From a story in Parabola, I read yet another metaphor about Tara, the Nomad Girl, who nurtured an injured man back from near death. Similarly, the parable of the Good Samaritan came to mind.
These are not stories, in my opinion, designed to sustain and justify a religion (Tara was Buddhism and the Good Samaritan Christianity), but to indicate how we should treat mankind.
As noted in comments before, I dont think Jesuss intent was to start a religion, nor was Buddhas. To me, thats the direction we should take no religion, but kindness to mankind.