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The “Zeitgeist movie,” which is available for viewing on the Web – http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com, is essentially a groundless conspiracy theory focused on criticizing the Christian faith and the government of the United States. What is intriguing, however, is that while almost all the claims presented in the movie are entirely incorrect, the ultimate fear promoted by the movie is accurate and supported by Scripture (depending on one’s perspective of biblical eschatology).
The aim of this article is to tackle the initial conspiracy theory (out of four) proposed in the movie—that Jesus is a mythical combination of various pagan gods and deities fabricated by the Egyptians and other cultures. No time will be dedicated to addressing the two main contentions that ensue in the movie—that the U.S. government orchestrated and plotted the attacks on 9/11 (with claims being made that a history of such domestic attacks exists) and that there is a significant banking conspiracy striving to control the finances of all U.S. citizens and ultimately, the world. Lastly, a remark will be made regarding the final theory—that a one-world government is on the horizon.
The accusations concerning Jesus in the Zeitgeist movie can be summarized as follows: the Jesus depicted in the Bible is not a historical figure, and in reality, He never existed. Instead, Jesus is a creation of the biblical writers who meticulously imitated characteristics of ancient pagan deities and crafted a new deity to be venerated. Jesus reflects various pagan deities in the way of His birth, life, death, and resurrection.
Moreover, the movie claims that astrology underpins much of the content in Scripture. The ultimate conclusion is that Christianity is a myth—just like all the pagan religions that preceded it—and is therefore false. To address these claims, it is beneficial to categorize them into three groups:
• The subj
Topics covered in the film include:
- The relationship between astrology and the Bible.
- The alleged parallels between Jesus and mythological heroes.
- Evidence supporting the accuracy of the gospel narratives.
The movie Zeitgeist (derived from the German words for “spirit of the age” or literally “time” [Zeit] “spirit” [Geist]) asserts that the Bible draws inspiration from astrology and celestial bodies. A significant passage in Genesis 1:16b underscores the importance God places on the creation of stars: “He made the stars also.” This concise statement highlights the significance of the stars’ formation. Some biblical scholars suggest that this brevity is intentional, emphasizing that God does not intend to attribute special importance to the stars. Rather than assigning undue significance to the stars, sun, and moon, various passages in Scripture condemn their worship. Deuteronomy 4:19 warns against idolizing the celestial bodies: “And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.” Furthermore, Deuteronomy 17:2-5 prescribes severe consequences for those who worship creation instead of the Creator.
In Isaiah 47:13, God sarcastically questions the ability of stargazers to protect their followers from the true Power of the universe: “All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you.” Therefore, the assertion in the Zeitgeist film that the Bible is rooted in astrology contradicts the teachings of the Scriptures.
Aside from the flawed notion of astrology and the Bible being intricately linked, the film’s specific claims regarding this connection ignore historical realities. For instance, the movie suggests that the number 12 in the Bible corresponds to the 12 zodiac signs. However, the 12 patriarchs, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles are not representative of the zodiac, but rather hold distinct significance within biblical narratives.
ael and the 12 disciples of Jesus are said to correspond to the number of the astrological signs. This is impossible, as Genesis was written around 1000 B.C. with the actual events occurring much earlier. Historical records indicate that the division of stars/constellations into the 12 zodiacal signs did not happen until the Babylonians made the divisions around the fifth century B.C.
The substantial part of the initial section of the film focuses on claims that Jesus is merely a blend of pagan deities whose characteristics the gospel writers adopted to form their own deity. The primary source cited in this segment of the film, and the first significant mythological figure introduced as a precursor to Jesus, is the Egyptian god Horus. If the investigation into their main character is flawed, it suggests that the same flawed research methods/materials will be present in everything else.
The Zeitgeist film asserts the following about the Egyptian god Horus:
• He was born on December 25 to a virgin (Isis Mary)
• A star in the East announced his birth
• Three kings came to honor the newborn “savior”
• He became an exceptional teacher at age 12
• At age 30, he was “baptized” and began a “ministry”
• Horus had twelve “disciples”
• Horus was betrayed
• He was crucified
• He was entombed for three days
• He was resurrected after three days
If accurate, this would undoubtedly be troubling to followers of Christ. However, scrutinizing each point in detail is quite enlightening. Firstly, it is correct that Egyptian lore depicts Horus being born to Isis. But where did the appended name “Mary” used in the film originate? No Egyptian text associates the name Isis with the name Mary. Additionally, Isis was not a virgin. No Egyptian account of Horus’ birth makes this claim. Instead, Isis was the wife of Osiris, another Egyptian god with whom Isis conceived Horus. Lastly, Horus was believed to be born during t
The month of Khoiak (Oct/Nov), and not on December 25, a fact which does not support their claim of merging the stories of Horus and Jesus, anyway, because the Bible never assigns a birth date to Christ.
Next, the film states that a star in the East announced Horus’ birth and that three kings came to bring gifts to the “savior.” However, when stories detailing the birth of Horus are examined, there is no star or three kings who come to visit him. Trying to connect this to Christianity fails in any event, as the account of Christ’s birth in Matthew has magi (wise men, not kings) coming to Jesus with their actual number not being stated. Clearly, the movie is using the traditions of December 25 and three wise men, not the Bible, to associate Jesus and Horus. Finally, the movie calls Horus a “savior.” There are no descriptions of Horus being a savior to anyone or serving in that capacity.
This is an important point: the movie takes extreme liberty in the quick and subtle uses of Christian words and phrases that in no way accurately describe the actual pagan god or his attributes. This is seen again in the statements of Horus being “baptized” and starting a “ministry.” The only accounts remotely related to Horus and water are the stories told of Osiris (his father who is sometimes combined in ancient accounts with Horus to form one individual) whose body was cut up into 14 pieces by his enemy, Set, and scattered throughout the earth. Isis supposedly found each part of the body and after having Osiris float in the Nile, he came back to life or became the lord of the underworld, depending on which account is read. In any event, stating that Horus was “baptized” is simply playing fast and loose with Christian terminology and is another obvious attempt to link mythology and the Bible.
In addition, Horus had no “ministry.” Horus becoming a teacher at age 12 (mimicking the account of Jesus at the temple as a youth) is nowhere to be found in accounts of Horus; neither are there any statements to the effect thatHe had 12 “disciples.” According to the Horus accounts, Horus had four semi-gods who were followers, along with some indications of 16 human followers and an unknown number of blacksmiths who went into battle with him. No accounts of Horus being betrayed are found in his portrayals, and he certainly did not die by crucifixion in any account. There is an incident described in one story of Horus being torn to pieces, with Isis requesting that the crocodile god pull him out of the water, but the movie does not mention this, as it does not fit their agenda. Furthermore, the movie presents the account of Horus as originating in 3000 B.C., which predates the invention and practice of crucifixion, posing another historical problem that must be overcome.
The claims of Horus being buried for three days and resurrected are not found in any ancient Egyptian texts. Some accounts have Osiris being brought back to life by Isis and becoming the lord of the underworld. However, there is no mention of a burial for three days, no mention of his physically coming out of a grave in the same physical body he went in with, and never dying again. There is certainly no account of Horus dying for others as Jesus did.
In the end, the attempt to prove Horus was a picture/forerunner of Jesus simply fails due to the lack of any historical evidence. The movie continues in this same vein with all the other mythological pagan deities that pre-dated Jesus (Attis, Krishna, etc.). For example, the Zeitgeist movie claims that Hindu’s Krishna was also crucified and resurrected. However, Hindu teachings clearly state that Krishna was killed by an arrow shot from a hunter who accidentally hit him in his heel, and after he died, he ascended to be with Brahman. None of the pagan deities, when accurately examined, mirror the Son of God recorded in the New Testament Gospels.
Of course, the movie does not acknowledge the following facts:
• The many archaeological details confirming New Testament accounts.
• The historically verified references to the details of the life of Christ.
• The early dating of the Gospel accounts during the lifetime of the eyewitnesses.
• The profound moral convictions of the authors and their dedication to truth.
• The testimonies of the apostles willing to die for their beliefs.
• The typology of Joseph and Jesus (utilized by the film to challenge the actual existence of Christ) is widely recognized and acknowledged by conservative Christian scholars as a prefiguring of the first coming of Jesus.
• All the positive impact brought about by Christianity (refer to How Christianity Changed the World by Dr. Alvin Schmidt), which is disregarded while only focusing on events like the crusades.
It is noteworthy that Christianity is the sole faith criticized in the movie—Islam, Hinduism, and other religions are not mentioned. Although the producers’ faith remains undisclosed, there is a closing statement suggesting that “all is one,” featuring a clip of renowned evolutionist/materialist Carl Sagan stating that the earth is a unified organism and that a “new consciousness is emerging” indicating unity. This is straightforward paganism.
Towards the end of the movie, religion is depicted as a distraction orchestrated by a clandestine group of individuals who are using it (alongside the media and other means) to lower the intellect of the populace so they will welcome a forthcoming one-world government with open arms. This is the one concept proposed by the movie that is plausible as it aligns with prophetic declarations found in both the Old and New Testaments. The books of Daniel, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, and Revelation address the rise of a global ruler.
It is also intriguing that the movie cites Jesus—someone they claim never existed—from John 8:32: “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free,” albeit with a misquotation as “You must seek the truth and the truth will set you free.” The creators of the Zei
The latest film, unfortunately, does not do this and instead chooses to align itself with very questionable and outright fabricated sources to defame Christianity and categorize it and all religions as pawns used by a secret organization they claim is currently working to take over the world. One thing is for certain, arriving at such a conclusion using faulty materials certainly requires a lot of faith. Much more faith, in fact, than it takes to accept the truth and historical validity of Christianity.
Christians should not be surprised that such unfounded claims are invented in the imaginations of unbelievers and passed along by others as fact; in reality, such inventions are to be expected. Peter writes in his second epistle, “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves” «But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. », (2 Peter 2:1).
