualism, convinced from his observations that there was much truth in it. Soon he broadened the scope of his lectures to advocate leading reforms of the day-temperance, anti-slavery, anti-capital punishment, and labor reform, as well as Phrenology and Spiritualism. Freethinking was an inevitable consequence of his broad-mended secularism.

In 1844 he married Lydia Michener, cousin of Edward M. Stanton (Secretary of War in Lincolns cabinet). He had two sons and two daughters. He gained a great reputation as an earnest, logical, and forceful speaker, with the gift of an excellent memory. He could master all his facts and authorities in a short while and deliver extempore lectures with the same precision that he could recall a lecture word for word hours after, and even present it in reverse order, citing the final conclusions and working backward to the beginning! He took part in many public debates and was renowned as a formidable adversary. He claimed to have spent an exemplary life without falling victim to any of the common vices of society such as profane swearing, drinking, gambling, or even smoking, and never had a personal combat with any man.

Product Details

• Paperback: 436 pages
• Publisher: Frontline Distribution International (December 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0948390158
• ISBN-13: 978-0948390159
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,160,173 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars "Where Has All The CRITICAL thinking gone?", September 2, 2000

By 

cout hey "cl8" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors or Christianity Before Christ (Paperback)

I am astonished to find people giving this book five stars. My question is, "where has the critical thinking gone". Even Infidels (Secular Web) who I feel has a number of overly-enthusiastic reviews writes that this book should not be trusted for accuracy:

Note: the scholarship of Kersey Graves has been questioned by numerous freethinkers; the inclusion of The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors in the Secular Web's Historical Library does not constitute endorsement by Internet Infidels, Inc. This document was included for historical purposes; readers should be extremely cautious in trusting anything in this book.

To find people claiming to allegedly demonstrate "free-thought" I find it odd that so little actually use critical thinking (I am speaking of the reviewers of this book who gave it 4-5 stars). Just the reader below gives the book five stars. Besides this, the book can be read for free at infidels (I am not permitted to give links in articles), so in that aspect alone it doesn't warrent a purchase.

5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for all who have given thought to religion., April 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors or Christianity Before Christ (Paperback)

I've been a Grave's fan for 24 years, and this was the first work of his I read. A masterpiece! Philosophically enlightening, and a load of laughs, as well!

7 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely good and well researched book, November 2, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Chandler. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors or Christianity Before Christ (Paperback)

This book is a tear on the veil of ignorance that is so dangerously pervasive in our society today

Let's make the tear grow.