According to the critic here, Perseus:
1) Had a god for a father.
Yes, his father was Zeus
2) Had a human virgin for a mother.
In some versions, this is true, though the details hardly match those of Mary. According to the legend, his mother was Danae, son of Acrisius. An oracle told Acrisius that his grandson would kill him, so he shut Danae in a bronze room or tower. Zeus came through the roof and sent a shower of gold into Danae's lap, which grew into Perseus.
5) Had his birth announced by a heavenly display.
I'm finding no reference to this for Perseus
Neither could I.
6) Had his birth announced by celestial music.
I'm finding no reference to this for Perseus (or for Jesus, for that matter).
Neither could I.
7) Was born about DEC-25
I can't find any sources giving any birth date for Perseus. And once again, Jesus wasn't born on Dec 25
8) Had an attempt on his life by a tyrant when he was still an infant.
Again, true. Again, not really comparable to Jesus. When Perseus' grandfather, Acrisius, found out that he existed, he locked Perseus and his mother in a trunk and set it adrift in the sea.
However it does sound like Moses. They must have stolen it, Moses came first.
9) Met with a violent death.
Depends on which version you read. In many versions, Perseus battles Dionysus. In some version, Dionysus slays Perseus. In others, Perseus slays Dionysus. In others, they slay each other. In others, neither is slain. Even in those in which he dies, the story doesn't match Jesus at all.
Although I would say Dionysus was demonic like the Devil, the Greeks did not see it that way. None of the Gospels don't match such convolution at all.
10) rose again from the dead.
Not in any version.
This is one of the main points. Jesus died but he didn't stay dead. Perseus did. I picked the images on this post because it was on the cross that Jesus won his greatest victory and juxtapose it with Perseus' greatest moment. Ask yourself what good is it to you if Perseus' story is true. What does it matter to you if Medusa was killed. But what about Jesus? Because of his victory, those who put their faith in Jesus we can have victory over sin and death. Jesus wins this one just like He always does.
UPDATE
Ryan Anderson wrote a comment prompting an update to this post. He claims that there is a reference to Perseus being resurrected and that it is likely that the Gospel writers were inspired by the Perseus myth.
Only one writer of the Gospels was a Gentile. There is no reason at all to think that Perseus inspired the Gospels in any way. Sure would like to see you prove otherwise, Ryan. In what ways are the Gospel accounts of Jesus similar to Perseus?
I looked up the reference you mentioned in "Proitos and Danae". I did find a reference in a book on page 300 entitled "Python: a study of Delphic myth and its origins" By Joseph Eddy Fontenrose. It's actually in Google Books at this link Fontenrose wrote that Persus came back from the darkness with the help of Hermes and Athena. He equates this resurrection. How is this Resurrection? Perseus did not die and return to life. Instead, he was on his quest so long that people thought he died. The writers of the Gospels said Jesus actually physically died and then rose again. This isn't the same thing.
I found another reference to Resurrection and Perseus. It is found at this link. The author makes a reference to Perseus' name meaning "breaker". The author ties this to Perseus freeing Andromeda from the chains she was bound to and calling them the chains of death - thus deriving resurrection as being freed from death. Of course to get this some serious gymnastics were used through Hebrew and Greek that can't be substantiated. For example Romans 16:3 is given as a reference where the Greek form Perses, or Perseus can be found and its alleged that it's related to the Hebrew word "peretz". When one looks at what Romans 16:3 says:
Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. - Romans 16:3
I see nothing in the verse that says what the author says it does. I think that more and destroys the author's argument that Perseus' experience has anything to do with resurrection.
There is another link I have seen at the link at Hero's Journey. However, it does not help make the case of proving that Perseus was resurrected.
If Ryan Anderson,or anyone, is willing to make an argument proving that the Gospel account comes from Perseus life, I'd like to see it. Any takers?
Links:
Pre-Christian Sources:
Apollodorus on Perseus (2nd century B.C.)
Ovid, "Perseus And Atlas" (Late 1st century B.C. or early 1st century A.D.)
Sources
http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/religion/blgrk_heroes05.htm
http://www.kingdavid8.com/Copycat/JesusPerseus.html
http://www.gods-heros-myth.com/godpages/perseus.html
