This month’s synchroblog challenges us to ask the question: “What if some or all of the biblical narrative is not necessarily true history, but is myth of one sort or another?” In other words, what if the Bible is a myth?
I have considered a similar question before: What if Jesus Did not Rise? and my answer to whether or not the Bible is myth follows the same logic as in that post.
If the Bible is a Myth, it is a TRUE Myth
I believe that even if the entire Bible is a myth, it would be truer than most historical facts.
Some people say that the Bible is nothing but a myth, but there is no such thing as “nothing” but a myth.
Any good story is far more powerful to change lives and direct history than the most provable scientific or theological fact. This is one reason the Bible is a story rather than a book of theological facts.
If the Bible is a myth, then we have no way of knowing if there is a God, or what happens after death, or how humanity came into being. (Even with the Bible, the answers to those last two questions are anything but certain.) If the Bible is a myth then while a man named Jesus might have lived, he probably certainly was not God, and while he might have died as a criminal on the cross, he most likely did not rise from the dead.
And if all of that could indisputably and unquestionably be verified as historical fiction, if it could be undeniably proven that the Bible is a myth, then you know what I would do? I would shrug my shoulders, and continue living as I have been.
Even if the Bible is a myth, the truth that is contained within the Bible is some of the greatest truth that has ever been put onto paper. Even if the Bible is a myth, the Bible is still true!
Let me put it another way. Would you say that Aesop’s Fables are true?
Well, of course they are true! But they are not “true” in that they did not actually happen in recorded history. In that sense, they are “myths.” They are “fables.” But they are some of the truest fables ever told for they provide insights into human activity, provide guidance on proper living, helping the reader make right choices.
Even if the Bible is a myth, it would function in a similar way.
The Bible is True, but HOW is it True?
The Bible is true, not so much because it is fact (which I believe to be true), but because it does what it claims to do, that is, change lives for the better. If you look at the history of humanity, the cultures and eras where lives have been affected most positively for the good are the cultures and eras where the Bible has been taught and followed.
Oh sure, there is great evil that has been done because of the Bible as well, but that is true of every holy book in existence, so in that regard, the Bible as a myth would be just like is just like any other myth-filled religious literature.
But when it comes to the positive benefits that have come to the world, it is an indisputable fact that great advances in medicine, science, equality, health, art, music, prosperity, longevity, and numerous other positive traits have existed most where the Bible is taught and followed best. And as cultures that have the Scriptures begin to abandon them (as is happening in Western culture), that society begins to degenerate once again toward lawlessness.
If the Bible is a myth, it would be the truest and most helpful myth ever written, and I would still read it, study it, teach it, and try to follow it… especially the parts about Jesus, for He (even if he didn’t really exist) represents the truest way to be human.
Everybody recognizes that Jesus was a great teacher, and lived an exemplary life, even those who do not believe the Scriptures are true. Even atheists say that Jesus was a good man and provides a great example for people to follow. People who hate Christians and despise the church, still love Jesus and what He stood for.
So what would change in my life if it turned out that the Bible is a myth? Nothing!
If the Bible is a myth, would your life change? Mine would not, for even if the Bible is a myth, it would be the truest myth ever written.
This post was part of the April Synchroblog. Here is a list of other contributors. Go check them all out!
- K.W. Leslie – When People Believe Christianity Is A Myth
- David Derbyshire – What If Genesis Is A Creation Myth?
- Bud Brown – What if Paul was wrong about the life of Christ living in me?
- Chris Jefferies – What If … Creation Was A Myth?
- Paul W. Meier – Is The Bible A Myth?
- damannwrite – The Bible As A Source of Wisdom
- Phil Lancaster – What If the Bible Were A Myth
- Carol Kuniholm – What If Newness Was The Norm
- Liz Dyer – Penultimate Truth
- Glenn Hager – Myths in the Bible? So What?
The areas I was referring to are “medicine, science, equality, health, art, music, prosperity, longevity, and numerous other positive traits have existed most where the Bible is taught and followed best.”
A brief google search will reveal page upon page of evidence as well, but a little bit of world history shows what I am saying. In general, the Judeo-Christian ethic found in the Bible has helped the world in all the ways I mention.
The bible is a myth from start to finish. No one, can preach God, as an all loving God…then also preach the suffering and slaughtering of God’s animals throughout the evil bible.
An all loving God would not need to nail anyone to a cross to save mankind.
ALL human souls are already saved. We are all a literal part of God.
The evil bible book of mythology was written by delusional men that didn’t know any better.
And, an all loving God would not create a fictional place called hell.
There is and never has been a hell. As we are all a part of God, the only place our souls go after the human body dies and rots, is back to that of which we are all a part!
We lived before we came to earth and will live when we leave this earth.
The bible is the most violent book of fiction ever written. No one knows who wrote the books of the bible.
ALL churches should pay taxes….
“If the Bible is a myth, it would be the truest and most helpful myth ever written, and I would still read it, study it, teach it, and try to follow it… especially the parts about Jesus, for He (even if he didn’t really exist) represents the truest way to be human”.
100% same page.
I’m of the view that even if Jesus turned out unreal in the end, I’d still be better off believing in Him.
It makes me nicer!
Jesus never existed. Period. If he was such an important part of Christian history….Why did not one person write about him while he lived?
The Churches have become very rich by telling the lies in the bible. That is why there are churches….for your money!
None of the thousands of original manuscripts exist today.
Virgin births….Did not happen.
Flood covering Earth Did not happen.
100,000 Roamed the desert for 40 years..Did not happen.
Human bodies do not resurrect
WHO sat and watched jesus be “tempted by a so-called devil,,,then wrote about it?? Did not happen.
Red Sea Parted…Did not happen.
The word “hell” is not written in the bible one time…priests made up hell to control their followers.
The God that Christians demand that we love, instructed Moses to order three million people to stone to death one man who had upset the “god of the bible”
Guilt is the cornerstone of the Church, and fear is it’s steeple.
The bible that was written by man, is the ultimate tool for the orchestrated, professional manipulation of the human race, by playing on man’s deepest fears and superstitions.
I have would have the same perspective as Paul the apostle:
1 Corinthians 15:13 –
13But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19If in Christ we have hopeb in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
21 people in bible times were called Christ and crucified, before Jesus.. an all-loving God…would not need to nail a man they called Jesus to a cross just to “save us from sins”. We all lived spiritually with God before we chose to come to earth and inhabit a human body. Our souls came here to evolve our souls and there was no need for a “Jesus” to forgive anything. We are a literal part of God…and the only place our souls return to, is that of which we are all a part. No “Jesus” ever happened. Nor did the four gospel story. In Fact, the bible was written by humans.
That is what religion does not teach….We lived and chose to come here before the universe ever was.
Human bodies decompose and rot. The soul the spirit go back to My God. The human body does not resurrect.
The old testament is the mythical story of a rage-filled, murderous, jealous, animal killing “god”. How does the bible teach anything but hate?