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. 2d ago

    Hey! They Skipped a Verse!

    The Roman Catholic Lectionary is a rather interesting thing at times. This week, a verse quietly disappeared from the readings for Trinity Sunday, and that omission reveals a lot about moral evolution, generational trauma, and the uncomfortable reality that even religious institutions edit their sacred traditions to match changing human values! The fact is that ancient ideas about inherited punishment eventually collided with growing concepts of compassion and individual accountability. But this isn’t just about ancient times because all of this still matters today as we struggle to break cycles of harm in our own families, communities, and societies! One of the things I find genuinely fascinating about organized religion is how often it quietly edits itself while simultaneously insisting that its truths are eternal and unchanging. And honestly, nowhere is that more visible than in the Lectionary readings used in many churches. For those unfamiliar, a Lectionary is simply a pre-selected schedule of scripture readings used during worship services. It determines which passages get read publicly and which ones… mysteriously remain out of sight… kind of like that weird cousin who eats by himself in front of the TV during Thanksgiving dinner. This week’s reading from Exodus is a perfect example. In the Roman Catholic Lectionary, the reading jumps from Exodus 34:6 directly to verse 8. That seems harmless enough until you realize that verse 7 is doing the theological equivalent of pounding on the locked door it was shoved behind, screaming, “Hey! You skipped something important! Don’t forget me!” Well, we’re not going to ignore it or just skip over it. We’re going to take a good hard look at Exodus 34:7 and talk about exactly what it means… 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

    22 min

  2. 3d ago

    More Than Good Intentions

    Service is much more than kindness or charity. Real service means standing beside imperfect people, building peace in divided communities, and giving something real of yourself to help others flourish. Have you ever noticed how often people talk about love, compassion, and caring for others… while rarely being willing to sacrifice anything meaningful to actually help? We live in a world overflowing with inspirational slogans, social media outrage, and empty “thoughts and prayers.” But real service costs us time, comfort, energy, patience, or resources. And that kind of service has become surprisingly rare. Welcome to 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 Trinity Sunday, we’ll explore what genuine service actually looks like: standing beside imperfect people, doing the exhausting work of peacemaking, and giving something real of ourselves to help sustain our communities. In this episode, we’re asking a difficult but deeply practical question: What happens when caring becomes performative instead of sacrificial? Because honestly, it’s hard to build healthy families, communities, or societies when everybody wants the appearance of compassion without paying any of the actual cost. 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

    38 min

  3. 5d ago ·  Bonus

    How Tyrants Weaponized the “One Body”

    What if one of Christianity’s most famous metaphors was also one of history’s most effective tools for social control? Unfortunately, the “one body, many parts” imagery from 1 Corinthians has been used by empires, kings, churches, and modern corporations to convince ordinary people to “know their place” for the good of the system. “We are all one body.” It sounds beautiful, right? A message of unity, care, and radical empathy. But what happens when a tyrant uses that exact same phrase to keep you in your place? For thousands of years, rulers, kings, and modern CEOs have weaponized the Bible’s “one body” metaphor to argue that because you are the “foot,” your holy duty is to walk in the dirt and never question the “head.” I think it’s time to pull back the curtain on how a text meant for “community care” became history’s ultimate tool for social control and how corporate culture still uses it against you today. From Ancient Rome to modern workplace culture, empathy and interdependence has been twisted into obedience. This is a fact. The question we face now is how to reclaim those ideas in ways that actually support human dignity, equality, and flourishing! 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

    21 min

  4. 6d ago

    The Courage to Understand

    What if empathy is more than kindness? This week’s readings explore the difficult work of crossing tribal divides, valuing human differences, and showing up for people in moments of fear and pain. In a world driven by outrage and isolation, empathy may be one of the most radical and necessary human skills we have left. Have you noticed how difficult it has become for people to truly listen to one another? We live in a world where everybody is talking, arguing, posting, reacting, and defending their tribe, but very few people seem willing to slow down long enough to understand somebody else’s experience. Fear, outrage, politics, religion, culture, and social media have all combined to make empathy feel less like a strength and more like a liability. Welcome to 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 Pentecost Sunday, we’ll explore what empathy really requires of us: learning how to cross cultural divides, value human differences, and show up for people in moments of fear, pain, and vulnerability. In this episode, we’re asking an uncomfortable but important question: What happens to families, communities, and entire societies when people stop seeing each other as human beings and start treating one another like enemies, outsiders, or obstacles to overcome? Because honestly, we’re watching that happen all around us right now. 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

    38 min

  5. May 19

    THE GOSPEL OF EMPIRE

    What if the “Great Commission” wasn’t primarily about love or community but about conquest? I think it’s time we explore how Christianity’s most celebrated mandate became the ideological engine for colonialism, cultural erasure, and modern “savior” politics. And I also think it’s time for Christians to challenge themselves to imagine a form of community that’s built on solidarity instead of conversion! For centuries, Western civilization has wrapped its worst atrocities in the language of supreme benevolence. We are taught to look at the ‘Great Commission’ of Matthew 28, the command to go and make disciples of all nations, as a beautiful blueprint for global love, charity, and connection. But what if the most celebrated mandate in Christian history isn’t a message of community at all? What if it is actually the foundational operating system for global supremacy, cultural erasure, and cosmic colonialism? In this episode, I bust through the beautiful stained glass image of the Great Commission to expose how five verses in the Gospel of Matthew provided the psychological and legal permission to conquer the world, and why mainstream believers are still running that exact same operating system today. So, let’s talk about Cosmic Colonialism… 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

    25 min

  6. May 15

    STOP LOOKING AT THE SKY

    What if the future we’re hoping for isn’t waiting somewhere beyond the clouds? This episode explores how real community is built through shared responsibility, practical action, and the courage to stop waiting for rescue. These ancient stories challenge us to look at each other, not upward, for the strength to create a more connected and compassionate world. Have you ever noticed how often people wait for someone else to fix the world? We wait for the right politician, the right movement, the right church, the right billionaire, or maybe even divine intervention from somewhere up in the clouds. Meanwhile, communities weaken, loneliness spreads, and the problems right in front of us keep getting worse because too many of us are standing still, staring upward, hoping somebody else will step in. Welcome to 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 Ascension Sunday, we’ll explore what happens when people stop waiting for rescue and begin building communities that are rooted in shared responsibility, mutual support, and collective action. In this episode, we’re asking a challenging question: What if the future we keep hoping for isn’t going to descend from the sky someday? What if the real challenge of being human is learning to build the kind of communities we wish already existed, and realizing that nobody else is coming to do it for us? 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

    38 min

  7. May 9

    Why Winning Arguments Is Making Us Worse

    What if the way we argue is actually making things worse? In a culture obsessed with winning debates, we should consider the possibility that gentleness, respect, and self-control aren’t weaknesses, they’re the most demanding and effective ethical practices we have! Let’s start with something most of us have seen or maybe even participated in. It’s the current culture that’s best defined as “debate me, bro.” The comment threads. The viral clips. The person sitting at the table on a college campus with a sign that says, “Change My Mind.” On the surface, it looks like a pursuit of truth. It feels like courage. Confidence. Intellectual strength. But if you watch closely, it’s not really about understanding… at all. It’s about performance. Because the goal in those moments isn’t connection. It’s victory. It’s about landing the clever line, getting the applause, maybe even going viral. And here’s the thing: when you “win” like that, your brain rewards you. You get a hit of dopamine. A rush of adrenaline. You feel sharp, validated, maybe even a little invincible. But the other person? They’re not persuaded. They’re humiliated. Or defensive. Or just gone. And that’s the trade we’ve made without realizing it. We’ve optimized for the feeling of “being right” instead of focusing on doing the work to be effective. Add in the meme culture—those quick, punchy, emotionally charged video clips and soundbites—and now we’re not even engaging with ideas anymore. We’re signaling identity. “I believe this. I’m part of this group. I’m on the right side.” It feels good, but it doesn’t move anything forward. It just hardens the lines that divide us. 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

    14 min

  8. May 8

    When Belief Isn’t Enough

    What if the biggest problem in our lives isn’t what we believe but how often we fail to live it? This week’s readings challenge us to close the gap between words and actions, showing that real integrity and real change comes from consistent, compassionate behavior, not just well-formed opinions. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to say what you believe and how much harder it is to actually live it? We talk about truth, kindness, and doing the right thing… but when pressure hits, when it’s inconvenient, or when no one’s watching, that’s when the gap shows up. Welcome to 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 6th Sunday of Easter, we’ll explore the difference between belief and behavior, and how real integrity is built through action, not just intention. In this episode, we’re asking an honest question: What would change if we measured our values not by what we claim to believe, but by what we consistently do? Because it turns out, that gap between words and actions might explain more about our lives (and our world) than we’re willing to admit. 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

    32 min
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About

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
    168
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Brandon Jubar
  • Show Website
    Mythologizing the Bible