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.

[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.