Steve Weiss

How would the works of Homer be categorized, and would his works be fundamentally different to those in the Bible? Homer had a major influence on Western literature and was many centuries or even a millenium before the books randomly assembled into the Bible.

The first choice of categorization is separate fiction from non-fiction. In the case of ancient writings there is the additional question as to who authors were and if they themselves were fictional, which certainly applies in the case of Homer as well. In fact, one only has to go back a few hundred years to Shakespeare to have the same kinds of issues. One may also question whether a person named Marco Polo actually went to China and told firsthand accounts or related what he heard from others, if indeed, there were an historical Marco Polo.

The presumption is that ancient works are largely fictional accounts unless verified otherwise. Fiction is the default position. Once the major category is established, the subcategories can be constructed. The same issues arise in science with the categorization of species. The exact dating and classification of the first homo sapiens is a rough estimate and involves some educated guesswork, but a general picture can be put together that points us in a rational direction.

Call it a novel, an epic poem, historical fiction, mythology, or legends as in Robin Hood and King Arthur, such works must be taken with a great deal of salt and largely discounted as far as accuracy and authenticity are concerned. One may be quite sensitive to having one's favorite works critiqued and discounted, but one tends to be less so if one is evaluating other rival works to which one has less of an emotional attachment. The assertion above stating that the flood story, for instance, is obvious fiction is not shared by the religiously devout Judeo-Christian. Religious works, in general, do not pass muster by any objective standards.

steve_bnk

From a PBS show on Christianity the gospels plus acts are in the form of what would be an action adventure story of the time.

With a few adaptaions, it is Greek storytelling.

I think this is the show.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...eligion/watch/

Chili

Like a 'tall tale telling' event in Samoa that got the best of Margareth Mead and is a form of 'confession' that gets the best of believers at times.

Guest46854

If so, it's on the appropriate level with the bible.

Steve Weiss

The term "the Bible" is itself a misnomer as there are many versions of it, the major categories being the OT and NT and the Catholic versus the Protestant and/or Greek Orthodox versions. There are many translations of the so-called Bible, and there are many books that were excluded from it for whatever reasons, largely political, which motivated its compilers.

To say that the Bible is not a book but is rather a collection of books is establishing a distinction without a difference. One can say the same thing about many books. Basically a book is that which is between two covers and is sold as a unit. One may refer to the Five Books of Moses (of course, he didn't write them since he never existed), or as being a part of the OT. That the whole is full of inconsistencies and contradictions is another matter for discussion.

Steve Weiss

Quite right. Thanks for the citation. The Bible is the work of Iron Age mystics who tried to outdo each other with stories of great imagination and public appeal to the illterate and scientifically ignorant. We don't, or shouldn't, take these stories seriously today.

Steve Weiss

I am merely stating the obvious facts which may insult mystics and believers who prefer myths to truth.

steve_bnk

More like a myth that developed from an obsure set iof real events.

When the last Tsunami hit the Indian Ocean I watched an interview with a native on a small island.

The island had a creation myth that periodicaly god sent a great flood to wash away and renew the world. Included in the tale was a warning. If water suddenly pulls back from the shore head for high ground.

Ancient observation of events weaved into a myth over time.

The PBS show was pretty good. The gospels do not represent copies, they represent changing Christian views over time. The JC of the gospels ranges from the angry rabai hurling puns and criticisim at the establishment to the peaceful spiritual sermon on the mount.

The OT is an ethnic patchwork of surviving creation myth, moral law, teacnings, and history. The glory of Isreal undoubtedly embelishd.

I'd file it under either Religion/Mythology. It is also psycholgy and anthropology.
Years ago Bill Moyers had a group discussion on Cain And Able along with Abraham and Issac. A lot of psychology can be pulled out. The relationship between god and man is a psychology.

steve_bnk

Job is a perenial tale.

Chili

Neet and you are quit right, they hang it on local events so it is believable but really has nothing to do with it. It is done only to make people know when it is time to spin a coccoon and the rest goes by nature. But to get them there is not easy, especially not if an advancement of the civilization is the name of the game.