Much of Greek mythology reads like stories told to children as entertainment and "explanation" for the environment in which they lived. Could have this been the origin with the gods and legends becoming more and more "real" as the stories passed from generation to generation? Seems like later generations would take them literally without question.
Originally posted by ThinkOfOne Much of Greek mythology reads like stories told to children as an explanation for the environment in which they lived. Could have this been the origin with the gods and legends becoming more and more "real" as the stories passed from generation to generation? Seems like later generations would take them literally without question.
Much of Judaic/Christian mythology reads like stories told to children as an explanation for the environment in which they lived. Could have this been the origin with god and legends becoming more and more "real" as the stories passed from generation to generation? Seems like later generations would take them literally without question.
Originally posted by caissad4 Much of Judaic/Christian mythology reads like stories told to children as an explanation for the environment in which they lived. Could have this been the origin with god and legends becoming more and more "real" as the stories passed from generation to generation? Seems like later generations would take them literally without question.
There really doesn't seem to be much to distinguish much of the Old Testament or even much of Hinduism from Greek mythology in that regard. Are there other current belief systems that share this attribute? Is it your belief that these all started that way?
It's interesting to think of how this may have grown generation by generation with say perhaps 10-20% of second generation adults holding onto the beliefs beyond childhood and it growing with each succeeding generation. After the percentage reached a critical mass, it seems that peer pressure and perhaps threats of ostracization might bring the rest of the population into line.
Originally posted by caissad4 Much of Judaic/Christian mythology reads like stories told to children as an explanation for the environment in which they lived. Could have this been the origin with god and legends becoming more and more "real" as the stories passed from generation to generation? Seems like later generations would take them literally without question.
yes i can here the ancient Hebrews now, lets get a bed time story out, what is it tonight , the mosaic law and the book of Leviticus, oh i cannot wait to read through those genealogies daddy!
Originally posted by ThinkOfOne Much of Greek mythology reads like stories told to children as entertainment and "explanation" for the environment in which they lived. Could have this been the origin with the gods and legends becoming more and more "real" as the stories passed from generation to generation? Seems like later generations would take them literally without question.
Originally posted by robbie carrobie yes i can here the ancient Hebrews now, lets get a bed time story out, what is it tonight , the mosaic law and the book of Leviticus, oh i cannot wait to read through those genealogies daddy!
It is interesting how genealogies seem to have taken on the connotation of being "sacred".
Originally posted by Bosse de Nage You get an unconvinced 'maybe' from me.
How would you test your theory?
I don't know. Most of what I remember of Greek mythology is probably from elementary and middle school. Thought that perhaps someone might have a handle on this and thought the idea interesting. What's also interesting is how many can see and even ridicule "myths" in other traditions but not recognize it in their own. It's as if they are completely blind to the idea. Delusion perhaps?
Originally posted by robbie carrobie yes i can here the ancient Hebrews now, lets get a bed time story out, what is it tonight , the mosaic law and the book of Leviticus, oh i cannot wait to read through those genealogies daddy!
Interestingly enough it bears some resemblance to Norse Mythology. Many of the Poetic Eddas make great stories for entertainment yet you probably would not read the Havamal as a nightime story (a Norse version of Mosaic law in a way - i.e. a moral code passed down from the gods) or the geneologys that you can slug through in Snorri's Heimskringla.
Yup
there is Greek Mythology
there is Norse Mythology
there is Egpytian Mythology
etc., etc.
and guess what?
There's even Judaic Mythology - it's called the Old Testament.
Originally posted by Ullr Interestingly enough it bears some resemblance to Norse Mythology. Many of the Poetic Eddas make great stories for entertainment yet you probably would not read the Havamal as a nightime story (a Norse version of Mosaic law in a way - i.e. a moral code passed down from the gods) or the geneologys that you can slug through in Snorri's Heimskringla.
Yup
...[text shortened]...
etc., etc.
and guess what?
There's even Judaic Mythology - it's called the Old Testament.
I read the sagas when i was a teenager, and found them quite tedious. so lets get this correct, you would have us believe that the story of creation as envisaged by the ancient Norsemen is similar in scope to the biblical creation account? giants, frost giants, huge cows? Also that a bible character hung himself upside down on a tree and blinded his eye so that he could gain the mead of poetry, that those heroes who are slain, cross aasgard and the rainbow bridge to Valhalla be attended upon by maidens, when each and every day they shall feast and fight only to awaken refreshed for the next day, yeah i can really see the parallels!
the genealogies are a rip off from the biblical text, you get them all throughout the Celtic world as well, get a grip my good man, i have yet to find a myth in scripture with any parallels or of the nature of paganism.
Originally posted by robbie carrobie I read the sagas when i was a teenager, and found them quite tedious. so lets get this correct, you would have us believe that the story of creation as envisaged by the ancient Norsemen is similar in scope to the biblical creation account? giants, frost giants, huge cows? Also that a bible character hung himself upside down on a tree and blinded his ...[text shortened]... ood man, i have yet to find a myth in scripture with any parallels or of the nature of paganism.
From the standpoint that there are tall tales exhibiting great imagination making for entertaining stories vs. stories that serve more as moral lessons and tedious recounting of geneology. Yes from that standpoint I see similar trends. I'm not saying the myths themselves are similar.
And to say the geneologies are ripoffs from biblical text is absolute BS. These tales were being told long before these people even knew the bible existed.
When did I ever say the Norse creation myth was similar to Genesis? My point is that the similarity is that there is a creation myth, among other things, in both Judaic and other mythologies.
Your looking at the trees while I'm describing the forest. You're the one that needs to get a grip.
Originally posted by Ullr From the standpoint that there are tall tales exhibiting great imagination making for entertaining stories vs. stories that serve more as moral lessons and tedious recounting of geneology. Yes from that standpoint I see similar trends. I'm not saying the myths themselves are similar.
And to say the geneologies are ripoffs from biblical text is absolute BS. ...[text shortened]... oking at the trees while I'm describing the forest. You're the one that needs to get a grip.
rubbish, then why do in a similar fashion some of the ancient Celtic works date their genealogies back to Adam? so your claim that they are horse manure is in-itself a heap of double concentrated horse manure.
ok, so its not similar in content, but similar in nature or structure, mmm, pretty damning evidence of a real and lasting correlation, don't you think?
03 Sep '09 18:031 edit
Greek Mythology
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