Are the Myths Gossip?

Last updated on: June 16, 2011 at 6:21 am by Star Foster

Are the Myths Gossip? 2011-06-16T06:21:46-04:00 Star Foster

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I have so much I wanted to write about today. About Ghetto Shamans and Hugin the Bard and a gazillion other things, but the spectre of PSG packing is looming over me. I’m in full panic mode to prepare for 9 days of camping, plus travel.

So I will leave you with two quotes, one modern and one old, on a subject bouncing around in the back of my head, and leave you to examine and ponder them at leisure as I check and double check equipment and supplies.

“When I first started studying Zeus, He told me not to learn about Him from the myths. The comparison He made was that learning about Him from myths was like learning about actors from gossip magazines. There are many purposes to myths but they are not the be all and end of Who a god is.” — Melia Suez from an interview with Galina Krasskova

Compare that to Cicero’s pre-Christian apologetics:

XXVIII. Do you not see, therefore, how, from the productions of nature and the useful inventions of men, have arisen fictitious and imaginary Deities, which have been the foundation of false opinions, pernicious errors, and wretched superstitions? For we know how the different forms of the Gods — their ages, apparel, ornaments; their pedigrees, marriages, relations, and everything belonging to them — are adapted to human weakness and represented with our passions; with lust, sorrow, and anger, according to fabulous history: they have had wars and combats, not only, as Homer relates, when they have interested themselves in two different armies, but when they have fought battles in their own defense against the Titans and giants. These stories, of the greatest weakness and levity, are related and believed with the most implicit folly.

But, rejecting these fables with contempt, a Deity is diffused in every part of nature; in earth under the name of Ceres, in the sea under the name of Neptune, in other parts under other names. Yet whatever they are, and whatever characters and dispositions they have, and whatever name custom has given them, we are bound to worship and adore them. The best, the chastest, the most sacred and pious worship of the Gods is to reverence them always with a pure, perfect, and unpolluted mind and voice; for our ancestors, as well as the philosophers, have separated superstition from religion.

Is Homer’s depiction of the Gods the equivalent to reading about them on TMZ or in the National Enquirer? How critically should we view the myths? Were they popular and survived because they were accurate, or because they were fun?

For more food for thought check out this examination of Old Guard Paganism by Mike Nichols, which I found trying to find his article on the Elder Gods from Pentacle Magazine.

Previous Post

June 15, 2011

A Big Welcome to The Wild Hunt!

Next Post

June 17, 2011 13 Songs for Midsummer

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category alexandrian asatru astrology ATW Audio books btw ceremonial magick chaos classics community conversion cosmology dianic discordian druid dvd eclectic equinox ethics family feri festivals film Fully Inclusive Events gardnerian gender issues glbt heathen hellenismos history humor initiation interfaith magick meditation Military movies music mysticism myth networking news Open Thread Pagan Pagan 101 Paganism passings polytheism Polytheistic Religion polytheology praxis Reading List religio romana review ritual sabbats santeria service solstice symbols tools values wicca witchcraft

Select a Month July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Jesus use to wash the disciples’ feet?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A scroll A cup and sponge A towel and basin His robe