>
>of nicodemia

Response; Yeah he wanted to overthrow the council.
>>didnt care? the emperor covened and oversaw the councils. he
>threw his support and authorty behind athanasius, then
>Arius, and then again Athanasius. and GAVE them legitimacy.
>of coruse a pagan mind and beleiver is going to be more
>recptive to ideas that fit their worldview. even asides from
>that, no one doubts that legitmay was authorised by the
>approval of the emperor. Christians like to say well
>Constantine became Christian and thus did what was in the
>best interest of Christianity, but he didnt become Chrisian
>until he was on his deathbed.

Response: No I meant that he did not call the council because of his deep concearn of scripture interpretation, he called the council in order to gain peace and unity. As long as he got that he did not care.
>
>A Mithraic verse: "Be of good cheer, sacred band of
>Initiates, your God has risen from the dead. His pains and
>sufferings shall be your salvation." sounds familiar?

Response: Nope not really, the Mithra arguements are no longer used by scholars opposed to the resurrection of Christ, they have long been refuted. Hard to imagine Christians copying from Hinduism and Mithraic verses all at the same time.
>
>both the Vatican hill and tarsus (where paul was from) were
>central sites for mithraic rituals.

Response: That is fine.