Why are Religion and Mythology different categories?

Excellent point! It's a question of semantics.

Religion is what is currently practiced, mythology also covers folklore, old practices, outmoded ideas and superstitions.

Which is which often depends on where you sit. Many would call my faith and beliefs "superstition" or "fairytales" while to me they are a vital part of my life.

I think the two categories should be kept separate, although the two are related. Every religion, living, dead, or reconstructed (as is the case with the Old Pagan Religions -- we're back!), has its mythology. A myth is a sacred story, an allegory which communicates an eternal truth. It is a misunderstood word, because it is often misused to mean falsehood or fiction. And, mainly because of this misunderstanding, but partly because of an inability to grasp the concept of allegory, many religions do not have the intellectual honesty to call their sacred stories Myth. But the Mythology & Folklore category goes beyond these kinds of religious stories. It encompasses urban legends, the paranormal, campfire ghost stories, and so on. And the Religion & Spirituality section encompasses all kinds of spiritual practices, interfaith dialog, and heated theological debate. There may be some overlap, some questions that could go either way and fit in either category, but they are two very different intellectual environments which often serve different functions. I say keep them both, and keep them seperate.

I would differentiate betwen religion and mythology on the basis of truthfulness. All religions in the world today exist because people honestly believe them to be true. Of course, having in mind that some of those religions are mutually exclusive and providing there is only one absolute truth, then some of those religions should not be true. But we don't know which. I have my personal opinion and I am convinced of it but it doesn't make a difference for my argument. Mythology, on the other hand, may include religions long gone but that's the main point of it. They are gone, dead which prove there were untrue. If they were, there would still be people practising them, right??? So putting all religions under the title of Mythology will assume that all religions are untrue and will die out with time and turn to myths some day which is not what many people (including me) believe. And although I don't like the word "religion" used for my faith, I would still prefer that "religion" and "mythology" go separately.

question asked in part:

"What if a religion had no stories of belief but was just a practice? Is it still religion, when and if it dies out it leaves no myth behind?"

_______

Religion is myth-----short answer

I believe that the stories are what give religion it's impact. Why go thru the exercise with no history...whats the point?

The myths served to build religions and traditions. A lesson need to be conveyed and a story was spun to convey a message.

its' only an opinion

Putting Christianity in mythology would be offensive to me, but I no doubt think some would want it there. I think most well known religions would be offended to be considered a myth. I do not agree with others faith, but I recognize that they do have a belief, even if I choose not to believe as they do.

The answer is very simple:

When someone is brainwashed at a very early age, it is difficult to erase that information.

It took me ages to finally admit there was no father christmas!

Finally, I thought about it and decided it was extremely ridiculous to believe that one man and five reindeer could deliver several millions of toys world-wide in just one night.

Then there is the making of all those toys.

Further, and I did question this before I disbelieved in father christmas, how did such a fat person climb down my chimney? It was 30 feet high with no steps.

I also realised that the myth of feeding 5,000 people with five loaves and three fishes was even more unbelievable; also raising people from the dead, turning people into pillars of salt just because they looked back over their shoulder and - well, I could go on but you get the picture.

Finally, why should people be frightened of going to a place called hell which is on fire with devils prodding us with trident shaped objects. All that when a dead body knows no pain.

It is all make-believe and brainwashing to make us believe what the idiots believe by threatening us with dire tortures if we do not believe.

The bigges `con` of all is to say that if we simply do not believe, then we are doomed. All made up to make us believe what intelligent people question.

Over to you.

thay are the same myths are true religions the greek and nors gods are it is because the christians have taken over there countrys and have turned them into myths the christian religion is a myth it is not true the christians have brainwashed the people in there countrys with there fairy tale and have been destroying this planet for 2000yrs

Agree, to an extent. Religion is what you believe; mythology is what your ancestors believed. Folklore, on the other hand, is alive and well, and exists now as it did an Age ago, completely independent of religion. Keep it separate, I say.

Incidentally, spirituality has nothing to do with religion, and should be in the Folklore section, if anywhere.

It depends on the animal and what you are trying to get it to do. With training both have a high potential for intellagince. (P.S. to George G, A horse is a bit big for that. Thats like saying a horse is smarter because you can ride it. My horse greets me when I walk out to it's pasture, And if it could I'd bet you it would snuggle up with me.)

It is becaue it is controversial wether the present-day religion is a myth. Many will argue that it is true and will not be acceptant of their religion to be considered a myth.