[antiRepublicrat]

Nothing of what you have stated is part of mainstream academic thought. If so, then feel free to post a link.

I've only got dead tree versions, like Encyclopedia Brittanica. A quick Google pulled up lots of references to this origin though. In looking at some I just found something interesting. It is possible that both have their bases in an earlier pagan deity. Religions in that area were so mixed up back then feeding on one another for ideas, that it may be impossible to ever know.

[JohnSmithee]

"I've only got dead tree versions, like Encyclopedia Brittanica. A quick Google pulled up lots of references to this origin though. In looking at some I just found something interesting. It is possible that both have their bases in an earlier pagan deity. Religions in that area were so mixed up back then feeding on one another for ideas, that it may be impossible to ever know."

Yes, I should have been more careful. I agree that you gave the conventional explanation. What I should have said was that this "debate" has been going on for hundreds of years and the details of this debate can be found in academic journals. I'm not denying the conventional explanation but just pointing out that there is still a of a controversy going on over this.