I use the term "Chrisitan Mythology. I also use the term “Christian pantheon” to describe that group of beings. The only reason someone would have to raise their hackles is if they were working from the root assumption that their’s is the only one true Religion, but everyone ELSE’S religion is just mythology.
An atheist offended by the notion that Christianity is not true?
::scratches head::
What kind of “atheist” is he?
When I saw the title of this thread I thought:
**[ul][li]Joseph Campbell[/ul] **[/li]
If you don’t know why, you need to do some research. :wally
As GOM suggested, I suspect he ain’t one.
If I may offer a countervailing point on that question, I’ve had a number of people who have themselves rejected any connection with Christianity and allegedly with God generally, who for one reason or another get mortally offended at the idea that my belief in God and in Jesus Christ does not depend on a literal acceptance of Scripture. I’ve never been able to grasp exactly why they have that attitude, but it’s happened.
By the same token, I could understand someone who himself claimed to be an atheist considering that to call Christianity “mythology” is to mock it – and, by implication, Christians – and, being a good humanist, offended in their behalf.
I suspect, though, with GOM and Andros, that there is indeed more than meets the eye in this situation. But I felt it only fair to post the above as offering possible insight.
Of course, even in terms of that definition it’s a fair challenge. It’s up to the believers to show that a given myth is true. Instead, they increasingly rely on taking offense and playing the vicitm as a debating tactic.