figuer

I think you are the one in serious need of re-education.

From Wi. Myths – stories that a particular culture believes to be true and that use the supernatural to interpret natural events and to explain the nature of the universe and humanity.

Tell me: How does Genesis, Exodus, the Gospels etc. escape the previous definition?? By grace of being "ancient texts". They happen to be "ancient texts" containing various "myths".

It is according to certain interpretations of parts Isaiah and Ezekiel. Remember I am not speaking of scientific Biblical criticism, but of sinthesizing a mythological system, which should respond to the mythomaniac's interpretation, not to the scholar.

figuer

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Myth


Myth: A traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society:

Can anyone tell me how the Bible escapes the previous definition??

Chris Weimer

Oh, I'm sorry, but where in the gospels is it explaining the nature of the universe? Where in Exodus for that matter?

Because some parts of the Bible contain mythological stories means that the whole thing is myth? Where in the prophets are myths?

Amaleq13

No, I think it is more accurately described as a fable.

fable: a short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate objects as characters

figuer

You are being careless...you missed the part about: "use the supernatural to interpret natural events and to explain the nature of...humanity. Exodus uses the supernatural (the plagues, the burning bush, the Law Tablets coming from god) to explain natural events and the nature of humanity. The Gospel is all about a supernatural being, Jesus, who is an incarnate god, born from a virgin, who performs miracles, rises from the dead etc...

The whole thing presents a mythological world view, which searches for a supernatural explanation for historical events and the customs and ideals of the people, including the prophets. Or do you think making prophecies about the future actions of a mythological entity (Yahweh), is not mythology?

No, Genesis is not a short tale to teach a moral lesson, and it doesn't contain animals or inanimate objects as characters. It is rather quite clearly a myth: A traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the world view of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society:

I ask again, how can anyone deny that the previous definition applies to the entire Bible?

Is the Bible a traditional ancient story? Yes

Does it deal with supernatural beings? Yes

Does it deal with ancestors and heroes? Yes

Are the previous used to define a world view of a people? Yes

Are the previous used to explain aspects of the natural world? Yes

Are the previous used to delineate a psychology, customs or ideas of a society? Yes

Magdlyn

The Noah/flood is a fable. The talking ass of Balaam is a fable. The Garden of Eden with a talking snake is a fable. Jonah in a fish's belly is a fable.

The prophets do not so much as predict YHWh's behavior as try to interpret events of the day (Babylonian conquest of Judah for example) through a prism of Judaean's breaking God's law and being deserving of his punishment. Pure twaddle of course. Not a myth so much as a superstition.

JGL53

Myth is good. Myth is fun. Myth can be inspiring. Myth taken literally is what is called religion, which has not proven to be such a good thing.

I think religion can best be examined and understood as myth. The guy who did the best job on this is the great “comparative mythologist” Joseph Campbell - the guy who did "The Power of Myth" interviews with Bill Moyers. There are several dozen books available either written by Campbell, edited by him, or books that are compilations of transcripts of his many lectures.

Also, two books by Alan Watts specifically address the mythological basis of christianity: "Easter" and "Myth and Ritual in Christianity (or via: amazon.co.uk)" and his more general book on mythology "Myth and Religion

Also many of the writing of Karl Jung address this issue - the archetypes of the collective unconsciousness stuff; also educational are "The Perennial Philosophy (or via: amazon.co.uk)" by Aldous Huxley, "The Golden Bough" by James Frazer, "Mysticism Sacred and Profane (or via: amazon.co.uk)" by R. C. Zaehner, "Symbolism in Religion and Literature (or via: amazon.co.uk)" by Rollo May, ed., and "The Myth of the Birth of the Hero: A Psychological Exploration of Myth (or via: amazon.co.uk)" by Otto Rank.

Chris Weimer

Vespasian was reported to have cured blindness; Augustus was said to have been the son of God - does that make Roman history myth.

JGL53

Jesus MAY have been an historical person. Does that make him god?

It is written, e.g., that he cast the demons of insanity out of a person into some swine who subsequently ran into a river and drowned. Does the fact that such "is written" make it true?

Do you need a lot of help with these questions?

Chris Weimer

Do you have trouble with reading and comprehension?