[59] A myth^a which is understood as a myth, a symbol^b which is understood as a symbol, IS NOT REMOVED by this fact that it is understood; it has the power to live. Such a myth which is understood as a myth, could be called a "broken" myth, a myth which is broken, which is not what a myth in natural growth was, but something has happened to it. And I suggest calling this whole realm (the realm in which we actually live) the realm of the broken myth. Christianity^c, for instance, denies by its very nature any UNbroken myth, and so do all the great mystical religions of the East. In all of them, the myth is broken. And this is done just because of the monotheistic criticism in these religions. And we can say it is done in Christianity because the presupposition of all Christian thinking is the First Commandment, namely the commandment which rejects any ultimate besides the truly Ultimate, which rejects any kind of idolatry^d. All mythological elements in the Bible^e, doctrine, and liturgy should be recognized as mythological^f. All Christian symbols should be recognized by Christian theologians and by those who are estranged rrom [sic.] Christianity, AS SYMBOLS^g, AS MYTHS. They should not be removed, but they should be interpreted and understood. You cannot create substitutes for a living myth, but you can interpret it. There is no substitute for symbols and myths; they are the language of faith^h. The radical criticism of the myth is due to the fact that the primitive mythological consciousness resists all attempts to interpret the myth as myth. It is afraid of every act of demythologizationⁱ. And this fear can be noticed in many people, even in our time. There is always a kind of shock if demythologization is done, if a symbol is understood as a symbol and a myth as a myth. The primitive mythological consciousness believes that the BROKEN myth is deprived of its truth and has lost its convincing power. And certainly, those who live in an unbroken mythological world feel safe and certain, and they resist (often fanatically) any attempt to introduce an element of uncertainty of questioning by breaking the myth, namely by making conscious its symbolic and mythological^j character. Now this is a FACT which cannot be denied, and you all will have examples for it not only in traditional religious groups but also