Customer Reviews (2)

Let's not get dogmatic, eh!
An elementary familiarity with pre-Christian classical (and other) mythology would show that virtually every attempt to
to de-bunk Frazer's claims, must be seriously flawed. Frazer did not see himself as an 'iconoclast,' he merely wished to point out that archetypally - the Christian'mythos' of the 'god-man' beingsacrificed upon a tree - was not a new event, symbolically, however unique the Christian 'mythos' may be to its followers - it had its antecedents. Taken in a Jungian sense, this need not be seen as a weakening of the Christian mythos, but may even strengthen it, insofar as it confirms the existence of archetypal patterns and determinants in consciousness - transcending dogmatic claims made in the name of any one determinant, just as they transcend rationalistic endeavours to reduce them to a 'nothing but.' Christianity grew out of - and was built upon classical antiquity. It is in many ways determined by it, as for instance, in celebrating the birth of Christ at the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year) symbolically, when light triumphs over darkness - in the life of nature. The true nativity of Jesus was located somewhere in January,and the Church Fathers used their wisdom, shifting it to coincide with the Saturnalia. 'Christmas' time is thoroughly pervaded with 'Pagan' symbolism, (viz. the Yule' celebrations etc.) and it is small minded and a denial of history to claim otherwise. Frazer faked nothing, which had not in a sense, already been 'faked' by the Church, because in their wisdom, the Church Fathers felt obliged to recognise the power of pre-Christian myths. Robert Graves explored the 'tree god' theme all over again with his 'King Jesus.'But anyway, why blow this single aspect of Frazer's work out of proportion. Frazer's discussion of the sacrifice of the 'tree-god' goes alongside countless other myths and myth-motifs.

Why Frazer faked.
Sir James Frazer is sometimes considered a brilliant iconoclast who put Christianity into anthropological perspective, exposing it as one of many dying God and virgin mother legends. In fact his scholarship was seriously flawed. This witty and erudite book is a fascinating piece of detective work, showing how and why Frazer slanted his facts ... Read more