Myth

775 Views | 11 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Waco1947
Waco1947
How long do you want to ignore this user?
THE RAW MATERIAL OF A MYTH, like the raw material of a dream, may be something that actually happened once. But myths, like dreams, do not tell us much about that kind of actuality. The creation of Adam and Eve, the Tower of Babel, Oedipusthey do not tell us primarily about events. They tell us about ourselves.

In popular usage, a myth has come to mean a story that is not true. Historically speaking, that may well be so. Humanly speaking, a myth is a story that is always true."
Frederick Buechner

-Originally published in Wishful Thinking and later in Beyond Words

What say you? For instance the historicity of the Tower of Babel is irrelevant but the truth that humans say "Let is be like God." Is true.

Waco1947
twd74
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Waco1947 said:

THE RAW MATERIAL OF A MYTH, like the raw material of a dream, may be something that actually happened once. But myths, like dreams, do not tell us much about that kind of actuality. The creation of Adam and Eve, the Tower of Babel, Oedipusthey do not tell us primarily about events. They tell us about ourselves.

In popular usage, a myth has come to mean a story that is not true. Historically speaking, that may well be so. Humanly speaking, a myth is a story that is always true."
Frederick Buechner

-Originally published in Wishful Thinking and later in Beyond Words

What say you? For instance the historicity of the Tower of Babel is irrelevant but the truth that humans say "Let is be like God." Is true.


Malinowski referred to myth as "lived reality." It is a condescension of primitive culture and present day religion to assume that "Myth is a made up story." If myth is the unfolding story of how we came to be, World, People, nation, Family, self: we see the story as perhaps being completely factual, less-so, or not at all. In the case of the very best of stories, there is always a deeper truth it seeks to tell.
cowboycwr
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Are we supposed to list myths here like white privilege because you grew tired of the other thread?
Waco1947
How long do you want to ignore this user?
twd74 said:

Waco1947 said:

THE RAW MATERIAL OF A MYTH, like the raw material of a dream, may be something that actually happened once. But myths, like dreams, do not tell us much about that kind of actuality. The creation of Adam and Eve, the Tower of Babel, Oedipusthey do not tell us primarily about events. They tell us about ourselves.

In popular usage, a myth has come to mean a story that is not true. Historically speaking, that may well be so. Humanly speaking, a myth is a story that is always true."
Frederick Buechner

-Originally published in Wishful Thinking and later in Beyond Words

What say you? For instance the historicity of the Tower of Babel is irrelevant but the truth that humans say "Let is be like God." Is true.


Malinowski referred to myth as "lived reality." It is a condescension of primitive culture and present day religion to assume that "Myth is a made up story." If myth is the unfolding story of how we came to be, World, People, nation, Family, self: we see the story as perhaps being completely factual, less-so, or not at all. In the case of the very best of stories, there is always a deeper truth it seeks to tell.
Can you give an example? I think the parting of the Red Sea is such a myth. The truth of that myth is "God is with us when are between a rock and hard place and saves us."
TM do you have an example?
D. C. Bear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
cowboycwr said:

Are we supposed to list myths here like white privilege because you grew tired of the other thread?


There's more truth in your statement than you realize.
twd74
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Waco1947 said:

twd74 said:

Waco1947 said:

THE RAW MATERIAL OF A MYTH, like the raw material of a dream, may be something that actually happened once. But myths, like dreams, do not tell us much about that kind of actuality. The creation of Adam and Eve, the Tower of Babel, Oedipusthey do not tell us primarily about events. They tell us about ourselves.

In popular usage, a myth has come to mean a story that is not true. Historically speaking, that may well be so. Humanly speaking, a myth is a story that is always true."
Frederick Buechner

-Originally published in Wishful Thinking and later in Beyond Words

What say you? For instance the historicity of the Tower of Babel is irrelevant but the truth that humans say "Let is be like God." Is true.


Malinowski referred to myth as "lived reality." It is a condescension of primitive culture and present day religion to assume that "Myth is a made up story." If myth is the unfolding story of how we came to be, World, People, nation, Family, self: we see the story as perhaps being completely factual, less-so, or not at all. In the case of the very best of stories, there is always a deeper truth it seeks to tell.
Can you give an example? I think the parting of the Red Sea is such a myth. The truth of that myth is "God is with us when are between a rock and hard place and saves us."
TM do you have an example?
The problem when we get into the fact vs. myth discussion for me is that real myth (imo) is all about the story. The Prodigal Son is a wonderful Story (of course not literally true) yet in it Jesus gave us this incredible view of God as a Loving Father constantly and always ready to reconcile, to forgive. I think of it as a governing myth, I look at my life, faith, all other scripture differently because of the Myth of a Prodigal God.
contrario
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Waco1947 said:

THE RAW MATERIAL OF A MYTH, like the raw material of a dream, may be something that actually happened once. But myths, like dreams, do not tell us much about that kind of actuality. The creation of Adam and Eve, the Tower of Babel, Oedipusthey do not tell us primarily about events. They tell us about ourselves.

In popular usage, a myth has come to mean a story that is not true. Historically speaking, that may well be so. Humanly speaking, a myth is a story that is always true."
Frederick Buechner

-Originally published in Wishful Thinking and later in Beyond Words

What say you? For instance the historicity of the Tower of Babel is irrelevant but the truth that humans say "Let is be like God." Is true.


So which stories in the Bible are true and which are myths that are a reflection of the human condition? If God didn't literally create the universe in 7 days, but rather it is just a story, how do we tell which stories are myths and which ones we are to believe are truth? For example, is Jesus' sermon on the mount true, or just a myth that is use to teach us a lesson?
D. C. Bear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
contrario said:

Waco1947 said:

THE RAW MATERIAL OF A MYTH, like the raw material of a dream, may be something that actually happened once. But myths, like dreams, do not tell us much about that kind of actuality. The creation of Adam and Eve, the Tower of Babel, Oedipusthey do not tell us primarily about events. They tell us about ourselves.

In popular usage, a myth has come to mean a story that is not true. Historically speaking, that may well be so. Humanly speaking, a myth is a story that is always true."
Frederick Buechner

-Originally published in Wishful Thinking and later in Beyond Words

What say you? For instance the historicity of the Tower of Babel is irrelevant but the truth that humans say "Let is be like God." Is true.


So which stories in the Bible are true and which are myths that are a reflection of the human condition? If God didn't literally create the universe in 7 days, but rather it is just a story, how do we tell which stories are myths and which ones we are to believe are truth? For example, is Jesus' sermon on the mount true, or just a myth that is use to teach us a lesson?
Some myths are true and some myths are false. For example, the myth that a woman's full personhood is found in her ability to kill her unborn offspring is a false myth.
LIB,MR BEARS
How long do you want to ignore this user?
47 will let us know what is true and what is not. It is a certainty that any story that shows the triune God to be miraculous or omnipotent will be deemed by stumbling block 47 to be myth.

What I hope to be a myth is that 47 is now or has ever been a preacher.
Waco1947
How long do you want to ignore this user?
contrario said:

Waco1947 said:

THE RAW MATERIAL OF A MYTH, like the raw material of a dream, may be something that actually happened once. But myths, like dreams, do not tell us much about that kind of actuality. The creation of Adam and Eve, the Tower of Babel, Oedipusthey do not tell us primarily about events. They tell us about ourselves.

In popular usage, a myth has come to mean a story that is not true. Historically speaking, that may well be so. Humanly speaking, a myth is a story that is always true."
Frederick Buechner

-Originally published in Wishful Thinking and later in Beyond Words

What say you? For instance the historicity of the Tower of Babel is irrelevant but the truth that humans say "Let is be like God." Is true.


So which stories in the Bible are true and which are myths that are a reflection of the human condition? If God didn't literally create the universe in 7 days, but rather it is just a story, how do we tell which stories are myths and which ones we are to believe are truth? For example, is Jesus' sermon on the mount true, or just a myth that is use to teach us a lesson?

What's your definition of "true?" Historicity ?
My definition of "true" is : does this passage of reveal truth about a God of grace and our life of faith.
Historicity while important (for instance Jesus was a historical figure); I think the Bible is about the life of faith that is revealed in myth.
contrario
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Waco1947 said:

contrario said:

Waco1947 said:

THE RAW MATERIAL OF A MYTH, like the raw material of a dream, may be something that actually happened once. But myths, like dreams, do not tell us much about that kind of actuality. The creation of Adam and Eve, the Tower of Babel, Oedipusthey do not tell us primarily about events. They tell us about ourselves.

In popular usage, a myth has come to mean a story that is not true. Historically speaking, that may well be so. Humanly speaking, a myth is a story that is always true."
Frederick Buechner

-Originally published in Wishful Thinking and later in Beyond Words

What say you? For instance the historicity of the Tower of Babel is irrelevant but the truth that humans say "Let is be like God." Is true.


So which stories in the Bible are true and which are myths that are a reflection of the human condition? If God didn't literally create the universe in 7 days, but rather it is just a story, how do we tell which stories are myths and which ones we are to believe are truth? For example, is Jesus' sermon on the mount true, or just a myth that is use to teach us a lesson?

What's your definition of "true?" Historicity ?
My definition of "true" is : does this passage of reveal truth about a God of grace and our life of faith.
Historicity while important (for instance Jesus was a historical figure); I think the Bible is about the life of faith that is revealed in myth.
Truth or myth: was Jesus actually born of a virgin? Did he actually perform miracles? Did he actually die on a cross? Did he actually rise from the dead after 3 days?

Did any of these things actually happen, or or are they just stories to teach about life and faith? If some are myths and some are truths, how are we to determine what actually happened and what is merely just a story to teach about life and faith?
Waco1947
How long do you want to ignore this user?
contrario said:

Waco1947 said:

contrario said:

Waco1947 said:

THE RAW MATERIAL OF A MYTH, like the raw material of a dream, may be something that actually happened once. But myths, like dreams, do not tell us much about that kind of actuality. The creation of Adam and Eve, the Tower of Babel, Oedipusthey do not tell us primarily about events. They tell us about ourselves.

In popular usage, a myth has come to mean a story that is not true. Historically speaking, that may well be so. Humanly speaking, a myth is a story that is always true."
Frederick Buechner

-Originally published in Wishful Thinking and later in Beyond Words

What say you? For instance the historicity of the Tower of Babel is irrelevant but the truth that humans say "Let is be like God." Is true.


So which stories in the Bible are true and which are myths that are a reflection of the human condition? If God didn't literally create the universe in 7 days, but rather it is just a story, how do we tell which stories are myths and which ones we are to believe are truth? For example, is Jesus' sermon on the mount true, or just a myth that is use to teach us a lesson?

What's your definition of "true?" Historicity ?
My definition of "true" is : does this passage of reveal truth about a God of grace and our life of faith.
Historicity while important (for instance Jesus was a historical figure); I think the Bible is about the life of faith that is revealed in myth.
Truth or myth: was Jesus actually born of a virgin? Did he actually perform miracles? Did he actually die on a cross? Did he actually rise from the dead after 3 days?

Did any of these things actually happen, or or are they just stories to teach about life and faith? If some are myths and some are truths, how are we to determine what actually happened and what is merely just a story to teach about life and faith?
Again ask Historcity. What sources say it - the gospels? That makes an event historical?
Waco1947
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Myth operates at a different level. The Eypgtians make no mention of Moses yet the power of his story moves people to faith in God.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.