What is mythology?
Q: What is mythology?
A: Mythology refers to the collected myths of a group of people—their body of stories which they tell to explain nature, history, and customs. It can also refer to the study of such myths.
Q: What is a myth?
A: A myth is a story about the remote past which is considered true within the society in which it is told. Creation myths take place before the world reached its present form in the most remote time – the first existing period of time known as the primordial age. The characters are normally non-human; they can be gods, demigods, and other supernatural figures.
Q: How are myths different from folktales and legends?
A: Myths are generally understood to be true, about the remote past, and containing non-human characters whereas legends usually feature human characters and folktales are understood as fiction.
Q: Why do some religious people object to their beliefs being called myths?
A: Some religious people object to their beliefs being called myths because they believe them to be true rather than false or fictional like many myths.
Q: Why do some scholars choose not to use “myth” when referring to religion?
A: Some scholars choose not to use “myth” when referring to religion in order to avoid treating one religion as more important or true than another.
Q: What purpose do creation myths serve for societies?
A: Creation myths serve as an explanation for how a particular reality came into existence, explaining why a society works and is structured the way it is.
