Comparative Religion Classes 5-2-2014

http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/77132-james-veverka-5-2-563-religious-myths

To the Editor,

I have long felt that we should have comparative religion classes in high schools. Such a class would study the history, people, and beliefs of a wide range of religions. One of the things kids would learn is that that there is much more that unites religions than divides them. Religious fundamentalists don't want people to find this out. Us vs Them is the core of their world. They don't want kids to learn real science. Creationism isn't science and religious myths are not history. A telling truth is that archaeologists can find no evidence for any captivity, Exodus or conquest of the so-called holy land. While we can find prehistoric campsites hundreds of thousands of years old, we can't find anything to support thousands wandering the desert for decades. Seems a bit silly, eh?

In general terms, not much is new with any religion. There is not one that comes to mind that did not adopt and adapt some elements of another religion. Even their deities' names. If one takes an honest look at Christianity, it is a syncretism of Hellenism, Judaism and Paganism inside and out. This is not surprising considering the multicultural times this particular religion arose within.

Let's take a little trip through the world of virgin birth myths. Were virgin births new with Christianity? Nope. In Hinduism, the divine Vishnu himself descended into the womb of Devaki and to her was born Lord Krishna. Also, Krishna did not die and ascended to heaven. Buddha has similar origins. In the Mahapadana-sutra, the incarnation of the Buddha is decribed: "Now Vipassi, brethren, when, as Bodhisat, he ceased to belong to the hosts of the heaven of Delight, descended into his mother’s womb mindful and self-possessed." The Second Book of Enoch also speaks of an event called the Exaltation of Melchizedek, which claims Melchizedek was born of a virgin. In Zoroastrianism, Zoroaster's virgin mother conceived Zoroaster by a shaft of light. In Egyptian mythology, there is Horus who was born of a virgin named Isis. In Greek mythology, who hasnt heard of Zeus, the Father of Gods, fathering god-men with human women. Hercules, Apollo, and Dionysius are some. Then there is the mystery religion that was so popular in the Roman world at the time of Christianity's ascension; Mithraism. In ancient Indian Vedas Mithra was the god of light,  and was called "the Light of the World." He was the mediator between heaven and Earth. Mithras also claimed that drinking his blood and eating his flesh was the only way to be saved. Mithras was said to be present in the flesh and blood of the sacrificial bull the worshipers ate. All this sounds very familiar.

Christian myths are no different than other religious myths, being that they are deeply rooted in tradition and folklore, changing ever so slowly over the centuries. What was once the Canaanite Desert God of War "El Elyon" is now Elohim. The Canaanite's War God was adopted by the Jewish peoples and then it protected the Israelites against their enemies. Its this way with every collection of religious myths. Anointed ones, saviors, enlightenment, creations, floods, angry deities, protective gods, resurrections, and miracles are par for the course for every religion. Inventing myth and meaning is the nature of the beast. We seem to need these myths, even if they are fiction.

James Veverka
Tilton