BAPTISM: ISIS

(Similar to Cybele, Dionysus, Aphrodite, etc.)

The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Brown, Zondervan Publishing, 1975, vol. 1, p. 64, Glossary | Mystery Religions:

Vol 3 (1978), p. 1085, Word:

The Facts On File Dictionary of Religion, Hinnells, 1984, pp. 223-224, Mystery-Cult:

P. 224, Mystery-Cults (Roman):

Bibliotheca Classica; or, A Classical Dictionary, containing A full Account of all the Proper Names , Lemprire, 1788, (no page numbers), Dionysia:

Translated from Elizabethan English: and if we admit that Bacchus is the same as Isis, the Dionysia of the Greeks, are the same as the festivals celebrated by the Egyptians, in honor of Isis.
Lemprieres Classical Dictionary, 1898, p. 206, Dionysia:

Sexualia: From Prehistory to Cyberspace, Bishop / Osthelder, 2001, p. 145, The Phallic Rites of Isis and Osiris:

A phallus is a penis.
http://www.twainquotes.com/InstructionsInArt.html, Instructions In Art:

The work is imagined from Greek story, and represents Proserpine or Persepolis, or one of those other Bacchantes doing the solemnities of welcome before the altar of Isis upon the arrival of the annual shipload of Athenian youths in the island of Minos to be sacrificed in appeasement of the Dordonian Cyclops.
http://www.arwen.no/bilder/egypt/isis.jpg

The Womans Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets, Barbara G. Walker, 1983, p. 45, Aphrodite:

Compared to the Virgin Mary:

Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome, Adkins, 1994, p. 290, Isis:

Divine Mirrors: The Virgin Mary in the Visual Arts, Katz, Oxford, 2001, p. 25, Mary and the Ancient Goddesses:

P. 134:

P. 230:

Gods and Myths of the Romans, Mary Barnett, 1996, p. 106, Rome and Christianity:

The Crucible of Christianity, Toynbee, 1969, pp. 236-237, illustration 1, Paganisms Death Struggle: Religions in Competition with Christianity:

Imperial Rome and Christian Triumph, Elsner, 1998, p. 220:

P. 221, illustration 147:

Early Christian Art: AD 200-395: From the Rise of Christianity to the Death of Theodosius, Andr Grabar, 1968, p. 44, Forms and Aesthetic:

Byzantium: From Antiquity to the Renaissance, Mathews, 1998, p. 46, figure 29, Suchos and Isis, c. 200:

Isis Love is Agape (Christian) Love:

The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Brown, Zondervan Publishing, 1976, vol. 2, p. 539, Love | :

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Thebes/4610/lifelines/love3.html, The Love of God: From Life Lines, a monthly publication of Victory Christian Center. March/April, 1997:

The fourth main Greek word for love, agape, is the one predominantly used for love in the NT. TNIDNTT says: The verb agapao appears frequently from Homer onwards in Gk. literature, but the noun agape is only a late Gk. construction. Only one reference has been found outside the Bible, where the goddess Isis is given the title agape....agapao in Gk. is often quite colourless as a word, appearing frequently as an alternative to, or in synonym with, erao and phileo, meaning to be fond of, treat respectfully, be pleased with, welcome....In the NT, however, agapao and the noun agape have taken on a particular significance in that they are used to speak of the love of God or the way of life based on it. (TNIDNTT, op.cit.,pp.538,539)
http://oncampus.richmond.edu/~jbaker/symposium.html, Thoughts on Plato's' Symposium and the lectures from 1/7-1/15:

Can you describe the difference between these two types of love?

GOD OF LOVE EROS erao

CARITAS (Charity) AGAPE agapao agapeus =

http://www.amesefc.org/sermons/sr021300.html, "Lets talk about Love, Life, and Marriage": The Greek dictionary stated, "The verb "erao" and the noun "eros" denote the love between man and woman which embraces longing, craving, and desire. Sensual ecstasy leaves moderation and proportion far behind

From this word we get our term "erotic," meaning "devoted to arousing sexual love."
http://prairieviewchristian.org/Acrobat%20files/Agape.pdf, Agape: 14. There is one reference of agape outside the Bible where the goddess Isis is given the title agape (Oxyrhynchus Papyri, 1380, 109; 2nd century A.D.)

http://www.bereanbiblestudentschurch.org/Mar01news.html (8-26-02), Articles from this months issue of the Berean News, Isis, by Larry Urbaniak:

At the beginning of the Christian era, the cult of Isis was the most popular of all the Oriental mystery religions. Isis, by this time known as the goddess of love, was the patroness of many of the elegant Roman courtesans (expensive prostitutes) Besides the Bible, there is no other usage of the word AGAPE in literature -- with one exception. One of the other names of Isis was Agape. What Satan cannot control, he counterfeits. Isis was a counterfeit of Gods love, of AGAPE. She never had Gods life. She never had His love. She never knew Jesus Christ, who is the only way to the one true God. Isis was a cleaver imitator of AGAPE in name only.
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~moorea/pcagape.html, Agape: But other than a few very obscure occasions - one alluding to the Egyptian goddess Isis, (agap then, th title of Isis, POxy.1380.109) and another an erotic pet-name of a naked woman on a 5 century BC earthenware pot, the noun 'agape' was unknown. http://www.theoysoma.net/archiv/forum/wegweise/jesujhwh/0j18c40.htm :

Brockhaus meint sogar, dass Agape im ausserbiblischen Sprachgebrauch nur einmal vorkomme: nmlich POxy, 2.Jh nChr: dort werde die Gttin Isis mit dem Titel agape belegt. Translated from German: Brockhaus means even that Agape in the except-Biblical linguistic usage occurs only once: indeed POxy, 2.Jh nChr: there the goddess Isis with the title ' agape ' one occupy.
http://members.aol.com/egyptart/isis.html, Isis: The Throne, Cult Center:

Cult Center: A temple is dedicated to her on the Island of Philae (agape synonym in
John 21:15-17)
http://web.archive.org/web/20101227053538/http://goldenrule.name/Baptism-Cotytto/Bapt_Isis.htm