What is a myth and how does it affect us as humans? A myth is essentially a story, it explains the creation of a culture or group of people and how they have adapted and progressed throughout history. A myth can also provide insight into the religious beliefs of a culture. As humans we naturally seek answers to explain the unknown, how did we get here, what happened before humankind existed, and where are we going? While many may say that a myth is false, in the religious context a myth although it may contain supernatural elements explains the origin of life for humans and the world around us.
A few years ago I watched a docuseries hosted by Morgan Freeman called The Story of God, throughout each episode, he traveled to different countries and spoke with different cultures and religions to tell the story of God and how religion shapes different parts of the world. The episode Creation, I believe ties closely with our discussions of myth. In this episode, Morgan Freeman asks the questions where did we come from? and what happened in the beginning? This specific episode seeks to link in some ways the questions of creation and myth with both religion and science.
I will include a link to the episode if anyone would like to check it out!
The Story of God with Morgan Freeman
Thanks, Rebecca! Why does myth provide such an attractive and memorable way to seek answers, across so many different cultures? Do only ancient cultures have myths, or do we have them, too? What makes a myth memorable, anyway?
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