In Philosophy, the terms, “Concept” and “Reality” have been widely discussed from time
immemorial in order to establish what is “Truth” in its true sense even though it is not
easy to arrive at a wise conclusion. But in the scientific world the term “Concept” can
easily be exposed and “Reality” can, likewise, be established with the aid of technological
findings, especially due to the emergence of artificial intelligence. As everybody knows
“Concept” is not a reality, for what we understand as true today or nowadays may be a
wrong understanding tomorrow. Once the world believed that the earth was flat and the
sun revolved round the sun contrary to the Reality of the scientific world.
In the same way and the same sense, the term “Myth’ should also be defined and
described as it has no scientific support nor can it be supported with scientific evidence
to prove that “Myth” is a reality. But on the contrary, it should be understood that “Myth”
is a faith with no supporting evidence to prove that it is a reality as already stated above.
Myth as a faith is an inevitable term for a man of religion to complete his religious
practices and to attain emancipation or to experience his/her god.
The distinction between the popular misuses of the term ‘myth’ and its meaning in
scholarly context of Religious Studies can, thus, be illustrated with the above text. The use
of the term “Myth” becomes a misuse when the term is used to exploit the ignorance of
the illiterate or an unintelligent man for the personal gain of a spiritual/religious leader.
Myth always tries to explain supernatural things as genuine, but it can be easily realized
that it as a misconception if the term is subject to a scientific study.
Myth, on many grounds, is illustrated as a natural and possible event. Really speaking,
myth is a fallacy that is used to ascertain the belief of a religious man by which he/she
finds satisfaction and bliss in his/her religious practices. What is, thereby, done in the
religious and spiritual world is described as a misuse, only when a layman or an illiterate
believer is exploited. Religion and Myth are indispensably integrated for the
accomplishment of religious practices that are not fully accepted in the world of
technology, hence the use of term “Myth” becomes a misuse. Myth is, no doubt, a
legendary story. According to folklorists, myth is a sacred narrative describing how the
universe/world and the mankind in the entire biosphere came into being. However, the
meaning of Myth in religious studies is usually used to describe the characters of gods.
According to Joseph Campbell, a famous American Professor, who is known for his
philosophical writings and as an orator, myth is true in the metaphorical interpretation.
Since he was born in a Roman Catholic family, his notion about the myth might have been
influenced by his family background and earlier faith in Catholicism. Joseph Campbell has
narrated four functions of myth as summed up hereunder:
i. The first function is metaphysical
ii. Another function of myth as viewed by Joseph Campbell is the cosmological dimension
that deals with the image of the material world focusing on science.
iii. The third function of myth is its sociological one and
iv. The other function of myth as narrated by him is purely psychological.
According to dictionary definition, a myth is a well-known story which was made up in
the past to explain natural events or happenings and to justify religious beliefs. Greek mythology
is specially noted and widely discussed among thinkers. Such myths can be seen in many of the
Indian mythology as well. Myth can never be completely destroyed of wiped out from the religious
minds of people as it has been dissolved into the blood of religious people as a faith to perceive
and experience their gods. Hence Science is constrained to make way for it. Still the Sun is
worshipped as a god even by astrophysicists even if they know and teach that the Sun is a Sun
is a 4.5 billion-year-old hot glowing ball of hydrogen and helium.
Since faith or belief is a sentimental matter and a sensational issue rooted in Myth, no
scholar is found bold enough to question the reality of Myth, hence let it be believed until
the believer realizes what is rational and what is irrational, and what is Concept and what
is Reality. In a nutshell, it can be concluded that there is no religion or religious faith
without Myth as religion is presented as a means to attain salvation through Myth without
which religious practices cannot be completed. Many practices initiated or started and
maintained from time immemorial for the convenience of the people have been still
continued and have now become rituals and religious practices.
