Editing Religion and mythology (section)

==Similarities between different religious mythologies==

Given any of the above definitions of "myth", the myths of many religions, both ancient and modern, share common elements. Widespread similarities between religious mythologies include the following:
* an initial [[Paradise]] preceding ordinary historical time<ref>Eliade, ''Myths, Dreams and Mysteries'', 1967 p. 59.</ref>
* the story of a god who undergoes death and resurrection ([[life-death-rebirth deity]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://altreligion.about.com/library/weekly/aa052902a.htm|title = Alternative Religions}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.paganlibrary.com/reference/pagan_resurrection_myths.php|title = Pagan Resurrection Myths and the Resurrection of Jesus}}</ref>
* The mythical geography of many religions involves an ''[[axis mundi]]'', or Cosmic Center.<ref>Eliade, ''Myths, Rites, Symbols: A Mircea Eliade Reader'', 1976, pp. 372-75.</ref>
* [[Creation myth]]s
* [[Supreme deity (disambiguation)|Supreme deity]]<!--intentional link to DAB page-->
* [[Hero's journey]]

The similarities between cultures and time periods can be useful, but it is usually not easy to combine beliefs and histories from different groups. Simplification of cultures and time periods by eliminating detailed data remain vulnerable or flimsy in this area of research.