When it comes to myths from religions that aren't practiced anymore, it's easy to forget that they were, in fact, religions, whose gods and goddesses were as holy to their followers as Yahweh and Mary. A perfect example of this is the ancient Greek religion, especially the figure of Zeus. Today, his stories are largely told as raunchy tales of weird, kinky sex in various guises. But when he was worshipped, he was the supreme god of Olympus, the mighty wielder of the lightning bolt whose thunder brought fear even to the other gods. His marital indiscretions could be tolerated because of the simple fact that his divine power placed him in a sphere beyond morality and mortal understanding. In order to reach a deeper understanding of myth, it is essential that this holiness is kept in mind.
