All religions around the world contain myths that are used to explain the cosmos, provide a history of the world and the faith, and give moral and ethical guidance, but some religions are based on the lives and actions of people who really existed.  In those cases, many scholars disagree to the extent that what happened in history is actually reflected in the scriptures.  For example, was Laozi really stopped at the border of China and made to write the Tao Te Ching?  Did Moses really part the Red Sea?  Did Jesus really rise from the grave?  Did any of these figures really exist?  Did these events really take place as presented in the scriptures?  Or most importantly, does it really matter if they did or did not?  It is my opinion that they do not.  Whether a religious tale, myth, or scripture is based in part or whole on fact in no way adds to or takes away from the moral or ethical guidance or inspiration that one can gain from the story.  To illustrate this I am going to compare three religious figures that we know existed and whose existence can be corroborated (Jesus Christ, the Buddha, and Confucius) and two whose existence cannot (Moses and Arjuna).  

     Jesus Christ was born in 4 B.C.E. and died around 29 C.E. according to most scholars (Molloy, 345).  Most of what is known about Jesus comes from the Gospels of the New Testament but these in and of themselves are not historical accounts since most of them were written well after the death of Jesus by followers of Jesus (Molloy, 346).  At the time of his life, Israel was under the rule of the Roman Empire.  When he was killed, Jesus had gained a multitude of enemies including the Roman Empire who saw him as a source of political unrest. The Roman record verifies his historicity as seen in Tactitus' Annals xv. 44 (Barrett 15-16).  The Sadducees, a group of Jewish priests, found him dangerous because he might cause anti-Roman riots, and Jewish patriots felt that he was not doing enough to go against Rome. All of this was after only about three years of walking around and preaching (Molloy, 346).  These are the things that we know about Jesus.  The things that we do not know, without faith, is if the miracles mentioned in the Bible actually occurred, including the resurrection. The book Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln is one of the most well known accounts discrediting the resurrection and theorizing that Jesus had been married and had a child.  Beyond the miracles of Jesus are his words.  This is where the magic of Jesus can be found, not in the changing water to wine or the walking on the water, but in his words of universal love.  Jesus preached of compassion, tolerance, acceptance, helpfulness, forgiveness, and generosity for all people, not just his own Jewish counterparts (Molloy, 348).  This is where one finds the greatest value -- in Jesus' teachings.  These are universal principles that followers of all faiths can learn from. This was the case with Mohandas Gandhi, the great Hindu leader, who was moved and influenced by Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and its teachings of forgiveness and nonviolence (Molloy, 108).  

     As told in the Book of Exodus, the story of Moses describes a man who grew up among Egyptian royalty and fled that life after killing an Egyptian foreman in defense of an Israelite slave. Eventually he married and was instructed by God to return to Egypt to help the Hebrews. Returning to Egypt, he freed the Hebrews, and leads them out of Egypt to their new home, also stopping along the way to be presented with the Ten Commandments from God at Mount Sinai (Molloy, 295 - 297).  Twice in Moses' life he made decisions that took him away from a pleasant life in order to do something that he felt was right, ethical, and moral.  This is the amazing part of his story; not the parting of the Red Sea or the turning a staff into a snake.  Moses left comfortable lives to do something for the greater good.  While many Jews and Christians alike believe that Moses existed, there is, so far, no Egyptian archeological records/evidence that mentions Moses, a slave revolt, an exodus from Egypt, or proof of a people wandering for forty years in a desert (Molloy, 299).  Some believe that the story of Moses and the Exodus were taken from the Hyksos people and integrated into the Jewish scripture ("Hyksos").  Either way the story of Moses shows the triumph of the human spirit to endure difficulties, escape slavery and of self-sacrifice for the benefit of others.  

     Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha lived from 563 - 483 B.C.E. according to most scholars (Molloy, 136).  Born the son of a prince of the Shakya tribe, in modern day Nepal, Siddhartha grew up in a life of luxury, married at a young age and had a son, and was educated and trained in preparation for taking over his father's role.  One day he disobeyed his father, left the royal grounds, and was incredibly moved by the suffering he encountered, so much so that it made him question the meaning of the human experience and as a result sent him into a great depression.  In reaction to this depression Siddhartha left his home and family in an event that is called the Great Going Forth. He went into the world seeking spiritual guidance and leading a very austere life.  Eventually Siddhartha realized that living a life of moderation was the practical way to lead life and after a long period of meditation, which according to legend included battling temptations offered by an evil spirit, he awoke with a new state of understanding of the world, karma, and suffering (Molloy, 120 - 123).  From his Enlightenment came the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eight Fold Path, according to the Dharma (Molloy, 128 - 131). As with Jesus and Christianity, Buddha's teaching transcend Buddhism.  Whether he meditated for a week or forty days prior to his Enlightenment is not important.  Whether Buddha had truly seen his past lives during meditation is not important.  The specific events themselves do not matter.  What do matter are the universal values that can be learned from his teachings and applied in everyday life.  

     The Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita, is written in the form of a dialogue between the prince Arjuna and the god Krishna (Molloy, 86).  Arjuna is a hero from the Hindu epic Mahabharata, of which the Bhagavad Gita is a part of ("Arjuna").  According to legend, during a great battle, Arjuna became depressed when he saw friends and relatives on the enemy's side, and threw his arrows away, giving up on the battle.  In response Krishna appeared and explained the importance of duty, work, and action to Arjuna:  "Now you shall hear how a man may become perfect, if he devotes himself to the work which is natural to him.  A man shall reach perfection if he does his duty as an act of worship to the Lord" (Molloy, 86).  Arjuna is an important figure in Hindu scriptures, but it is most likely that he did not exist.  His literal existence though does not take away from his importance to Hindus or the message of the Bhagavad Gita.  Because the situation in this scripture takes place around a battle, it has been interpreted to be an allegory for fighting against dangerous moral and psychological forces within oneself, like ignorance, selfishness, and anger.  The primary proponent of this interpretation was Mohandas Gandhi (Molloy, 86), and the overall message is clear - overcoming human weaknesses benefits both the individual and society.  

     Most scholars believe that Confucius lived from 551 - 479 B.C.E. (Molloy, 212).  Unlike most of the other figures mentioned in this paper, there isn't anything mystical or spiritual about Confucius, his life, or his teachings.  There are legendary stories that describe Confucius and Laozi discussing philosophy, but those are legendary and may not have happened (Molloy, 213).  Confucius believed that the human being is capable of greatness but achieving greatness comes through education, contributions to others, and through fulfilling one's obligations to those people, which creates an orderly society.  These people included family members, teachers, ancestors, and even government officials (Molloy 229).  Confucius spoke of virtues, known as Confucian virtues, which include consideration and thoughtfulness of others (Ren): proper behavior based on the situation, etiquette (Li); doing unto others what you would have done to you (Shu); devotion to ones family (Xiao); and love for education and the arts (Wen) (Molloy, 234 - 236).  These are just some of the values and philosophies taught by Confucius and his followers, which helped to shape the cultures of China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam ("Confucius").  But these teachings have a universal appeal as well.  

     The five figures I have listed are just scratching the surface of my greater point.  One could also use Mohammad, Zoroaster, Laozi, or Abraham, just to name a few, in this analysis to show that it is the stories of these figures and the meaning gleamed from the stories that matters most, not whether they lived or if the events outlined in scriptures literally took place.  There are great lessons, morals, values, and virtues to be learned from the Bible, the Torah, the Dharma, the Bhagavad Gita, the Analects, or any other religious text.  The point is not determining the historicity of the religious figures or defending the literal nature of the events in these scriptures.  The point is learning the wisdom from the words that have helped in guiding the lives of millions throughout the world and throughout history.  

Bibliography

"Arjuna."  Wikipedia.  2007 < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arjuna>

Barrett, C. K. The New Testament Background: Selected Documents. Harper Torchbooks/the Cloister Library. 1956. 1961:15-16

"Confucius."  Wikipedia.  2007 < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius>

d'Aulaire, Ingri and Edgar Parin.  Book of Greek Myths.  Doubleday & Company, Inc.  1962

"Hyksos."  Wikipedia.  2007. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyksos>

Molloy, Michael.  Experiencing the Worlds Religions: Tradition, Challenge, and Change; Third Edition.  McGraw-Hill.  2005