Religion and Mythology are differing with each other, but they have many overlapping aspects. The terms Religion as well as Mythology refer to systems of concepts, which are of high importance to a community about which we talk about; they make some statements concerned towards the supernatural or sacred. In general, Mythology is considered as one component or aspect of Religion. Religion is a broader than mythological aspects, it include the aspects of morality, mystical experience, ritual and theology. Mythology is always related with a religion, such as Greek mythology with Ancient Greek religion. If the mythology is disconnected from its religious system, then it may immediately loose its relevance to the community and evolve away from sacred importance into a legend or folktale.
Religion is defined as a belief concerning the aspects like supernatural, sacred or divine and the moral codes, practices, values and institutions associated with such beliefs. Soul or spirit, deity or higher being, afterlife and system of worship are always in Religious beliefs and practices. There are some exceptions like Buddhism a religion in which they do not have the belief in deity.
Mythology means a system of myths or the study of myths. The root word myth has multiple definitions:
2007: According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "Myth: "1 a: a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon. b: Parable, Allegory. 2 a: a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone; especially: one embodying the ideals and institutions of a society or segment of society. 2b: an unfounded or false notion. 3: a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence. 4: the whole body of myths.
In regards to the study of culture and religion, these are some of the definitions scholars have used:
* 1968: The classicist Robert Graves defines myths as "whatever religious or heroic legends are so foreign to a student's experience that he cannot believe them to be true."
* 1973: Another classicist, G. S. Kirk, rejects the notion that all myths are religious or sacred. In the category of "myth", he includes many legendary accounts that are "secular" for all practical purposes.
* 1997: Folklorists define a myth as "a sacred narrative explaining how the world and humankind came to be in their present form".
* 2004: In religious studies, the word "myth" is usually reserved for stories whose main characters are gods or demigods.
* 2004: The classicist Richard Buxton defines a myth as "a socially powerful traditional story".
* 2004: Robert A. Segal, professor of theories of religion at the University of Lancaster, defines "myth" broadly as any story whose "main figures [are] personalities -- divine, human, or even animal. Excluded would be impersonal forces such as Plato's Good."
