...Bible Among the Myths Malcom College English 093 Ms. Smith 01/23/2012 Introduction The book is an analysis of the Biblical view of the world and compares it other works in the Ancient Near East of that time with the development of the Bible. This is done by an in-depth analysis of the underlying beliefs inherent in mythology and the Biblical text. Of primary significance is the author's portrayal of the Biblical insistence on monotheism and divine transcendence compared to the polytheistic underpinnings of mythology. The author compares the ethically based Biblical view of the divine/human relationship with the ritualistic and magical view of that relationship found in mythology. With these and other comparisons (and with due consideration given to the various similarities between Israel and her neighbors), the author gives an excellent overview of the subject matter of the thought. In The Bible Among the Myths,Oswalt takes the conversation further by illuminating the fact that Israel's faith couldn’t have simply evolved out of nowhere. Oswalt shows that the surrounding Ancient Near East cultures had a worldview known as Continuity. This view maintained that all things that exist are a part of each other (such as the gods, nature, and humanity), the existence of polytheism, that the gods could be manipulated through nature and natural artifacts(which was the point of idol worship), the significance of magic, the obsession with fertility which led to sexual...
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...Optimism and Pessimism of Myths Myths are stories passed down from generations which surround our society and determine true or false concepts. A notion is established within a myth to indicate a specific story and idea. Well-known myths, such as the 'Myth of the Model Family' and the 'Myth of Education and Empowerment,' provide a representation of ideas that have exceeded the strength of time. These complex, yet simple, myths represent a diverse range of opinions within society since they've been molded and have transformed over the period of time. “Rereading America” offers different perspectives from a variety of authors regarding these particular myths. The opinionated narratives mentioned in the text prove that these common myths have the ability to influence society in many ways. Regardless of the variety of influence, the authors portray their viewpoints by displaying how the myths can form a common understanding among a people. While these myths create a...
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...China Myths, China Facts 2 Introduction Most of us primarily from our perceptions of others through media, entertainment and other kind of popular culture. The problem of learning about other people that are different from us through popular culture is, many of the representations are based on cultural stereotypes and prejudice. Thus, when we interact with people with different cultures or backgrounds from our own, we tend to have preconceived idea about those people. Whether those assumptions are to be rue or myth, they form the way we look at the world and precondition how we perceive others. Based on the case study entitled China Myths, China Facts (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013), I will analyze three myths for correctness regarding...
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...Creative metaphor in three creation myths Introduction In this essay I will analyse the creative use of metaphor in three creation myths: Japanese, Chinese and Australian aboriginal creation myths. Before going into the detailed analysis of each creation myth, I will first consider the most appropriate framework by outlining the concept of cognitive metaphor and its uses. I will also draw on historical and cultural background information of each creation myth to provide the context for my analysis. I will then employ the chosen framework to analyse the three creation myths and draw particular attention to the interplay of metaphor and language creativity. Finally, I will evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen framework by considering how far it enables me to interpret creation mythology in context. Cognitive metaphor theory Traditional approaches have regarded metaphor mainly as a rhetorical or artistic figure of speech (Johnson, 1989). Cognitive metaphor theory coming more recently has recognised metaphor as a persistent trait in human thoughts. It is based on the foundation that metaphor is not limited to literary texts but is a pervasive feature in all language uses (Jeffries and McIntyre, 2010). Lakoff, Johnson and Turner were the forerunners in establishing cognitive metaphor theory (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980; Turner, 1987; Lakoff and Turner, 1989). In the classic work Metaphor We Live By, Lakoff and Johnson (1980) argue that metaphor is not merely a matter of language...
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...scholars believe that this work was parallel to the Near Eastern myths. And that these Near Eastern myths could have been the source for Greek mythology. But there are many debate on that idea also. Modern scholars have always studied aside from the age and origin of Greek...
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...the word “myth” is generally used to describe urban legends. Urban legends are false stories, told as if they were true, and passed on to others. Myth, in this context, is defined as stories that undergo a series of events sharing characteristics of legends and folktales. These stories, present themselves in our everyday lives through fictional characters, such as Tooth Fairy or Cupid. In an academic setting, the word “myth” is used to describe ancient narratives that attempt to answer the enduring and fundamental human questions such as creation (Leonard & McClure, p. 1, 2004). The word mythology is derived from both Greek words mythos and logos. The academic study of mythology could be described as the logical thinking used to produce mythical thinking; hence mythos forms the structure in which logos is employed. I would describe myths as an unexplainable or unknown actual event created by individuals to make sense of the unknown. Creation is a perfect example of this. Cultures around the world have different Myths. They all share the basic human desire to understand life and its meaning. Claude Lévi-Strauss expresses similar sentiments about myth’s functions when he postulates that myths serve to mediate conflicting or dualistic elements of society and life and conflicting nature of human beings are same around the world. (Leonard & McClure, p. 18, 2004). Creation is one of the most popular myths. Most cultures have a creation myth. The cultures...
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...language as cosmogony, the diverse myth of creation varies drastically among many areas of the earth and during numerous periods throughout history (Leonard & McClure, 2004). The telling of such myths and stories gives insight to the culture and behavior of many societies. This information becomes religion for some and yet a way to pass down the history, heritage, and tradition of a civilization to another. The most common way to dissect and question a myth uses tools that would identify the nature of the story and outline the origin. The many distinct views in use to theorize and question mythoi are commonly the social, the psychological, the literary, the structural, and the political form of the myth. The areas in which to question commonly reference back to a toolkit that when brought into use in examination of a myth, the analysis is simple and questions cover many concerns. The debate of whether a myth is a story of imagination or holds any fact depends on if it comes from “a tale told by idiots,” or rather “sages, religious fundamentalists and agnostic theologians, idealists and cynics, racists and fascists,” or “philosophers and scholars” (Leonard & McClure, 2004, p. 5). Choosing to use social, psychological, and structural for the theoretical methods of inspection to breakdown and question the narrations of various myths of creation will show the function in their respective societies and cultures. The social aspect questions how the myth affects a group of people and...
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...worksheet using the assigned Week 1 textbook readings as resources, along with your own thinking and analysis. Do not use outside resources. You may use brief quotations in your answers; however, the majority of each answer should be written in your own words. Cite the textbook as appropriate when quoting or paraphrasing (see examples below). Avoid plagiarism! Use good grammar and proper punctuation. Write in complete sentences. Use paragraph breaks where needed (do not put extra spaces between paragraphs—indent each paragraph). Write in third-person voice. If you have questions, ask! | Do not reformat this worksheet and do not delete anything from it. | | Part A: Myth and Modern Culture | | Directions: Answer the following question in 300-450 words using several paragraphs. | | How is the word myth used popularly? For example, what does the statement, "It's a myth" mean? In contrast, how is the word myth used in the academic context? After considering the definition in your textbooks and course materials, write a definition in your own words. Type your answer in the box below. | ANSWER: In defining the word myth, it can be translated into several different definitions. It can be broken down into several different categories depending how you use the term. Most commonly, the term “myth” is typically used as word to describe a fictitious story. In modern day, the term myth would be defined by many people as what we now call a “lie”. Many companies use slogans that...
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...Myth and Scripture resources for Biblical Study Susan ackerman, Old testament/hebrew Bible editor number 78 Myth and Scripture conteMporary perSpectiveS on religion, language, and iMagination Edited by dexter e. callender Jr. SBl press atlanta copyright © 2014 by SBl press all rights reserved. no part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by means of any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 copyright act or in writing from the publisher. requests for permission should be addressed in writing to the rights and permissions office, Society of Biblical literature, 825 houston Mill road, atlanta, ga 30329 uSa. library of congress cataloging-in-publication data Myth and scripture : contemporary perspectives on religion, language, and imagination / Dexter E. Callender, Jr., editor. p. cm. — (Society of Biblical literature resources for biblical study ; number 78) includes bibliographical references and index. iSBn 978-1-58983-961-8 (paper binding : alk. paper) — iSBn 978-1-58983-962-5 (electronic format) — iSBn 978-1-58983-963-2 (hardcover binding : alk. paper) 1. Myth in the Bible. 2. Bible. old testament—criticism, interpretation, etc. i. callender, dexter e., 1962– editor of compilation. ii. callender, dexter e., 1962– author. Myth and Scripture : dissonance and convergence.. BS520.5.M98 2014 220.6'8—dc23 2014002897...
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...“Icarus” Poem Analysis The poem “Icarus” by Edward Field tells the story of Icarus’s life after his wings fall to pieces and he plummets into the ocean. In the poem, unlike in the myth, Icarus swims ashore and grows up to live a mundane life in the modern world. Field adapts the myth to a contemporary setting so that a modern audience can better understand the inner turmoil Icarus experiences on a daily basis in his new life. Icarus was once capable of great things; he and his father were the first men to fly. Now he is older and stuck in a dull, meaningless life and is unable to relearn how to fly. The poem uses the story of Icarus as a metaphor for the experiences of many people as they become adults. When they are young, there are no bounds to what they believe they can accomplish; they feel they could reach the sun if they wanted too. But when they enter adulthood they are hit with the hard reality of how difficult it is to accomplish great things or make a difference. These people, now shaped into adults by their...
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...project Director of the Cost Management project that was the original source of ABC as a management tool. Jim can be reached at abmi@tx.rr.com. BLURB: If we are to compete in a dynamic business world; if we are to provide our decision makers with transparent information; if we are create value for our customers; then we must be bold and objectively reevaluate our management practices; we must adopt a management philosophy that mirrors the way the business world behaves! "I dreamed a thousand new paths... I woke and walked my old one" Chinese Proverb Information is the lifeblood of an organization. Information is also one of the most improperly used tools in managing a firm. Organizations become mesmerized with information organized and analyzed according to generally accepted practices and processed with the latest state-of-the-art software. This “formula for success” puts blinders on managers and prevents organizations from viewing information in innovative ways. If an organization is to prosper, it must ask itself if it needs an information transformation. An information transformation begins by challenging the myths that freezes an organization into inactivity and distorts an organization’s culture. Some of the most egregious management myths include the following: Myth 1 Accounting information fairly represents business facts—Today’s financial information...
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...When observing the founding of ancient Rome, one must inquire the authenticity of each and every claim made. This practice is necessary because the history of the birth of Rome and early stages are unconditionally riddled with myth. For this analysis to remain objective and truthful, the author ought to focus on what can be proven, not myth, and the reader should remain cognizant that this is ancient history and the ancient peoples of Rome had little knowledge on how Rome was founded, except for the folklore of their day. Many historians to this day are bewildered by this fragment of civilized history. With this mystery, however, there comes a certain strange, enchanting world to explore. When archeologists discovered the traces of the...
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...Exploring Twins; towards a Social Analysis of Twinship. STEWART, Elizabeth A.. EXPLORING TWINS; Towards a Social Analysis of Twinship. New York, NY: Global Publishing at St. Martin's Press, 2003, 221 pp., $26.95 softcover. This extremely dense and turgid book, written by a sociologist who gave birth to twins herself, is rich with metaphor and literary and biblical allusion. The author exams myths and explanations of twinning throughout time and across world cultures. She also looks at why there are so many persistent myths around twins and sees these myths as a way of explaining twinning. While some cultures see twinning in positive terms [divinity, fertility], many see the phenomenon in negative terms [infanticide of one or both twins, death of the mother, banishment of the family, exposure of the twins, starvation of one or both twins, death to girls and life to boy twins]. Stewart also discusses the importance of support groups, such as MELD, to help parents strategize and cope with raising multiples. Interestingly, the Yoruba of Nigeria have the highest twinning rates in the world. Stewart spends a lot of time noting the occurrence of twins in literature, from Shakespeare, Rogers and Hart, Mark Twain, and Alice in Wonderland. They also appear prominently in films such as The Dark Mirror, The Parent Trap, Dead Ringers and Twins. She points out that twins research is often used to deduce the impact of nature vs. nurture, the extent to which the environment plays...
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...Schedule of Readings & Lecture Topics: Fall 2012 | Lecture Topic | Read beforehand | | | | M. Sept. 10 | Welcom to class | | W. Sept. 12 | Intro to Mythology | T 3-22 (T=Thury) | M. Sept. 17 | The Oedipus Myth | ACM 235-236 (nos. 66-68)Oedipus the King, T 305-353 | W. Sept. 19 | Oedipus Rex 1 | Finish or re-read T 305-353 | M. Sept. 24 | Oedipus Rex 2 | Lévi-Strauss, T 354-369 | W. Sept. 26 | Oedipus and Structuralism | “ | M. Oct. 1 | Gilgamesh | The Epic of Gilgamesh, T 192-227 | W. Oct. 3 | No class—UMich Plato conf. | | M. Oct. 8 | Thanksgiving | | W. Oct. 10 | Gilgamesh and Structuralism | G.S. Kirk “A Lévi-Straussian Analysis of G.”, T 228-238 | M. Oct. 15 | Ritual & Liminality | Victor Turner, “Forest,” T 417-429 | W. Oct. 17 | Demeter & Ritual | Hom. Hymn to Demeter, T 430-448 | M. Oct. 22 | Tricksters: Prometheus | T 381-383, 396-402, 27-29, 38-41Review Lévi-Strauss, T 280-294 | W. Oct. 24 | Tricksters: Hermes | Hom. Hymn to Hermes, ACM 187-197 | M. Oct. 29 | Dionysus: Myth & Bacchae | T 495, 509-514Euripides, Bacchae (44-83) | W. Oct. 31 | Bacchae | ACM 21-22 (D1), 47 (M2), 48 (M4), 212-213 (Ode 2.19), 394 (1130) | M. Nov. 5 | Exam 1 | Odyssey Books 1-8 | W. Nov. 7 | Hesiod Theogony 1 | Hesiod Theogony ACM 129-160 | M. Nov. 12 | Hesiod Theogony 2 | Same | W. Nov. 14 | | | M. Nov. 19 | | | W. Nov. 21 | Hesiod Works and Days | Hesiod “The Ages of Man” T 41-44 | M. Nov. 26 | | | W. Nov. 28...
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...Technical University and holds a PhD in Health Psychology from Walden University. He conducted a recent case study on the spiritual experience of practitioners in the Santo Daime Church. Based on his ayahuasca visions, Justin wrote and published a fictional book entitled The Knight of Dark Wood: The Last Tree Whisperer, which includes themes related to mythology and consciousness. He has spoken at several conferences in San Francisco on a topics related to Jungian psychology, archetypes, mythology and plant-based visionary states. He lives in Portland, OR. The Ritual Use of Ayahuasca: The Healing Effects of Symbolic and Mythological Participation Mythology and alchemy are significant aspects of humanity that have been lost in the modern world but carry important messages and tools for integrating various levels of the unconscious as well as engendering purpose and enhancing creativity and spirituality. Ayahuasca, and other entheogens (e.g., psilocybin, LSD, salvia divinorum, etc.) may serve as psycho-enrichment technologies (PETs) that enhance cognition, boost creativity and spirituality, and create harmonious relationships with others. The use of ayahuasca in a ritual setting has been found to stimulate optimal living through the integration of mythological, alchemical, and archetypal motifs into daily life. Ritual use of ayahuasca may include a shamanic ritual (healer-patient) or an organized religious group, such as the Santo Daime church, the Barquina, or the União do Vegetal...
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