I think I should ignore Steve for a while and let him blather in his bigotry.

Bill, what do you think of religious myth? Do you think they were intended to be accepted as factual representations of history and of the origins of the universe, or did the writers have another purpose?

I suppose I base my thinking mostly on the books and video presentations by Joseph Campbell. I see importance and wisdom in the foundational myths of most of the ancient religions. I think that they were intended to instill a sense of awe and wonder, and a kinship with an entity beyond and above the immediate, everyday reality. I pay particular attention to the ancient sacred writings of Christians and Jews (The Bible) and Muslims (The Koran), but I am also intrigued by the mythologies of the Greeks, Egyptians, Celts, and particularly the Native Americans of my area. I don't think these mythologies were intended to mislead or control people. I think they were meant to draw people to a higher ideal and a deeper appreciation of the world that surrounded them.

No doubt there are many who have interpreted these myths in many detrimental ways, but I think their original intent was constructive - and I don't think that most of them were intended to be understood literally. I think that humans have an inherent ability to understand myth and fiction. I consider literalism to be an aberration - and I see that literalism in some who support and some who attack sacred myth. But I think that for the most part, people understand myth and can benefit from it greatly - especially if they view the myth of various cultures with an open mind.

-Joe-