Thank you for that, David. This could make for a most interesting discussion, but I fear I've started something that strays too far from the topics of museum-l.
Therefore I've introduced the same subject on another, more appropriate forum should anyone care to continue on. Under the subject "Christian Atheists" you can find it at FACTS (Forum for Active Critical Thinking and Skepticism):
http://www.factsforum.org
No registration is required, just jump in at will!
/stephen
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list on behalf of David E. Haberstich
Sent: Wed 6/8/2005 10:50 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Cc:
Subject: Re: Tulsa Zoo and Creationism
Sorry, but I don't think this is a useful explanation or perspective. As far
as my dictionary and I can see, an atheist is one who believes in no gods
whatsoever, not one who denies some gods while believing in another or others.
Atheism is absolute, not comparative or relative. When the Romans called
Christians atheists because they did not accept the Roman pantheon, they were being
sloppy with their terminology. You're searching for a word to describe
someone who believes in the "wrong" gods, and I don't know what that word
is--although Christians usually call people who believe in the "wrong" gods "pagans,"
not atheists. Incidentally, educated Hindus often claim that they are
monotheists, not polytheists, and that the many gods of the Hindu pantheon are simply
mythical manifestations of the one God; many Hindus would agree that their god
is essentially the same as the God of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Atheists deny the existence of any god, including, presumably, Mammon.
David Haberstich
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