IXPninja,
Glad to know that you’ve read Campbell. He was a very insightful thinker. The reason I mention Campbell and Jung is that your reasoning above barely touches on the vital functions that a mythology serves in a society of people. You address at some length your perceptions regarding the credibility/veracity of the “stories” represented in Biblical mythology, but the function of a mythology has less to do with the factual or fictional basis of its content than it does with the way in which the mythology serves to bind the people of a society together with a common belief system, provide a common moral framework of values in which to function, and put to rest questions of origin & destiny which, for all practical purposes, do not have any ABSOLUTE answers in our human context (i.e., they’re always going to be open for debate).
One of the essential functions served by a shared mythology is to help prevent the personal isolation almost invariably experienced by people who become progressively advanced spiritually in a generally secular world. This isolation can lead to a profound sense of loneliness which is assuaged for many by the “fellowship” afforded by organized religions.
I have never personally abided the “we’re on the right team” exclusionary principle which some religions’ adherents practice, but that does not negate the functionality of their religions among the populations they serve. Fortunately, there are many mythologies from which to choose in today’s world and not all of the adherents to them apply an exclusionary principle.
I don’t view the Bible quite as uni-dimensionally as you portray it to be because of the wide diversity among the belief systems of those who count themselves as adherents to Christianity. As with His Majesty, for example, it is inaccurate to characterize all Christians as intolerant or as condoning of violence done by other Christians. Many see Brotherly Love, Tolerance and Forgiveness as the paramount teachings of the Bible. Many Christians (as well as some Rastafari who also count themselves as Christians) do not practice an exclusionary tenet and instead view all people as JAH children (i.e., One People of One Flesh) just at different stages in their trods thru Life.
Humans have a tradition which extends back into the darkness of pre-history, of seizing upon symbols and mythologies to serve as the anchors upon which to found their societies and personal lives. This does not make such people primitive or superstitious. In modern society, many have opted for a theology (or mythology) based upon science. Science serves many of the same functions for them that mythologies and religions have serves others, past and present. Considering the rudimentary current state of human scientific understanding, it is very probable that humans centuries from now will view today’s “science-centered” religious belief systems as primitive and superstitious.
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