Is Religion a Myth?

Well, the short answer is yes, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing! Oy! Why would the rabbi write something like that? The word “myth” has been on my mind because it is December already and the group known as “American Atheists” is up to its annual campaign to convince people that all religions are “myths” (although they misuse the word completely.) American Atheists has placed billboards in New Jersey (at the Lincoln Tunnel,) Ohio, and Florida to convince people that the celebration of Christmas is only the perpetuation of a myth (in this case meaning a falsehood.) Here in Ft. Lauderdale we will get to hear a lot about their efforts because the annual American Atheists convention will be held here this month.
When this group says that religion is a myth (they are targeting Christianity but would include any faith system that teaches that God exists) they mean that it is a lie, that any religion is false. They make their position very clear claiming that there is no God and, therefore, society, law, and morality should be based solely on humanistic, secular values. While I would defend their right to believe or disbelieve anything they want, I must reflect on the real meaning of the word “myth” and why the “myth” of religion is important to us all.
I believe that there is a God. There is only one God and all the fighting that we do is all about the various ways in which we choose to worship God. More importantly, I believe that Judaism is the proper way to worship God. That includes respecting people who worship differently or not at all. What of myth? Used properly, a “myth” is a sacred narrative. It tells us where we come from, how and why we got here, and where we should be going. Judaism starts with Abraham, the first individual who posited that God was a solitary unique being. Abraham entered into a special covenant with God and we are here to be a part of that “myth” because we affirm all that Abraham believed.
I am a Jew because I hold the “myth” of Judaism to be the very essence of what I believe to be true. This sacred story tells me that there is something that connects me to the past and the future and that the short little burst of light that represents my life is part of a much greater existence. My belief in God explains where that little light comes from and where it fits into this vast universe.
I actually worry about people like American Atheists. If they want to say that they live without myth they are the ones who are really practicing self-deception (a charge they would level against those who believe.) Their myth is one that they have to create- that man is the measure of all things- the final arbiter of good and evil. That’s a pretty scary proposition to me!
For Jews our “myth” is our sacred history- it is the story of our past and our future. It is the story of why we continue to bring a little more light to this dark world to this very day. Myth is the highest form of truth.

This article first appeared in the South Florida Jewish Journal