I guess there's no way to avoid Christian archetypes and mythology

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

I guess there's no way to avoid Christian archetypes and mythology attaching to things... it's our culture. If you haven't read the assigned book in high school english say the protagonist is a christ-figure. You're about 50-50 to be right, and even if you're wrong the teacher might give you partial credit.

The term "mythology" isn't meant to be rude. Even if myth-stories are true they can be culturally resonant in the same way. Think of all the mostly-true World War Two stories we use as cultural frameworks. We frame almost everything in terms of a WWII that is part history, part morality play.

In know myths shape my thinking a lot, and myths from all sorts of sources... during the pre-convention period when people were wondering if Hillary was going to be a good soldier I thought of her as Achilles brooding on the beach from the Iliad.

As an atheist I have mixed feeling about the all-pervading nature of religious mythology. For good or ill these are our frames of reference and a culture without mythology must (IMO) be culturally poorer for the loss.

But still, my skin has crawled a little every time I read the headline (of a popular post) "Obama's leadership was the source of some amazement"

It's a good post. And I have no doubt whatsoever that Obama runs a smart meeting... it's just that King Jamesian language is so much a part of how we speak and think that I just can't read it without it echoing the story in Luke about child Jesus lecturing the teachers.


Luke 2:42-51 (New King James Version)

42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; 44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. 48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” 49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.