belief in mythologies?

Question

for some bizarre and unexplainable reason a great many people believe christian mythology to be true. It seems obvious to me that the writers of genesis for example where writing an allegorical story not to be taken literally. My question is, the old religions we now call mythology, were they regarded as mythology and allegories at the time of their popularity, or did people believe them to be true?

Answer 1

It is said that in Genesis 6:6, the men of renown were born of the union of the son's of god and the daughters of the earth. Allegory or not, it does seem to explain by Christian standards and purposes, where the myths of other beliefs come from. To your question, myth to one person is truth to another. People absolutely believed to be true what were called myths, simply because they were not myths to them. It was their belief system.

Almost without exception in history, when the 'new' religion came to power, it placed the 'old' religion in the realm of myth so as not to lose the new 'converts' to the 'old' ways. The old religion was subverted to a lesser existance and sometimes eliminated entirely. Lenin tried to elimnate religion in Russia but found out that people have to have a spiritual life. The Orthodox Christians did not dissolve and existed for years, albeit underground. Lenin obvioiusly didn't learn the lessons of history when it came to religion.

Sometimes too, the old gods/godesses were were used to represent the demons of the new religion such as the Pagan Horned One, who Christians took to represent their Devil. This demonized the old god for the sake of intimidation of the new converts to keep them from straying from the new religion and going back to the old by telling them the 'truth' about their god. It is easier to control someone by working on their fears than appealing to their spirit. Also, while absorbing the old gods into their own pantheon, they also absorbed feast and festival days into their calendar to make conversion from the old to the new easier, again to keep the new converts from returning to the old ways. Jesus wasn't likely born on December 25th. That date roughly corresponds with the Winter Solstice, or Yule of the Pagan calendar and has nothing to do with the historical birth of the Christian Savior. Easter? Check out Ostara in the Pagan calendar and you will know why you get chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks in your Easter basket yet it has nothing to do with the historical crucifixion. Look too, at how the Romans treated the Greek pantheon. History has accused them of stealing the Greek gods and godesses, but they essentially used the same with some modifications, and probably did so for political reasons They took a bad rap for this, but did no different than the Christians, or Muslims or Hebrews for that matter.

At the end of the day, god is god no matter how you slice it and deifying, making him/her a myth or demonizing really doesn't do much to blur what is true in the heart of a person.

Answer 2

I would assume people believed them as true. Just like the Greeks with the Gods. We look at Zeus and Hercules as mythological gods, but the greeks praised them and put pictures on vases. I think that at the time they were written they were written from actual beliefs.

Answer 3

I believe they were considered religious beliefs also. I agree, I don't understand why the Christians are not even interested in knowing why we think that way. It seems to me that if they were to take the time to educate their selves on the many other creation myths, they would realize that they all have similarities and that the bible version came from other older versions that they would consider Pagan versions, (the dates have been proved by science).

Answer 4

Hello dear!
Well, Myths are historic ally proved, except they were not written, as history was. Due to transfer mouth to mouth, several issues are presented in a specific form, that we should be aware and ready to understand and conceive.
Thus, Christianity is not a myth, it is a tale!
People follow Christianity because they could not select anything else! By law, those who were not Christians were either executed, or forced to leave, or their property was taken!

Answer 5

There is always some truth to "mythology" be it Greek or Norse if you check into the stories and think about it for a minute you will see some truths.

Answer 6

Hate to tell you this but many of the Old Testament stories have been proven to be true.

Answer 7

they were regarded as true by some as rubbish by others. They were considered to be news by most.

Answer 8

Christianity is not a myth.
Go out and find yourself a life, amadan.