RE: Why do atheists even bother about debating Jesus?
January 31, 2013 at 5:49 pm
(This post was last modified: January 31, 2013 at 5:50 pm by Confused Ape.)
(January 31, 2013 at 5:19 pm)catfish Wrote: By definition, mythology IS fiction, no argument there. The problem I have is that because something is associated with a religion, people claim "myth!"...
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It's a label for a particular group of stories which fall under the umbrella term of 'traditional stories'. Harry Potter novels and Batman comics aren't traditional stories so they are given the label of fiction to set them apart from myths, legends and folktales.
Mythology
Quote:The main characters in myths are usually gods, supernatural heroes and humans.[5][6][7] As sacred stories, myths are often endorsed by rulers and priests and closely linked to religion or spirituality.[5] In the society in which it is told, a myth is usually regarded as a true account of the remote past.[5][6][8][9] In fact, many societies have two categories of traditional narrative, "true stories" or myths, and "false stories" or fables.[10] Creation myths generally take place in a primordial age, when the world had not yet achieved its current form,[5] and explain how the world gained its current form[2][11] and how customs, institutions and taboos were established.[5][11]
Closely related to myth are legend and folktale. Myths, legends, and folktales are different types of traditional story.[19] Unlike mythos, folktales can be set in any time and any place, and they are not considered true or sacred by the societies that tell them.[5] Like mythos, legends are stories that are traditionally considered true, but are set in a more recent time, when the world was much as it is today.[5] Legends generally feature humans as their main characters, whereas myths generally focus on superhuman characters.[5]
The distinction between myth, legend, and folktale is meant simply as a useful tool for grouping traditional stories.
Where are the snake and mushroom smilies?
