The Great Flood
The story of Noah’s Ark recorded in Genesis is not original. Many authors believe that it is directly inspired by the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the most iconic Mesopotamian myths (14th century BC). The Vedic scriptures also record a deluge and Bartolomé de las Casas reports a similar myth among the Mayan people of the Kekchí, among others.
It is shared by the following religions: Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Mayan and Aztec beliefs, and Mesopotamian cults.
The garden of Eden
The quintessential Christian and Judaic myth describes Eden and its heavenly garden, chosen by God so that Adam would have lived in perfect happiness if he had not disobeyed his orders. This myth fired the imagination of adventurers and explorers, who for a long time gave it credibility. But it is repeated in other beliefs: Sumerian mythology describes the kingdom of the god Enki, who created humans in an orchard and then, disappointed, proceeded to expel him. And the myth, with variations, is mentioned numerous times in the Qur’an. It is shared by the following religions: Christianity, Judaism, Mesopotamian worshipers, and Islam.
eschatological myths
Christians associate the end of time with the parousia, the second coming of Christ (preceded by the Antichrist). In Buddhism, the character in charge of initiating an era of peace after the disaster is Maitreya, while the Jews await the Messiah who will rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem. The myth also echoes in pagan religions: Ragnarök is the dreaded battle of the end of the world for the Norse.
It is shared by the following religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Norse mythology.
Heaven
Heaven is one of the pillars of Christian mythology, but it is also present in many pagan religions. It is the Mictlan of the Aztecs and for the Greeks it was Olympus, where their gods lived, and also Elysium, the final home of the most fortunate. The equivalent of Olympus for the Norse was Asgard, and the brave warriors of her who died in combat ascended to Valhalla.
It is shared by the following religions: Christianity, Greek mythology, Mesoamerican cults, Norse mythology.