Apollo in an Airbus

"It comes down to survival." I said, thinking my argument definitive.

"I agree," she replied, "but it's so complex. We've come from single cells to massive organisms living in groups with culture, families, rituals." She paused, thinking. "and mythologies."

"How does mythology figure in?" We were eating, my bite muffled my query.

"Our explanations of things are our mythologies. They create our metaphors. Why we need them I won't know. I suppose that it was just our effort at making sense of things we didn't understand. You know, Zeus and all. Sun gods in chariots. I guess today they'd be traveling in spaceships or airliners instead."

"Apollo in an airbus." I laughed.

"Religious mythology just isn't keeping up. It's lasted so long and now the metaphors in it are outdated. People just keep clinging to them. The purpose of a mythology is to help you understand life and how to live it, not cause you guilt and suffering for not being able to live the way our ancient ancestors did. And certainly not to be taken literally. We really all should have learned that by now."

"Down girl. A little repressed anger?"

"I guess. It frustrates the crap out of me that people argue over ideals or what should or shouldn't be. My-religion-is-better-than-yours kind of stuff. If everyone could get to the point of seeing what is instead of what they think what ought to be we'd all be better off."

"But aren't you doing the same thing they are when you say that? Aren't you wishing for an ideal and not accepting the reality? What if we accept the religious of the world for what they are?"

"It's a good point. I'd probably say that I look at their behavior like a child wishing to fly. It's not going to happen. They can put on wings and jump off the stoop, but it won't work. All I'm asking is for the kid to realize that and if they really want to see the world from up high to get on a plane."

"Airbus. Rescuing you from your existential angst." I smiled.