Why Religion Should Never Be Called a “Myth”

The longer a religion has been around, the higher the probability that others may describe them not as beliefs but as “myths.” We already talk about the ancient Greek religion this way. And some people put the Hindu Epics of The Mahabharata and The Ramayana in the same category. In this article, writer Neha Patel explores the difference between an “epic” and a “myth” and whether it matters how we describe them.

The problem, she shares, is that in our modern language the term “myth” often refers to something that is fiction. In fact, the dictionary defines a myth as “an unfounded or false notion.” In contrast, a term like “legend” or even “epic” indicates that a story has basis in fact. If Biblical stories are not referred to as myths, then why are stories from Hinduism described that way? As Patel concludes, “I personally prefer to refer to them as Hindu epics. The term suggests a continuity of traditions that myths don’t.”