While myth, religion, science, and philosophy share some concerns, each operates in very different ways.

Myths are ancient narratives about the relations between gods and humans that answer fundamental questions like what is the purpose of life or how did life originate. Myths do not try to explain themselves. For instance, the story of Cain and Abel does not explain where Cain got his wife. Conservative Christian religion looks for explanations based on logic and beliefs consistent with the views of Christianity. So, most Protestants believe that Cain married one of his sisters (Logic: Adam and Eve were the first humans. Cain and Abel were their children. Cain married someone. Unless it was a niece, a daughter of Abel, it must have been his sister). The KKK, which denigrates people of color, has suggested Cain married a black woman (in their view, blacks evolved from animals, while whites were created by God. They believe it was the influence of blacks that caused Cain to kill his brother). For the story, all that matters is that Cain had a wife. Her origin is immaterial to the story.

Religions are ideological systems of belief and practice about the meaning and purpose of life, often defined in terms of relationships with a god or gods. Religions frequently incorporate the stories found in myths, fitting the stories within a framework of belief and practice that guides the lives of members within the religious community. Different religions can and do incorporate the same stories within their belief systems but may interpret them in very different ways. For instance, all Jews, Christians, and Muslims view themselves as the children of Abraham. And, within Christianity, for instance, the opening chapters of Genesis are viewed differently by Baptists, Latter Day Saints, or Episcopalians. In each case, the stories are mounted within a framework of belief and practice that defines the community of believers.

Philosophy is similar to religion in that it is an ideological system. Like religion, it draws on logic and other processes of human thinking in order to come to some understanding of the nature of reality. Like science, philosophy also looks to nature for answers. And, just as there are multiple religious systems, there are multiple philosophical systems, each with its own adherents and rules for making sense of life and the universe.

Science attempts to explain the nature and functioning of the physical universe based on observable data that can be subjected to testing and which leads to workable explanations of the physical universe. A scientific theory must lead to research. It must be falsifiable; that is, it must suggest avenues of scientific research that can lead to reliable data proving or disproving its claims. Scientific research involves the application of the scientific method which requires that objective data can be tested and that the results obtained from any tests can be verified independently by other researchers. So, for a scientific theory to exist as a theory, there must be evidence supporting the theory; there must be ways of objectively and independently testing the theory to verify its conclusions, and the conclusions reached must suggest avenues of further study that can be verified or disproved.

Like religion and philosophy, science seeks an understanding of reality, but, while science incorporates reason and logic, the basis of science is physical evidence and mathematical proofs. Science can change with new data or better explanations that fit the data. Myths may change based on the telling of them although once they are written down, changes are less likely. Religions resist change often resulting in schisms that produce new offshoots from the original. So, for instance, the Pentecostal Church of God had a split in belief that resulted in a new group emerging, the Church of God of Prophecy. Southern Baptists faced a split over beliefs that resulted in the emergence of the Independent Baptists. Science can also offer opposing explanations, but any explanation must meet the requirements of evidence and falsifiability. As science gains new data, theories emerge that best explain the data.

So, while myth, religion, philosophy, and science all seek answers to fundamental questions about the universe, each does so in unique ways and should not be confused with each other.