Previous Jesus

The Talmud and other ancient records tell the story of a messiah-wizard from Galilee who performed miracles until the authorities executed him- about 100 years before the birth of 'Christ.' During the first century AD, a man allegedly raised the dead, gathered disciples, and said he was the son of God- his name was Apollonius of Tyana.
There exists over a dozen traditions around the world of a dying-redeemer-god, complete with baptism and sacraments-Osiris, Rama, Mani, Dionysus, et al.

Religion and philosophy has been a necessity- without the input of Confucius, Siddartha Gotama, Jesus of Nazareth, Plato, Plotinus, Nanak, Lao-tze, St. Francis, and many others, our civilization's probably would not have flourished. But some issues are taken too seriously (absolute truth, sex) and religion all too often has devolved into rigid dogma....