What is the difference between myth and fact?

Question

I am writing a paper on the difference between myth and fact and how it relates to past and present religious beliefs, and would like to know other people's point of view on this. All intelligent answers are appreciated.

Answer 1

other than scientific proof, nothing... without scientific proof nothing can be called a fact... that said just because something is called a myth does not necessarily mean it is not completely true. its just something that has no way of being proven scientifically valid. a great book for you to look at would be "the mythology of the hero" it would be perfect for what you are doing. it speaks on the "
mythological heros of many religions" very insightfull dealing with their similarities and diffrences... the similarites are amazing!!!

Answer 2

Everybody else has pretty much defined the two words. I would just like to add commentary. A noun as we all know is a person, place or thing. A rock is a noun. I can hold a rock in my hands. I perceive it to be real. Julius Cesar really lived. Rome is still a real place. They're still digging up dinosaur bones from millions of years ago. Your DNA is really real. There is great similarity between your DNA and that of a chimpanzee or a mouse or a dog or a dinosaur, etc, etc. These are real and they are facts. Now, if you are a Christian it is easy and seems correct to laugh at ancient Greeks for believing in Zeus or Athena or Apollo. However, I am sure the laughing would stop quick if a Hindu, Buddhist or Islamic Fundamentalist were to laugh at the notion of a virgin birth, walking on water, bringing people back from the grave or resurrection. If I were to say, "God is a Donut." That is my FAITH. To me, my belief in my FAITH would seem as real as a rock. Faith is a noun because it barely sneaks in the "thing" category. There are two types of things, one - a real physical thing like our beloved rock and two - a not necessarily real thing called an IDEA. Faith is an example of a not necessarily real idea.

What is the definition of FAITH?

From Middle English feith, from Old French feid, from Latin fides, faith, trust.

Noun Singular faith Plural faiths

Mental acceptance of and confidence in a claim as truth without proof supporting the claim. I have faith in the goodness of my fellow man. (Christian theology) Belief and trust in the Christian god's promises revealed through Christ in the New Testament.
"Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld." (Hebrews 11:1)
A feeling or belief, that something is true, real, or will happen.
Have faith that the criminal justice system will avenge the murder. A trust in the intentions or abilities of a person or object.
I have faith in a just and loving God. (countable) A system of religious belief. The Christian faith has been spread by proselytizing. An obligation of loyalty or fidelity. The observance of such an obligation. He acted in good faith to restore broken diplomatic ties after defeating the incumbent.

Are you awake? I slept through most of that. You see Truth and Fact are very different. Myth and Fact are very different. The central most important point of religion is the irrational belief in some idea that is unprovable. A Christian really believes in the ideas of Christianity and to them the idea is as real as a rock. Any religious zealot believes their religion is correct and cries persecution when attacked but attacks other religions with extreme prejudice. That is the nature of religion. Its harder than a rock. Harder than a rock.

Answer 3

Myth need not be fact. Myth can instruct by going beyond literal truth. Myth is what the current religion (which calls belief in its own myths "faith") calls all prior and different religious belief.
Fact is provable. You need have no faith to believe a fact, because you can hold/see/taste/hear/smell the reality of it.
I hope that gives you an idea.

Answer 4

here is the answer: myths are things that haven't been proven true or false example: if you went into a lions den would you be eaten alive the answer is yes and that's a fact. So in other words myth+proof=fact

Answer 5

A myth is a fiction or half-truth, especially one that forms part of an ideology and a fact is something that is based on an entire truth and A real occurrence; an event.

Answer 6

A myth is a theory that many people believe, and a fact is something which is the truth

Answer 7

Myths are fantasies that can not be checked. Facts can be checked. Example; Religion is a myth. Math is a fact

Answer 8

myth
>a traditional story about heroes or supernatural beings, often explaining the origins of natural phenomena or aspects of human behaviour
> or it could be a traditional belief that explains a phenomenon, it usually does not have scientific explanations to back it up..

fact
>something that can be shown to be true, to exist, or to have happened
>the circumstances of an event, motion, occurrence, or state of affairs, rather than an interpretation of its significance
>and it could be explained by science

Answer 9

A myth is somthing that has been told and retold for eon's, Greek mytholgy, many stories told of the earth God's that are now star contilations, some are so simular to stories of the Bible, weather it fact or Myth, its fairly safe to assume/believe that there where beings/people over time who's faith was so strong that those who followed him/her believed then to be above human?
Take in account those that are mentally ill, and a delusion to them can be real. I work in psych, its a inside joke, amoung us. Its going to happen one day Jesus Christ himself is going to walk in here and we are going to strap him in 5 point restraints and fill his butt full of Haldol <<(medication that decreases delusional thought process)
But David Keresh was a real person, now in a few thousand years, will a book be found about his life and persucution, his many followers believed he was above human, and gave up thier lives for him........he preached the word of Jesus, who preached the word of God.................
So lets go back just a few years, Davy Crocket, now his ledgen discribes him being able to kill a grizzly bear, with one musket shot, or barehaded? Well this is possible.........yes, proble.........well......... per his clothing thats on display in the Alamo, Davy wasen't the mountain of a man Vess Parker who played him in Movies was, Vess was at leat 6ft. and 180lbs, Davey somwhere around 5/5........125-130lbs........you also must remember wide open spaces so bears where bigger then compared to now..........and meaner, now a musket shot was not a very powerful weapon, and the long gun's aim sucked. But who remembers these details, we only remember Davy Crocket being able to kill a grizzly bear with bare hands...........and dieing for his cause...........just like Jesus, David Keresh ...........
So in just over 150years or so we formed myths about Davy crocket.............but the facts are he could proble not have westled a Grizzly bear and won?
But I will go with the best odds, a man named Jesus walked upon this earth and preach and taught about a God. The place he discribes in Heaven is a whole lots better than the place where Satan, Santa Ana and Black Bart, and other seedy folks are going to live...........
Myths are ledgens based in fact.............that have been told and retold each adding a lil more nonfact to them.........that they become encreible impossible to believe.........but John Glen did walk on the moon, will one day will he be a contellation among the stars..........??

Answer 10

myth is theory of scientific but fact is truth.