REL 2000 Chapter : Myth
Document Summary
Defines religion as being about the distinction between the sacred and the profane (eliadean: because we can"t access the sacred, we have to use symbolic language when discussing it. Representational symbols- connection is based in custom (ex: green means go) Presentational symbols- they are similar (or are) to what they symbolize (ex. map represents the land) Often describes the unfamiliar (sacred) in terms of the familiar (profane) Use analogies- compare the sacred and the profane: ex: god is like a father, buddha is like a teacher, etc, analogies may change as cultures change. Metaphors- not meant to be literal comparison: retains the tension between the is and the is not" , ex: god the father, scripture is leader, recognition that this is not literally true- reveals a deeper truth. Paradox- self-contradictory statement: ex: bittersweet, jesus is human and divine, even though it is contradictory, it is nonetheless true (does not makes sense to say it is one or the other)
