Mythology

[gruber]

I have found a interest in Greek and Egyption mythology, i love the stories and the epics that it holds. To get to the point recently someone i know called me a hippocrit for enjoying it and having a interest in it because iam a atheist. Do you think I was on solid ground to tell them where to shove it or am I being a hippocrit.

[SinisterDexter]

In the first instance, hypocrisy is endemic and necessary in the modern world.

In the second, you are hardly a hypocrit for enjoying stories that are several thousand years old. As an atheist you are only being hypocritical (or, at least, dishonest) if you believe them.

I'm surprised if your accuser is religious, they should know more about hypocrisy than that.

[Worldslaziestbusker]

The Greek gods were a very different prospect to the omnipotent and omniscient gods of modern religions. They were thought to be immortal but besides that pretty ordinary - petulant, vengeful, ignorant, almost human. No-one thought the gods created the world. It was thought they conquered it. They weren't universally worshipped. If the crops failed you had someone to get cranky at.
I thought Terry Pratchett was caricaturing them in his Discworld series but the more I learn about Greek gods, the more his characterisations seem to be on the money.
Aristotle hypothesized an almighty god that modern religions would recognise but the idea didn't catch on for a long time.
Enjoy the Greek gods and tell your friend to imagine someone in the future reading the modern religious texts with the same curiosity without needing to be hypocritical.
Cheers
WLB

[GenericBox]

Yeah, I am fascinated with Egyption culture/history. I love it. I also love Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings...

God I hope Voldermort doesn't come to get me...

Sauron wouldn't be a nice guy to cross either.

[Seamus]

Are you being a hypocrite?

Probably not, and so what if you are? Hypocrisy is part of the human condition. Society could not function if everyone was perfectly honest. It's a matter of degree.

In this case I think you're allowing yourself to be distracted by an ad hominem attack. An ignorant dropkick is attacking you instead of what you're saying.

The person is a believer? An appropriate response might be:

(1) Laugh in his face

(2) Say :"Hypocrite? ME? that's a bit of a cheek coming from a Christian". If the person is stupid enough to ask "why", rattle off a list of hypocrisies you have seen in Christians generally and him specifically.

(3) Punch him in the nose.

--OR all three or a combination of any two.





INFORMATION:

IF you are going to argue with theists ,give yourself some ammunition.A god start is to learn some of the common logical fallacies. Apologists use em,constantly. Two of often are ; Ad hominem (to the man ) and argument from personal incredulity;IE "I don't understand,and lack the imagination, knowledge or intellect to think of anything else.Therefore,God did it".


An ad hominem argument (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_argument), also known as argumentum ad hominem (Latin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin): "argument to the man", "argument against the man") consists of replying to an argument or factual claim by attacking or appealing to a characteristic or belief of the person making the argument or claim, rather than by addressing the substance of the argument or producing evidence (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evidence) against the claim.
The process of proving or disproving the claim is thereby subverted, and the argumentum ad hominem works to change the subject.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem






Argument from incredulity ( argument from ignorance)

The argument from personal incredulity, also known as argument from personal belief or argument from personal conviction, refers to an assertion that because one personally finds a premise unlikely or unbelievable, the premise can be assumed to be false, or alternatively that another preferred but unproven premise is true instead.

The argument from ignorance, also known as argumentum ad ignorantiam ("appeal to ignorance" [1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_ignorance#cite_note-0)), argument by lack of imagination, or negative evidence, is a logical fallacy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_fallacy) in which it is claimed that a premise (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premise) is true (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth) only because it has not been proven false, or is false (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False) only because it has not been proven true. [/quote]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_ignorance




MORE on logical fallacies:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies

[gruber]

one of the main things ive noticed with most of the Ancient races, is that they didnt go to war saying "(insert main gods name here) Wills it". they used to make a sacrifice asking for the favor of the Gods to give them victory in battle

[davo]

Ask them if they have ever enjoyed fiction in any form ... then ask them why they are judging you.

(refer Matthew 7:1-2 which talks about hypocritical judgement)

[Fearless]

If you believe it you might be classed as a hypocrit, otherwise don't even waste time worrying about it. The person is clearly a little bit simpleton.

But yeah don't just tell him to shove it or his narrow mind might see this as proof of guilt or some crap, tell him you can enjoy fiction without having to believe it sheesh.

[davo]

at least you don't look at the flintstones as a historical possibility :rolleyes:

[wolty]

Love egyption and greek mythology.
The point is that it is fiction and you know it.
The bible is fiction and you know it.
I can read Homer and absolutely love the way it is written but still know it is fiction.
The bible is fiction but not very good.
Homer is special. The bible writers are not.

[loubert]

Yeah I must admit I love the mythology of some of the ancient world and even the not so ancient. But the bible leaves me snoring my head off like a freight train, it's not even midly entertaining. (for me)

I give the bible one and a half evolved opposible thumbs (outa 10)

[gruber]

at least you don't look at the flintstones as a historical possibility

what do you mean it isnt real:eek: