Is it "insulting" to refer to god as "mythical"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have asked these questions every time someone claims a non-believer is "insulting" and no one replies. Another PP suggested its own thread so here it is:

1. Is it "insulting" to refer to god as "mythical"? Why?

2. Is it insulting to compare a god to another god or mythical being knowing people who believe in one don't believe in the other? Why?

3. Those of you who believe in one god: do you think the other gods are "mythical"? Why?

Thoughtful replies only, please. If you don't like the questions you don't have to respond at all. However all views are welcome as long as they are thoughtful and not trolls or insults.

Lowercase "g" is blasphemy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have asked these questions every time someone claims a non-believer is "insulting" and no one replies. Another PP suggested its own thread so here it is:

1. Is it "insulting" to refer to god as "mythical"? Why?

2. Is it insulting to compare a god to another god or mythical being knowing people who believe in one don't believe in the other? Why?

3. Those of you who believe in one god: do you think the other gods are "mythical"? Why?

Thoughtful replies only, please. If you don't like the questions you don't have to respond at all. However all views are welcome as long as they are thoughtful and not trolls or insults.

Lowercase "g" is blasphemy.

OP said thoughtful relpies only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have asked these questions every time someone claims a non-believer is "insulting" and no one replies. Another PP suggested its own thread so here it is:

1. Is it "insulting" to refer to god as "mythical"? Why?

2. Is it insulting to compare a god to another god or mythical being knowing people who believe in one don't believe in the other? Why?

3. Those of you who believe in one god: do you think the other gods are "mythical"? Why?

Thoughtful replies only, please. If you don't like the questions you don't have to respond at all. However all views are welcome as long as they are thoughtful and not trolls or insults.

Lowercase "g" is blasphemy.

OP said thoughtful relpies only.

*replies

[Anonymous]

Ok, so we're all in agreement then it's NOT insulting.
I haven't heard otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have asked these questions every time someone claims a non-believer is "insulting" and no one replies. Another PP suggested its own thread so here it is:

1. Is it "insulting" to refer to god as "mythical"? Why?

2. Is it insulting to compare a god to another god or mythical being knowing people who believe in one don't believe in the other? Why?

3. Those of you who believe in one god: do you think the other gods are "mythical"? Why?

Thoughtful replies only, please. If you don't like the questions you don't have to respond at all. However all views are welcome as long as they are thoughtful and not trolls or insults.

Lowercase "g" is blasphemy.

In your religion, perhaps. But a lot of people don't believe in your religion or in blasphemy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It depends on the listener's definition of mythical, doesn't it? Mythical can mean "non-existent", or it can mean "extremely famous and has reached icon status".

I would assume that any decent, open-minded person would first seek confirmation of what is it you mean. It's only the narrow-minded insecure folk who get easily offended. I have some devout Catholics in my family who would not have their feathers ruffled. They're seen and heard it all already.

If you're going to tell a devout believer that their God does not exist, well, that's just rude.

Seems like it would be OK, though, to tell a believer that you don't believe in their god, or in any god. It's not like we live in a religious state, where it's wrong/illegal to have different beliefs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which god? Odin? Siva? Perun? Athena? Herne the Huntsman? Nah, I don't think it's offensive.

These days, no one believes in those gods, so it's perfectly obvious that when you're talking about "god" you mean the one god that believers believe in, even though people have many different ways of manifesting their beliefs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Atheist here. I think it's insulting to refer to a god (any god) that someone believes in as a myth when talking to that person.

What about in a forum like this when you are talking to virtually everyone?

You may not know their specific religion but you can be pretty sure that they don't believe in an ancient religion that has multiple gods.

For centuries now, the major religions have had only one god, and I think it's the same god, but with different beliefs depending on the specific religion (e.g., Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Atheist here. I think it's insulting to refer to a god (any god) that someone believes in as a myth when talking to that person.

What about in a forum like this when you are talking to virtually everyone?

You may not know their specific religion but you can be pretty sure that they don't believe in an ancient religion that has multiple gods.

For centuries now, the major religions have had only one god, and I think it's the same god, but with different beliefs depending on the specific religion (e.g., Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc.)

^ That's highly debatable. There were posts on the other thread (the one that got reported) by one or more people who strongly disagreed with that, and indeed were offended by that assertion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, so we're all in agreement then it's NOT insulting.
I haven't heard otherwise.

It can be insulting, particularly when used as an insult as 11:59 pointed out. Comparing the God of modern Christians and Jews and Muslims to Santa Clause or the gods in ancient mythology texts, as an intentional insult to the intelligence of modern people of various religions is insulting. Also, usually when it is insulting, it is not necessarily because of the word "mythical," which has a broad academic meaning that can be aptly applied to any belief system, but because the insulter is often intentionally mischaracterizing the belief system, e.g., mockingly suggesting that the believer thinks God is a white man with a white beard in the white clouds granting wishes and striking down sinners with lightening, and such. In other words, taking paintings, and literature, and movies and other imagery in a literal sense for the purpose of mockery, and reducing an entire religion to that imagery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It depends on the listener's definition of mythical, doesn't it? Mythical can mean "non-existent", or it can mean "extremely famous and has reached icon status".

I would assume that any decent, open-minded person would first seek confirmation of what is it you mean. It's only the narrow-minded insecure folk who get easily offended. I have some devout Catholics in my family who would not have their feathers ruffled. They're seen and heard it all already.

If you're going to tell a devout believer that their God does not exist, well, that's just rude.

Seems like it would be OK, though, to tell a believer that you don't believe in their god, or in any god. It's not like we live in a religious state, where it's wrong/illegal to have different beliefs.

Sure, that is not controversial at all, I'd think. It is a far different thing to mock another's belief or to intentionally make a caricature of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, so we're all in agreement then it's NOT insulting.
I haven't heard otherwise.

It can be insulting, particularly when used as an insult as 11:59 pointed out. Comparing the God of modern Christians and Jews and Muslims to Santa Clause or the gods in ancient mythology texts, as an intentional insult to the intelligence of modern people of various religions is insulting. Also, usually when it is insulting, it is not necessarily because of the word "mythical," which has a broad academic meaning that can be aptly applied to any belief system, but because the insulter is often intentionally mischaracterizing the belief system, e.g., mockingly suggesting that the believer thinks God is a white man with a white beard in the white clouds granting wishes and striking down sinners with lightening, and such. In other words, taking paintings, and literature, and movies and other imagery in a literal sense for the purpose of mockery, and reducing an entire religion to that imagery.

I'm not sure what you're trying to say here since plenty of people believe exactly that. I agree that mocking them isn't nice, but to suggest that they don't "literally" believe that is a bit delusional also.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Atheist here. I think it's insulting to refer to a god (any god) that someone believes in as a myth when talking to that person.

What about in a forum like this when you are talking to virtually everyone?

You may not know their specific religion but you can be pretty sure that they don't believe in an ancient religion that has multiple gods.

For centuries now, the major religions have had only one god, and I think it's the same god, but with different beliefs depending on the specific religion (e.g., , etc.)

^ That's highly debatable. There were posts on the other thread (the one that got reported) by one or more people who strongly disagreed with that, and indeed were offended by that assertion.

I certainly didn't intend to insult anyone. When you say "...people who strongly disagreed with that...." are you saying that there are people today who believe in multiple gods? Which religions are those? Or are you saying that people (e.g., Christians, Jews, Muslims) don't believe in the same god?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It depends on the listener's definition of mythical, doesn't it? Mythical can mean "non-existent", or it can mean "extremely famous and has reached icon status".

I would assume that any decent, open-minded person would first seek confirmation of what is it you mean. It's only the narrow-minded insecure folk who get easily offended. I have some devout Catholics in my family who would not have their feathers ruffled. They're seen and heard it all already.

If you're going to tell a devout believer that their God does not exist, well, that's just rude.

Seems like it would be OK, though, to tell a believer that you don't believe in their god, or in any god. It's not like we live in a religious state, where it's wrong/illegal to have different beliefs.

Sure, that is not controversial at all, I'd think. It is a far different thing to mock another's belief or to intentionally make a caricature of it.

Is it not insulting if nonbelievers respect all beliefs equally? I.e. I respect that you believe in Jesus, and she believes in Vishnu, and they believe in Zeus? Those all rank the same to me -- belief in a mythical being that somehow holds sway over their existence. I respect that you believe it, even though I don't understand why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Atheist here. I think it's insulting to refer to a god (any god) that someone believes in as a myth when talking to that person.

What about in a forum like this when you are talking to virtually everyone?

You may not know their specific religion but you can be pretty sure that they don't believe in an ancient religion that has multiple gods.

For centuries now, the major religions have had only one god, and I think it's the same god, but with different beliefs depending on the specific religion (e.g., , etc.)

^ That's highly debatable. There were posts on the other thread (the one that got reported) by one or more people who strongly disagreed with that, and indeed were offended by that assertion.

I certainly didn't intend to insult anyone. When you say "...people who strongly disagreed with that...." are you saying that there are people today who believe in multiple gods? Which religions are those? Or are you saying that people (e.g., Christians, Jews, Muslims) don't believe in the same god?

Are Allah, Yahweh and Jesus the same god? Some say no; this was indeed a bone of contention on the other thread. Personally, lean toward yes, but views on this vary markedly. You seem to be pretending they don't, which is either naive or disingenuous.