A missionary may tell an aborigini that a shooting star is not God's cigar butt and then tell him that Moses parted the Red Sea. Can any explain their biblical reasoning in this?
2006-06-15 12:39:31 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
Ok, first of all you have to differentiate between myth and parable, and what is written down as recorded history in the Bible. The story of Moses parting the Red Sea is not a parable. We Christians, and most Jews, believe that the parting of the Red Sea actually happened, and that this was the power of God being shown on earth for the benefit of His people, Israel.
Mythology by its very definition is the stuff of fairy tales. Were mythology held to be true, then the worship of Zeus would continue today. However, we see that it does not.
I, as a Christian, believe that stories that include mythology are very good stories. "A Mid-Summer Night's Dream" comes to mind. Or better yet, "The Chronicles of Narnia".
The Bible does have parables, but these are stories used to teach lessons and not to explain away something like a shooting star. When I grew up I believed that the angels were bowling in heaven when thunder and lightning filled the sky. That's mythology. That was the story told to me to explain something I couldn't understand.
That parable of the lost son is a story used to explain an idea. It's a story that could be true, but doesn't necessarily have to be true. It was not a far fetched idea for the parables that Jesus told to be true, and could have been stories that many already knew, but did not know the ture meaning in the context of Jesus Christ and His Gospel.
That would be the best reasoning I can give you.
D7
2006-06-15 12:57:15 · answer #1 · answered by drumin7 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mythology has no proof. NONE. There is so much evidence that the Bible is true, I don't understand how people can NOT believe it. Moses himself did not part the Red Sea. He was God's instrument. There are remains of chariots still in the area where they crossed the Red Sea. If proof of giant cigars in the sky or anything else mythology has to offer suddenly shows up, I'll be glad to hear more about it.
2006-06-15 17:50:07 · answer #2 · answered by tankgirl190 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Parables are the stories in the bible that have a lesson eg. good samaritan, and dont have anything mystical about them.
I think you mean the miracles of the bible eg. feeding of the 5000.
As for mythology, the main mythologies are from extinct civilisations! Ancient greeks, roman empire etc. Modern day Greece and Italy are Christian now.
But I get what you're asking and I'm not sure how to answer. I guess it comes down to what faith you were brought up in and the one you feel an affinity with. I'm Catholic but I'm not orthodox in that I believe the messages behind the miracles are the reason they have survived so long. I believe in their truth, but not necessarily that they are true........
2006-06-15 12:49:54 · answer #3 · answered by passionfruit_gal 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definition of Parable: A figure of speech in a story setting to illustrate a moral or spiritual or heavenly truth.
Definition of Mythology: Mythology is the study of myths; made up stories.
See the difference? That's why Christians show disbelief in mythology....:)
2006-06-18 22:55:50 · answer #4 · answered by BlueAngel 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We tell the parables as stories, they are no different from mythology. We just don't believe the things in mythology are true. We may learn lessons from them and that is why they were made. Like parables, mythology tells a story for us to learn from, but we need to also know that these things didn't happen. That's all that matters.
2006-06-16 11:10:54 · answer #5 · answered by trance_gemni 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Moses parted the red sea by faith.
If you have faith that dragons exist, then to you I guess they do.
I would hope that a missionary would tell an aborigine that a shooting star is a frozen piece of rock which circles the sun.
2006-06-15 13:12:47 · answer #6 · answered by plowmscat 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A myth is a myth that lacks evidence. The bible is evidence of God's existence and Christians share in that evidence with a personal relationships and personal manifestions of God's presence. The bible has parables that Jesus told for examples of spiritual truths or principles.
2006-06-15 12:48:28 · answer #7 · answered by Pashur 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ITS IS AND has been a social tool to keep empires and peoples focused and under control.
Most Christians have never even heard of the ancient Summerian folklore ,
the source for some of the bible's twisted mythology including most notably the "garden of eden" and "adam and eve".
I wouldn't say Religion is useless because it serves to focus societies and keep citizens in line.
Nothing makes me sicker than seeing so called "christians" with stickers on their car saying "SUPPORT THE TROOPS".
Remember when Jesus walked around with a "support the roman legion" sticker on his staff?
2006-06-15 20:56:03 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mythology is just what it says...a myth. Ask for help with something, and believe that God will give it...and open your eyes and ears, and He will. THAT is the difference, and that is why people believe in the parables of the Bible.
2006-06-15 16:53:45 · answer #9 · answered by tanya_hanna67 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because Christians believe that the Bible is the infallible word of God.
2006-06-15 13:37:00 · answer #10 · answered by Tiny Jr. 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋