[Krsqk]

Wow, how much can happen in 18 hours...

The Bible is indeed a collection of stories. So what? That is the entire purpose of the Bible: to be a collection of stories to help guide you to develop "proper" morals. That does not do anything to minimize any impact. In fact, that is the impact it has had. I have not forced it into any literary categories where it does not belong; I have merely stated the correct Category where it belongs, religious mythological works.

The Bible can hardly be categorized as religious mythological works. The Bible is hardly a collection of stories, either (anyone expecting a storybook and opening to Leviticus or Isaiah or Ephesians will be greatly disappointed ). The Old Testament, in part, is an account of the world's beginnings, the selection of Abraham and his descendants, and the events surrounding that nation. It also sets forth the tenets of the Jewish religion. It also predicts the coming of the Messiah, one who would fulfill the Jewish law and open the way to God for all men through His priesthood. The books of the Minor Prophets, in great majority, are calls to the Jews to repent and return to the spirit of their religion instead of the law (much like the discussion of modern Christianity). The "story" portions of the OT are more properly history than mythology. One might as well refer to one's History of Civ textbook as mythology (at least the early portions). The New Testament begins with four accounts of the life of Jesus, written from four different perspectives for four different Groups of people. It continues with a description of the spread of Christianity and the shift of the church's center from Jerusalem to Antioch. It also introduces the author of the majority of the New Testament, Paul. The next 21 books are strictly doctrinal. They were written to deal with problems, to answer questions, and to exhort believers to stay true to the fundamentals of their faith. The Last book, Revelation, goes back to prophecy.

Very little of the Bible is in any way analogous to myth. The Iliad and the Oddysey were myth--those telling and listening to the stories knew they never happened. The overwhelming majority of Greek religion was superficial--sacrifices to the gods were done to appease temple priests or the superstitious few. Any show of religion was political, not religious in nature. The accounts in the Bible are historical, not mythical--they have been accepted as such by Christians and Jews for about four thousand years; they are viewed as a vital part of faith; and both faiths were overwhelmingly accepted by their cultures, not just by a superstitious minority.

[Edit] Oh, and let's get this straight. It's Jonah and the great fish, not Jonah and the whale. *mutters something about details under his breath*

[ March 12, 2003, 15:02: Message edited by: Krsqk ]