Mythology: Spiritual Contextualization

When you hear the word ‘myth’, your immediate intellect may go to a story that is fake or ‘made up’. While that is partially true, myths are generally traditional tales that primarily revolve around specific people and religious beliefs. The most prevailing myths that orbit around today’s standards are creation myths. Basically, they are theories about how humanity emerged and how the world was created. As I read ‘Greek Creation’ and ‘The Algonquin Myth of Michabo’, I perceived that they are both obviously very distinctive from each other, but in a way they share the same ‘idea’ or interpretation about how the world and humanity was formed.

There are different types of definitions for the word myth. Etymological definitions concentrate on the subject at head being untrue. One of these definitions states the word myth is defined as a story about the gods that is false. Another type of definition is sociological-theological definitions. In this definitions, the person telling the myth is only telling what is true to them. The story is not false in their mind. The truth is whatever the person thinks is true.

A simple definition of a myth is a story handed down through history, often through oral tradition, that explains or gives value to the unknown. Myths are composed of stories or explanations. Myths are not always false sometimes they have some truth to them. They come to being by people making an assumption about a person based on their race.

3. What is the relationship between belief, knowledge, mythology, and religion? Where do mythology and religion intersect? Where do they diverge? Think about the function of myth and religion in helping human beings cope with change, suffering, loss, and death.

Myths and religious doctrine are generally recognized as two entirely different things. Myths are usually referred to as a fictitious story or a half-truth; often they are stories shared between groups of people that are part of a cultural society. Religion is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, and purpose of the universe, and often containing an ethical code dictating appropriate human conduct. Although they differ in certain aspects, they still hold similarities. Comparable to parables within the Bible, myths have different versions which are both motivating, as well as entertaining. There are not only parallels to the idea of the stories but specific tales hold similar morals and equivalent characters.

Origin myths explain the mysteries of the world and answer the question of how the earth was created and humans purpose on earth. Each culture has a different myth; in these myths, generally, the gods or the god created mankind, earth, animal, and heaven. Many of these stories present the gods with a paternalistic attitude toward the human species. The gods care for humans and provide them with essential items needed for survival. Also, the gods castigate mankind when the human race was mischievous.

Myths and religion share the same qualities. Myths help connect to the spiritual world. “The myth is for spiritual instruction” (Campbell, 59). Myths help us relate to other spiritual references. Campbell uses the example of reincarnation and how it ties into other concepts of religion also, “….dimensions of your being and a potential for realization and consciousness that are not included with the concept of yourself.” (Campbell,70). In religion, you come out a new

Myth is derived from the Greek term muthos, meaning “word” or “speech”. It owes its meaning to its disparity with logos, which can be translated to “word” as well, however is used specifically in the point of a word stimulating a discussion or argument. Myths are a manifestation of the sanctified in words, it tales realities and occurrences from the foundation of the world that remain effective as the principle of all there is. It’s a language speech and literature, being passed down from generation to generation.

Lacking modern scientific knowledge, early civilizations created complex explanations to everyday events. These stories explained natural phenomenons like lightning, storms, earthquakes, the phases of the moon, and droughts. Natural forces, like wind or water were given names and attributes. Through storytelling people began to share creation myths that explained why they inhabited certain regions and their value system. Everyday occurrences may have been associated with a happy wind spirit or a blessing of the gods. Fortunes and misfortunes were attributed to the gods’ whims or moods. Polytheism, the belief in many gods was a common idea in the ancient world. Myths grew and became more religious in nature, sometimes with devotions or celebrations to honor the gods. Rituals developed along

Throughout history, and all over the world, mythology has been developed as a way of explaining the unknown and coping with one’s existence. Why does the sun shine? Well, seemingly, to generations past, something is controlling the universe, so there must be a god in charge of the sun and many other natural phenomenon. During the creation of Native American myths, “there was much in the way of free-range food, but hunting wasn't as easy as getting up in the morning, taking a stroll and shooting a few passing bison with your bow” (Godchecker). Times were tough, “even Plains societies who lived off the prolific buffalo fell under the threat of starvation at times” (Godchecker). Finally, “when herds were found, the people were grateful and

Myth still remains one of the major links that merges the different cultures and religions from various ethnicities. “The Creation of the Titans and the Gods”, as well as “The Creation, Death, and Rebirth of the Universe”, are among the many creation myths that highlight these combinations. Throughout history, myths have created various similarities and differences between the cultures and religions of the world.

The third function of myths is the sociological function; this function of myths can be trivial and sometimes twisted and turned for a select group’s own benefit. Not only do the metaphorical stories told in myth explain how the world functions or came to be per say, but also they leave teachings of social order and divine order. An example of this can be seen in the Bible where homosexuality is said to be an “abomination.” This type of lesson leads the believers in straying away from that sort of behavior because their god frowns upon it. The sociological function is also meant to build a better society by instilling a sense of morals, ethics, and customs upon the people. The problem with this type of function arises when zealots begin to use the rules and orders set in their sacred texts to their selfish needs and neglect the rest.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines a myth as “a fiction or half-truth, especially one that forms part of an ideology” (Griffin). Though the dictionary has that definition, the meaning of myth and mythology has lost its meaning over time with the progression of modern cultures. Another dictionary describes a myth as “a story presented as historical, dealing with traditions specific to a culture or a group of people” (Griffin). As time passed, the original myths that cultures had were lost and reformed, to fit the modernizing age. Thus, making a mythology class in American high schools vidal to learning about the past, but also about the heritage of certain

Myths – as they are known to most of the world – give insight into the pasts of various countries and religions as the people saw them. They have been used to explain phenomenons in nature or describe the tales of courageous and important men and women throughout history. Creation myths in particular define how the Earth itself was created, along with the universe, heavens, hell, people, and creatures that exist today. Genesis of Christian mythology, for instance, tells the story of how the single deity God spoke and formed everything from day and night to man and woman. Various African creation myths, such as with the Yoruba, explain the creation of the Earth through at least a couple gods working together and all life

Gods are males, goddesses are females. God, who is believed to control the world or part of it, or represents a particular quality. God is someone or something people really give too much importance or respect. In my religion, people believe that if you do something wrong, the god is going to punish by striking a thunder to you. People also believe that if you do something correct, the god is blessing you. I think that myth is important to us because without it religion won’t exist and people won’t believe to anything. Myth is important because it open out our mind to images and archetypal relationships taken from myth. The advantages of myth is that myth will always teach us moral and let people to believe on something, the disadvantage of myth is that myth doesn’t have proven that the story is true or not, but some people still believe in myth because of their own religion. So, I believe that myth helps us to know the ancient that we don’t know and I believe that myth give a very meaningful meaning to our