In religio-mythology, Thomas William Doane (1852-1885) (RMS:76|160+), aka “T.W. Doane”, was an American religio-mythology scholar noted for []
Overview
In 1882, Doane, in his Bible Myths and Their Parallels in Other Religions: Being a Comparison of the Old and New Testament Myths and Miracles with those of Heathen Nations of Antiquity, Considering also their Origin and Meaning, attempted to unwrap the most popular biblical myths from both the Old and New Testaments, including the flood, exodus, Samson, the star of Bethlehem, baptism, and the temptation of Christ, Jesus as sun god, among others.
Quotes | Employed
The following are quotes employed by Doane:
“How these narratives (i.e. the New Testament narratives), unhistorical as they have been shown to be, came into existence, it is not our business to explain; and once again, at the end of the task, as at the beginning and throughout, we must emphatically disclaim the obligation.”
— Thomas Scott (1872), English Life of Jesus; cited by Thomas Doane (1882) in Bible Myths (pg. iii)
Quotes | On
The following are quotes on Doane:
“Harpur's book is merely a reiteration of ‘pagan copycat’ theories. The bibliography contains many unreliable sources: Freke and Gandy, Acharya S [Dorothy Murdock], Tim Leedom, Thomas Doane, Earl Doherty, Helen Ellerbe, Kersey Graves, John Spong, Godfrey Higgins, Gerald Massey, Alvin Kuhn. These last three (in reverse order) are Harpur's most favored sources; throughout Harpur expresses bewilderment that these three "scholars" (the word he applies liberally to just about anyone, regardless of credentials), especially Kuhn, have been so vastly ignored. The idea that they have been ignored because they are not competent scholars does not occur to Harpur.”
— John Holding (2005), critique of Harpur’s The Pagan Christ [2]
Quotes | By
The following are quotes by Doane:
“Christ Jesus corresponds with that of other sun gods and saviors, for they are nearly all represented as being born in a cave or dungeon. This is the dark abode from which the wandering sun starts in the morning [see: morning sun]. As the dawn springs fully armed from the forehead of the cloven sky, so the eye first discerns the blue of heaven, as the first faint arch of light is seen in the east. This arch is the cave in which the infant is nourished until he reaches his full strength—in other words, until the day is fully come. As the hour of his birth drew near, the mother became more beautiful, her form more brilliant, while the dungeon was filled with a heavenly light as when Zeus came to Danae in a golden shower. At length the child is born, and a halo of serene light encircles his cradle, just as the sun appears at early dawn in the east, in all its splendor. His presence reveals itself there, in the dark cave, by his first rays, which brightens the countenances of his mother and others who are present at his birth. He was ordered to be put to death. All the suns gods are fated to bring ruin upon their parents or the reigning monarch. For this reason, they attempt to prevent his birth, and failing in this, seek to destroy him when born. Who is the dark and wicked Kansa, or his counterpart Herod? He is night, who reigns supreme, but who must lose his power when the young prince of glory, the invincible, is born. The sun scatters the darkness; and so the phrase went that the child was to be the destroyer of the reigning monarch, or his parent, night; and oracles, and magi, it was said, warned the latter of the doom which would overtake him. The newly-born babe is therefore ordered to be put to death by the sword, or exposed on the bare hillside, as the sun seems to rest on the earth (Ida) at its rising.”
— Thomas Doane (1882), Bible Myths and Their Parallels in Other Religions (pg. 481)
References
1. Doane, Thomas. (1882). Bible Myths and Their Parallels in Other Religions: Being a Comparison of the Old and New Testament Myths and Miracles with those of Heathen Nations of Antiquity, Considering also their Origin and Meaning (pg. 481). Publisher.
2. Holding, John P. (c.2005). “Tom Harpur’s The Pagan Christ: a Critique” (Ѻ), Tektonics.org.
External links
● Doane, T.W. (Thomas William) – WorldCat Identities.
