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I am an atheist, but that strikes me as just a very poor way to handle a classroom. If someone asked me for my opinion, I'm sure I would say, yeah, that's a myth. But as a teacher, I would not make such a statement in front of a classroom. Inappropriate.
Maybe you and your professor are just interpreting the word "myth" differently. Here are some definitions of the term I found online:
So, yes, the creation story is a myth, as it is a traditional story that serves to explain something.
and keep in mind it goes both ways.
I think it is wonderful you are respectful to others views.
But i used to be friends with a "christian" girls who would
FIGHT You on everythimg and tell you how you were wrong.
Hmmm, I don't want to move your conversation too much away from your original point, but in the literary sense, your teacher was correct in referring to the story of Adam and Eve as a myth. I don't think she was trying to offend you or belittle your beliefs, but if she was talking about the genre of mythology (and the specific keypoints literary critics use to categorize a story as a myth) Bible stories are all myths. I think in real life you can believe the Bible stories are real, but in literary discussion you categorize Bible stories as myths because you have a different goal in mind (e.g. defining characterisitcs of the genre, learning to recognize those characteristics, etc...).
Anyway, I just thought I'd point that out real quick before the rest of the conversation continues... :)
ETA: It looks like danadelphia and I were thinking the same thing. :)
@ literary Bees: Interesting! I was definitely thinking in terms of the colloquiel (sp?) use of the word. But I think that is a fair point.
@ OP: did the prof make a similar point? If she did, why wasn't that satisfactory to you? If she didn't, I think I would have been miffed on your behalf, and I think she missed an opportunity to discuss literary theory.
Well, I think it depends on the class and what you were discussing. You said it was English class - are you discussing the Bible as a work of literature? If so, then I don’t think saying it is a myth is an attack on Christianity or being closed minded. Here’s MW’s definition of “myth”
Main Entry: myth Pronunciation: \ˈmith\Function: noun Etymology: Greek mythosDate: 18301 a : a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon b : PARABLE, ALLEGORY2 a : a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone; especially : one embodying the ideals and institutions of a society or segment of society <seduced by the American myth of individualism — Orde Coombs> b : an unfounded or false notion3 : a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence4 : the whole body of myths
The stories in the Bible may, or may not, be true, but either way the stories/lessons in the Bible are also works of literature, and can be discussed that way. You can also certainly still be Christian, and not believe that every word or story in the Bible is suppose to be taken literally, exactly as written (the Puritans didn’t believe that, for instance). Myths don't necessarily mean the stories have to be "fake".
I dunno, I don't see this as meaning your prof has to be closed-minded.
Edit: looks like some other Bees were quicker at typing than me...sorry for the repitition. :)
we were discussing the history of African Americans and the moment they became 'free'.
i definately agree that Christians in general are probably not as accepting as we should be, and i apologize for that. that's actually one thing that bothers me about us :P
i guess i just think that there are other ways to make a point.
she never once mentioned or even hinted at the fact that it could be something people believe in, which is probably what bothered me the most. i'm okay that you don't believe in it, but don't make it sound like i'm an idiot for believing what i believe.
That seems like such a random comment considering the context...
Why did you feel as though her calling it a myth implied that you're idiot?
I do not think your professor was trying to attack your beliefs. As other Bees have said, from an academic standpoint, the Christian creation story is a myth, just like the stories of the Native Americans and the Ancient people (Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, etc). You teacher was correct in referring to it as such. Let me just note, that the ancient peoples that followed the myths associated with their religious beliefs accepted theirs as truth as well, and they are still myths.
From a teaching standpoint, she also used the right word. It is illegal in most states to teach the Christian creation story as truth in public schools. Her calling it anything but a myth would have been her sharing her personal religious views, which is highly frowned upon in the educational community.
English major here, and my thought immediately went to what others have explained -- as a literary genre, the Bible is mythology. People assume that mythology = false, but that is not necessarily a defining characteristic.
Further, I wanted to add that other creation stories are called myths all the time (Native American origin narratives, Greek and Roman, etc.), and those are religious stories to their people, too. Generally, that is not flagged as intolerance. (awww, zippylef beat me to it!)
I also thought of what teaandtoast said. Even if your professor did mean myth in the sense that it is a false story, I think that there are a few pieces missing in the jump between "I do not believe this to be true" and "you are an idiot if you do." Regardless, I am sorry that your professor was upsetting. It is a lot harder to go to class and to speak up in a discussion when the professor is not openminded.
it wasn't the fact that she called it a myth that bothered me, because i get what you guys all mean regarding that (i've already been told that by many other friends haha).
i think it was more the way she said it, and the way she responded to the person who requested a different word to approach it.
i mean, i'm used to people blatantly knocking on christianity as my mom, stepdad, brother, and whole extended family are not christians and often try to make me mess up so they can 'prove a point' so to say, but the way the prof said this (especially being in a classroom setting) didn't seem appropriate to me...
I can see where she was coming from as a teacher, TBH. "Myth" as other posters have pointed out, is the correct word in this context. Granted, it's a specialized usage, and she might've done better in explaining why "myth" was the proper word in her particular field, but she wasn't actually wrong and so it seems unnecessary that she choose another word.
I can't stand it when teachers and professors drop religious comments into a classroom where it has no place! Some of my college profs have made disparaging remarks in writing classes, and it's like "Ya, I know you're tenured, but that doesn't give you a licence to blab your opinions to a bunch of people who are forced to listen to you."
I don't really care about the usage of "myth" in your case, it still sounds like a bad move on her part. It sounds like it wasn't relevant to the teaching material, and she easily could have said "The Adam and Eve story."
story: narrative: a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events
Slight word change, still correct, but hard to take the wrong way.
It actually took me a full minute to figure out what other meaning of the word myth there was (i.e. that we use it to say something isn't true). I think for anyone that enjoys speaking of and reading about myths (I'm especially fond of the Greek and Egyptian ones) using the word in a literary setting has only one definition.
What other word would you have liked her to use? Story would work I guess but is a little simplistic for an English teacher.
I think perhapse your professor is an atheist and dislikes Christianity or thinks it's silly and that opinion leaks in enough for you to sense it. But, she is entiteled to her feeling and opinions and I think it's impossible that students don't get a sense for them. She is obligated not to say offensive and mean/cruel things but her calling this story a myth isn't her saying anything inappropriate. It might not be realistic to expect professors to have perfect control over their tone - though maybe desirable. It is always uncomfortable when a professor disagrees with something you feel strongly about - but it is inevitable.
@amaryllis - bible major speaking here, the literature of the bible does not all fit under the genre "mythology." in fact, not very much of it fits into that genre. while i would argue that the creation story may, in fact, fit in that category... it does NOT make me waver in the belief that said story is important for my faith.
for example: proverbs=wisdom literature, isaiah&jeremiah, etc=prophetic works. there is no lumping the whole biblical text all together as one genre. not possible. 
dsr_june -- I didn't say anything about that Bible's place as important to the faith of Christianity or wavering in belief. And yeah, I should have said the Adam and Eve story falls under myth, not the Bible as a whole; I was typing in a rush, sorry.
@amaryllis - ack! i meant the comment about faith as a disclaimer to the fact that i DO believe that the creation myth is just that. NOT in reference to what you said! sorry!
I feel you. I was in a highly specialized Honors program at my undergrad university. There were less than 25 selected students (the major as a whole had close to 3,000) and it was hard to be the only Christian in a land of acadmics. Often my views on Christianity were belittled or dismissed by people who thought Christianity wasn't an intellectually sound choice. It was presented to me as though if you were SMART, you simply knew evolution was the only way. Only ignorant and uneducated people believed in the Bible. For me, it was a fight I was constantly coming up against. I felt like I had to be even smarter because I was the Christian in a group of non-believers. They wanted to lump me in with illiterate fundamentalists, but I refused to let it happen.
Often college professers use their classroom as their own kingdom. Just take it with a grain of salt and try not to let it impact your classroom experience. In my own classrooms though, I always lost a lot of respect for a professor who was very overbearing in their religious or political views.
I beg to differ, when I was going to college, they do have a name for all the different type of religions that are based on mythology, Greeks, Romans, etc. Chrisitanity is most definitely one of the fact-based religions that is pretty well established and solidly defended. That is why the Bible is the most reliable tool that archeologist use when they conduct their digs. Many people may frown upon Christianity and say that those stories are not true, but then, others also frown upon the Holocaust and call it a work of fiction. My point?? Just because we were not there to witness the creation and see the bible stories unfold does not make the stories "myths".
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so i'm sitting in my english class, and my prof just called the story of adam and eve a myth.
okay - i get it. you're not a believer. that's cool.
one of the more outspoken guys immediately contradicted her and was like, "myth? what are you calling a myth?"
she was very ... not necessarily adamant about her view, but wouldn't call it anything but a myth.
as christians, aren't we criticized for not being open minded to others and their beliefs? so why are people less and less accepting of ours... i may not believe in evolution, but i would never call it a myth...
i personally was offended with the fact that she didn't seem to accept that it could've been the way some of us believe...