Mythology

Mythology Roll No: Teacher: 3rd December Which common beliefs and traditions (rituals) can you trace to your own ancestry? What effects have these beliefs and traditions produced on your familys worldview? Practices? Beliefs? And based upon your reading and classroom discussion, can you trace the origins of these beliefs and traditions to their ancient mythic roots?
In our day-to-day lives, we follow certain traditions and beliefs and these are linked to our culture and what our ancestors used to do. These beliefs and rituals affect the worldviews that one keeps related to existence and being. The beliefs and traditions that I can trace to my own ancestry are related to marriage, burial and roaming out at late night. The marriages that are conducted between two individuals are to be adjusted by elders, as it is believed that a marriage that is not arranged by elders will bring misfortune to the family. In addition, it is considered that the bride should be in white dress compulsorily as any other dress is not suitable for a bride and can bring disastrous results for the future lives of bride and groom.

As far as burial is concerned, it is essential that all people should be dressed in black to indicate that they are sorrowful. For a death ceremony, black color is regarded as appropriate as it shows that everybody will be deprived of any color when death will come to him/her. Due to the beliefs that my family keeps, my family always regards that elders should be involved in all kind of decision making to avoid any kind of misfortune for the whole family. Misfortune can be related to the gods of fortune. My family never allows anyone to go out at late nights because it is regarded that evil and witchcraft are common at nights and can be harmful for anyone. This can be associated to gods of evil and witchcraft.
2. Are myths true? Literally? Whether true or not, do they have metaphoric truth to them? What is the relationship between myth and religion? Can on myth be more true than another? Can anyone claim absolute truth, and if so, how?
Mostly myths are not true. However, those, which are associated to religion such as birth of Adam and Eve and their forced departure from heaven on the basis of their disobedience cannot be considered wrong as this is a true myth. Those myths that talk about gods and goddess such as sun god, goddess of love, goddess of evil, etc. are not true and are the outcome of those beliefs that ancient people used to keep because of their lack of knowledge concerning the phenomena of the universe. Metaphors and myths are related to one another as metaphors are created based on myths.
Myths and religions are somewhat associated. People belonging to various religious beliefs associate the myths with the religions. For example, Hindus have certain beliefs regarding idols and goddesses and they believe in them as religious teachings. Myths have a close relation with different religions, as they are also parts of religious books and are narrated by scholars of various religions. Whether one myth is true and the other false is a difference of point of view or the beliefs with which, one is brought up.
Absolute truth cannot be claimed as anything can be challenged on the basis of logic and science. Especially, myths cannot be regarded as something absolutely true. However, the followers of one religion regard that their religion has certain values and myths that are always true and no one can deny them or their teaching of being true. I feel that nothing can be claimed as absolute truth.
References
Leonard, Scott and McClure, Michael. (2004). Myth & Knowing: An Introduction to World Mythology. New York: McGraw Hill.