Bless, and curse not: How literalism inverts the message of the ancient myths & scriptures

If the world's ancient myths, scriptures and sacred stories are conveying their message using a language of celestial metaphor, then attempting to interpret them as if they are speaking literally invites misinterpretation of their message.

In fact, I have often declared my opinion that literalistic interpretations of ancient scriptures which are not speaking literally actually invert the intended message of those ancient teachings.

For example, in an earlier blog post, I said that:

Literalist Christianity, which inverts the esoteric message of the ancient scriptures by externalizing and "physicalizing" that message, has played an absolutely vital role (particularly in previous centuries, but continuing to play an important role to this day) in providing false justification for imperialism, feudalism, military conquest, and oppression.

In a new video, entitled "How Literalism Inverts the Message of the Ancient Myths & Scriptures," I provide some discussion and some examples which supports the assertion that literalistic attempts to interpret non-literal ancient myths not only risks missing their profound message, but can actually result in standing that message on its head, and reaching conclusions which are "180-degrees out" from the original message.

In this video, we visit the important subject of blessing versus cursing, and the emphasis placed on blessing and not cursing in the ancient scriptures of the so-called "Old" and "New" Testaments in what we call the Bible, noting that blessing versus cursing is also a central subject in other myths around the globe. We see that passages in the Bible repeatedly admonish us to bless and not to curse -- and, although outside the scope of this particular video, there are many episodes in the Biblical texts which dramatically illustrate this same lesson, such as the story of Balaam and the Ass, and the story of the Judgment of Solomon (see also the video entitled "The Blessing Mother, the Cursing Mother, the Dream and the King").

We then see how literalistic interpretations of ancient stories tends to externalize their message, which has often led in the past to conclusions that have been used to attempt to falsely justify racism, exploitation, oppression, and other forms of denying the inherent value and dignity of some men and women.

I'm convinced that this is a very important subject, because obviously "cursing" in the form of treating some people as though they are worth less than others -- which is a form of denying the divine spark which is inherently present in each and every man, woman and child and which naturally and irreversibly gives them infinite worth, such that no one is "worth less" than anyone else -- continues to this day and can be seen to inform the wars, exploitation, theft, and oppression that we see all around us right now, and which has informed imperialism, colonialism, and the enslavement of others in past centuries.