I would actually note that Freke and Gandy were not the only ones (nor the basis for most of the misinformation). The same year was Acharya S' The Christ Conspiracy propagating the same claims and with even poorer documentation than they. This was the basis for Zeitgeist.
I would actually note that Freke and Gandy were not the only ones (nor the basis for most of the misinformation). The same year was Acharya S' The Christ Conspiracy propagating the same claims and with even poorer documentation than they. This was the basis for Zeitgeist.
I have been unsuccessful in finding Bill Maher's original source. It is never mentioned in the documentary Religulous. Given Maher talks about Horus dying-rising and virgin birth nonsense on Dec 25th, which I can't find Freke and Gandy mentioning, I'd say it was Acharya S.
The Jesus Mysteries is a travesty. But this looks like Maher may have been ripping of Zeitgeist, which came out a year before Religulous, and then tangentially (through Zeitgeist) ripping off Acharya S, who helped "research" Peter Joseph's terrible films.
The content of Dan's video is spot on and I agree with. I just think he has incorrectly spotted the source of this misinformation after I went and watched Religulous in full. Given so many of these terrible books read similar and came out at the same time it isn't surprising.