Do you believe what Paul wrote, that the Athenians were, in fact, worshipping the one true God who made them, albeit in ignorance ?
Did you read what Paul wrote under the guidance of the Holy Spirit?
Well, let's actually READ THE BIBLE and see what God says:
Acts 17:16-34
Paul in Athens
"16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
Paul Addresses the Areopagus
22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
29 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them."
It appears to me that Paul was proclaiming to them the Gospel as the Athenians were worshipping an "unknown god."
How do you worship God when God is "unknown" to you?
He rocked their world by telling them that the "unknown god" was THE ONE TRUE LIVING GOD, and their other "gods" were... not.
And, because he proclaimed the Gospel, some believed. Others mocked. Worshipping God in ignorance is not worshipping God. God opens your heart -- remember that Romans 10:17 says:
"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."
In this case, God used Paul to proclaim the Gospel. It doesn't mean the Athenians were worshiping God ingorantly -- they had an altar to the "unknown god." How can you worship God when you're ignorant of Him?
BIG difference. Don't you think?
But, hey. I'm just an "Internet Theologian." But all I used the Internet for was to search God's word.
Hoss