Universe: Truth, myth, fact, fiction and the inherited conviction

Is truth a function of faith or scepticism? Truth based on faith is religious truth or cultural truth or patriotic truth, which in modern academic circles is called “myth”. Truth based on scepticism is scientific truth, and depends on measurement, evidence, and experimentation. Our identities come from faith-based truth (myth), which most seekers of truth are determined to deny.

Take the case of USA. Historically, it is known that the Native Americans migrated through the Bering Strait to North America and then to South America over 15,000 years ago during the Ice Age. The Europeans reached the Americas about 500 years ago. The Catholic Europeans (Spain and Portugal) took over South America. The Protestant Europeans (British, Dutch) took over North America. They wiped out the locals with disease and guns. They brought in slaves from Africa. And about 250 years ago, North America saw the rise of a democratic republic, shedding European monarchy.

But American schools rarely talk about how Europeans treated Native tribes and enslaved Africans. They prefer focusing on how Europeans brought science, technology and ‘enlightenment’ values such as democracy and republic to the world. This makes young Americans feel proud of their history. Many schools do not teach evolution, of how life evolved on earth over millions of years through mutation and natural selection. They prefer teaching Creationism — the Christian idea that God created the world in seven days and there is an intelligent design behind creation. Creationism is faith-based, not doubt-based, truth. Yet, it is not called myth. It is called fact. For believers, it is fact, even if there is no evidence for this belief.

Many Americans also believe in the Book of Mormon that says Jesus Christ visited America after his resurrection. And that many Israelites travelled there around 600 BC, when the first temple of Jerusalem was broken by Babylonians. That makes America a Christian land. The Book of Mormon was composed in the 19th century, and is believed to be a translation of ancient manuscripts written on golden plates, discovered in the New York area by Joseph Smith, the founder of the faith, but now lost. For believers, despite absolutely no evidence, everything in the Mormon Bible is fact, and truth. It is not myth.

The word ‘myth’ today means falsehood. This meaning emerged in the 19th century only. Myth comes from the Greek word ‘mythos’ for story. Scientists argued that knowledge based on stories is not true. So, they rejected myths/stories that tried to explain how the world came to be. They argued that human history should be investigated using scientific methods. So, scientific historiography emerged as a subject.

But the history that historians revealed was not quite what people believed. People inherit stories told by parents and family about ‘clan greatness’ or ‘religion greatness’. How the forefathers were heroes. But historians do not carry the obligation of showing ancestors in a positive light. The history they discover is so disturbing that historians are accused of having agendas — they are Marxist, or anti-Hindu, or colonial.

When Bollywood or Hollywood brings history on the silver screen, it presents fantasy, to appeal to the audience. It does not care for facts. The common man calls it history if it appeals to his memory and inherited myths. He calls it propaganda if it does not. The Hollywood film ‘Passion of the Christ’ was considered authentic only by Christians, not the Jewish people. The Bollywood film ‘Padmaavat’ presented a Sufi ballad of 16th century as the history of 13th century. If one goes to Chittorgarh fort, the tourist guides will show the spot where Khilji saw the queen Padmini despite the absence of any proof. It is now a political narrative, painting Muslim invaders as sexually debauched, morally corrupt beings, not merely greedy raiders.

This is the reason it is impossible to write a good history book. It will reveal inconvenient truths. Indian history textbooks do not contain caste stories, not because we want to annihilate caste, but because we do not want to provoke social rage. Peace is a far greater goal than truth. That is why women who face domestic abuse and marital rape are told to be quiet. For the sake of the family’s reputation! Truth or satya is a great thing in devotional songs. But what culture prefers is myth. My truth is truth for me. Your truth is truth for you. Each one of us will claim our truth is the Truth, the other’s truth is not.

— The writer is an acclaimed mythologist