what is the correct definition for the word heathen?

Answer 1

Heathen - hea·then - [hee-thuhn]
1. an unconverted individual of a people that do not acknowledge the God of the Bible; a person who is neither a Jew, Christian, nor Muslim; pagan.
2. an irreligious, uncultured, or uncivilized person.
–adjective
3. of or pertaining to heathens; pagan.
4. irreligious, uncultured, or uncivilized.
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—Synonyms - Heathenish, barbarous. Heathen, pagan are both applied to peoples who are not Christian, Jewish, or Muslim. Heathen is often distinctively applied to unenlightened or barbaric idolaters, esp. to primitive or ancient tribes: heathen rites, idols. Pagan, though applied to any of the peoples not worshiping according to the three religions mentioned above, is most frequently used in speaking of the ancient Greeks and Romans: a pagan poem; a pagan civilization.
Philistine; savage.
—Antonyms - Sophisticated, urbane, cultured.

Answer 2

As I recall, Heathan is based off of an old language (gothic or greek or something) and meant someone who lived in the heath, or outside of the major cities. Same as pagan, latin for country bumbkin, pretty much. These terms originated when the people in the city were all worshipping the same modern Gods, largely Mithras and then the Christ God. The people out in the sticks still worshipped Epona and Tyr and such. Even in the Middle Ages, Lithuania and Scandinavia were pagan for awhile, and some rustic places in Russian and Britain still had very pagan kind of ideas (all the faeries for instance) until the 1900s or so. My friends Mom who is from Russia still bribes boggarts or something when she loses stuff. So its a derogatory word for someone not of a dominant faith and has also developed into something to call would be witchs and such. Some people nowadays like to call themselves heathans, namely Asatru (worshippers of the Aesir, the Viking gods) and Wiccans and those who trace their gods to the old Heathan gods.

Answer 3

Seems you let your venom run your brain. The only part of that rant that is true is that I don't believe in supernatural stuff, including ghosts and such... and yes, you are a liar. To respond to specific nonsense you posted: "Do you really think the words would exist if there wasn't something else to life?" So there really is a "Lord Voldemort"? And Morlocks? And Jedi? Because those words exist, and by your reasoning, that means that the things themselves must exist, too, right? "but by definition it's all about YOU, right?" Actually, I'd think that a theology that claims that your god made you special in his own image and made the whole universe just to house you is much better defined as making it all about YOU. "I don't mean to offend by using the word 'heathen'..." Oh yes you do. You mean it very much, as the venom in the rest of your rant makes clear. And by the way, if you're so concerned at how "scripture" names things, then what do you call your computer? "No made up god could have changed me." No. You changed yourself. People do. Now take your bigotry and pound sand.

Answer 4

Somebody who aint Christian, Jewish or Muslim. Guess that makes half the planet heathens!

A "Heathen" :-)

Answer 5

i deliberatly describe myself as a heathen

because i do not want to be associated with organised religion

thats the definition as i know it , not part of an organised religion

all the best
Ian

Answer 6

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/heathens

Answer 7

It depends on who you are. It is usually anyone who does not agree with what that person believes.

It's a very judgmental and unchristian word. I do not use it.

Answer 8

The picture of heathen:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Hilton

Answer 9

Try looking it up in the dictionary.

Answer 10

not sure but i think someone who lives there lives with no good intention,against everything that is right,or you should check mirriam