Let's see...just to inform (trans: DON'T lose your minds over this, because I'm just passing on info and really couldn't give a rat's ass what anyone else believes. I'm not attacking Christians here, so put that out of your minds)
Christos means simply "Anointed one," and was a title of many Middle-Eastern Sacrificial Gods. Among the Essenes, a Christos was a priest, specifically designated as Sin Bearer or Redeemer; one who atoned for other's sins. Among the Slavs, Christos or Krstnik meant a sacrificial hero and also an "accursed one," due to the ancient practice of laying a formal curse on the sin-bearer before he was sacrificed.
Immanuel, which is what the Angel told Mary her child would be called, is the Persian title of the god Immani, or E-mani, venerated in Elam as a sacred King-martyr. One of his later incarnations was the savior Mani, allegedly born of a virgin named Mary.
Like Adonis, Jesus was born of a virgin. He was eaten in the form of bread as were Adonis, Osiris, Dionysus, and others. Like the followers of Osiris, his followers made him a part of themselves through consumption, thus participating in his resurrection.
Like Attis, Jesus was sacrificed at the spring Equinox and rose again three days later, when he became God and ascended to heaven. Like Orpheus and Heracles, he "harrowed hell" and brought a secret of eternal life, promising to draw all men with him up to glory. Like Mithra and all the other solar gods, his birthday is celebrated nine months later at winter Solstice (Dec. 25 is Mithra's birthday. Jesus was born in the spring, when the census was taken).
From the Elder gods, Jesus acquired not only his title of Christos, but other titles as well. Osiris and Tammuz were called Good Shepherd. Sarapis was Lord of Death and King of Glory. Mithra and Heracles were Light of the World, Sun of Righteousness. Helios was the Rising Sun. Dionysus was King of Kings, God of Gods. Hermes was the Enlightened one and the Logos. Vishnu and Mithra were Son of Man and Messiah. Adonis was the Lord and the Bridegroom, and Mot-Aleyin was the Lamb of God. "Savior" (Soter) was applied to all of them.
Turning water into wine was a Dionysian Ritual practiced at Sidon and Alexandria. Many years earlier, Priestesses in Nineveh cured the blind with spittle, and the story was repeated of many different gods and their incarnations. Demeter of Eleusis mulitplied loaves and fishes in her role of Mistress of the earth and sea.
There's more, but this is WAAAAAY too long as it is. But for all you pagans out there, this is a good way to shut up the people who try to convert you and tell you you're going to hell. It's always worked for me
Forgive me for the length of this post.
I honestly believe that Jesus did exist. However, I think he was a teacher (we know he was a Rabbi), because I know how Christianity borrowed from other religions so much that it's hard to know what part of Christianity is really original.
Sidhe