Mythology and Relevance

do and believe, while mythology is how we explain and understand things. Though the distinction can be confusing, think of it this way: religion tells us what to believe and why we should believe it, while mythology tells us why things are the way they are.

Let's make our definition a little clearer, with some help from a work by Wendy Doniger, a respected writer in this field. In her book Other Peoples' Myths (Doniger, 1988), a discussion of approaching myths from outside one's culture, she offers what she calls a "cumbersome" definition (p. 27). I will break her definition into three managable parts.

1. "A myth is a story that is sacred to and shared by a group of people who find their most important meanings in it" - that is, a myth has meaning for a community.
2. "It is a story believed to have been composed in the past about an event in the past, or, more rarely, in the future, an event that continues to have meaning in the present because it is remembered" - we find that myths tell us where we've come from, or sometimes where we're headed.
3. "It is a story that is part of a larger group of stories" - this is vital. Myths do not exist in a vacuum, so to speak. They are connected to other myths, to religion, to culture, and to history. Myths are best understood when examined with reference to their connections.

Our Responsibilities

When we begin our investigation of the mythologies of others we ought to recognize our obligations. We are often intruders into other traditions and we need to realize that we are examining what are sometimes the deeply held beliefs of other people. This does not mean we have to believe the stories or agree with their message. But like all guests we should behave respectfully if we hope to be invited back. I hope that you'll visit often and explore the vast world of mythology with me.

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References
Doniger, Wendy. Other Peoples' Myths. New York: Macmillan, 1988.

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