Why is there a separate section for mythology & folklore?

Question

Isn't that demeaning?

Answer 1

You can't put werewolves in the same section as religion, unless there is a dog religion. The folklore and mythology derived from local wise tales and fear filled stories to scare childten. Hollywood took them and made a fortune.

Answer 2

Folklore is the body of expressive culture, including tales, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, material culture, and so forth, common to a particular population, comprising the traditions (including oral traditions) of that culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The academic and usually ethnographic study of folklore is sometimes called folkloristics.1

The word mythology (Greek: μυθολογία, from μυθος mythos, a story or legend, and λογος logos, an account or speech) literally means the (oral) retelling of myths – stories that a particular culture believes to be true and that use supernatural events or characters to explain the nature of the universe and humanity. In modern usage, mythology is either the body of myths from a particular culture or religion (as in Greek mythology, Egyptian mythology or Norse mythology) or the branch of knowledge dealing with the collection, study and interpretation of myths.2

By these two definitions from wikipedia you can see there is subtle differences. Folklore deals with customs of a people who have developed tales that speak of happenings in the past and generally embellished with the telling, to the point that only a nugget perhaps of truth is left. Paul Bunyun for example.

Mythology deals with specific religions in their creation myths of the universe, how sin or the problem of sin arose in the world, the legends of gods and goddess, tales of semi-gods and god-men that were half god and half men.

Mythology deals with supernatural powers and the like; folklore the tale may seem outlandish but does not sequences of rituals, mysterious religions, or explanations of creation or the like.

Answer 3

Demeaning. What's demeaning about mythology and folklore? Explain further?

Answer 4

Myth and Folklore is basically the same.

Folklore is not necissarily truth. As much as Myth is.

I believe they should be grouped as one.

Myth and Folklore lives in the realm of magic and imagination. Stories that explain stuff and that sort of thing. These are Dream things. And must be cherished.

Answer 5

I don't know. For more and more we find that myth is based on fact. The gods were beings from higher dimensions, that humans
could relate to before the age of noise pollution, and sight
overload.
I personally think "mythological" beings once existed. Satyrs
and unicorns are mentioned in the Bible. (Isaiah somewhere).
There was a mystery in England, the Devil of Devonshire I
think, that was probably a satyr in modern times.
People see spirits of satyrs and think they are demons.

Answer 6

Because the things that make mythology and folklore are commonly believed not to exist, whereas there are people who believe in various religions out there. I think that's the reason.

Answer 7

don't know, but hopefully it will keep the crazies out of the mythology and folklore section and real questions can be asked instead of a bunch of "religious" weirdos telling everyone else why they are going to hell.

Answer 8

Well, some people feel that they are different, and Yahoo! is being smart and trying not to offend anyone.

Spirituality is different, but I feel that all religions are mythology ad folklore.

Answer 9

because they are two different things.

Mythology deals with the questions of: how was the world made? where did the first people live? why are we here. Greek Myths are one of the most famous.

Folklore or Folk narratives, or the wonder tale as it is sometimes called are stories like: Cinderella or snow white that have been passed down from generation to generation. They typically have a motif. Cinderellas' motif is "rags to riches".

Answer 10

mythology and folklore are "ideas" that have been proven false or utterly deemed fairy tales. religion, has yet to be included in this category. in about.....1000 years from now, christianity and islam and judaism will all be mythology and folklore since something new always comes up.