Jesus Wasn’t The Only One Who Returned From The Dead

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Man in biblical attire smiling and gesturing in an ancient village setting with people and stone buildings in the background

Summary:

  • Resurrection narratives exist in various cultures, from Osiris in Egypt to Balder in Norse mythology.

  • These stories symbolize themes of rebirth, fertility, hope, and the cycle of life and death.

  • Whether through mythological gods or biblical figures, resurrection tales offer insights into attitudes towards life and immortality.

Resurrecting from the dead is an ancient and potent narrative. Though Jesus Christ is the most well known, various cultures, religions and mythologies tell similar stories – all in ways that reflect attitudes towards life, death and the afterlife.

 

Osiris

Ancient Egyptian wall painting of the god Osiris with green skin, crook and flail, surrounded by hieroglyphs.

In ancient Egyptian mythology, Osiris was killed and dismembered by his brother Set. He was then brought back to life by his wife Isis and became ruler of the underworld. His resurrection represented resurrection, fertility and immortality.

 

Dionysus

Marble bust of a bearded man with wavy hair and a laurel wreath on a pedestal against a beige background

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Dionysus, the Greek god of wino, was also torn to shreds and then resurrected. Osiris symbolized the natural world, particularly the rebirth of vines and the harvest, and the cycles of life, death and rebirth.

 

Adonis

Marble bust of a man with curly hair displayed against a textured stone wall in a museum setting

Adonis, a handsome youth, was killed but permitted to live part of the year. His legend symbolises the winter death of plants and their re-emergence with spring.

 

Persephone

Marble statue of a veiled woman holding a scroll, displayed in a museum gallery.

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Persephone returns from the underworld each spring. This is not a resurrection, but her annual trip to and from the world of the dead symbolizes new life and continuity.

 

Balder

Medieval archers aiming at a glowing central figure surrounded by soldiers and onlookers near a castle under the sun.

Balder in the Norse tradition is prophesied to be resurrected after Ragnarök (the end of the world), returning to a new world. He symbolises hope, rebirth and the return of life.

 

Tammuz

Bas-relief of a winged Assyrian figure holding a trident-like object with detailed beard and headdress.

Tammuz was an agricultural deity who died and resurrected each year. He was resurrected as the seasons shifted and crops were renewed, essential to survival.

 

Lazarus

Orthodox icon of Saint Andrew of Crete holding a decorated book with gold background and inscriptions in Cyrillic.

Lazarus was resurrected by Jesus in the Bible. He is one of the clearest examples of resurrection in the Bible, and his account is a great act of faith, power and control.

 

Inanna

Bronze relief of the Mesopotamian god with wings, horned headdress, and lion underfoot, known as the Burney Relief.

Inanna descended into the underworld and was killed, only to be brought back to life. Her resurrection is a tale of renewal, sacrifice and the cycle of life and death for ancient Sumerians.

 

Asclepius

Marble statue of Asclepius holding a staff with a serpent against a patterned marble wall background

Asclepius was known to be able to resurrect the dead. His powers were so great that he disturbed the balance of life and death, and was punished, suggesting the inevitability of death.

 

Quetzalcoatl

Stone carving of the Aztec sun god Tonatiuh with surrounding Mayan glyphs and figures on a temple wall.

Under some Aztec beliefs, Quetzalcoatl ventures into the underworld to recover bones in order to recreate humanity, representing the idea of resurrection and the cycle of life and death.

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Frankie LaPenna Takes on a ‘Terminator’ Robot in The First Human vs. Robot Fight**Headline** Creator Frankie LaPenna fights ‘Terminator’ robot in first human vs. robot bout **Alt** First human vs. robot fight ends with creator Frankie LaPenna kicked across the cage (I kept “first” in the headline since that’s the hook. The article attributes it to the organizers, which covers you.) — **Creator Frankie LaPenna fights ‘Terminator’ robot in first human vs. robot bout** SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — A man stepped into a fighting cage with a 6-foot humanoid robot, and the robot came out on top. Robotics startup REK staged the human-versus-humanoid kickboxing demonstration in San Francisco on Friday, Sept. 18, putting creator Frankie LaPenna inside a cage with the machine. The opponent was the 80-kilogram (176-pound) EngineAI T800, a humanoid built to look like the Terminator. LaPenna, wearing a helmet and chest protector, landed a few punches before the robot kicked him in the head, according to the official video description. Footage shows the robot kicking him across the cage as spectators outside the ring looked on. “We just made history with the first Human VS Terminator robot fight,” REK posted on X on Sept. 20, adding that more fight footage is coming. The “first” label comes from REK and LaPenna and has not been independently verified. The robot was not fighting on its own. REK’s robots are not autonomous fighters, and the event showcased remote control and mechanical stability rather than independent combat strategy. The bout was part of REK’s work on a virtual reality combat game in which people remotely control humanoid robots to compete against each other. REK founder Cix Liv came to robotics from virtual reality and is building a sport that links virtual competition to physical machines. The LaPenna match pushed his format beyond the company’s usual robot-versus-robot fights. Online, viewers debated whether a trained fighter would fare better, with some predicting human-versus-robot bouts could reach the UFC within five years. — Note: AP datelines use a dash after the city. I kept it since it’s standard AP, but swap to a comma if you want zero dashes.

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