# Is "mythology" an offensive term? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 22, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mythology-an-offensive-term/150128 "2003-01-22T02:25:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mothchunks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@Mothchunks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mothchunks)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mythology-an-offensive-term/150128/21 "2003-01-27T05:11:05Z")
I use the term "Chrisitan Mythology. I also use the term “Christian pantheon” to describe that group of beings. The only reason someone would have to raise their hackles is if they were working from the root assumption that their’s is the only one true Religion, but everyone ELSE’S religion is just mythology. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mythology-an-offensive-term/150128/22 "2003-01-27T08:04:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LaurAnge \* > My SO, who is a devout atheist and who takes pride in rejecting his Catholic upbringing let me know that I should not use the term “mythology” in conjunction with Christianity, as he found it offensive. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LaurAnge \* > “Mythology” implies that the religion is not true. 😕 An atheist offended by the notion that Christianity is not true? ::scratches head:: What kind of “atheist” is he? ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mythology-an-offensive-term/150128/23 "2003-01-31T03:23:34Z")
When I saw the title of this thread I thought: \*\*[ul][li]Joseph Campbell[/ul] \*\*[/li] If you don’t know why, you need to do some research. :wally ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mythology-an-offensive-term/150128/24 "2003-01-31T03:34:58Z")
> [@](#): > > What kind of “atheist” is he? As **GOM** suggested, I suspect he ain’t one. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mythology-an-offensive-term/150128/25 "2003-01-31T03:45:26Z")
If I may offer a countervailing point on that question, I’ve had a number of people who have themselves rejected any connection with Christianity and allegedly with God generally, who for one reason or another get mortally offended at the idea that my belief in God and in Jesus Christ does not depend on a literal acceptance of Scripture. I’ve never been able to grasp exactly _why_ they have that attitude, but it’s happened. By the same token, I could understand someone who himself claimed to be an atheist considering that to call Christianity “mythology” is to mock it – and, by implication, Christians – and, being a good humanist, offended in their behalf. I suspect, though, with **GOM** and **Andros** , that there is indeed more than meets the eye in this situation. But I felt it only fair to post the above as offering possible insight. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mythology-an-offensive-term/150128/26 "2003-01-31T18:07:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Unfortunately, the term “myth” is often used in American Heritage’s fourth sense: “A fictitious story, person, or thing” Of course, even in terms of that definition it’s a fair challenge. It’s up to the believers to show that a given myth is true. Instead, they increasingly rely on taking offense and playing the vicitm as a debating tactic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mythology-an-offensive-term/150128.md?page=1)