Who Gets to Say What Is Myth and What Is 'Fact'?
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
by Camille Strate
JoyZAChoice
Saw something earlier that got me to thinking about this. The person said something to the effect of "King Arthur was a myth". I've heard this before and each time I have, I've wondered, "How do you know that? How do you know he was a myth?"
It's not just about King Arthur. There are lots of people who were supposedly here on the planet as 'real' people. Like Jesus. Okay. I know it's a stretch but bear with me here. What if Jesus was a mythic figure too? By all accounts, at least according to historians, etc., he actually did exist. But one of the questions I've always had (as a religious skeptic) is, if Jesus was actually here and he said all that beautiful stuff, how come there isn't a single word BY Jesus in the bible? I mean, everything in the bible is told by someone who supposedly knew him or followed him or spent time with him. But not a word from the man himself.
I know. Some of ya'll are sitting there, reading this, all horrified and indignant. I honestly don't mean to offend anyone. It just so happens that this irreverent little imp is far too 'logical' to believe everything she reads. When I was in school, particularly in Catholic school (oh yea. I went to Catholic school. Explains a LOT, huh?) this skepticism was a source of great irritation to the nuns. Even after I was taken out of Catholic school and got to go to public schools, there were a good many teachers who thought my demands for proof of things was just this side of obstinate. There were, happily, other teachers who encouraged my incessant questioning. Those were, to me, the best teachers. If you don't question what you're told, how will you ever learn what's truth to YOU? Just because someone says a thing is so, doesn't mean it's so for me. I don't happen to believe in "places" like heaven and hell. In my gut I know them to be made-up places that keep people in fear in order to control them. But that's me.
The point is that I think it's awfully presumptuous of people to say 'their' way is 'truth' and anything else is nonsense (or blasphemous!). Come on! Just think about how most Americans view those who believe in the Taliban. We think they're insane. We think they're monsters. We think they should all be rounded up and terminated (or, at the very least, converted). But they don't think they're crazy or monsters or that they deserve to be executed for their actions. They believe wholeheartedly in what they do. I'm not saying I agree with them. I am vehemently opposed to their methods. But I still think that everyone is entitled to their beliefs, regardless of how we happen to view them. I realize this is a very strong example, but it sure does make the point I'm attempting here. We all have our own beliefs. And we try really hard to get everyone else to believe the same thing. Most Christian sects teach that you aren't a true Christian unless you "spread the word". In fact, this is true of most religions. One of the things I dislike most about religion in general. But I digress...
All I'm wondering is, who gets to decide what is myth and what is fact? There was a time when people thought electricity was "magic". There was a time when television was seen as magic too. Now we have internet connections that allow us to talk to people on the other side of the planet. We have awesome 3-D movies that, even just a few years ago, seemed impossible to imagine (for most people). We have cell phones and GPS systems and all manner of magical gadgets. But before those gadgets were developed, all the folks who were coming up with them were seen as dreamers. What's the difference?
Just a curious imp who gets curiouser and curiouser all the time.
P.S. For those of you who may be compelled to school me on your religious tenets and/or lead me to your proofs, please save yourself the time. I don't need to be saved. HONEST!
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