Did Zeus Exist? (NYTimes article)

Kind of doubt I'll get many takers on this but NYTimes has a good article on Zeus and whether he existed or not.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/did-zeus-exist/?hp

It sounds crazy, but what he discusses is why fairly intelligent greeks at the time, who demanded quite a bit of evidence, still considered the greek gods to be real, etc.

I'd not seen this type of discussion before. Of course, I've never met a person who thought Zeus was real either.

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George Somsel

Kind of doubt I'll get many takers on this but NYTimes has a good article on Zeus and whether he existed or not.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/did-zeus-exist/?hp

It sounds crazy, but what he discusses is why fairly intelligent greeks at the time, who demanded quite a bit of evidence, still considered the greek gods to be real, etc.

I'd not seen this type of discussion before. Of course, I've never met a person who thought Zeus was real either.

In Latin you get Jupiter < Zeus Pater < Proto-European. It simply means Father God. I would recommend reading Guthrie The Greeks and their Gods (I think this is the book). In spite of the fact that I'm 38, it's been 50 years since I read that, but I found it quite interesting at the time.

JT (alabama24)

Wow Denise! This is really starting to make a lot of sense to me now. The author is a professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. The most famous football player from ND last season was Manti Te'o. Both have tried to convince the public that their nonexistent friends were real. [:P]

Mike Childs

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/511618#Comment_511618

Wow Denise! This is really starting to make a lot of sense to me now. The author is a professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. The most famous football player from ND last season was Manti Te'o. Both have tried to convince the public that their nonexistent friends were real.

Excuse my dear friend's football analogy. It is that time of year. More folks in South believe in "Bear" than in Zeus, and we think Mount Olympus is a fraternity in Tuscaloosa. Of course, personally, I consider Bama football to be a false religion, and Ole Miss football to be a mythical religion, and Mississippi State Football to be an absolute miracle.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/511618#Comment_511618

Both have tried to convince the public that their nonexistent friends were real.

Now, Alabama, do you REALLY want to argue that divinity does not exist (atheism) is a better position than agnostic (I don't or can't know)? Unfortunately, my Logos is lacking appropriate resources:

Deacon Steve

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/511618#Comment_511618

Wow Denise! This is really starting to make a lot of sense to me now.

Whaaat? [:S]

EDIT: Sorry, I forgot something ... [:^)]

SECOND EDIT: MJ ... Whaaat? [:S]

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/511687#Comment_511687

SECOND EDIT: MJ ... Whaaat?

I read the article as a solid critique of atheism using Zeus as a specific case but intending that the reader extend the argument to Yahweh. Maybe its a Catholic thing.[;)]

Mike Childs

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/511703#Comment_511703

SECOND EDIT: MJ ... Whaaat?

I read the article as a solid critique of atheism using Zeus as a specific case but intending that the reader extend the argument to Yahweh. Maybe its a Catholic thing.

And I think you are absolutely correct. That is how I take it. It certainly makes the case for Theism.

Robert M. Warren

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/511618#Comment_511618

nonexistent friends

Tuscaloosa: Home of National Titles and real girlfriends.

Butters

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/511706#Comment_511706

SECOND EDIT: MJ ... Whaaat?

I read the article as a solid critique of atheism using Zeus as a specific case but intending that the reader extend the argument to Yahweh. Maybe its a Catholic thing.

And I think you are absolutely correct. That is how I take it. It certainly makes the case for Theism.

I completely concur with that.

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/511703#Comment_511703

I read the article as a solid critique of atheism

I read the article as an argument for agnosticism over and above atheism. We can't know that Zeus does exist, but we can't know that he doesn't either.

Gabe Martini (Faithlife)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/511660#Comment_511660

Excuse my dear friend's football analogy. It is that time of year. More folks in South believe in "Bear" than in Zeus, and we think Mount Olympus is a fraternity in Tuscaloosa. Of course, personally, I consider Bama football to be a false religion, and Ole Miss football to be a mythical religion, and Mississippi State Football to be an absolute miracle.

Wooooo! Pig! Sooie! Razorbacks!

George Somsel

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/511735#Comment_511735

Excuse my dear friend's football analogy. It is that time of year. More folks in South believe in "Bear" than in Zeus, and we think Mount Olympus is a fraternity in Tuscaloosa. Of course, personally, I consider Bama football to be a false religion, and Ole Miss football to be a mythical religion, and Mississippi State Football to be an absolute miracle.

Wooooo! Pig! Sooie! Razorbacks!

Why would Southerners like the Chicago Bears so much? [6]