Reply #2: That's a good point

[Orrex]

But I'd go a step further and say that, while it may be a necessary means of binding society, its influence shouldn't be permitted to spread much beyond that. As soon as any nonverifiable, metaphysical doctrine is perceived as central to a society, those who are empowered to interpret, preach, or propogate that doctrine are automatically put in a position of unassailable power.

Popular mythology is often as much a means of excluding the outsiders as it is a means of binding members of the group. Lots of other social phenomena accomplish this same purpose, of course.

Additionally, as I've mentioned previously in this forum, myth--and specifically supernatural myth--is poisonous to reason and will always be a crowbar with which the believers can be beaten into some measure of submission.