One way to understand things is to look at their opposites. Opposites are things that are alike in every way except the most essential one. The opposite of black is not up, but white. The opposite of up is not smooth, but down. Thus, the opposite of Christianity is Devil-worship. In order for Devil-worship to make sense, you have to except Christian cosmology before you choose to go to the other side. It is literally unthinkable in a Jewish context, for instance: no one would think of it because Judaism doesn’t posit a Devil in the Christian sense, as something that could, at least theoretically, be worshipped. The opposite of Judaism would be doing anti-misvot. (Jews are supposed to do 613 misvot – commandments, non-Jews, seven misvot.) This, in fact, was commonly practiced in certain quarters: eating pork on Yom Kipur, for example. Though you may (or may not) think it reprehensible, it is also, no doubt, Jewish.
So, if:
Anti-Christianity is Devil worship.
Anti-Judaism is doing anti-misvot.
What is:
Anti-Islam?
Anti-Buddhism?
Anti-Hinduism?
Anti-Shintoism?
Anti-Sikhism?
Anti-Mormonism?
The fact that I don’t know the answer to these questions shows me that I knew less than I thought I did.
Posted by David Boxenhorn at October 26, 2004 11:47 PMDoing the opposite of the five Pillars would be a simple anti-Islam; steal 2.5% of your food from the poor, affirm the insanity of Mohammed and the reality of multiple gods, get drunk and gamble five times a day, feast during Ramadan, and make an effort at least once in your life to defile the Kabaa.
Posted by: Daniel at October 27, 2004 02:45 AM PermalinkIt's been said that the opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference. But if so, what's the opposite of hate? Indifference also? Then what's the opposite of indifference?
I don't think religions have opposites. I don't think genuine devil worshippers exist outside of fiction. The opposite of obediance to God isn't doing the precise opposite of what God commands, it's not believing in God, or not caring what He commands.
Daniel, we made an anti-Islam at LGF once. Besides negating the five pillars we incorporated goddess worship and polyandry. :)
Posted by: jinnderella at October 27, 2004 08:10 AM PermalinkThe opposite of Christianity is atheism. While it doesn't conform to your definition of opposite, I still think it works.
You could try to reduce Christianity to a simple statment and then reversing it. We believe that Christianity can be narrowed down to two commandments:
Love God.
Love neighbor.
Thus, the opposite of Chrisitanity would be--
Hate God.
Hate neighbor.
But, Ingemar, your definition of Christianity would also include Judaism, and many other religions. It doesn't capture that which uniquely distinguishes it. Can you be Christian and not believe in Jesus?
Posted by: David Boxenhorn at October 27, 2004 09:20 AM Permalink>Can you be Christian and not believe in Jesus?
Now that's a tricky question. I have an atheist professor that calls himself a Christian (Episcopalian, no surprise there), and some Christians in more heterodox denominations subscribe to a nontheistic God.
First of all, you must define what belief in Jesus is. If you mean belief as in "I believe Plato existed," you can believe in Jesus and not be a Christian. But if you mean belief as in believing that Jesus is the Son of God (and a little further than that, putting your belief into action), then I don't think you can be a Christian and disbelieve in Jesus.
Posted by: Ingemar at October 28, 2004 12:35 AM PermalinkAnti-Mormonism is when people want to talk about all the things that we believe and tell us they are all wrong, and that we have no right to believe them. But we don't care; we still believe. We believe that our Heavenly Father still cares about all His children, and that He has a Prophet here on the earth today, and the Anti-Mormons say, nope, He doesn't have any prophets anymore, and He doesn't care about His children anymore, and He probably doesn't exist. They refute what we hold as true.
Good question, by the way.