Quotation from the Power of Myth

On this immediate level of life and structure, myths offer life models. But the models have to be appropriate to the time in which you are living, and our time has changed so fast that what was proper fifty years ago, is not proper today. – Joseph Campbell – The Power of Myth

This quotation from Joseph Campbell's book has hit a chord in my head. He has outlined in the book some of the reasons why the mainstream religions are not applicable to our world experience. Reasons for this which stand out are :

1) Mainstream religions speak about the imperfection of MAN. Man as a sinful being, man as the opposite of what is spiritual.

2) Women are seen as the reason for the rejection from paradise, and for the fall of Man into the material hell. Even though the symbol is mean to be that man is always born of woman, and comes from woman, many interpret this as a very negative association.

3) Previous religions give MAN dominance over all other creatures of the Earth. In a time now where the global village recognizes the need to live in harmony with the earth, such a theme has been rejected.

4) Most spiritual myths of the mainstream religions have this " We against them" theme. The world's people have realized that we are one global community, we all exist on this planet. The only way to move forward is to embrace each other as one World. This seeming separation by race, religion, gender or any other surface reason will only cause divisiveness and not community.

Just loved the quote....thought I'd share.