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“Why Don't You Look Into Jesus?”

Can Christianity and polytheism be reconciled?

  • Yes

    Votes: 5 17.2%
  • No

    Votes: 20 69.0%
  • It Depends

    Votes: 3 10.3%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 1 3.4%

  • Total voters
    29

Sundance

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I'm not gonna lie, it hasn't been easy for me as a spiritual seeker. My mind has flipped every which way, to the point where I've lost a sense of my own self. :(:(:( Don't get me wrong, everyone! I haven't lost my now firm polytheistic conviction (especially as an unlimited polytheist :yum:)! Never. Though, I often times start to think deeply about my relationship with the religion of my youth – Christianity....

Mind you, I hold no animosity whatsoever towards it, or towards Jesus Christ, or The Bible. It's undoubtedly an ever-lingering presence in my life (and a positive one, at that, conjuring more than pleasant memories and emotions). However, with my 21st birthday speedily approaching, I realize that I'm on the threshold of the future of manhood, and that I can't hold on to the past. At the same time, though, my past will always be a part of me. I can't deny it. Religiously, I see no reason to distance myself from Christianity (again, despite my polytheism).

My question is: Do you see any way for me to reconcile my past (Christianity) with my present (unlimited polytheism)? Is it even possible or should my past simply be left in the past? :coldsweat:


Thanks, everyone. I very greatly appreciate the advice given. :oops::)
 
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blü 2

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Do you see any way for me to reconcile my past (Christianity) with my present (unlimited polytheism)? How do I do this?
You could consider that, when viewed from a certain angle, Christianity has four gods (Yahweh, Jesus, the Ghost, and Satan).

And in the early books of the Tanakh, Yahweh is portrayed as first among the gods, as indeed the commandment says, Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Not, Don't be silly, there are no other gods):

Exodus 15:11 Who is like thee, O Lord, among the gods?​

Numbers 33:4 upon their gods also the Lord executed judgments
and this interesting one ─

Judges 11:23-24 So the Lord, the God of Israel, dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel; and are you to take possession of them? 24 Will you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? And all that the Lord our God has dispossessed before us, we will possess.​

or you can burst into song ─

Psalms 82:1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment.

Psalms 86:8 There is none like thee among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like thine.

Psalms 95:3 For the Lord is a great god,
and a great King above all gods.
But perhaps the most bounteous source of other gods, or godlings anyway, is the list of 14,000 or so saints of the RCC.

Gods thick as flies in all directions!
 

Sundance

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
You could consider that, when viewed from a certain angle, Christianity has four gods (Yahweh, Jesus, the Ghost, and Satan).

And in the early books of the Tanakh, Yahweh is portrayed as first among the gods, as indeed the commandment says, Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Not, Don't be silly, there are no other gods):

Exodus 15:11 Who is like thee, O Lord, among the gods?​

Numbers 33:4 upon their gods also the Lord executed judgments
and this interesting one ─

Judges 11:23-24 So the the Lord, the God of Israel, dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel; and are you to take possession of them? 24 Will you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? And all that the Lord our God has dispossessed before us, we will possess.​

or you can burst into song ─

Psalms 82:1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment.

Psalms 86:8 There is none like thee among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like thine.

Psalms 95:3 For the Lord is a great god,
and a great King above all gods.​

Gods thick as flies in all directions!

Interesting, blü2! Thank you for your response.
 
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shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
I'm not gonna lie, it hasn't been easy for me as a spiritual seeker. My mind has flipped every which way, to the point where I've lost a sense of my own self. :(:(:( Don't get me wrong, everyone! I haven't lost my now firm polytheistic conviction (especially as an unlimited polytheist :yum:)! Never. Though, I often times start to think deeply about my relationship with the religion of my youth – Christianity....

Mind you, I hold no animosity whatsoever towards it, or towards Jesus Christ, or The Bible. It's undoubtedly an ever-lingering presence in my life (and a positive one, at that, conjuring more than pleasant memories and emotions). However, with my 21st birthday speedily approaching, I realize that I'm on the threshold of the future of manhood, and that I can't hold on to the past. At the same time, though, my past will always be a part of me. I can't deny it. Religiously, I see no reason to distance myself from Christianity (again, despite my polytheism).

My question is: Do you see any way for me to reconcile my past (Christianity) with my present (unlimited polytheism)? Is it even possible or should my past simply be left in the past? :coldsweat:


Thanks, everyone. I very greatly appreciate the advice given. :oops::)

I voted depends, because I consider traditional Christianity Tri-theistic at least, and a version of polytheism with the OT and the NT depicting a hierarchy of Gods, even a rebel God Satan. This polytheism includes a female God Mary a descendant of the female Gods of the Old Testament.

The Old Testament describes polytheism evolving to a hierarchy of Gods, and then evolving to Monotheism.
 
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Sundance

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I voted depends, because I consider traditional Christianity Tri-theistic at least, and a version of polytheism with the OT and the NT depicting a hierarchy of Gods, even a rebel God Satan. This polytheism includes a female God Mary a descendant of the female Gods of the Old Testament.

The Old Testament describes polytheism evolving to a hierarchy of Gods, and then evolving to Monotheism.

I see. Thank you for the reply, dear shunya.
 
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Sundance

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
If the person believes their God is sovereign, there is not much to reconcile with polytheism short of them being lesser deities.

So, then, would it be henotheistic, idav?
 
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idav

Being
Premium Member
So, then, would it be henotheistic, idav?
They would need to reconcile the Arian heresy.
Arianism - Wikipedia

"In Christianity, Arianism is a Christological[1]concept which asserts the belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was begotten by God the Father at a point in time, is distinct from the Father and is therefore subordinate to the Father."

It broke up the church into Eastern and Western orthodox.

"The Council of Nicaea did not end the controversy, as many bishops of the Eastern provinces disputed the homoousios, the central term of the Nicene creed, as it had been used by Paul of Samosata, who had advocated a monarchianist Christology. Both the man and his teaching, including the term homoousios, had been condemned by the Synods of Antioch in 269."
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
Mary, the devil and the Saints aren't gods. There is only one God in Christianity.

In the Roman Church Mary is indeed described as a God (Goddess) without sin and above humanity as the Divine Mother of God. Satan is indeed described as having the autonomy and power of a lesser God. The angels in general is a yes or no issue. If they do not have autonomy and power of their own, not likely.

The Tri-theism of the Trinity is indeed a polytheistic concept as in Hinduism where all Gods are aspects of the Brahman the supreme unknowable Source in Hindu Theology.

Judaism, Islam and the Baha'i Faith are strict Monotheistic religions.
 

Saint Frankenstein

Wanderer From Afar
Premium Member
In the Roman Church Mary is indeed described as a God (Goddess). Satan is indeed described as having the autonomy and power of a lesser God. The angels in general is a yes or no issue. If they do not have autonomy and power of their own, no likely.

The Tri-theism of the Trinity is indeed a polytheistic concept as in Hinduism where all Gods are aspects of the Brahman the supreme unknowable Source in Hindu Theology.
I don't know where you heard that lie about the Catholic Church but it's false. Mary is a human being, not a goddess. The Church has never taught otherwise.

Satan is a fallen Angel. He has free will just like we have free will. Are we deities, too, because we have free will?

The Trinity has nothing to do with polytheism or Hinduism. Just because you don't personally understand it doesn't make it polytheism.
 

idav

Being
Premium Member
I voted depends, because I consider traditional Christianity Tri-theistic at least, and a version of polytheism with the OT and the NT depicting a hierarchy of Gods, even a rebel God Satan. This polytheism includes a female God Mary a descendant of the female Gods of the Old Testament.

The Old Testament describes polytheism evolving to a hierarchy of Gods, and then evolving to Monotheism.
Most Christians I encounter get offended if you try and paint the trinity as polytheism, i know what your getting at though.
 

Saint Frankenstein

Wanderer From Afar
Premium Member
Most Christians I encounter get offended if you try and paint the trinity as polytheism, i know what your getting at though.
Mostly because people don't like being told by others what they believe, as if they're stupid and have no idea what their beliefs are. It's rude.
 

Sundance

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
If you feel close to Jesus, then I see no reason to remove that relationship from your life. You clearly get something positive from it. :)

Thank you for the hopeful words, Deidre!!
:relaxed:
 
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blü 2

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Mary, the devil and the Saints aren't gods. There is only one God in Christianity.
Certainly that's the official version.

But then, people pray to Mary. They don't really think she's an intermediary, she's not going to pass your request up the line to HQ, she's not really going to bother the Big Guy with the small stuff, she's really sympa and she'll do it herself.

Or if you misplace your passport on a visit to North Korea, and you pray with some fervor to St Anthony of Padua, and then it turns up in your overcoat pocket, it's Tony who gets your gratitude, surely?

So theory says one thing and practice says another. You can't tell people better than they already know.

(I'm reminded of a report from rural France in the mid 19th century where the town was very unhappy with their new priest ─ not only couldn't he speak their dialect, but he point-blank refused to baptize their cattle like the old priest would. They demanded his removal. That's not a joke, by the way.)
 
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