Friday, February 12, 2010

If certain religious stories are connected with mythology does it mean it is false?

I dont feel the Orginial was false, but mind you Christians did take alot of the olden tales and changed them into there own.





This is documented in history..


As the religion spread thoughout the world it condemed the old religious practices as satan worship, even put people to death and built churchs on the old grounds were people use to meet.


in hopes they would still come and gather in the new building..


Some stories were taken and events over the year but names changed.





Christmas was called Yule. for example.If certain religious stories are connected with mythology does it mean it is false?
Not at all! All religions are based on a Mythology!


It is what makes them strong and lays out it's view!


Literalism if a very dangerous path for the faithful and always lessens and cheapens a religion.If certain religious stories are connected with mythology does it mean it is false?
it can mean many things


like as u sed untrue


but usualy its the bible defying the myth or non believers making a myth out of the bible


how many myths connect to adam n eve n memba every practasing catholic, christian etc will say so awell
Some researchers think that history of every country


begins with mythology. It often happens that myths of


one land get tangled up with those of other lands. A


myth is often compared to a snow ball which rolls down


a mountain side gathering foreign substances like snow,


earth, rocks and others such that its nucleus is lost


to sight. However, with some effort, some of the


historical events can be established from myths. Since


the time of Heinrich Schliemann's sensational


excavation in West Asia, archaeologists and historians


have been respecting myths, legends and traditions of


people no matter how improbable they may appear. Let us


consider the following myth:





2. The legend of Aeneas (Virgil,The Aeneid)





The Aeneid written by Virgil is the largest epic in


classical Latin mythology. It describes the legend of


Aeneas. Some parts of it were left without the final


touches (Fowler 1933; 410). Fragments of material on


Aeneas have come down to us through the works of other


classical Latin authors. The following is the selective


summary of the Aeneid:








Aeneas started from a country in Asia with his


followers in search of the land of his ancestors. Moved


on by destiny, he wandered round the seven seas for


many years carrying his home gods (1.31-32). Aeneas'


father appeared to him in a vision and warned that the


people of Latium are tough and primitive (5.722-734).


Afterwards he passed by the land of Circe, daughter of


the Sun. From her palace groaning roars of angry lions


resentful at their captivity were heard through the


small hours. The lions were said to be men once upon a


time and turned into beasts by Circe (7.10-20). At


last, Aeneas landed at Latium. A strange portend


occurred at the court of Latinus, king of the land. The


dress of his daughter, Lavinia, appeared to have been


set on fire. At an oracle, Latinus was advised not to


seek alliance from Latin race and the would be


son-in-law shall come from overseas (7.74-100). The


ambassadors of Aeneas went to the court of Latinus and


offered him regalia of their empire and many


embroidered vestments as gifts. Latinus recognized that


Aeneas was to become his son-in-law. He promised to


give his daughter in marriage to Aeneas annulling her


earlier betrothal with Turnus (7.243-273), king of a


neighbouring land, who was said to have captured many


cities in war (12.21-23). Turnus came to know about it


and ordered his army commanders to march against


Latinus and the new comers. (7.465-470) The first to


arm his men and enter the war was the irreligious


Mezentius, king of Agylla and friend of Turnus


(7.647-653). Some fighters on his side wore feline


skins. Aeneas travelled to a distant land for war


alliance with King Evander, his relative, who ruled on


Palatine Hill (8.90-100). Aeneas told him that Daunian


people were about to subjugate the whole of Hesperia,


and the seaboards of Tuscan and Adriatic (8.146-149).


Evander told him that Turnus was menacing them. Also,


their neighbours were oppressed by insolent tyranny,


damnable massacres and cruel force of Mezentius


(8.473-484). Goddess Venus presented to Aeneas divine


weapons made by God Vulcan (8.528-536). Two messengers


were sent from Latium in quest of Aeneas to bring him


back soon. (9.226-310) The men of Aeneas at Latium


closed up their ranks and stiffened resistance. Turnus


went in twice at the thick of the foe, but the whole


garrison came running to form up against him and he


fled from the battle field (9.788-818). Aeneas returned


to Latium. Turnus was made to flee from the battle


field (10.657-660). Mezentius dashingly took Turnus'


place, but was soon felled by Aeneas (10.689-786).


Before dying, Mezentius admitted that he was beset by


his own people's bitter hatred (10,904-905). Tiger skin


dressed princess Camilla (11.577), with a retinue of


female warriors, entered the field (11.653- 659).


Seeing her example, Italian women took to poles and


stakes to defend their city (11.890-895). Turnus


invited Aeneas for a duel to settle who would have


Lavinia (12.78-80). While the terms of the truce were


being accepted, war broke out again (12.282). Aeneas


was wounded by an arrow (12.318-326). His goddess


mother, Venus, brought health giving ambrosia and cured


his wound (12.411-424). Aeneas raced to the battle


field with his men. The men of Turnus took to their


heels and fled. Turnus was again made to flee from the


battle field (12.450-475). At last, the duel was fought


and Turnus was killed.





3. The Corresponding Indian Legend (P.Adinaaraayana


Swamy, Sree Padma Saakha Vamsa Pradeepika, Dharma


Varam, 1968):





The legend of Sage Bhaavana is preserved in the family


books of the weaving caste people among the Andhras in


India. Fragments of the legend were said to have been


extracted from Markandeya Purana, Brahmanda Purana and


Padma Samhita. The following is the selective summary


of the legend:





In a town near the hill where the sun sets, there was


demon named Kaaluva. He was menacing the Devas (divine


people). He was torturing the pious and raping their


women. He was assisted by Moolaka, another demon.


Further, the Devas were suffering due to lack of woven


clothing and a proper religion. When Devas prayed god,


they were told that a man will soon be born in his


image and he will come to their land to help them. Sage


Maarkandeya begot two sons and the younger one was


named Bhaavana. A prophecy was given that Bhaavana


would kill the enemies of his brother. Bhaavana became


proficient in the arts of war and also in the religious


knowledge. He vowed to offer a tiger skin to god. One


day, the Devas appeared to him (probably in a dream)


and told him that he was destined to reach the land of


Devas to get them rid of the demons and to teach them


weaving and religion. A sage told Bhaavana that he has


to go to a land where the daughter of Sun has kept


tigers in captivity, and that she would marry him.


Bhaavana wandered over seven seas and many lands in


search of tigers. Finally, he reached a land called


Arca and met the daughter of Sun named Bhadra. Her body


was bright like thunder bolt and her eyes resembled


petals of a blue lotus. Earlier, a sage told her mother


that a hero would come to their land and marry her


daughter. Bhadra recognized in Bhaavana the man who was


to become her husband. Bhaavana asked her to give him a


tiger. She told that she would give one of her tigers


if he would mary her. He told her that he has to


fulfill his vow first. He took the tiger and left.


After some time, Bhadra has sent two messengers to


Bhaavana that he should return to her without further


delay. Bhaavana goes to her land accompanied by his


people. The marriage of Bhaavana and Bhadra was


performed on a grand scale. Kaaluva was told that the


Devas were leading a happy life after being taught


weaving and religion by Bhaavana. The demon challenged


the bravery of Bhaavana and declared war. The warriors


of Kaaluva could not stand against Bhaavana and his


people, and started fleeing from the battle field.


Kaaluva tried to stop them threatening death to those


who flee. Bhaavana tried to kill Kaaluva four times in


duel fights, but he escaped death every time. A fierce


battle ensued and Bhaavana was wounded by Kaaluva.


Goddess Rama, foremother of Bhaavana, brought ambrosia


and cured his wound. Bhaavana travelled to a distant


land for war alliance with his brother. Many gods


presented divine weapons to Bhaavana. Bhadra entered


the battle field with a retinue of tigers. Bhaavana


hurled his divine weapon and killed Kaaluva. Hearing


the news, demon Moolaka came to the battle field and


soon fell at the hands of Bhaavana. Bhaavana became the


deified ancestor of weaving castes in the Andhras.





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