In fairness to Ed Young, he never used either of those words.
I guess he did use hyperbole
You’re right, and I don’t mean to misquote the reverend. Just want to make sure he’s not a roll-your-own type “Bible scholar.”
Here’s the line he used that makes me cringe a little: “’As you know, Sir, in the Bible there are metaphors, parables, hyperbole, poetry, apocalyptic language, etc., and the Bible cannot be understood by anyone who would be foolish enough to think that you can take the Word of God literally,’ Young added in his letter to Clinton.”
For my part, I take the Word of God pretty literally. I even think a big fish swallowed Jonah, Elijah caught water on fire, Moses parted the Red Sea, and Jesus rose from the dead.
No, he did not use ‘myth’, but he did use ‘hyperbole’.
When Jesus told Peter we should forgive our brothers “seventy times seven” times, that meant, really, that we should never stop. Unless I am mistaken, that could be classified as hyperbole.