Yes these stories predate Christianity.
I don't wish to criticize anyone's religious beliefs.
To many people the Bible uses great poetic license to actual be a morals and legal guide to a group of people not even capable of reading the scrolls. The Library was closed.
So the ultimate threat was not prison but the death penalty or everlasting punishment.
So many also see these as fables, meaning stories to teach morals that may in this case be based on some historical facts.
Let's go Brandon !!!
how do you know they are older?
so, you think it's more likely that there are 1000's of stories all with remarkably similar detail, and that means that....they are all different stories? you actually think that's more likely? that all these people spontaneously came up with exact same - yet entirely unrelated - story by chance?