An infidel (literally, "one without faith") is one who doubts or rejects central tenets of a religion, especially those regarding its deities. More generally, an infidel is one who doubts or rejects a particular doctrine, system, or principle. The word infidel derives it's meaning from the Latin root infidēlis[1]; a notion of being unfaithful or treacherous. This list of deities aims at giving information about deities in the different religions, cultures and mythologies of the world. ... Doctrine, from Latin doctrina, (compare doctor), means a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system. ... System (from the Latin (systÄ“ma), and this from the Greek (sustÄ“ma)) is an assemblage of entity/objects, real or abstract, comprising a whole with each and every component/element interacting or related to another one. ... A principle (not principal) is something, usually a rule or norm, that is part of the basis for something else. ...

• In Islam, the Arabic word kafir (كافر) refers to non-Muslims, often in a derogatory sense [2], and is usually translated into English as "infidel" or "unbeliever". The Turkish equivalent of "kafir" is giaour.
• In Judaism, heathens (pagan gentiles) are called acum (עכו"ם, an acronym of Ovdei Cohavim u-Mazzaloth עובדי כוכבים ומזלות literally "Star-and-Constellation Worshippers"). Heretical Jews may be called minim ("sectarians"), the name used in the Talmud for early Christians. Unlike in Islamic use, the Hebrew kofer (כופר, cognate of the Arabic "kafir") is usually applied to apostate Jews. The other term, mainly for atheists is "epikoros" (אפיקורוס, literally, an "Epicurean").
• In Roman Catholic Christianity, "heretic" referred to those who do not believe in the divinity of Jesus. The official word used by the Roman Catholic church was heretic (with a meaning closer to that of a false twist on a doctrine), not infidel.

The term heretic (one who falls astray from true doctrine) and infidel (one who does not believe doctrine at all) may not necessarily hold the same meaning. For other uses, including people named Islam, see Islam (disambiguation). ... The Arabic language (Arabic: ‎ translit: ), or simply Arabic (Arabic: ‎ translit: ), is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Turkish: Müslüman, Persian and Urdu: مسلمان, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of Islam. ... Giaour (a Turkish adaptation of the Persian gdwr or gbr, an infidel), a word used by the Turks to describe all who are not Moslems, with especial reference to Christians. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ... Min, minim or minuth are terms from the Talmud to refer to those considered apostates from Judaism. ... The first page of the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Berachot, folio 2a The Talmud (תלמוד) is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history. ... Hebrew (עִבְרִית or עברית, ‘Ivrit) is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than seven million people in Israel and Jewish communities around the world. ... Heresy, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a theological or religious opinion or doctrine maintained in opposition, or held to be contrary, to the Catholic or Orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, to that of any church, creed, or religious system, considered as orthodox. ... Epicureanism is a system of philosophy based upon the teachings of Epicurus (c340-c270 BC), founded around 307 BC. Epicurus was an atomic materialist, following in the steps of Democritus. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on Jesus of Nazareth, and on his life and teachings as presented in the New Testament. ... Divinity has a number of related uses in the field of religious belief and study. ... Jesus (8–2 BC/BCE to 29–36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ...

See also

• Apostasy
• Atheism
• Internet Infidels

Apostasy (from Greek αποστασία, a defection or revolt from a military commander, from απο, apo, away, apart, στασις, stasis, standing) is a term generally employed to describe the formal renunciation of ones religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. ... Atheism, in its broadest sense, is the absence of belief in the existence of deities. ... Internet Infidels, Inc. ...

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia entry on "Infidel"
• Merriam-Webster definition for "infidel".
• Merriam-Webster definition for "unbeliever".