polytheism to monotheism (Jesus, priest, Creator, theist, eternal)

[steelblue75]

alright! definately some great posts up there... and all of them looked be well thought out thank you for responding

[d.]

Originally Posted by mr.guy

I'm not so sure about that; while monotheists may hold god as supreme, they're not obliged to consider him as entirety or a summary.

Can't monotheism also acknowledge a big, bad god with a "word to yo mother" to the "fronting" deities?

this was at least the impression i got from parts of the old testament.

consider for example exodus 34:14 -

"Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."

Originally Posted by mr.guy

the polytheist and monotheist are just arguing semantics

sounds like a good conclusion to this thread.

[mr.guy]

"Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."

That's sorta what i was going with; thus the WWF analogy.

[d.]

Originally Posted by mr.guy

[/color]That's sorta what i was going with; thus the WWF analogy.

you're right; that line could easily have been said by hulk hogan.

[mr.guy]

Originally Posted by divine

you're right; that line could easily have been said by hulk hogan.

Don't let Angellous hear you say that! I hear he's a Junk Yard Dog fan, and he'll take us both to town if he catches wind of such insinuations! I don't know about you, but my softish head can't take that many more piledrivers.

[steelblue75]

Originally Posted by divine

you're right; that line could easily have been said by hulk hogan.

or mr t.... i pity the fool... you had better kneel *crack* i tole you

[d.]

Originally Posted by mr.guy

I don't know about you, but my softish head can't take that many more piledrivers.

i don't worry; i never go out without a helmet.

[Runt]

Originally Posted by Mr. Guy

The only reason i resist this is it seems to broad a definition of monotheism, as you say. I'm still a little curious why the monotheist is optimal (right word?) to perhaps the panentheist? Even so, the two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive terms.

It really depends on how you define God. If one defines God as a conscious entity, then Brahman really can't be considered an element of monothesism. A tendency toward monotheism, perhaps. But to tell the truth, I don't think the band--tribe--chiefdom--state correspondences between population and religious organization discount alternatives. They are but trends. I think many Eastern religions have experienced a different path of development, from animism, to polytheism, to concepts like Tao, Brahman, Nirvana, and such. But there is still that concept of "One" that pops up a lot that suggests this development is in many ways similar to the development of monotheism from polytheism.

[michel]

Originally Posted by FeathersinHair

A study of the spread of monotheistic religion would probably be the best way to start.
But please keep in mind that there are plenty of polytheistic religions still out there.

Good point Meggie.

WITHOUT PREJUDICE (I realise that some of the sourses I have used may not necessarilly have 'credentials'

1)From:-http://www.alminbar.com/khutbaheng/1651.htm
First Khutbah

Allaah sent the messengers to call for Islaamic monotheism and unification of Allaah and to warn humanity against polytheism, and worshiping idols.

2) From http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/archive/index.php/t-49459.html

Jesus Christ himself:-
His ministry lasted only three years, but its impact is everywhere today, seen in the form of the church and also in the spread of monotheism and Christian thinking. We can maybe also credit Christianity with a lot of other things.

From:-http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v05/v05p375_Rollins.html

According to Yrager and Telushkin, the Jews, via their "ethical monotheism," have challenged the values of their neighbors. They quote (p. 28) the Reverend Edward H. Flannery: "It was Judaism that brought the concept of a God-given universal moral law into the world ..." But, they say (ibid.), "The world to which the Jews have introduced God and His moral demands has always resented this challenge." And they conclude (ibid.): "A basic element of anti-semitism is, therefore, a rebellion against the thou shalts and thou shalt nots introduced by the Jews in the name of a supreme moral authority."

In the above argument, the implication is that Judaism is mono-theisticm so as to achieve a definite 'uniqueness'.
from further in the page "In the course of this review, I will present some additional evidence of the existence of Goy-hatred throughout Jewish history.".....this indicates that the monotheistic belief allows the Jews their individuality and therefore their independence and reason to look down upon others.

Also, from:-http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9902/novak.html

In the Jewish tradition, idolatry, literally called avodah zarah, "strange worship," takes two forms. One form is the worship of "other" gods, a substitution for the one, unique, uncreated Infinity by something plural, generic, created, and finite. Such idolatry is the worship of those whom we call "pagans." For Maimonides, those who worship the heavenly intelligences are guilty of making absolute those forces which are under the total control of the one God. That is the essential difference between monotheism, of which Judaism is the highest but not the only example, and all polytheisms ancient and contemporary. The second form of idolatry, however, is a good deal more subtle than the pagan form, and is a constant temptation even to the adherents of monotheistic religions. For this form of idolatry does not err in the object of its worship but, rather, it errs in worshiping this true God in a way inconsistent with what little we know about God and his interest in the world.


Now, I have lost the will to find more.........

[bill]

Originally Posted by michel

Good point Meggie.

WITHOUT PREJUDICE (I realise that some of the sourses I have used may not necessarilly have 'credentials'

1)From:-http://www.alminbar.com/khutbaheng/1651.htm
First Khutbah

Allaah sent the messengers to call for Islaamic monotheism and unification of Allaah and to warn humanity against polytheism, and worshiping idols.

2) From http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/archive/index.php/t-49459.html

Jesus Christ himself:-
His ministry lasted only three years, but its impact is everywhere today, seen in the form of the church and also in the spread of monotheism and Christian thinking. We can maybe also credit Christianity with a lot of other things.

From:-http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v05/v05p375_Rollins.html

According to Yrager and Telushkin, the Jews, via their "ethical monotheism," have challenged the values of their neighbors. They quote (p. 28) the Reverend Edward H. Flannery: "It was Judaism that brought the concept of a God-given universal moral law into the world ..." But, they say (ibid.), "The world to which the Jews have introduced God and His moral demands has always resented this challenge." And they conclude (ibid.): "A basic element of anti-semitism is, therefore, a rebellion against the thou shalts and thou shalt nots introduced by the Jews in the name of a supreme moral authority."

In the above argument, the implication is that Judaism is mono-theisticm so as to achieve a definite 'uniqueness'.
from further in the page "In the course of this review, I will present some additional evidence of the existence of Goy-hatred throughout Jewish history.".....this indicates that the monotheistic belief allows the Jews their individuality and therefore their independence and reason to look down upon others.

Also, from:-http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9902/novak.html

In the Jewish tradition, idolatry, literally called avodah zarah, "strange worship," takes two forms. One form is the worship of "other" gods, a substitution for the one, unique, uncreated Infinity by something plural, generic, created, and finite. Such idolatry is the worship of those whom we call "pagans." For Maimonides, those who worship the heavenly intelligences are guilty of making absolute those forces which are under the total control of the one God. That is the essential difference between monotheism, of which Judaism is the highest but not the only example, and all polytheisms ancient and contemporary. The second form of idolatry, however, is a good deal more subtle than the pagan form, and is a constant temptation even to the adherents of monotheistic religions. For this form of idolatry does not err in the object of its worship but, rather, it errs in worshiping this true God in a way inconsistent with what little we know about God and his interest in the world.


Now, I have lost the will to find more.........

except that monotheism "spread" from polytheism as historical fact and then kept on "spreading" from there, pantheism being a relatively recent ism.