Myth of Money: part 2

We are all familiar with the saying ‘Ye cannot serve God and mammon.’ Matthew 6:24 {KJV] Mammon in the New Testament is commonly thought to mean money, material wealth, or anything that promises wealth, and is associated with the greedy pursuit of gain. [adapted from Wikipedia]

Two of the major preoccupations in today’s society are money and religion. Money is viewed in today’s society as having real value, despite the fact that it is flat currency, not backed by anything. So we have people saying that they would prefer to use ‘real’ money over a debit card, when in fact both are equally ‘real’.

God is seen by many [especially in the Christian Right] as an old man in the heavens sitting on a throne, who intercedes in our affairs if we ask nicely, go to the right church or belong to the right religious sect. If God doesn’t like what we are saying, or if we don’t ask often enough, then our prayers aren’t answered. Illnesses and freak weather occurrences all come from God as punishment.

But what if these perceptions are both wrong? What if both money and God are myths? A myth is a sacred narrative because it holds religious or spiritual significance for those who tell it. Myths also contribute to and express a culture's systems of thought and values. “Myth is stories about the way things never were, but always are.”― Marcus J. Borg

Joseph Campbell, (March 26, 1904 – October 30, 1987) was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer, best known for his work in comparative mythology and comparative religion. He described mythology as having a fourfold function within human society at the end of his work The Masks of God: Creative Mythology, as well as in various lectures [bracketed additions, mine].

The Metaphysical Function: Awakening a sense of awe before the mystery of being [Religion]

Cosmological Function: Explaining the shape of the universe [Science]

The Sociological Function: Validate and support the existing social order [Money]

The Pedagogical Function: Guide the individual through the stages of life. [Culture]

All of these myths are gods in our society. The possibility of good or evil is intrinsic to each. It is essential that you be clear in your own mind which myth you have chosen to follow. Whichever one of Campbell’s 4 classes of myths you choose, it doesn’t mean that you are denying the validity of the other myths. However, what it does mean is that the one you pick becomes the guiding principle by which you will interact with those other myths.

Two of the prevailing myths of the 20th and into the 21st century have been money and religion. The Bible isn't saying that one is bad and the other good. Rather it says that you need to be clear in your own mind which god (myth) you are picking, because your loyalty cannot be divided.

“You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and Money both.” Matthew 6:24 (MSG)

Which myth [god] are you REALLY following?

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