heathen
    adj 1: not acknowledging the God of Christianity and Judaism and
           Islam [syn: heathen, heathenish, pagan, ethnic]
    n 1: a person who does not acknowledge your god [syn: heathen,
         pagan, gentile, infidel]

Heathen \Hea"then\ (h[=e]"[th]'n), a.
   1. Gentile; pagan; as, a heathen author. "The heathen
      philosopher." "All in gold, like heathen gods." --Shak.
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   2. Barbarous; unenlightened; heathenish.
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   3. Irreligious; scoffing.
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Heathen \Hea"then\ (h[=e]"[th]'n; 277), n.; pl. Heathens
   (-[th]'nz) or collectively Heathen. [OE. hethen, AS.
   h[=ae][eth]en, prop. an adj. fr. h[=ae][eth] heath, and
   orig., therefore, one who lives in the country or on the
   heaths and in the woods (cf. pagan, fr. pagus village); akin
   to OS. h[=e][eth]in, adj., D. heiden a heathen, G. heide,
   OHG. heidan, Icel. hei[eth]inn, adj., Sw. heden, Goth.
   hai[thorn]n[=o], n. fem. See Heath, and cf. Hoiden.]
   1. An individual of the pagan or unbelieving nations, or
      those which worship idols and do not acknowledge the true
      God; a pagan; an idolater.
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   2. An irreligious person.
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            If it is no more than a moral discourse, he may
            preach it and they may hear it, and yet both
            continue unconverted heathens.        --V. Knox.
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   The heathen, as the term is used in the Scriptures, all
      people except the Jews; now used of all people except
      Christians, Jews, and Mohammedans.
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            Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for
            thine inheritance.                    --Ps. ii. 8.

   Syn: Pagan; gentile. See Pagan.
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Heathen
   (Heb. plural goyum). At first the word _goyim_ denoted generally
   all the nations of the world (Gen. 18:18; comp. Gal. 3:8). The
   Jews afterwards became a people distinguished in a marked manner
   from the other _goyim_. They were a separate people (Lev. 20:23;
   26:14-45; Deut. 28), and the other nations, the Amorites,
   Hittites, etc., were the _goyim_, the heathen, with whom the
   Jews were forbidden to be associated in any way (Josh. 23:7; 1
   Kings 11:2). The practice of idolatry was the characteristic of
   these nations, and hence the word came to designate idolaters
   (Ps. 106:47; Jer. 46:28; Lam. 1:3; Isa. 36:18), the wicked (Ps.
   9:5, 15, 17).
   
     The corresponding Greek word in the New Testament, _ethne_,
   has similar shades of meaning. In Acts 22:21, Gal. 3:14, it
   denotes the people of the earth generally; and in Matt. 6:7, an
   idolater. In modern usage the word denotes all nations that are
   strangers to revealed religion.
   

HEATHEN, n.  A benighted creature who has the folly to worship
something that he can see and feel.  According to Professor Howison,
of the California State University, Hebrews are heathens.

    "The Hebrews are heathens!" says Howison.  He's
        A Christian philosopher.  I'm
    A scurril agnostical chap, if you please,
        Addicted too much to the crime
        Of religious discussion in my rhyme.

    Though Hebrew and Howison cannot agree
        On a _modus vivendi_ -- not they! --
    Yet Heaven has had the designing of me,
        And I haven't been reared in a way
        To joy in the thick of the fray.

    For this of my creed is the soul and the gist,
        And the truth of it I aver:
    Who differs from me in his faith is an 'ist,
        And 'ite, an 'ie, or an 'er --
        And I'm down upon him or her!

    Let Howison urge with perfunctory chin
        Toleration -- that's all very well,
    But a roast is "nuts" to his nostril thin,
        And he's running -- I know by the smell --
        A secret and personal Hell!
                                                           Bissell Gip