The danger that a mythology understood too literally
Civilization in Transition
“The danger that a mythology understood too literally, and as taught by the Church, will suddenly be repudiated lock, stock and barrel is today greater than ever. Is it not time that the Christian mythology, instead of being wiped out, was understood symbolically for once? ~C.G Jung “The Undiscovered Self,” CW vol. 10, par. 521.
Edward F. Edinger: Hence the Christian myth has little place in the psychology of the young.
One of the essential features of the Christian myth and the teaching of Jesus is the attitude taken toward weakness and suffering.
A real transvaluation of ordinary values is brought about.
Strength, power, fullness and success, the usual conscious values, are denied.
Instead, weakness, suffering, poverty, and failure are given special dignity.
This point is developed throughout Jesus’ teachings and is given its supreme representation in the crucifixion itself where God is degradingly scourged and dies the shameful death of a criminal on the cross.
This is what was beyond the comprehension of the Romans, for whom, honor, strength, and manly virtue were the supreme values.
Psychologically understood, we have here, I think, a clash between the goals and values of two different phases of ego development.
Preoccupation with personal honor and strength and the despising of weakness is inevitable and necessary in the early stages of ego development.
The ego must learn to assert itself in order to come into existence at all.
Hence the Christian myth has little place in the psychology of the young. ~ Edward F. Edinger, Ego and Archetype, Page 152-153
