Mythical being
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{{wikipedia|Legendary creature}} | {{wikipedia|Legendary creature}} | ||
| − | A '''mythical creature''' is a fictional living thing, usually an animal or animal-like organism, that exists only in [[mythology]] or [[folklore]]. | + | A '''mythical creature''' is a fictional living thing, usually an animal or animal-like organism, that exists only in [[mythology]] or [[folklore]]. Sometimes these creatures have [[magic]]al powers, sometimes not. |
Examples of (mostly) non-religious, mythical creatures include: | Examples of (mostly) non-religious, mythical creatures include: | ||
Revision as of 13:14, 8 December 2006
For more information, see the Wikipedia article:
A mythical creature is a fictional living thing, usually an animal or animal-like organism, that exists only in mythology or folklore. Sometimes these creatures have magical powers, sometimes not.
Examples of (mostly) non-religious, mythical creatures include:
Because most theists agree that non-religious mythical creatures do not really exist, they often serve as good substitutes for God (or angels, etc.) in counter-apologetics, either to show the weakness of a theist's argument, or to show the reasonableness of a corresponding counter-argument — especially in the context of the reasonableness of belief without evidence, or the nature of burden of proof when applied to issues of existence.
Example
- Atheist: "Do you believe in leprechauns?"
- Theist: "No."
- Atheist: "Why not?"
- Theist: "Because they obviously don't exist."
- Atheist: "Prove it."
- Theist: "I don't have to! No one really believes in leprechauns."
- Aheist: "Do you have evidence that they don't exist?"
- Theist: "No, but you don't have evidence that they do."
- Aheist: "You're right. But why not believe in them anyway, since we don't have good evidence either way?"
- (and so forth...)