The PBS series "The Power of Myth" first introduced Joseph Campbell as a primary influence on Western culture. Myth Conceptions reveals this New Age thinker, probing what his ideas mean for Christians. Tom Snyder looks at Campbell's influence on films, especially Steven Spielberg's, and his view of "politically correct" truth, morality, and religious experience.
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17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Was Hoping for a Rational Deconstruction, But...,
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This review is from: Myth Conceptions: Joseph Campbell and the New Age (Paperback)
I have been reading the works of Joseph Campbell off and on for many years now. I say off and on because it is only as I mature and experience more of the world's "transcendence" that I really start to grasp what he's saying. In fact, I am proud to say that I can now get through the Power of Myth series without rewinding the tapes more than once or twice. I feel like I should get some sort of medal of honor in the mail for making it this far.As I am always wont to hear legitimate (and opposing) criticism of the scholars that affect me, I checked this book out of the library. It's hard to find someone who is critical of Joseph Campbell's work and this seemed like one of the few published books (perhaps the only one) that dealt with Campbell exclusively. Imagine my disappointment when I ran across unsound logic on the part of the author, snippets of Campbell's dialogues taken out of context and references that the author often defined as controversial yet employed as the cornerstone for seminal arguments against Campbell's views. I am by no means a student of logic, but I wasn't through the second chapter before I found myself thinking, "But Snyder is guilty here of the very charge he's levied against Campbell!" In an effort to be completely fair and honest, I did not finish this book, though it was thoroughly perused. I felt my time was better spent on other ventures. I am also not a devout Christian who is willing to accept the complete inerrancy of the Bible. But I was willing (even excited) to give Mr. Snyder the floor to make his case time and time again. Too much "most scholars believe X, Y, Z but the few Christian scholars who don't are the ones I'll be quoting to back up my own arguments." (Not a direct quote...just my version of Snyder's thought process.) I ultimately think that Mr. Snyder felt personally attacked by Joseph Campbell's views of Christianity and went to great lengths to disprove them even though he sacrifices his own reputation to that end. If you feel equally threatened by Campbell's lifetime investigation of world mythology, then this may be the perfect book for you.
10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Usual Clap-trap,
This review is from: Myth Conceptions: Joseph Campbell and the New Age (Paperback)
This book is, unfortunately, completely typical of Christians who want so badly to hang on to their beliefs that they'll lie, cheat and misquote to do it. I just want to address the "clown act" quote since that seems to be a point of contention, and I have Dr. Campbell's book open on my lap right now. Jesus is not mentioned on this page. If anything, it's about Buddhism. The questioning is, in fact, about the theme of human desire for immortality that runs throughout various myths, beginning with a tale about the Buddha encountering a grieving woman. The conversation then goes on to discuss appreciating every moment in life. Immortality is the connection with the eternal in your own life (paraphrasing), and a desire to live forever physically at the expense of spiritual growth would be cheating yourself of your full human potential. The physical should never be prized over the spiritual. That's about it. If you want to criticize The Power of Myth, you should at least pick it up and read it first. I've always found Dr. Campbell to be as respectful of Christianity as he is of any other religion. He approaches it as a scholar and puts it within the context of historical religious development. We need more scholars and fewer fanatics.
9 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Has anyone even bothered to look up this "clown" reference?,
This review is from: Myth Conceptions: Joseph Campbell and the New Age (Paperback)
I have. P. 228. Jesus isn't even mentioned on the page, nor was the word "resurrection". He was mentioned in pages 210-211, where Campbell discusses "the Christ within," describing it as "the sense of mankind." What a scathing attack on Christ that was...
Snyder draws a fair amount out of context, and there isn't much to argue against because there's nothing in terms of evidence, just opinions about Campbell's alleged attack on Christianity. The man was a comparative mythologist, and yet Snyder wanted Campbell to say "but above all else, I'm a Christian?" Now that's asking a lot... Snyder apparently has an agenda against anyone who might let people make up their own minds about their religion. Campbell never said Jesus wasn't the way, just one way of many. But tolerance of other religions isn't Snyder's way, and he and many like him are still bullying people into Christianity as if they still had a right to "convert the heathens." Whether or not the man was a Christian isn't the same as someone who attacks Christianity. There's a difference, and it doesn't take a doctorate to know it. All it takes is a pledge drive and people can see why their money is better spent not on Snyder's book but on Campbell's. At least Campbell wants you to think for yourself instead of deceiving you. And you know that's what you're doing, Snyder. Nice try, Tom. Go back to demonizing Mark Twain or something.
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