Why Are Creation Myths Important?

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.

In Genesis, the first book of The Bible the Christian and Jewish creation story is told. God spoke and his Word was done. He made the heavens and the earth. He made light and drove away the dark. On the earth he created the waters and lands and man and beast.

Ancient Creation myths are similar but at the same time are still very different. What is a myth? A myth refers to a fiction story or only half true story. What makes up a myth? It has several different characteristics that make it different from other types of stories. Ancient Greco-Roman myths are interesting because they talk about another religion and how they are being reflected. Hebrew creation myths are also interesting because they explain the power of God who made the universe in just 6 days.

In order to explain creation, the Hebrews follow what the bible says and turn to God. Within this culture it is said that God created the world in seven days. During these seven days, God created the light, sky, land, oceans, plants, sun, moon, stars, birds, fish, sea creatures, land animals, and people. On the seventh day God rested and looked down in amazement at all he had created. Today, people worship God and follow his ten commandments in their lives. Even though there are many new religions that have branched off

Islam began, as stated, in the desert land of Arabia. Due to the Arabs’ tribal nature, they were skilled at navigation and long-distance trading. They became the guides and couriers of the trade routes going to and from Africa and Asia. Thus, towns began to form, including the famous pilgrimage site, Mecca. Arabian tribes often worshipped the Black Stone, kept in the Kaaba, which was located in Mecca. Thus, those that controlled the shrine controlled the entire economic and spiritual life of the region surrounding Mecca. From this group came Muhammad, who founded Islam and changed the course of the Arabs worship. After experiencing a spiritual epiphany in, or around, 610, Muhammad made a decision to worship only the most prominent god in Arab faith, Allah.

In every culture people have different creation stories from the ancient Aztecs to modern-day. Creation stories myths are symbolic since they are narratives of how the world began and how men were created. These stories or “myths” helped people in the past to explain the world around them (Long, 2015). However, people often use the term myth to describe these stories since they regarded as fiction while to some there true. Regardless, to who believes these “myths” but everyone has their own belief on the origin of the world.

Ancient authors such as Hesiod, Ovid, and Apollodorus set forth to record what they knew of their gods, especially how these gods created the world and the beings inside of it. Each author provides different variations of the myths that surround creationism. Modern westerners are familiar with the creation stories provided within Genesis, not realizing that many elements were borrowed and inspired by other cultures, such as the Greeks. These myths, even within the same book, can contradicting or confusing. Between authors, there are often different interpretations, that during the time they were written, co-existed and were accepted as truth, regardless of how impossible it was for both to be correct.

We now see these theories as inaccurate, due to the fact that they have been replaced by newer scientific models. In a modern light, it can be stated that creation myths describe not the origin of our cosmos but rather these myths allow us to gain a broader understanding of ancient theories and beliefs. During the time of their invention however, these myths were precisely an honest interpretation of the outer world, and therefore they served the exact purpose which is stated in their title, to explain the process of creation.

In all cultures, areas of the world and religious orientations, one of the initial and essential elements discussed is how the world came to be. These creation stories contain the base of information for the respective belief system, as well as a unified understanding of how those particular groups of individuals were put into existence alongside their surrounding organisms and structures. Many creation myths, created by ancestors of the believers, serve as a guide to the remainder of religious beliefs and practices that follow. As a creation myth guides a belief system, it tells of the fundamentals of the faith organization; telling of monotheistic or polytheistic beliefs, certain laws or rules of life, positive and negative elements of the

There are countless stories about how the world was made. Many Cultures around the world begin with birth, which means “new beginning.” Most creation myths have creation beginning on earth, but some start in coas. In some creation myths, people and animals had gotten along until sin had came in the way, In the creation myths, there are three main ideas; organic materials being used for creation of humans, creator or creators destroying life, and feuds among the people.

Moreover, The Quran and the Hadith of Prophet Mohammed are the main references to Islam.

For thousands of years, scientists have tried to interpret the concept of creation. However, before people had access to modern scientific equipment, they told creations stories. A creation story is a myth that explains how and why the earth was made. A few cultures with differing opinions on creation are Europeans, Cherokee Indians, West Africans, and Hawaiians. Europeans tell the story of Genesis and God creating the earth in seven days and Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Cherokee Indians believe that the earth was created by a water beetle. In West African culture, they teach the Golden Chain story, and Hawaiians have the Kumulipo story to explain their beliefs on creation. Although each story follows a basic guideline, they all have distinct disparities.

The general purpose for all myths is to bring an understanding of unknown. The ancient people widely used myths to explain new phenomena and occurrences. The lack of scientific modes of theory formulation caused the people of old to come up with myths to fill the vacuum with the knowledge that existed during their time. The need by man to explain his origin and the origin of the universe led him to the formulation of creation and origin myths. Men of olds came up with myths to explain the mysteries they had no clue about including creation.

This narrative, which describes how God created the universe in six days, can be found in the first few paragraphs of the Bible. It is said that on Day One, God created the heavens and the earth and allowed there to be light upon the earth. God then allowed a separation of waters above from the waters below on day Two; this separated the skies and the seas. On the third day, God formed dry land and allowed the earth to sprout vegetation. God then allowed the heavenly lights to appear on the earth on Day Four. On Day Five, God created animals to inhabit the earth. The sixth and final day of creation of the universe saw God creating other animals such as carnivores and humans to inhabit the earth as well (The literal interpretation of the Genesis One Creation account, 2007).

In the Western world, the most well-known creation story is in Genesis (Myth A), in the Old Testament of