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Jesus NOT the first Rising God

Jesus was NOT the first man to "rise from the dead," as if rising from the dead were a more powerful or convincing show of divinity than simply freeing himself from a cross, or even doing to Pilate what Moses had done to the Pharaoh.  One of the arguments offered by Celsus, one of the pagan philosophers against Christianity was that it was pretending to be something it wasn't - something new. Celsus was a Conservative intellectual among Roman pagan philosophers. Like so many Conservatives today, his arguments for NOT accepting the new Jesus religion as valid are EXACTLY what Conservative Christians would argue for NOT accepting a NEW Jesus religion today. As for rising from the dead.... 

 "They say that Zalmoxis, the slave of Pythagoras, also did this among the Scythians, and Pythagoras himself in Italy, and Rhampsinitus in Egypt. The last named played dice with Demeter in Hades and returned bearing a gift from her, a golden napkin. Moreover, they say that Orpheus did this among the Odrysians, and Prptesilaus in Thessaly, and Heracles at Taenarum, and Theseus. But we must examine
this question whether anyone who really died ever rose again with the same body. Or do you think that the stories of these others really are the legends which they appear to be, and yet that the' ending of your tragedy is to be regarded as noble and convincing—his cry from the cross when he expired, and the
earthquake and the darkness? While he was alive he did not help himself, but after death he rose again and showed the marks of his punishment and how his hands had been pierced. But who say this? A hysterical female, as you say, and perhaps some other one of those who were deluded by the same sorcery, who either dreamt,in a certain state of mind and through wishful thinking had a hallucination due to some mistaken notion (an experience which has happened to thousands), or, which is more likely,
wanted to impress the others by telling this fantastic tale, and so by this cock-and-bull story to provide a chance for other beggars."
[2.55JV

From, "The Christians as the Romans Saw Them" 

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