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Date:      Fri, 16 Jun 2000 12:39:43 +0900
From:      "Daniel C. Sobral" <dcs@newsguy.com>
To:        Sergey Babkin <babkin@bellatlantic.net>
Cc:        Warner Losh <imp@village.org>, Andrew Kenneth Milton <akm@mail.theinternet.com.au>, "Koster, K.J." <K.J.Koster@kpn.com>, "'Mark Newton'" <newton@atdot.dotat.org>, "'RossWheeler<ross@home.albury.net.au>'" <ross@home.albury.net.au>, "'FreeBSD Hackers mailing list'" <freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject:   Re: [Oz-ISP] FreeBSD and the forces of darkness. Real religious w ars!  (fwd))
Message-ID:  <3949A17F.1E14BDC8@newsguy.com>
References:  <200006141457.AAA57230@mail.theinternet.com.au> <200006141539.JAA21454@harmony.village.org> <39498F79.409EAA1E@newsguy.com> <39499F0A.16341799@bellatlantic.net>

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Sergey Babkin wrote:
> 
> "Daniel C. Sobral" wrote:
> >
> > Warner Losh wrote:
> > >
> > > Tell them that it is a daemon, not a devil.  A daemon isn't the devil,
> > > nor does it promote the worship of devilry.
> > >
> > > In Japan, the daemon is viewed as a nice, lovable creature.  The
> >
> > Of course, they don't translate daemon as "akuma". :-)
> 
> I think the best explanation I saw was of the difference between
> "demon" and "daemon". Of which the first one is supposed to
> be associated with devil and the second with a good spirit.\
> Can't remember where I have seen it. Maybe in the McKusick et. al
> book ?

Daemon is the greek word for djinn. The expansion of Christianity
absorbed all local myths into the Christian paradox, in one of several
ways. "Pagan" feasts became Christian holidays. Supernatural beings
became, by and large, devils. Daemon, in the Christian view, *IS* a
Demon. Demon is a direct derivate of Daemon.

The trick here, thus, is saying "Daemon" refers to the meaning before
Christianism absorbed it and turned it into Demon. This only works
nowadays, when Christians are more willing to accept other religions
rights to existance (though, of course, they are still wrong :). And,
then, it doesn't *really* work. :-)

Language is always a problem, really. A number of Japanese words that
are translated as god/goddess just have no equivalent in romantic
(Christian-influenced) languages. The language shapes the mind. <shrugs>

-- 
Daniel C. Sobral			(8-DCS)
dcs@newsguy.com
dcs@freebsd.org
capo@the.great.underground.bsdconpiracy.org

		"He is my minion, so he doesn't need a name."




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