Paradise and the Fall

[lunamoth]

Originally Posted by Pamela

Questions I would like to pose to you, Thomas, is what do you think is the role of the myth of Paradise Lost and the fall for believers in a secular society? If we don’t believe it happened factually, how can it be seen as a means of measurement for humanity? What do you think about the peoples who have no such myth- for many (but not all) aboriginal peoples don’t?

This is an old thread and I admit I have not recently read all the preceding posts, but this caught my eye.

I'm guessing that someone (Thomas?) suggested that all religions have a myth that explaines the dissonance we feel with creation/each other and an ideal to which we strive or long for, a healing, the establishment or re-establisment of harmony and peace. I think that in a secular society we do have these myths, even if we do not regard them as so. The 'Utopian Society' exists in our minds whether or not we think it is attainable or associate it with God. Some people probably believe (perhaps not as common now as it was a century ago) that science will be the means by which we achieve Paradise. This can be seen in snippets when we use info gleaned from 'science' about, for example, how increase our lifespan (fad diets for example).

Others look to political systems (socialism, communism, fascism?) to create the utopian society.

I'd be interested to hear Path of One's take on the observation that not all aboriginal societies had a creation myth. I find it hard to believe.

cheers,
lunamoth