Mythologizing the Bible

A Humanistic look at religious texts

Mythologizing the Bible (MTB) explores the Bible through the lens of “sacred myth.” Each week, we dive into three Bible readings, analyzing these ancient texts to uncover any helpful lessons that don't require belief in the supernatural. Whether you identify as a Christian, a non-believer, or somewhere in between, MTB offers fresh insights and new ways of thinking about stories you may already know well. www.thecodaproject.com

  1. 6h ago

    The Freedom Nobody Can Sell You

    Freedom begins within. Discover why real independence isn’t about possessions or power, it’s about purpose, resilience, and generosity. Have you ever noticed how often we confuse freedom with comfort? We’re told that if we can buy what we want, say what we want, and live without interference, then we’ve achieved independence. But what if we’re still being quietly controlled… by advertising, social expectations, political tribes, or our own pursuit of status and security? What if real freedom has far less to do with what we possess and far more to do with who we’re becoming? I’m Brandon Jubar and this is Mythologizing the Bible, where we’ll be taking a look at three readings from the Christian Bible through the lens of “sacred myth.” As we reflect on the readings for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we’ll explore how genuine independence grows from intellectual freedom, deepens through inner resilience, and ultimately finds its purpose in serving the well-being of others. In this episode, we’re asking a challenging question: Are we living the life we’ve intentionally chosen or the one our culture quietly chose for us? Together we’ll discover why freedom begins by questioning what truly satisfies us, why hardship doesn’t have to define us, and why the highest expression of independence is found not in “standing apart from others”, but in freely choosing to strengthen the communities we share. And before we’re finished, I’ll leave you with one simple question that may change the way you think about freedom itself. CODA Project is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to CODA Project at www.thecodaproject.com/subscribe

  2. 6d ago

    Sorting the Net

    Progress isn’t automatic. Every generation must sort inherited ideas, keeping what promotes human flourishing and discarding what causes harm. One of Jesus’ shortest parables—and one with some of the darkest imagery he allegedly shared—turns out to be a powerful metaphor for moral progress, if we look at it through a more humanistic lens. When we do that, we find ourselves asking what it really means to sort through the ideas we’ve inherited, and we realize that the work of sorting those ideas is work that belongs to every generation! Imagine cleaning out your parents’ attic. You’d probably find family photographs, handwritten letters, treasured keepsakes, and maybe a few antiques worth preserving. But you’d also find broken appliances, outdated gadgets, worn-out furniture, and things nobody has used in decades. You wouldn’t keep everything simply because it belonged to your ancestors. You’d sort through it, preserving what still has value… and you’d let go of those things that no longer serve anyone. The strange thing is, we’re usually much better at doing that with old possessions than we are with old ideas. Whether we’re talking about sacred scriptures, national traditions, political philosophies, or family beliefs, we often assume that age alone gives them authority. But history doesn’t work like that. Every generation inherits a tangled collection of wisdom and mistakes, compassion and prejudice, brilliance and blind spots. The real question isn’t whether we should honor the past, it’s whether we have the courage to separate what still nourishes humanity from what should finally be left behind! CODA Project is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to CODA Project at www.thecodaproject.com/subscribe

  3. 6d ago

    Being Right Isn't the Same as Being Fair

    Fairness begins with understanding. Explore how wisdom, dignity, and discernment help us build a more just world… one conversation at a time. Have you ever noticed how quickly a disagreement becomes a competition? Whether it’s politics, religion, social media, or even the dinner table, we’re often more interested in proving we’re right than understanding why someone else sees the world differently. But what if fairness isn’t about winning arguments at all? What if it begins with the humility to listen before we judge? I’m Brandon Jubar and this is Mythologizing the Bible, where we’ll be taking a look at three readings from the Christian Bible through the lens of “sacred myth.” As we reflect on the readings for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we’ll explore how wisdom, human dignity, and ethical discernment work together to create something far more demanding than simple neutrality: the lifelong practice of even-handedness. In this episode, we’re asking an important question: Have we become so committed to being right that we’ve forgotten how to be fair? Along the way, we’ll discover why true justice begins with understanding, why every person deserves equal dignity, and why building a better world requires us to judge our own ideas with the same honesty we expect from everyone else. And before we’re finished, I’ll leave you with a simple question that just might change the way you approach your next difficult conversation. CODA Project is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to CODA Project at www.thecodaproject.com/subscribe

  4. Jul 18 ·  Bonus

    The Monoculture Trap

    Why do healthy ecosystems need weeds? Discover how biology exposes the hidden danger of ideological purity and why resilience requires diversity. There’s something deeply satisfying about a perfectly manicured lawn. No weeds. No dandelions. Every blade of grass standing at attention like it’s reporting for military inspection. We tend to think that’s what health looks like—not just in our gardens, but everywhere else. We want perfectly unified political movements, perfectly disciplined organizations, perfectly orthodox churches, and perfectly rational activist groups. If someone doesn’t fit, the instinct is simple: pull the weed. It feels like strength. It feels like progress. After all, who wants a messy garden? The problem with an immaculate garden is that nature doesn’t actually work that way. A field with no diversity, no competing plants, and no ecological friction may look beautiful for a while, but beneath the surface it’s becoming dangerously fragile. Remove every challenge, eliminate every disturbance, and you’ve also removed many of the very forces that help living systems adapt and survive. The cleanest field can become the easiest one to destroy. Human communities aren’t all that different. The moment a group becomes obsessed with ideological purity—whether it’s religious, political, or even secular—it starts confusing agreement with health. Disagreement becomes disloyalty. Questions become threats. Before long, the goal isn’t discovering what’s true. The goal is protecting the group from anyone who might complicate the story. So, let’s dive into that… in this episode of Afterthoughts! CODA Project is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to CODA Project at www.thecodaproject.com/subscribe

  5. Jul 17

    Resolution: The Courage to Wait

    Real courage isn’t always loud. Explore how restraint, resilience, and patience help us face life’s toughest challenges with wisdom instead of impulse. Have you ever noticed how often we’re told that strength means acting fast, fighting harder, or never backing down? Whether it’s politics, social media, or even our personal relationships, we’re encouraged to believe that decisive action is always the courageous choice. But what if real bravery sometimes looks like restraint, perseverance, and the patience to let wisdom catch up with our emotions? I’m Brandon Jubar and this is Mythologizing the Bible, where we’ll be taking a look at three readings from the Christian Bible through the lens of “sacred myth.” As we reflect on the readings for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we’ll explore a richer understanding of resolution, one that values self-control over aggression, resilience over certainty, and thoughtful patience over impulsive reaction. In this episode, we’re asking a challenging question: Where am I trying to uproot a weed instead of growing through it? CODA Project is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to CODA Project at www.thecodaproject.com/subscribe

  6. Jul 11 ·  Bonus

    Putting Words in Jesus' Mouth

    Did the early Church explain Jesus… or redefine him? Explore why one famous parable may have been transformed from an invitation into a rulebook. For centuries, Christians have assumed Jesus spoke both the Parable of the Sower and the explanation that follows it. But modern historical scholarship paints a much more intriguing picture. In fact, many scholars believe the explanation wasn’t spoken by the historical Jesus at all! When we’re looking at the Parable of the Sower, the parable itself is wonderfully open-ended. A farmer scatters seed across different kinds of soil, and each produces a different outcome. It’s vivid, earthy, and universal. You don’t have to be religious to appreciate it because it invites reflection rather than demanding some sort of dogmatic agreement. You can read it as a story about learning, resilience, opportunity, character, or even luck. And like all great poetry, it leaves room for you to wrestle with its meaning. Then comes the explanation, and suddenly everything changes. So, let’s dive into that… in this episode of Afterthoughts! CODA Project is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to CODA Project at www.thecodaproject.com/subscribe

  7. Jul 10

    Responsibility: When Good Intentions Aren't Enough

    Freedom means little without responsibility. Explore how ancient biblical stories challenge us to replace good intentions with actions that strengthen our communities. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to mistake good intentions for real responsibility? We tell ourselves we care about our families, our communities, or the problems facing the world—but caring and acting aren’t the same thing. At some point, every one of us has to decide whether our values will remain ideas in our heads or become actions that genuinely improve the lives of others. I’m Brandon Jubar and this is Mythologizing the Bible, where we’ll be taking a look at three readings from the Christian Bible through the lens of “sacred myth.” As we reflect on the readings for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we’ll explore the balance between personal freedom and personal responsibility, and how our choices shape not only our own character but the well-being of the communities we share. In this episode, we’re asking a challenging question: Where in my life am I settling for “thoughts and prayers” (good intentions) instead of cultivating the hard, real-world action that my community actually needs? CODA Project is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to CODA Project at www.thecodaproject.com/subscribe

  8. Jul 4 ·  Bonus

    Anatomy of the Hijacked "Yoke"

    When people hear the word “cult,” they often picture a secluded compound or a charismatic guru in flowing robes. But researchers who study destructive cults generally describe them as one form of what are called high-control groups—organizations or movements that systematically shape how members behave, what information they trust, how they think, and even what emotions they are encouraged to feel. In this week’s main episode of Mythologizing the Bible, we talked about the image of the yoke in Matthew 11. The invitation wasn’t to abandon responsibility. It was to choose a burden that fits your deepest values instead of one imposed by someone else. That idea raises an uncomfortable question: what happens when someone convinces us to voluntarily pick up a yoke that slowly steals our freedom? Here’s the thing about modern authoritarian movements: they rarely begin with chains. They begin with belonging. They offer certainty in an uncertain world, identity in a confusing world, and purpose in a fragmented world. They don’t usually conquer people by force. They persuade people to surrender their autonomy willingly because doing so feels safe, meaningful, and empowering. This is where I think it’s helpful to stop talking about politics for a moment and start talking about psychology. So, let’s dive into that… in this episode of Afterthoughts! CODA Project is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to CODA Project at www.thecodaproject.com/subscribe

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Mythologizing the Bible (MTB) explores the Bible through the lens of “sacred myth.” Each week, we dive into three Bible readings, analyzing these ancient texts to uncover any helpful lessons that don't require belief in the supernatural. Whether you identify as a Christian, a non-believer, or somewhere in between, MTB offers fresh insights and new ways of thinking about stories you may already know well. www.thecodaproject.com

Information

  • Creator
    A Humanistic look at religious texts
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    185
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Brandon Jubar
  • Show Website
    Mythologizing the Bible