Joseph Campbell's Interpretation of the Garden of Eden Myth
Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 2:43 pm
I recently watched the documentary "Joseph Campbell: The Hero's Journey" and was struck by a possible correlation between his interpretation of Christianity and Jaynes'. At around 20 minutes in Campbell discusses Christianity as being "basically a religion of exile," which seemed remarkably similar to Jaynes' interpretation of religion: a nostalgic longing for the direct apprehension of god; a longing for the days when god walked in the garden with us, when "He-who-is could be seen and talked with like another man" (OC p299).
Campbell explains that in Buddhism various "gods" are depicted, like the intimidating door guardians often seen in sculpture, but that these are not gods that were worshiped, but are rather symbols for the fearful, grasping ego, which stop the person from entering the garden where the Buddha sits silently under the Tree of Life. Campell goes on to suggest that Christianity is a "religion of exile" because it was the Christian god who placed those same door guardians (the angel with the flaming sword) in front of the gates to Eden, effectively exiling man from both the peace and safety of Eden as well as from direct communication with god.
Anyway, I just wanted to see if others have noticed a correlation between Campbell and Jaynes. Also, has anyone analyzed Buddhism from a Jaynesian perspective; that is, analyzed it as a response to the disappearance of the gods? Could it be that Buddhists have partly succeeded in entering a prior mentality (entering Eden) but, just like Christians, can no longer walk with and speak directly with god, and that this informs their position on self: "not-self" (PÄli: anatta; Sanskrit: anÄtman)?
Campbell explains that in Buddhism various "gods" are depicted, like the intimidating door guardians often seen in sculpture, but that these are not gods that were worshiped, but are rather symbols for the fearful, grasping ego, which stop the person from entering the garden where the Buddha sits silently under the Tree of Life. Campell goes on to suggest that Christianity is a "religion of exile" because it was the Christian god who placed those same door guardians (the angel with the flaming sword) in front of the gates to Eden, effectively exiling man from both the peace and safety of Eden as well as from direct communication with god.
Anyway, I just wanted to see if others have noticed a correlation between Campbell and Jaynes. Also, has anyone analyzed Buddhism from a Jaynesian perspective; that is, analyzed it as a response to the disappearance of the gods? Could it be that Buddhists have partly succeeded in entering a prior mentality (entering Eden) but, just like Christians, can no longer walk with and speak directly with god, and that this informs their position on self: "not-self" (PÄli: anatta; Sanskrit: anÄtman)?