difference in Myth and Religion?

[dacdac]

Is there a real difference between Mythology and Religion? I have asked plenty of Church officials, teachers, professors, and no one has a good answer. Both have, or had, a whole group of people who believed in the stories of their holy books and figures. Both are stories to explain things, where we go when we die, where we come from, etc.
If Mythology is meant to explain things, then does the Bible not explain existence with the Garden of Eden or death with going to either Heaven or Hell?
So please try to clarify it for me, is there any difference between Mythology and Religion?

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Yes - I believe in God but I don't believe that Paul Bunyan is responsible for Minnesota's lakes.

What I think you are asking is what is the difference between myths and faith, because religion is (generally) an extension of faith. I have faith in God and worship Him (religion) in the Catholic manner.

[AntiochusIII]

Mythology is fun.

[Ronin]

i´d say that what separates the two is that religion has been organized, it has been given rules, guidelines, etc, in order to make it a social control tool....when the people did this like AntiochusIII they took the fun out of it.

[Pannonian]

Myth explains life. Religion governs life.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Religions are the beliefs currently in fashion.

Myths are the beliefs no longer in fashion.

[Kekvit Irae]

Banquo pretty much summed it up for me.

[Sjakihata]

my dictionary defines mythology such: [mythology is] the myths of a religion or culture of their gods or supernatural beings.
[*] a collection of stories and interpretations (views) that explains how something came to be.

I agree with Banquo though, it is a good explicit definition that corresponds with my view.

[Scurvy]

religion is the belief of mythology

[doc_bean]

Religions are the beliefs currently in fashion.

Myths are the beliefs no longer in fashion.

This pretty much sums it up.

[Fragony]

Myths are the beliefs no longer in fashion.

Not really, think of the monster of Loch Ness or Bigfoot. The difference is having an overarching organisation.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Not really, think of the monster of Loch Ness or Bigfoot. The difference is having an overarching organisation.

Much of Buddhism has no overarching organisation and many protestant religions exist because of their distrust and rebellion against such organisation.

IIRC, the Bigfoot myth is a relict element of some native american religions. The monster of Loch Ness is a central tenet of the mainstream Scottish religion that compels followers to separate American tourists from the contents of their wallets.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Myths are just stories. Religion is about a set of beleifs and rules stemming from those beleifs. The stories in the Bible and Myths, the instructions in the Bible are religion.

[Reenk Roink]

Mythology and religion are completely different things.

There is Greek religion (sacrifices, festivals, laws) and Greek mythology* (Prometheus and fire, Trojan War, Pandora's box). There is Christian religion (church, Ten Commandments, prayer) and Christian mythology* (Genesis creation, Noah's flood).

*I would like to note that it is not my intention at all to offend by using the word "mythology". In fact, unlike some others, I do not hold the word to have any negative connotation implying false belief. Think of my use of "mythology" as "etiological story" which naturalistic explanations would also be.

[Marshal Murat]

Lets see what Dictionary.com says shall we
*Opens massive book to the appropriate page*


Myth,noun,
1.a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, esp. one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.
2. stories or matter of this kind: realm of myth.
3. any invented story, idea, or concept: His account of the event is pure myth.
4. an imaginary or fictitious thing or person.
5. an unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a social institution.

Religion, noun,
1.
1. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
2. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
2. The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
3. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
4. A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.

[Kanamori]

Religions are the beliefs currently in fashion.

Myths are the beliefs no longer in fashion.

The beliefs currently in fashion aren't limited to religious ones. All sorts of political, cultural, moral and scientific ideas will come and go out of fashion. I don't think that those will be called religious beliefs.

[Navaros]

Religion = based mostly on truth and real people and events (at least as far as the "big three" go).

Myths = based mostly on fake crap that some drunk guys' made up off the top of their heads.

Pretty clear difference.

[Samurai Waki]

Don't Call Jesus Fake Crap! How Dare You insult the underlying beliefs of my Christian Faith.

[Papewaio]

They have differences but they are both there to describe the human condition and to make epic movies in the process.

[Samurai Waki]

I think perhaps Mel Gibson might already have his foot in the door as far as that goes.

Although I was dissapointed that the Pashion didn't involve Cocaine Smugglers, A Black Cop Partner, and a lot of Dead Englishmen.

[yesdachi]

Religions are the beliefs currently in fashion.

Myths are the beliefs no longer in fashion.

If you were to keep this in a spiritual or divine context (no bigfeet thank you) then this is the best, simplest description I have ever seen.

The Christians, Scientologists, Confucians, etc. are all believers in religions that are in-fashion today where as following Zeus, Kali, Svantovit, etc. is no longer in-fashion but it was with every bit as much zeal as popular in their hay-day as religions today.

Given time and some David Blaine will popularize another religion and the in-fashion religions will be a “myth”. (Unless the Super Duper Friends save the day, by far my favorite South Park episode )

[Pindar]

Is there a real difference between Mythology and Religion?

It depends on the rhetorical posture. The word myth has a history. In its traditional role as derived from the Greek mythos there is no real difference. One can discuss the Christian Myth, the Buddhist Myth, Ancient Egyptian Myth etc. In each case, the focus would be beliefs concerned with the divine, supernatural or soteriological etc. Such a stance says nothing about the perspective/beliefs of the speaker.

As far as Modern parlance is concerned myth is used for something considered patently untrue. From this perspective a labeled myth is something the speaker has dismissed as untrue and perhaps lacking serious consideration. For example, one might have a believer of religion X say (Christianity) who commonly refers to Ancient Greek Traditional Cosmology/Devotion as "Greek Mythology" (meaning both its untrue and too fantastic to be considered a serious position) while he may label Islam a religion even though he considers the latter also untrue, but may still see it as a legitimate rival/threat.

[Goofball]

Religion = based mostly on truth and real people and events (at least as far as the "big three" go).

Like pulling a thousand fish out of one lunchbox? Or making an entire sea get out of your way when the baddies are chasing you?

[Navaros]

Like pulling a thousand fish out of one lunchbox? Or making an entire sea get out of your way when the baddies are chasing you?

Nothing funny about that. They are totally true. Just because no one here can do those things, it doesn't mean God can't. He did.

[Goofball]

Nothing funny about that. They are totally true. Just because no one here can do those things, it doesn't mean God can't. He did.

Sorry Nav. My aim with that post wasn't just a cheap shot at Christianity (although I grant you, it may have looked that way). My point was, Christianity has a lot of "tales" associated with it that sound just as far-fetched as tales of Odin hurling lightning bolts out of the sky at people who pissed him off.

So "believability" is probably a pretty bad yardstick to use when separating myth from religion, as you seemed to be saying in your post.

[Navaros]

So "believability" is probably a pretty bad yardstick to use when separating myth from religion, as you seemed to be saying in your post.

Not just believablilty, but also substance. Myths have little to no substance because they are inherently based on faleshoods.

Whereas real religions (the big three) are full of substance because they are inherently based on truths.

The difference in myth and religion is that myths never really happened, whereas the things listed in legitimate religions did really happen.

This is why no one believes in Odin or Thor crap any more, but real religion will never die. Granted that these days secular humanists and apostates vastly out-number legitimate believers, but even so legitimate believers in religion will always be a force to be reckoned with because of the inherent truth of their religion (which myths lack).

[Goofball]

Not just believablilty, but also substance. Myths have little to no substance because they are inherently based on faleshoods.

Whereas real religions (the big three) are full of substance because they are inherently based on truths.

The difference in myth and religion is that myths never really happened, whereas the things listed in legitimate religions did really happen.

This is why no one believes in Odin or Thor crap any more, but real religion will never die. Granted that these days secular humanists and apostates vastly out-number legitimate believers, but even so legitimate believers in religion will always be a force to be reckoned with because of the inherent truth of their religion (which myths lack).

Okay, I think I understand what you're saying. It seems that the real difference between religion and myth is faith.

Your faith tells you that Jesus did pull the fish out of nowhere and feed the crowd. On the flip side, because your faith tells you that your religion is the only true faith, Odin and all of his pals must be nothing more than myths by default.

Although either set of stories was just as likely to have happened (read: not very) your faith tells you that one is true and the other is a lie.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Odin never hurled lightening, he had an unwavering balck-hafted spear which never missed. Thor's hammer caused Thunder though.

Genesis and the Prometheus Myth are both Myths and you can't get away from that. The belief in the trth behind the myth is the religion.

Plenty of myths have a basis in fact and not all are associated with religion. If you go up to the wrong Welshman and tell him his Once and Future King is nothing but a falshood you might end up very dead.

[Pannonian]

Odin never hurled lightening, he had an unwavering balck-hafted spear which never missed. Thor's hammer caused Thunder though.

Genesis and the Prometheus Myth are both Myths and you can't get away from that. The belief in the trth behind the myth is the religion.

Plenty of myths have a basis in fact and not all are associated with religion. If you go up to the wrong Welshman and tell him his Once and Future King is nothing but a falshood you might end up very dead.

To expand on my earlier explanation, myths are stories told to explain how something came to be. Foundation myths tell the stories of the origins of peoples, other myths tell the origins of customs or natural phenomena. They are often, but not necessarily, fictional. Historical myths from the American war of independence include the siege of Fort McHenry, the escape of Washington, the signing of the constitution, etc. They are part of the greater mythology of the foundation of the United States. Fictional myths include the mythology of the Greeks and other ancient peoples.

Religions are founded on mythologies, and they differ in that they set rules for how people should live. The clearest differentiation in the bible would be the difference between most of the old testament, which is the Jewish people's foundation myth/history, and the 10 commandments, which is clearly religion. Parables blur the distinction.