(via Calamities of Nature)
Atheistic Fundamentalism?
February 22, 2010 By 27 Comments
A reasonable blog on atheism, religion, science and skepticism
Follow Patheos
Atheist:
Subscribe through RSS
Follow Patheos on
Faith Channels
Religion Library
Topics
Resources
Copyright 2008-2012, Patheos. All rights reserved. Terms of Service | Patheos Privacy Policy
didn’t I send you this?
hey, it’s a slow day………….
“Fundamentalism” isn’t just being strongly convinced of something, and it’s not about one’s level of “passion.” It is, rather, a specific form of religious belief, one which is both fervent, and intricately tied to something discrete and identifiable which serves as the religion’s “fundamental” core.
That “core” is presumed to be the sole basis for everything about the religion. Also, all other potential sources of information are either accepted or rejected based on their similarity to that “fundamental.” Furthermore, other people are included in the religion, or not, based upon a strict view of their agreement with all of this. Any deviation is not accepted. Lastly, the belief system is unchanging. Any suggestion that it ought to change, is anathema.
In the case of fundamentalist Christianity, that would be the Protestant Christian Bible. Fundies claim it is their sole guide to belief. Everything they believe, they can trace — somehow — to something inside their Bibles. They may listen to preachers or pay attention to other Christian writings … but they always view them with a sidelong glance at (their interpretation of) their Bible. And if there is disagreement … the disagreeing source is completely, utterly rejected.
An atheist can’t really be a “fundamentalist,” by comparison, because s/he has no discrete, identifiable “fundamental” from which s/he derives all his/her beliefs and practices. Sure, atheists write books … but how many atheists base everything they believe (or don’t believe) on some passage within one of them? How many atheists reject other people or works because they do not happen to accord 100% with their favored atheist book?
I’m not aware of this kind of behavior among atheists. I suppose some individual atheist, somewhere, might have such a rigid attitude, but I’m not aware of any movement which acts this way or even comes close to supporting it. The possibility of an atheist revising his/her views also usually exist … as revealed in the last panel, and in contradiction of true “fundamentalism,” in which the religion’s content is viewed as unchanging and unchangeable and there is no possibility of negotiation on the matter.
That said … I concede that there are some truly fervent atheists out there. People who won’t change their minds no matter what, who are outspoken and even vicious toward others. But this is not “fundamentalism.” It may be “anger,” it may be “unreasonable,” it may be “ardent,” it may be “irrational,” it may be “ferocious,” it may be a lot of things (depending on how one looks at it) … but it is not “fundamentalism.”
It’s confusing atheism with communism.
Does reality count?
Well, not all atheists derive their beliefs from reality, believe me. However, I guess that could describe a “fundamentalist rationalist” or something like that.
“Reality” is not concrete enough, nor does it have specific enough boundaries, to be a “fundamental.” I mean, it’s all around us, but that’s the point: It’s everywhere, and it’s everything. Which includes anyone and anything which contradicts one’s beliefs.
Damn I love this comment. I just had to tell you :)
Awesome!
Richard Dawkins in one of his books (heck probably in more then one) makes the point that religion should not get special treatment. If somthing is not gernarlly approved of in a society then “but its part of my religious practices” should not be a valid excuse to do it.
Well gess what, Sicence is not special either, and “Its for sicence” should not be an excuse either. At the end of the day there certainly are militant Environmentalists (not many granted, but enough to be noticed). There are people for whom Human caused global warming is an article of faith that nothing will shake, and if the scientific consensus shifts they will see it as acadmia selling out to corporate interests. At the end of the day Atheists are people too, and people are capable of fanaticism.
It would be naive to assume that all Atheists are Atheist for the same reason or that they are all inherently rationale in their beliefs. It stikes me that this is exactly the position that Xians are taking when they do the Hitler and Starlin where Atheists therefore all Atheists are evil argument.
Well, they are at least more rational in one thing than the average believer, aren’t they?
I happen to believe the majority of scientists when they tell me Humans are causing global warming. I would probably resist a study that purported otherwise. But if several other studies came out with similar results that started convincing a majority of scientists then i would have to defer to their expertise.
If anything is fundamental to my belief systems it’s the current scientific consensus on any given subject. If you can consider this fundamentalism then it’s the polar opposite of religious fundamentalism.
@Arie: This type of false equivalence should not be spread nor left unchallenged. You equate “making something up in my head, then believing it strongly” with “seeing sufficient, reproducible evidence, then believing strongly” as if they are the same because they both contain the believe strongly phrase. In fact, the initial clauses make these two phrases quite opposite and you have no basis whatsoever for asserting their equivalence, thus negating your conclusion. You then site examples (anecdotes) of people that you feel take scientific facts and defend them with a fervor and “faith” of a religious thinker as “evidence” that “science” is not different from making up stories in your head, when you know full well that it is different but you are trying very hard to obscure that fact with a deceptively worded argument. What you have pointed out, if anything, is the brains tendency for the religious thinking style even in those who may have rationally abandoned that style. Our brain is also wired for certain types of prejudice and prejudgment but that doesn’t validate those styles as worthwhile nor does it support the factual nature of the results of that thinking style. We can also point to many studies that show that people who have abandoned prejudgment as a style have a very hard time excluding it entirely from their thought processes. Again, that doesn’t in any way validate the results of prejudicial thinking. It merely points out a tendency of the human mind. In that regard, science IS special in that it is an attempt to devise ways of “seeing” that exclude to the highest possible extent our brains limited capacity to see beyond our prejudices and beliefs in a systematic way. It is an attempt to overcome those tendencies that led to SO MANY false conclusions and assertions and not to glorify them. Your attempt to create that false equivalence is an example of how the human mind deludes itself when it is not held to some standards like the scientific method and the rules of logic.
My buddhist housemate calls me an atheist fundamentalist. I try to explain to her that there’s no such thing. My closed mindedness to supernatural phenomena makes me a fundamentalist.
Well, let us try some basic substitution logic to this matter. Fundamentalism appears to be, generally, a synonym for the Latin phrase conditio sine qua non. The term conditio sine qua non (Latin) refers to an indispensable and essential action, condition, or ingredient (“without which it could not be”). The phrase is currently used in law, economics, philosophy, medicine and other areas of thought.
Would not most scientists agree that a basic understanding of atoms, nuclei, electrons, protons, etc., constitute a conditio sine qua non for a rational discussion of and a belief in contemporary particle physics? Let us further postulate that a generally accepting view of evolution, astrophysics, geology, genetics, etc., constitutes, for most modern persons, a conditio sine qua non for an understanding of the basis of modern atheism? Although, historically, I readily acknowledged that atheism was supported by logic alone (e.g., Epicurus, Democritus) long before science as a discipline came into existence.
Consequently, I can see no significant problem with generally stating that atheists have “fundamental” conditions upon which their beliefs rest.
“Consequently, I can see no significant problem with generally stating that atheists have “fundamental” conditions upon which their beliefs rest.”
… and by that definition pretty much everyone in the world is a fundamentalist something or other.
Yes, Jabster, your statement is correct. How could it be otherwise? Most humans are rational in the most important areas of their life. On the most basic level of life, maybe using Marlow’s hierarchy of needs as a tool, if we did not view most things rationally, logically, we would die, or be very, very unhappy. It is only in certain areas (the ones where we won’t potentially die) that humans have the capacity (or willingness) to “suspend disbelief” in the laws of rational consequences. Only a psychotic or “true believer” would believe that the oncoming train would not squish us out of existence unless we moved off the train.
Yes, Jabster, most all humans, the overwhelmingly great majority, are surprisingly rational and logical in those areas that matter the most (e.g., not dying). Even Christians move away from the train tracks.!
Moreover, the word “fundamental” is not a pejorative term for most humans. It is a term in common usage and is quite acceptable in all it’s multiple forms of usage.
The problem is that the meaning given to *insert faith here* fundamentalist is not the same as you are implying. In English common usage outweighs any technical meaning and that’s is what is being debated i.e. taking when is meant by fundamentalist (and I would agree that it’s not a very well defined term) can it apply to atheists?
It’s not enough to say evolution, astrophysics, geology, genetics etc. are the fundamentals of an atheists beliefs. A religious fundamentalist’s core beliefs rest on the fundamentals of their religion. The set in stone stuff that never changes. The real difference between atheists and religionists is that our beliefs change. We can’t just say I believe in Newton or Darwin and leave it at that. We have to put our trust in the scientific consensus of the day with the knowledge it’s not complete and will change.
Scientific belief is in no way a pre-requisite for being an atheist. The only thing that is a pre-requisite is to not believe your claim of the existance of a god.
We are all atheist, its just that some don’t believe in one fewer god’s.
I don’t believe in the judeo christian god or the islamic god. i also don’t believe in:
——————————————————————————————————————————–
* Apollo – god of the sun, poetry, music, and oracles, and a Dii Consentes
* Bona Dea – goddess of fertility, healing, virginity, and women. Also known as Fauna
* Bacchus – god of wine, sensual pleasures, and truth, not considered a Dii Consentes by the Romans
* Carmenta – goddess of childbirth and prophecy, and assigned a flamen minor. The leader of the Camenae.
* Ceres – goddess of the harvest and mother of Proserpina, and a Dii Consentes, and assigned a flamen minor
* Cybele – earth mother
* Diana – goddess of the hunt, the moon, virginity, and childbirth, twin sister of Apollo and a Dii Consentes
* Flora – goddess of flowers, and assigned a flamen minor
* Fortuna – goddess of fortune
* Janus – two-headed god of beginnings and endings and of doors
* Juno – Queen of the Gods and goddess of matrimony, and a Dii Consentes
* Jupiter – King of the Gods and the storm, air, and sky god, father of Venus, and a Dii Consentes, and assigned a flamen maior
* Mars – god of war and father of Romulus, the founder of Rome, lover of Venus, and a Dii Consentes, and assigned a flamen Maior
* Mercury – messenger of the gods and bearer of souls to the underworld, and a Dii Consentes(Hermes)
* Minerva – goddess of wisdom and war, and a Dii Consentes, and arts
* Neptune – god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses, and a Dii Consentes
* Ops – goddess of plenty
* Pluto – Pluto a name given to him by the Romans from Greek myths, he is the King of the Dead, and of the underworld.
* Pomona – goddess of fruit trees, and assigned a flamen minor.
* Portunes – god of keys, doors, and livestock, he was assigned a flamen minor.
* Proserpina – Queen of the Dead and a grain-goddess
* Quirinus – Romulus, the founder of Rome, was deified as Quirinus after his death. Quirinus was a war god and a god of the Roman people and state, and was assigned a flamen maior.
* Saturn – a titan, god of harvest and agriculture, the father of Jupiter, Neptune, Juno, and Pluto
* Uranus – god of the sky before Jupiter. Based on the greek Ouranos.
* Venus – goddess of love and beauty, mother of the hero Aeneas, and a Dii Consentes
* Vesta – goddess of the hearth and the Roman state, and a Dii Consentes
* Volturnus – god of water, was assigned a flamen minor.
* Vulcan – god of the forge, fire, and blacksmiths, husband to Venus, and a Dii Consentes, and assigned a flamen minor
[edit] Minor Gods
[edit] A
* Abeona – a goddess who protected children the first time they left their parents’ home, safeguarding their first steps alone
* Abundantia – goddess of good fortune, abundance, and prosperity
* Acca Larentia – goddess of cornfields. A mythological figure who started out as mortal but was later deified.
* Acis – river god near the Etna, son of Faunus and the nymph Symaethis
* Adeona – goddess who protected children as they returned home
* Aeolus – god of storms and winds,
* Aera Cura – goddess associated with the underworld
* Aequitas – goddess of fair trade and honest merchants
* Aesculapius – god of health and medicine
* Aeternitas – goddess and personification of eternity
* Alemonia or Alemona – goddess responsible for nourishing the unborn child
* Angerona – goddess who relieved men from pain and sorrow
* Angita – early goddess of healing, magic and witchcraft. May be the same as Angitia
* Angitia – goddess associated with snakes, later goddess and derived from Angita
* Anna Perenna – early goddess of the “circle of the year”, her festival was celebrated March 15
* Antevorta – goddess of the future and one of the Camenae; also called Porrima
* Arimanius – an underworld god derived from the Greek Areimanios.
* Aurora – goddess of the dawn
* Averna – goddess of the underworld. May be equivalent to Proserpina
* Averruncus – god of childbirth. Averts calamity, whilst bringing good fortune
[edit] B
* Bellona or Duellona – war goddess
* Bromius – god of wine. Later used as an epithet of Bacchus
* Bubona – goddess of cattle
[edit] C
* Caca – originally an ancient hearth goddess, later demoted to a minor figure in mythology and replaced by Vesta.
* Cacus – originally an ancient god of fire, later demoted to a giant.
* Caelus – god of the sky
* Camenae – four goddesses with various attributes including fresh water, prophecy, and childbirth. There were four of them: Carmenta, Egeria, Antevorta, and Postvorta.
* Candelifera – goddess of childbirth
* Cardea – goddess of health, thresholds and after being assigned by Janus, door hinges and handles.
* Carmenta – goddess of childbirth and prophecy
* Carmentes – two goddesses of childbirth: Antevorta and Postvorta or Porrima, future and past.
* Carna – goddess who presided over the heart and other organs
* Cinxia – goddess of marriage
* Clementia: goddess of forgiveness and mercy
* Clitunno – god of the Clitunno River
* Cloacina – goddess who presided over the system of sewers in Rome
* Concordia: goddess of agreement, understanding, and marital harmony
* Consus – chthonic god protecting grain storage
* Convector – god who oversaw the bringing in of the crops from the field
* Cuba – goddess of infants who was invoked by mothers to help their babies sleep
* Cunina – the protectress of infants
* Cura – goddess who created humans from clay
* Cybele – a goddess of caverns and mountains, walls and fortresses, nature, wild animals
* Cupid – Roman god of love. The son of Venus. Greek name is Eros
[edit] D
* Dea Dia – goddess of growth
* Dea Tacita (The Silent Goddess) – goddess of the dead; later equated with the earth goddess Larenta
* Decima – minor goddess and one of the Parcae (Roman equivalent of the Moirae). The measurer of the thread of life, her Greek equivalent was Lachesis
* Dei Lucrii – early gods of wealth, profit, commerce and trade. They were later subsumed by Mercury
* Devera or Deverra – goddess who ruled over the brooms used to purify temples in preparation for various worship services, sacrifices and celebrations; she protected midwives and women in labor
* Diana – virgin goddess of the hunt
* Diana Nemorensis – Local version of Diana
* Dius Fidus – god of oaths, associated with Jupiter
* Disciplina – personification of discipline
* Discordia – goddess of discord. Greek equivalent is Eris
* Dis Pater or Dispater – god of wealth and the underworld, later subsumed by Pluto and Jupiter
* Domiduca – goddess of protecting children on the way back to their parents’ home
* Domiducus – god who brought brides to their husbands’ houses.
* Domitius or Domidius – god who kept wives in their husbands’ homes
[edit] E
* Edusa – goddess of nourishment who guarded over children as they learned to eat solid foods
* Edesia – goddess of food who presided over banquets
* Egeria – water nymph/goddess, later considered one the Camenae
* Empanda – goddess of generosity and charity
* Epona – protector of horses, donkeys, mules
* Eventus Bonus – god of success in agriculture and commerce.
[edit] F
* Fabulinus – god of children, the god responsible for teaching children to speak.
* Fecunditas – goddess of fertility.
* Falacer – obscure god. He was assigned a flamen minor.
* Fama – goddess of fame and rumor.
* Fauna – goddess of vegetation. Also a title of other vegetative goddesses such as Bona Dea, Ops, and Terra.
* Faunus – god of flocks.
* Faustitas – goddess who protected herd and livestock.
* Febris – goddess who protected people against fevers and malaria.
* Felicitas – goddess of good luck and success.
* Ferentina – patron goddess of the city Ferentinum, Latium, protector of the Latin commonwealth.
* Feronia – rural goddess of woods and fountains.
* Fides – goddess of loyalty.
* Flora – goddess of flowers and the season of spring.
* Fontus – god of wells and springs.
* Fornax – goddess of bread and baking.
* Fortuna – goddess of luck, usually good luck. Also the goddess of fate.
* Fraus – goddess of treachery. Her Greek equivalent was Apate.
* Fulgora – personification of lightning.
* Furrina – goddess whose functions are mostly unknown; may be associated with water. One source claims she was a goddess of robbers and thieves. She was assigned a flamen minor. Name could also be Furina.
[edit] G
* Glycon – snake god. His cult originated in Macedonia.
* Gratiae – Roman term for the Charites or Graces
[edit] H
* Hercules – god of strength
* Hermaphroditus – god of sexuality
* Hermus – a river god with a sanctuary at Sardis
* Hespera – goddess of dusk
* Hilaritas – goddess of rejoicing and good humor
* Honos – god of military honours, chivalry and as once source claims, military justice
* Hora – Quirinus’ wife
[edit] I
* Imporcitor – god responsible for the harrowing of the fields. Minor attendant of Ceres
* Indiges – the deified Aeneas
* Insitor – god responsible for the sowing of crops
* Intercidona – minor goddess of childbirth; invoked to keep evil spirits away from the child; symbolised by a cleaver
* Inuus – god of fertility and sexual intercourse, protector of livestock
* Invidia – goddess of envy or jealousy
* Iris – goddess of the rainbow
[edit] J
* Justitia – goddess of justice
* Juturna- goddess of fountains, wells, and springs
* Juventas – goddess of youth
[edit] L
* Lactanus or Lactans – god that made the crops prosper or “yield milk”
* Larentina – goddess of death
* Lares – household gods
* Laverna – patroness of thieves, con men and charlatans
* Levana – goddess of newborn babies
* Liber – a god of fertility, assimilated with Dionysus
* Libera – a goddess of the earth.
* Liberalitas – goddess or personification of generosity
* Libertas – goddess of freedom
* Libitina – goddess of death, corpses and funerals (also Naenia)
* Lima – goddess of thresholds
* Lua – goddess to whom soldiers sacrificed captured weapons
* Lucina – goddess of childbirth
* Luna – goddess of the moon
* Lupercus – god of shepherds; a name for the Greek god Pan.
[edit] M
* Mana Genita – goddess who presided over burials, mother or leader of the manes
* Manes – the souls of the dead; came to be seen as household deities
* Mania – goddess of the dead and ruler of the underworld, wife of Mantus. Not to be confused with the Greek figure of the same name.
* Mantus – god of the dead and ruler of the underworld, husband of Mania.
* Mater Matuta – goddess of dawn and childbirth; also seen as patroness of mariners
* Mefitis or Mephitis – goddess and personification of poisonous gases and volcanic vapours.
* Mellona or Mellonia – goddess of bees and beekeeping
* Messor – minor agricultural god concerned with the growth and harvesting of crops; attendant of Ceres.
* Minerva – goddess of crafts and wisdom
* Mithras – god worshipped in the Roman empire; popular with soldiers
* Moneta – minor goddess of prosperity; the spirit of the mint. Also used as an epithet of Juno
* Mors – personification of death and equivalent of the Greek Thanatos.
* Morta – minor goddess of death and one of the Parcae (Roman equivalent of the Moirae). The cutter of the thread of life, her Greek equivalent was Atropos.
* Murtia or Murcia (“Of the Myrtle”)- a little-known goddess who was associated with the myrtle, and in other sources was called a goddess of sloth and laziness. Later equated with Venus in the form of Venus Murcia.
* Muta – goddess of silence.
* Mutunus Tutunus – god of fertility
[edit] N
* Naenia – goddess of funerals (also Libitina)
* Necessitas – goddess of destiny, the Roman equivalent of Ananke
* Nehalennia – Celtic goddess who protected of travelers, especially seagoing travelers
* Nemesis – goddess of revenge
* Nemestrinus – god of woods and forests
* Nerio – ancient war goddess and the personification of valor
* Nixi, also di nixi, dii nixi, or Nixae – goddesses of childbirth, called upon to protect women in labour
* Nodutus – god who made knots in stalks of wheat
* Nona – minor goddess, one of the Parcae (Roman equivalent of the Moirae). The spinner of the thread of life, her Greek equivalent was Clotho.
* Nox – goddess of night, derived from the Greek Nyx.
[edit] O
* Obarator – minor god of agriculture. Responsible for overseeing the top-dressing of crops.
* Occator – minor agricultural god responsible for the growth and harvesting of the crops; attendant of Ceres.
* Orchadis – minor god responsible for the olive groves; attendant of Ceres.
* Ops – goddess of fertility (more properly Opis)
* Orbona – goddess of children, especially orphans. She granted new children to those who had become childless
* Orcus – a god of the underworld and punisher of broken oaths
[edit] P
* Palatua – obscure goddess who guarded the Palatine Hill. She was assigned a Flamen Minore.
* Pales – deity of shepherds, flocks and livestock
* Parcae – personifications of destiny (Nona, Decima, and Morta)
* Partula or Parca – goddess of childbirth; determined the length of pregnancy.
* Patalena – goddess of flowers
* Paventia – goddess who comforted frightened children
* Pax – goddess of peace; equivalent of Greek Eirene.
* Penates or Di Penates – household gods
* Picumnus – minor god of fertility, agriculture, matrimony, infants and children
* Pietas – goddess of duty; personification of the Roman virtue pietas.
* Pilumnus – minor guardian god, concerned with the protection of infants at birth
* Poena – goddess of punishment
* Pomona – goddess of fruit trees, gardens and orchards
* Porus – god and personification of plenty
* Porrima – goddess of the future. Also called *Antevorta. One of the Carmentes or the Camenae
* Postverta – goddess of the past and one of the two Carmentes (other being Porrima)
* Potina – goddess of children’s drinks
* Priapus – localised god of the shade; worship derived from the Greek Priapus
* Promitor – minor agricultural god, responsible for the growth and harvesting of crops; attendant of Ceres.
* Prorsa Postverta – goddess of women in labor
* Proserpina – goddess of springtime
* Providentia – goddess of forethought
* Pudicita – goddess and personification of chastity, one of the Roman virtues. Her Greek equivalent was Aidôs.
* Puta – goddess of pruning vines and bushes
[edit] Q
* Quiritis – goddess of motherhood. Originally Sabine or pre-Roman, she was later equated with Juno.
[edit] R
* Redarator – minor god of agriculture, associated with the second ploughing
* Robigalia
* Robigo or Robiga – goddess of blight, who protected crops from disease. Sister of Robigus
* Robigus – god of blight, who protected crops from disease. Brother of Robigo.
* Roma – personification of the Roman state
* Rumina – goddess who protected breastfeeding mothers (also known as Diva Rumina)
* Runcina – minor goddess of agriculture, associated with reaping and weeding.
* Rusina – protector of the fields or farmland (also known as Rurina)
* Rusor – a minor agricultural god and attendant of Ceres
[edit] S
* Salacia- Goddess of seawater.
* Salus – goddess of the public welfare of the Roman people; came to be equated with the Greek Hygieia
* Sancus – god of loyalty, honesty, and oaths
* Sarritor or Saritor – minor god of agriculture, god of hoeing and weeding
* Securita or Securitas – goddess of security, especially the security of the Roman empire
* Semonia – goddess of sowing
* Sentia – goddess who oversaw children’s mental development
* Silvanus – minor god of woodlands and forests
* Sol Invictus – sun god
* Somnus – god of sleep; equates with the Greek Hypnos.
* Soranus – a god later subsumed by Apollo in the form Apollo Soranus.
* Sors – god of luck
* Spes – goddess of hope
* Spiniensis – minor agricultural god; prayed to when removing thorny bushes
* Stata Mater – goddess who protected against fires. Sometimes equated with Vesta
* Statanus – god also known as Statulinus or Statilinus. Presided over the child’s first attempt to stand up. Along with his wife Statina protected the children as they left home for the first time and returned.
* Statina – goddess who, along with her husband Statanus protected the childred as they left home for the first time and returned.
* Sterquilinus (“manure”) – god of fertilisation. Also known as Stercutus, Sterculius, Straculius, Struculius.
* Strenua or Strenia – goddess of strength and endurance
* Suadela- goddess of persuasion
* Summanus – god of nocturnal thunder
[edit] T
* Tempestas – goddess of storms
* Terra Mater or Tellus – goddess of the earth and land
* Terminus – the rustic god of boundaries
* Tiberinus – river god; deity of the Tiber river.
* Tibertus – god of the river Anio, a tributary of the Tiber
* Tranquillitas – goddess of peace and tranquility
* Trivia – goddess of magic
[edit] U
* Ubertas – minor agricultural goddess, associated with prosperity
* Unxia – minor goddess of marriage, concerned with anointing the bridegroom’s door
[edit] V
* Vacuna – ancient goddess who protected the farmers’ sheep and was later identified with Nike-Goddess of Victory and worshipped as a war-goddess.
* Vagitanus – minor god of children, guardian of the infant’s first cry at birth
* Vediovus or Veiovis – obscure god, a sort of anti-Jupiter. May be a god of the underworld
* Venti – the winds, equivalent to the Greek Anemoi. North wind: Aquilo(n) or Septentrio; South wind: Auster; East wind: Vulturnus; West wind: Favonius; North west wind: Caurus or Corus.
* Veritas – goddess and personification of the Roman virtue of veritas or truth.
* Verminus – god of cattle worms
* Vertumnus, Vortumnus or Vertimnus – god of the seasons, and of gardens and fruit trees
* Vervactor – minor agricultural god, deity of the first ploughing
* Vesta: virgin goddess of the hearth, home, and family
* Vica Pota – goddess of victory and competitions
* Victoria: goddess of victory
* Viduus – god who separated soul and body after death
* Virbius – a forest god, the reborn Hippolytus
* Viriplaca – goddess of marital strife
* Virtus – god or goddess of military strength, personification of the Roman virtue of virtus
* Volumna – goddess of nurseries
* Volturnus – god of the waters
* Voluptas – goddess of pleasure
[edit] Y
* Yafer – god of cattle and geese
Acan
The god of wine. His name means ‘groan.’
Ah Chuy Kak
A god of war.
Ah Ciliz
A god of solar eclipses.
Ah Mun *CHB*
A designation of the Maya maize god.
Ah Muzencab
The gods of bees.
Ah Pekku
The god of thunder.
Ah Puch
The god of Deaths
Ah Tabai
The god of the hunt.
Ah Uuc Ticab
A god of the Earth.
Ahau Chamahez
A god of medicine and good health.
Ajbit *PV*
One of the thirteen creator gods who helped construct humanity from maize.
Ajtzak *PV*
One of the thirteen creator gods who helped construct humanity from maize.
Akna
Meaning “Our mother,” a very general title applied, amongst others, to goddesses of fertility and childbirth.
Alom *PV*
A sky god and one of the creator deities who participated in the last two attempts at creating humanity.
Awilix *PV*
A moon goddess, patron of the Nija’ib’ lineage of the K’iche’.
[edit] B
Bacab *L* [god N]
Old god of the interior of the earth and of thunder, sky-carrier, fourfold.
Balam
Any of a group of jaguar gods who protected people and communities.
Bitol *PV*
A sky god and one of the creator deities who participated in the last two attempts at creating humanity.
Bolon Ts’akab (Dzacab) *L* (god K)
Ah Bolon Dzacab ‘Innumerable Generations’, the Lightning god, patron of the harvest and the seeds.
Bolontiku *CHB*
A group of nine underworld gods.
Buluc Chabtan [god F]
War god.
[edit] C
Cabrakan *PV*
A god of mountains and earthquakes. He was a son of Vucub Caquix and Chimalmat.
Cacoch *LAC*
A creator god.
Camazotz *PV*
Bat god, tries to kill the Hero Twins
Can Tzicnal *L*
Bacab of the north, is assigned the color white, and the Muluc years, son of Itzamna and Ixchel.
Chac *L*
The god of Rain and Thunder
Chac Uayab Xoc *L*
A fish god and the patron deity of fishermen. He blessed their catches, yet also ate them if they drowned.
Chicchan
A group of four Chorti rain gods who live in lakes and make rain clouds from the water in those lakes. Each of the rain gods was associated with a cardinal direction, similar to the Bacabs. Chiccan was also the name of a day in the Tzolkin cycle of the maya calendar.
Cit-Bolon-Tum
A god of medicine and healing.
Chimalmat *PV*
A giant who, by Vucub Caquix, was the mother of Cabrakan and Zipacna.
Cizin
A god of death who lived in Metnal.
Colel Cab
Mistress of the Bees
Colop U Uichkin *RITUAL OF THE BACABS*
An eclipse deity.
Coyopa
The god of thunder and brother of Cakulha.
Cum Hau
A god of death and the underworld.
[edit] E
Ekchuah
Also spelled Ek Chuah, the “black war chief” was the patron god of warriors and merchants, depicted carrying a bag over his shoulder. In art, he was a dark-skinned man with circles around his eyes, a scorpion tail and dangling lower lip. In early modern studies of Maya art and iconography, he was sometimes referred to as God M before his identity was firmly established.
[edit] G
Gukumatz *PV*
Feathered Snake god and creator. The depiction of the feathered serpent deity is present in other cultures of Mesoamerica. Gukumatz of the K’iche’ Maya is closely related to the god Kukulkan of Yucatán and to Quetzalcoatl of the Aztec.
[edit] H
Hacha’kyum *LAC*
Worshipped by the Lacandon people as their patron deity.
Hobnil *L*
Bacab of the east.
Hozanek *L*
Bacab of the south; the ek element in the name may refer to a star or constellation.
Hun Came *PV*
A demonic lord of the underworld (Xibalba) who, along with Vucub Caquix, killed Hun Hunahpu. They were killed in turn by the latter’s sons, the Maya Hero Twins.
Hun Hunahpu *PV*
The father of the Maya Hero Twins Ixbalanque and Hun-Apu by a virgin. Beheaded in Xibalba, the underworld, by the rulers of Xibalba, Hun Came and Vucub Caquix. His sons avenged his death.
Hunab Ku
‘Sole God’, identical with Itzamna as the highest Yucatec god; or a more abstract upper god.
Hunahpu *PV*
One of the Maya Hero Twins.
Hunahpu-Gutch *PV*
One of the thirteen creator gods who helped create humanity.
Hunahpu Utiu *PV*
One of the thirteen creator gods who helped create humanity.
Hun-nal-ye
Hypothetical hieroglyphic reading of the name of the Classic Maya maize god
Huraqan *PV*
‘One-Leg’, one of three lightning gods together called ‘Heart of the Sky’, and acting as world creators.
[edit] I
Itzamna
The founder of the Maya culture, he taught his people to grow maize and cacao, as well as writing, calendars and medicine. Once mentioned as the father of the Bacabs. Connected to Kinich Ahau and Hunab Ku. The city of Izamal was sacred to him.
Itzananohk’u
A patron god of the Lacandon people.
Ixbalanque > Xbalanque
Ixchel *L* [goddess O]
Jaguar goddess of midwifery and medicine.
Ixmucane *PV*
One of the thirteen creator gods who helped create humanity.
Ixpiyacoc *PV*
One of the thirteen creator gods who helped create humanity.
Ixtab *L*
Goddess of suicide.
Ixazaluoh
A goddess of water and weaving.
[edit] J
Jacawitz *PV*
Mountain god and patron of the Ajaw K’iche’ noble lineage.
[edit] K
Kauil (Kawil, K’awiil)
Assumed to have been the Classic name of god K (Bolon Dzacab). Title attested for Itzamna, Uaxac Yol, and Amaite Ku; family name; probably not meaning ‘food’, but ‘powerful’.
Kinich Ahau *L*
The solar deity.
Kinich Kakmo
A solar deity represented by a macaw, patron of Izamal (Yucatan).
Kukulkán
The plummed serpent. A Mayan aspect of the Mesoamerican traditional God Quetzalcoatl.
[edit] N
Nohochacyum *LAC*
A creator god, most important deity of the Lacandon. His name means “Our True Lord”.
[edit] O
Oxlahuntiku *CHB*
‘Thirteen Gods’, possibly sky gods, opposed to Bolontiku. Mentioned in an eschatological passage.
[edit] P
[edit] Q
Qaholom *PV*
one of the second set of creator gods.
[edit] R
[edit] S
sitlolik– Godess of light.
[edit] T
Tepeu *PV*
A sky god and one of the creator deities who participated in all three attempts at creating humanity.
Tohil *PV*
Tohil was a patron deity of the K’iche’. There was a great temple to him at their ancient capital of Q’umarkaj.
[edit] U
[edit] V
Votan
legendary ancestral deity, Chiapas.
Vucub-Caquix *PV*
Bird demon, severs arm of Hero Twin, wife is Chimalmat, sons the demonic giants Cabrakan and Zipacna.
[edit] X
Xaman Ek
god of travelers and merchants, who gave offerings to him on the side of roads while traveling.
Xbalanque *PV* [god CH]
War Twin, one of the Hero Twins, companion to Hunahpu
Xmucane and Xpiayoc *PV*
A creator god couple which helped create the first humans. They are also the parents of Hun Hunahpu and Vucub Hunahpu. They were called Grandmother of Day, Grandmother of Light and Bearer twice over, begetter twice over and given the titles midwife and matchmaker.
[edit] Y
Yaluk
One of four Mopan ‘Grandfathers’ of the earth and chief lightning god.
Yum Kaax
God of the woods, of wild nature, and of the hunt; invoked before carving out a maize field from the wilderness.
[edit] Z
Zac Cimi *L*
Bacab of the west.
Zipacna *PV*
Demonic personification of the earth crust.
* Abandinus, possibly a river-god
* Abellio (Abelio, Abelionni), god of apple trees
* Alaunus (Fin), sun god
* Alisanos (Alisaunus)
* Ambisagrus, a god of thunder and lightning
* Anextiomarus (Anextlomarus, Anextlomara), a sun god
* Atepomarus, a sun god
* Arvernus, a tribal god
* Arausio, a god of water
* Barinthus (Manannán mac Lir), a god of the sea and water
* Belatu-Cadros (Belatucadros, Belatucadrus,
Balatocadrus, Balatucadrus, Balaticaurus,
Balatucairus, Baliticaurus, Belatucairus,
Belatugagus, Belleticaurus, Blatucadrus,
and Blatucairus), a god of war
* Belenus (Belinus, Belenos, Belinos, Belinu, Belanu, Bellinus, Belus, Bel), a sun god.
* Borvo (Bormo, Bormanus), a god of mineral and hot springs
* Buxenus, a god of box trees
* Camulos (Camulus, Camulos), a god of war
* Canetonnessis
* Cernunnos, a horned god
* Cicolluis
* Cimbrianus
* Cissonius (Cisonius, Cesonius), a god of trade
* Mars Cnabetius, a god of war[1]
* Cocidius, a god of war
* Condatis, a god of the confluences of rivers
* Contrebis (Contrebis, Contrebus), a god of a city
* Dii Casses
* Dis Pater (Dispater), a god of the underworld
* Esus (Hesus)
* Fagus, a god of beech trees
* Genii Cucullati, Hooded Spirits
* Grannos, a god of healing and mineral springs
* Icaunus, a god of a river
* Intarabus
* Iovantucarus, a protector of youth
* Lenus, a healing god
* Leucetios (Leucetius), a god of thunder
* Lugus, creation and learning
* Luxovius (Luxovius), a god of a city’s water
* Maponos (Maponus), a god of youth
* Mogons (Moguns)
* Moritasgus, a sun god
* Mullo
* Nemausus, a god worshipped at Nîmes
* Nerius
* Nodens (Nudens, Nodons), a god of healing, the sea, hunting and dogs
* Ogmios
* Robur, a god of oak trees
* Rudianos, a god of war
* Segomo, a god of war
* Smertrios (Smertios, Smertrius), a god of war
* Sucellos (Sucellus, Sucellos), a god of love and time
* Taranis, a god of thunder
* Toutatis (Caturix, Teutates), a tribal god
* Veteris (Vitiris, Vheteris, Huetiris, Hueteris)
* Virotutis, a sun god
* Visucius
* Vindonnus, a sun god
* Vinotonus
* Vosegus, a god of the Vosges
[edit] Female
* Abnoba, a goddess of rivers and forests
* Adsullata, goddess of the River Savus
* Aericura
* Agrona, a goddess of war
* Ancamna, a water goddess
* Andarta, a goddess of war
* Andraste, goddess of victory
* Arduinna, goddess of the Ardennes Forest
* Aufaniae
* Arnemetia, a water goddess
* Artio, goddess of the bear
* Aventia
* Aveta, a mother goddess, associated with the fresh-water spring at Trier in what is now Germany
* Belisama, lakes and rivers, fire, crafts and light, consort of Belenus
* Brigantia
* Britannia, originally a personification of the island, later made into a goddess
* Camma
* Campestres
* Clota, patron goddess of the River Clyde
* Coventina, goddess of wells and springs
* Damara, a fertility goddess
* Damona, consort of Apollo Borvo and of Apollo Moritasgus
* Dea Matrona, “divine mother goddess” and goddess of the river Marne in Gaul
* Dea Sequana, goddess of the river Seine
* Debranua, a goddess of speed and fat
* Epona, fertility goddess, protector of horses, donkeys, and mules
* Erecura, earth goddess
* Icovellauna, a water goddess
* Litavis
* Mairiae
* Nantosuelta, goddess of nature, the earth, fire, and fertility in Gaul
* Nemetona
* Ritona (Pritona), goddess of fords
* Rosmerta, goddess of fertility and abundance
* Sabrina, goddess of the River Severn
* Senua
* Sequana, goddess of the river Seine
* Sirona, goddess of healing
* Suleviae, a triune version of Sulis
* Sulis, a nourishing, life-giving mother goddess and an agent of curses
* Tamesis, goddess of the River Thames
* Verbeia, goddess of the River Wharfe
# Wōdanaz, “lord of poetic/mantic inspiration”, “Germanic Mercury”, Norse Óðinn (Odin), Old English Woden, Old High German Wuotan.
# Þunraz, “thunder”, “Germanic Jupiter”, Norse Þórr(Thor), West Germanic Donar, Old English Thunor.
# Teiwaz, god of war, “Germanic Mars”, Norse Tyr, Old English Tiw, Old High German Ziu, continues Indo-European Dyeus.
# Nerþuz, described by Tacitus as Mother Earth, continued in Norse Njord.
# Frijjō, wife of Wodanaz, Old English Frige, Norse Frigg. “wife”, c.f. Sanskrit priyā “mistress, wife”
# Frijja, daughter of Njord. Norse Freyja, Old High German Frouwa, Old English Freo. “lady”, c.f. Gothic Fráujo “lady, mistress”, German “Frau”, Swedish “Fru”
# Fullō goddess, or *Fullaz, god of riches, plenty. Corresponds to Norse Fulla.
# Ermunaz, Saxon god (speculative, based on Nennius’ Armenon). The word means “strong” or “exalted” (Old High German ermen, Old Norse jǫrmun, Old English Eormen)
# Wulþuz, “glorious one”, possibly originally an epitheton, mentioned on the Thorsberg chape, continued in Norse Ullr
# Wurdiz, “fate”, Norse Urd, Old English Wyrd.
# Sōwilō
Akan
* Brekyirihunuade, “he who knows and sees everything.”
* Kwaku Ananse, a trickster god.
[edit] Ashanti
* Anansi – Depicted in numerous forms: a spider, a human or combinations thereof. Known as a trickster.
* Asase Ya – Earth goddess of fertility
* Bia – Personification of violence
* Nyame – Means “God” in the ashanti language.
[edit] Bushmen
* Cagn – supreme god
[edit] Dahomey
* Agé
* Ayaba
* Da
* Gbadu
* Gleti
* Gu
* Lisa
* Loko
* Mawu
* Nana Buluku
* Sakpata
* Sogbo
* Xevioso
* Zinsi
* Zinsu
[edit] Efik
* Abassi
* Atai
[edit] Igbo
* Aha Njoku
* Ala
* Amadioha
[edit] Khoikhoi
* Gamab
* Heitsi-eibib
* Tsui’goab
[edit] Lugbara
* Adroa
* Adroanzi
[edit] !Xũ
* Mantis
* Prishiboro
[edit] Lotuko
* Ajok
[edit] Pygmy
* Arebati
* Khonvoum
* Tore
[edit] Tumbuka
* Chiuta
[edit] Yoruba
Main article: Yoruba deities
* Babalu Aye – deity of disease and illness.
* Eshu messenger between human and divine, god of crossroads
* Nana – female deity of creation, sky mother, associated with the moon.
* Obatala father of orishas and humankind
* Ogoun deity of iron, war, labour, and technology
* Olorun creator of the universe, sky father
* Orunmila – deity of wisdom, divination and foresight
* Oshun goddess of rivers, love, fertility, and art
* Oxossi hunter and the scout of the orishas
* Oya warrior goddess of wind, hurricanes, and underworld gates
* Shango warrior god of thunder, fire, sky father
* Iemanja divine mother goddess, divine goddess of the sea and Mother of mankind
* Ozain He owns the Omiero, a holy liquid consisting of many herbs, liquid through which all Saints and ceremonies have to go through. Ozain owns the herbs, is a natural healer.
* Agayu – Father of Shango he is also said to be shango’s brother in other stories, Agayu is said to be the orisha of volcanoes and the desert.
* Osun – ruler of the head, Ori
Shinto
The following is a list of some of the major and minor deities in Shinto. As it is often said that there are Yaoyorozu-no-Kami(八百万の神) or 8 million kami (a representation of an infinite number), it would be impossible to list them all.
[edit] Major kami
Ame-no-Uzume (天宇受売命 or 天鈿女命)
Commonly called Uzume, she is the goddess of dawn and revelry, instrumental to the “missing sun legend” in Shinto. She is also known as The Great Persuader and The Heavenly Alarming Female.
Amaterasu-Ō-Mi-Kami (天照大神 or 天照大御神)
Commonly called Amaterasu, she is the goddess of the sun as well as the purported ancestress of the Imperial Household of Japan. Her full name means “Great Goddess” or “Great Spirit Who Shines in the Heavens”; she may also be referred to as Ōhiru-menomuchi-no-kami (大日孁貴神). Due to her ties to the Imperial family, she is often considered (though not official) to be the “primary god” of Shinto.
Ame-no-Koyane (天児屋命 or 天児屋根命)
A male deity, he is considered the “First in Charge of Divine Affairs”, as well as the aide to the first Emperor of Japan [1]. He is also considered to be the ancestor of the Fujiwara family.
Fūjin (風神)
Also known as Kami-no-Kaze, he is the Japanese god of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto gods, said to be present at the creation of the world. He is often depicted as an oni with a bag slung over his back.
Hachiman (八幡神)
Also known as Hachiman-shin or Yawata no Kami, he is the god of war and the divine protector of Japan and its people. Originally an agricultural deity, he later became the guardian of the Minamoto clan. His symbolic animal and messenger is the dove.
Inari (稲荷)
The god or goddess of rice and fertility. His/her messengers and symbolic animal are foxes. He/she is often identified with the Buddhist deity Dakiniten. Though traditionally represented as a male[citation needed], there are records of Inari appearing as a female as well. (Note: traditions regarding Inari’s gender and appearance vary from place to place.)
Izanagi (伊弊諾 or 伊邪那岐)
The forefather of the gods, he is the first male as well as the god of creation and life. He and his wife, Izanami, were responsible for the birth of the islands of Japan and many kami, though she died in childbirth. Later, after his failed attempt to retrieve her from the underworld, he sired Amaterasu, Susano and Tsukuyomi.
Izanami (伊弉冉 or 伊邪那美)
Izanagi’s wife and sister, she is the first female as well as the goddess of creation and death. She died shortly after the birth of Kagu-tsuchi, and Izanagi followed her to the underworld, but failed to bring her back to the living world. A marital spat between the pair caused the cycle of life and death for all living beings.
Ninigi-no-Mikoto (瓊瓊杵尊)
Commonly called Ninigi, he was the grandson of Amaterasu. His great-grandson was Kamuyamato Iwarebiko, later to be known as Emperor Jimmu, first emperor of Japan.
Omoikane （思兼）
The deity of wisdom and intelligence, who is always called upon to “ponder” and give good counsel in the deliberations of the heavenly deities.
Raijin (雷神)
Commonly called Raiden (雷電), he is the god of thunder and lightning, and is often paired with Fūjin. As with the latter, Raijin is usually depicted as an oni.
Ryūjin (龍神)
Also known as Ōwatatsumi, he is a dragon, as well as god of the sea. He resides in Ryūgū-jō, his palace under the sea built out of red and white coral, from where he controlled the tides with magical tide jewels. His great-grandson would become Emperor Jimmu.
Sukuna-Biko-Na （少名毘古那）
A small deity of medicine and rain, who created and solidified the land with Ōkuninushi.
Susanoo-no-Mikoto (須佐之男命)
Alternately romanized as Susano-o, Susa-no-o, and Susanowo. He is the god of storms as well as in some cases the god of the sea. He is also somewhat of a trickster god, as Japanese mythology extensively documents the “sibling rivalry” between him and Amaterasu. Susanoo also was responsible for the slaying of the monster Yamata-no-Orochi and the subsequent discovery of the sacred sword Kusanagi.
Tenjin (天神)
The god of scholarship, he is the deified Sugawara no Michizane (845–cl903), who was elevated to his position after dying in exile and subsequent disasters in Heiankyo were attributed to his angered spirit.
Toyotama-hime (豊玉姫)
Also known as Otohime (乙姫), she was the daughter of Ryūjin and the grandmother of Jimmu. It is said that after she gave birth to her son, she turned into a dragon and disappeared.
Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto (月読の命 or 月夜見の尊)
Also known as Tsukiyomi, Tsuki no Kami, Tsukiyomino Mikoto, and Tsukiyumi no Mikoto, he is the god of the moon. He killed the goddess of food, Uke Mochi, out of disgust and anger in the way she had prepared a meal. This caused Amaterasu to never face him again, causing the sun and moon to be in different parts of the sky.
[edit] Minor kami
* Amatsu-Mikaboshi (天津甕星), the kami of all evil and stars who existed before the Kotoamatsukami.
* Konohanasakuya-hime (木花之開耶姫), the wife of Ninigi and daughter of Ohoyamatsumi, and great-grandmother of Jimmu. She is also known as the goddess of Mount Fuji. She is also known by the name Sengen.
* Ōhoyamatsumi (大山積命), an elder brother of Amaterasu, and an important god who rules mountain, sea, and war, as well as the father of Konohanasakuya-hime.
* Sarutahiko Ōkami (猿田毘古神), a kami of the Earth that guided Ninigi to the Japanese islands.
* Uke Mochi (保食神), sometimes called Ogetsu-hime-no-Kami, a goddess of food. After she had spat a fish, vomited or defecated game and coughed rice, she had been killed by a disgusted Tsukuyomi, or in some other versions, Susanoo.
[edit] Buddhism
Amida Nyorai (無量光佛 or 無量壽佛)
Commonly referred to as Amida-butsu (阿弥陀如来), he is the primary Buddha of the Pure Land school of Buddhism. He is also believed to be a Buddha who possesses infinite meritorious qualities; who expounds the dharma in his pure paradise and is likely the most well known and popular of the Five Wisdom Buddhas.
Daruma (ダルマ)
He is traditionally held in Buddhist mythology to be the founder of Zen Buddhism, as well as the founder of Shaolin. One legend reports that after years of meditation, Bodhidharma lost the usage of his eyes and appendages. The Daruma doll was created in honor of this legend.
[edit] The Seven Lucky Gods
Main article: Seven Lucky Gods
Benzaiten (弁才天 or 弁財天)
Also known as Benten, she is the goddess of everything that flows: words (and knowledge, by extension), speech, eloquence, and music. Said to be the third daughter of the dragon-king of Munetsuchi, over the course of years she has gone from being a protective deity of Japan to one who bestows good fortune upon the state and its people.Derived from the equivalent goddess in Hinduism Goddess Saraswati.
Bishamonten (毘沙門天)
Also called Bishamon or Tamonten, he is the god of fortunate warriors and guards, as well as the punisher of criminals. Said to live halfway down the side of Mount Sumeru, the small pagoda he carries symbolizes the divine treasure house that he both guards and gives away its contents.
Daikokuten (大黒天)
Often shortened to simply Daikoku, he is variously considered to be the god of wealth (more specifically, the harvest), or of the household (particularly the kitchen). He is recognised by his wide face, smile, and flat black hat. He is often portrayed holding a golden mallet, seated on bales of rice, with mice nearby (which signify plentiful food).
Ebisu (恵比須, 恵比寿, 夷 or 戎)
The sole member of the gods believed to have originated in Japan, he was originally known as Hiruko (蛭子), the first child of Izanagi and Izanami. Said to be born without bones, he eventually overcame his handicaps to become the mirthful and auspicious Ebisu (hence one of his titles, “The Laughing God”). He is often depicted holding a rod and a large red bream or sea bass. Jellyfish are also associated with this god and the fugu restaurants of Japan will often incorporate Yebisu in their motif.
Fukurokuju (福禄寿)
Often confused with Jurōjin, he is the god of wisdom and longevity and said to be an incarnation of the Southern Polestar. He is accompanied by a crane and a turtle, which are considered to be symbols of longevity, and also sometimes accompanied by a black deer. The sacred book tied to his staff is said to contain the lifespan of every person on Earth.
Hotei (布袋)
Best known in the Western world as the Laughing Buddha, Hotei is likely the most popular of the gods. His image graces many temples, restaurants, and amulets. Originally based on a Chinese Chan monk, Hotei has become a deity of contentment and abundance.
Jurōjin (寿老人)
Also known as Gama, he represents longevity. He is often seen with a fan and a stave, and accompanied by a black deer.
Kichijōten (吉祥天)
Also known as Kisshōten or Kudokuten, she is the “eighth” member of the Seven Gods of Fortune, a Taoist deity often combined with the traditional members. She is considered to be the goddess of happiness, fertility, and beauty.
——————————————————————————————————————————
*All of these have been copied and pasted out of wikipedia
I know that this will complete destroy the forums layout but i think the point it makes is clear.
WHY DON’T YOU BELIEVE IN ALL OF THESE GODS? These gods can be argued for as convincingly as your god can.
Unfortunately, especially of late, some members of society seem to be confusing healthy criticism of religious extremism, with religious extremism: accusing non-believers of being no different. This isn’t the case. Despite the fact that non-believers sometimes come across as “strident” when criticising religious extremism, it remains a healthy reaction to the oppressive, violent nature of religious extremism.
Unlike religious extremists, non-believers also seem unwilling to lend a hand to violence to get their message across. If anything, this is a good indication they remain in control of their faculties.
:)
Thanks for turning me on to this comic. I thought this strip was pretty awesome as well
The Demon-Haunted World
that’s a good one too. I read CoN regularly and somehow missed this one, thanks
In my observable world, there is no god present. There are amazing things, but none defy description, and given time and effort, the cause of most things becomes clear.
Most atheists I am aware of are so for a lack of evidence of god(s). Most do not anchor their atheism in science, but rather use science as a logical tool to discern and decipher the world around them.
I think its safe to say that no reasonable scientist, let alone atheist, treats anything in science as fundamental. We accept certain premises as we move forward, but if in so doing, we discover evidence that suggests our premises is incorrect, we examine the validity of those things we accepted as givens from the get-go.
In true science, as in atheism, there are no givens, no sacred calves. Everything is subject to scrutiny and debate, so long as it helps advance human understanding of our world.
“Atheist Fundamentalist” is intended largely as a joke. Most Christians I know that use it know that it doesn’t actually make sense. It’s used to describe New Atheists who either are atheists because of fallacious arguments (Richard Dawkins, the blog Common Sense Atheism has a good critique of one of his major ones) or who want to go wholesale after religion the way Fundamentalist Christians want to go wholesale after atheists. Its making fun of the fanaticism, which gets absurd on both sides. Get a sense of humor, atheists.
A god’s existence is irrelevant to your right to freedom of conscience
The US Constitution guarantees a radical freedom which millions of Americans would deny to all of us — freedom of conscience. Even should some “god” exist, as claimed by theism or by deism, we have the sovereign right to reject any claim that “It” must be acknowledged, accepted, or worshiped.
Disbelief, as a form of a psychological attitude toward some claim, does not require any evidence. However, I can offer reasons for disbelief. For example, I may find evidence more than sufficient to show that your scriptural god is unworthy of my belief — for example, just by sensing “his” androcentrism, it’s obvious that “he” stinks. And despite alleged metaphysical consequences, I’m quite prepared to go to some xian hell, a location where I will be rid of all “good” xians.
• a thought experiment in freedom of conscience you can try alone at home
Dare to exercise your rights to disbelief and to be free from religion. Consider, if you can, the import of any supernatural claim should it be false. There would be no supernatural agents, locations, states, or events of any kind whatsoever:
1. No supernatural agents: minds, souls, spirits, ghosts, godlings, gods, God (Allah, YHVH), cosmic soul, absolute.
2. No supernatural locations: hell, purgatory, heaven, buddha realms, moral world order, transcendental existence
3. No supernatural states: the numinous, sin, grace, revelation, illumination, nirvana, buddha mind.
4. No supernatural events: mysterium tremendum, redemption, rapture, mystical union, karma, or reincarnation.
Atheism is too weak a stance — that’s why I’m the anti_supernaturalist. The de-deification of western culture (including law and the sciences) is our task for the next 100 years.
The US Constitution guarantees a radical freedom which millions of Americans would deny to all of us — freedom of conscience.
It does? Where?
I have heard “fundamentalist atheists” and related comments (“atheism is a religion!” “you need even more faith to be an atheist than anything else!” “atheism is a radical religion!”) many, many times, Aeiluindae. Not as a joke but from extremely serious fundamentalist Christians. I’m sure there are many references of the term that are tongue-in-cheek but discussions of the term here are not in response to that select few.