What's your favorite Myth?

@Caroline,

Caroline;76605 wrote:

Do you remember the name of the castle please xris?

The minds going Caroline my wife tells me it was Rhodes,trying to find it on the map.xris

@VideCorSpoon,

It's ok leave it. Smile

I was just interested because of this book I was reading, thanks for trying. Smile

@Caroline,

For me, its Genesis 3, hands down. Its just full of so many "dawn of man" elements making it worthy of deep study.

The mention of Prometheus reminded me of the myth of the trick he played on Zeus with the offerings. I like that one too.

@VideCorSpoon,

VideCorSpoon;76555 wrote:

What's your favorite Myth?

When I typically think about myths, I think about Gods, hero's, and other beings in primordial, ancient, or even an alternate worlds altogether. Usually, these myths seem to underline some type of popular conception of a particular societies view of the world as well as the values that society embraces. But what I find interesting is that myths in particular have an ontological quality to them. In other words, they establish the origins of the norms, rituals, and codes a society lives by and attempt to explain them to in the best and possibly the most plausible way possible. Think about "the founding fathers" in American revolutionary lore. Same thing.

But myths just aren't myths in themselves. Myths take on a wide degree of forms. I personally believe that ontological aspects of a myth (finding the primacy of a given trait in society like in the epic of Gilgamesh) are very prevalent. But myths work in other ways as well, like forming the foundations of social myths (like the roles of a "good" woman or a "dishonorable man like in the story of Cranae of Athens), exemplifying the dichotomy of good and evil in the form of warriors and villains (like Odysseus and the suitors), and even go so far as explain the ultimate destiny of the world (like the Norse conception of Ragnarok).

preferably an old and established myth).

Mine is the story of Romulus and Remusrepublican

my favourite myth is that man walked on the moon.

@TurboLung,

TurboLung;80312 wrote:

my favourite myth is that man walked on the moon.

My favourite is that man didn't Laughing

@Lily,

Lily;80524 wrote:

My favourite is that man didn't

Lol Lily.

.............

@Caroline,

I almost completely forgot about one of the most famous myths of all, the myth of Atlantis. I can't say how many versions of this myth survive from antiquity, and how many are being created today. That's the interesting thing about the Atlantis myth though, it can literally be anywhere because no one really knows where it was to begin with. Plato said it was beyond the pillars of Hercules (straits of Gibraltar)? But I remember reading about people finding weird stone formations which by all accounts could only have been constructed by man in the Bahamas, off the coast of Japan, etc.

I wonder if the myth of Atlantis is there to help us explain natural formations that cannot be explained by any other means, or explain a long gone society which early people could not really understand. Personally, I think the myth of Atlantis is based in true fact, namely the eruption of Santorini. It makes sense though, the entire island was virtually destroyed, and it had ramifications on the entire area for many years to come. Plato described the island afterwards being a "blocked up shoal of mud which the island created as it settled." The eruption after it had settled was essentially half gone, the larger middle portion was non-existent, "swallowed up by the sea" so to speak. Its very interesting. And to tell the truth, this seems like a much more believable and effective topic for crackpot conspiracy enthusiasts then moon s or secret society conspiracies. At least with the Atlantis myth, people may learn a little bit of ancient history in the process. And speaking of secret societies, did you know that a secret society operates under the assumed alias of

@VideCorSpoon,

The most famous myth is the biblical myths,they deserve a medal for being so convincing.Well they have convinced most of the worlds population without having to prove one bit of it.The biggest con man has ever played on another.We have men dressing up in the most weirdest of dresses that would not look out of place in star wars.Performing strange ancient mythical rituals for their fellow mythical followers.I dont think anyone can top it.
Funny how the most outrageous myths can be so acceptable but others with more proof can be so ridiculed.Humanity is still trapped in its imagination and the unicorn is still alive and well carrying the faithful to church.Men,women and children are still sacrificed on the mythical commands of its high priests and we scoff at our ancestors for being so naive..Oh what fools we are..

@xris,

xris;82098 wrote:

The most famous myth is the biblical myths,they deserve a medal for being so convincing.Well they have convinced most of the worlds population without having to prove one bit of it.The biggest con man has ever played on another.We have men dressing up in the most weirdest of dresses that would not look out of place in star wars.Performing strange ancient mythical rituals for their fellow mythical followers.I dont think anyone can top it.
Funny how the most outrageous myths can be so acceptable but others with more proof can be so ridiculed.Humanity is still trapped in its imagination and the unicorn is still alive and well carrying the faithful to church.Men,women and children are still sacrificed on the mythical commands of its high priests and we scoff at our ancestors for being so naive..Oh what fools we are..

Biblical myths are probably the most far reaching set of teachings that the human race has come across. And very complex in its origins as well. Some say that the notion of the Virgin Mary originates with mother goddess deities in early bronze age cultures. The "virgin goddess" has undergone a complete metamorphosis in the few thousand years, from the suspected original "kubbaba" to the adopted Minoan "kibbilli," and on to the Greek cultures where the virgin goddess takes the name "Artimis," to the Roman conception "Magnum Madder," the more contemporary name of "the great mother." It's certainly no coincidence that the concept would not follow through into Christian doctrine, because the Catholic organization is (arguably) the sustained evolution of the Roman Empire. Even the concept of the "trinity" can be traced back to ancient Minoan religious contexts.

I think it is really a shame that a lot of people do not care to look at the biblical verses or the Christian faith in a complex way. It is such a deep and spiritual faith in many ways, even if you care not to take most of the teachings as cold hard facts. The bible itself is after all a compendium of ethical, cosmogonical, and metaphysical teachings all wrapped up in a single book. There were a few guys from what I recall that did the same thing, like this one guy Aristotle, and Plato, and just a few (thousand) others. Although, I don't think there are Platonic atheists around anymore because Plato has become a lot more fashionable then that boring old bible.

But faith and myth play an interesting role together though. I wouldn't suppose that a faithful Christian would be any less needful of evidence or proof than another. But then again, this is faith

@VideCorSpoon,

I have no problem with any one worshipping myths,its their choice.My problem is the authority they give their myths and the damaging dogma they attach to it.We see them chuckling at unicorns or pagan worship but their myths have no more value in facts than any other mythical beast or spirit.

@VideCorSpoon,

My Favorite: What Goes Around, Comes Around

@xris,

My favorite myth is actually a tie between all the conspiracy theories surrounding the Illuminati and the stories about the Holy Grail and the Knights Templar. Which I guess would explain my absolute love of the books The Davinci Code and Angels and Demons. Razz

@Khethil,

Khethil;82288 wrote:

My Favorite: What Goes Around, Comes Around

It does.

..........

@VideCorSpoon,

VideCorSpoon;76555 wrote:

What's your favorite Myth?

Global warming. Very Happy

Sorry, couldn't resist.

@VideCorSpoon,

The Myth of Sysyphus (courtesy Wikipedia)

Sisyphus was son of the king Aeolus of Thessaly and Enarete, and the founder and first king of Ephyra (Corinth). He was the father of Glaucus by the nymph Merope, and the grandfather of Bellerophon.
Sisyphus promoted navigation and commerce, but was avaricious and deceitful, violating the laws of hospitality by killing travelers and guests. He took pleasure in these killings because they allowed him to maintain his dominant position. From Homer onwards, Sisyphus was famed as the craftiest of men. He seduced his niece, took his brother's throne and betrayed Zeus' secrets. Zeus then ordered Thanatos (Death personified) to chain Sisyphus in Tartarus. Sisyphus slyly asked Thanatos to try the chains to show how they worked. When Thanatos did so, Sisyphus secured them and threatened him. This caused an uproar, and no human could die until Ares (who was annoyed that his battles had lost their fun because his opponents would not die) intervened, freeing Death and sending Sisyphus to Tartarus.
However, before Sisyphus died, he had told his wife to throw his naked body into the middle of the public square in attempt to test his wife's love for him. Annoyed by the obedience and loveless decision by his wife, Sisyphus persuaded Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, to allow him to go back to the upper world and scold his wife for not burying his body as a loving wife would. When Sisyphus returned to Corinth, he refused to retreat back to the underworld and was forcibly dragged back to the underworld by Hermes. In another version of the myth, Persephone was directly persuaded that he had been conducted to Tartarus by mistake and ordered him to be freed.[1]
As a punishment from the gods for his trickery, Sisyphus was compelled to roll a huge rock up a steep hill, but before he could reach the top of the hill, the rock would always roll back down again, forcing him to begin again.[2] The maddening nature of the punishment was reserved for Sisyphus due to his hubristic belief that his cleverness surpassed that of Zeus. Sisyphus took the bold step of reporting one of Zeus' sexual conquests, telling the river god Asopus of the whereabouts of his daughter Aegina. Zeus had taken her away, but regardless of the impropriety of Zeus' frequent conquests, Sisyphus overstepped his bounds by considering himself a peer of the gods who could rightfully report their indiscretions.[3] As a result, Zeus displayed his own cleverness by binding Sisyphus to an eternity of frustration. Accordingly, pointless or interminable activities are often described as Sisyphean. Sisyphus was a common subject for ancient writers and was depicted by the painter Polygnotus on the walls of the Lesche at Delphi.[4]

@PoeticVisionary,

In the past few years I have become enamoured with the Coyote and earthdiver myths of the American West.
The creation myth for the Shoshoni in Idaho and Wyoming is interesting with themes common throughout tribal cultures everywhere.

Short version:
Coyote was walking through the woods when he came upon a 'witch'woman who was feeling randy. Coyote always being up for some fun decided to take advantage of her mood. Coyote also knew better than to have sex without protection, because of the woman's vagina dentada. So he fashioned a condome out of tree bark. After she was pregnant he went away for a while, to hunt and follow the game. When he came back he had found that she had many children by him. She locked herself in a cavern (in newer versions a cabin) with the pretty ones but threw the ugly ones out to die. Coyote had no choice but to take care of the ugly and deformed babies, which became the Shoshoni of today.

Coyote fascinates me as a trickster 'god'. He's the first stooge after which all stooges are patterned. But he also seems to represent the paradox of human nature. Always out for himself and willing to do almost anything to get his way, then inevitably stumbling over his plans in the process, yet creating new and beautiful things accidentally through his folley.

@VideCorSpoon,

Have you ever tried Richard Layman, (for adults only) Gosh, aww you should try it, plenty about coyotes in one of his, I'll dig it up for you, tomorrow or s'mething. It's the one about where this couple head of to the desert in Amercia somewhere, could be Mexico, I dont know, anyway this evil force is waiting fo them in this derelict town, only a few surivivor left, where the force takes over the bodies in turn and then this balck thing starts coming out of this massive hole in the mines and they get the hell out of there, it's a good story, you should try him sometime, I did, I thoroughly enjoyed, shame he's dead now, may he rest in pieces. Such a cool writer though. Good job King is still here though, phew, I love a bit of horror me.

Added: Acually, I got it wrong, it was the King who wrote that book, he wrote others too, the one before the book I mention is good too, it's called Rose Madder, brilliant! Shall I leave to you to dig out Gosh?

@Caroline,

Gosh, you may find this neat, it's an excerpt from a mythology book I have.

VideCorSpoon;90759 wrote:

Koyote.Mahih-Nah-Tleyhey: a trickster God of the Navajo

The Navajo and a few other tribes maintain that they sprang from the excrement of Koyote whereas all the other tribes descended from the union of Koyote and a louse. Koyote and Badger met the Navajo during their ascent from the underworld. He seized two of the children of the monster, Tlieholtsodi, and the monster caused a flood which forced the Navajo to abandon the world they were living in at the time and go up, through a hole made by badger, into the upper world.

VideCorSpoon;90759 wrote:

LOL! I could possibly guess what the moral of the story is. Don't mess with the teeth of your wife's privates otherwise your life will be in peril from angry inlaws who (in some way) are quite proud of their daughters man eating ways. Also, beware of whales and small fishing boats with close family (a scenario made all too apparent in Godfather Part II). Seriously though, I would imagine this is some sort of Eskimo or Inuit myth (i.e. whales, etc).

@VideCorSpoon,

Well I certainly don't have teeth there! Mine are in my head and I'd like to keep it that way!

@VideCorSpoon,

My favorite myth is of St Michael the archangel fighting the devil. Sometimes i dont know which side im on but i always thing that that battle would be great to take part in.

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