Article October 18, 1947 Issue

MATTER A MYTH OF HUMAN BELIEF

LOUISE G. DE GROOT

At some time during a student's academic life, he is likely to study the ancient myths of Greece and Rome. He probably finds them entertaining, imaginative stories, and it may be difficult for him to realize that the ancients really believed these "people" to be gods. To them they were objects of worship, to be venerated and obeyed.

Paul had two recorded experiences with the believers in this mythology. At Lystra his healing of a cripple who never had walked made a stir in the city, and assuming that the gift of healing denoted a preternatural power, the people called him Mercurius, or Mercury, "because he was the chief speaker." At Ephesus, a certain silversmith, named Demetrius, fearing for the wealth which he derived from his craft if the cult of Diana continued to give ground to Christianity, stirred up the craftsmen of the city to oppose Paul's teaching and to declare, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians."

No modern student, reading the legendary tales of the gods of an ancient world, would give credence to them. Those gods never did exist except as myths, images conceived by the minds and carved by the hands of mortals, even though for centuries much of the civilized world did believe the myths to be true and these gods to be powerful. The mighty words and works spoken and performed by Jesus and his disciples and followers such as Paul later began to break down the belief in anthropomorphic gods. Similarly, the works and words of Mary Baker Eddy in our time have taught her students how to detect and discount modern myths. What are some of these myths? "Mortal mind is a myth," she says (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 82), and in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 150,151) she refers to the human mind and body as myths.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Article
"MIND DECIDES"
October 18, 1947
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit