Let me emphasize that this thread is in the Interfaith Discussion forum; No Debating!
This thread/question was inspired by @Sunstone 's similarly-titled thread elsewhere. His exiting question had to do with multiple rather than a singular god--but efforts to insert pluralism into the discussion didn't seem to work well, so...
This is primarily for members of the Indigenous, Neopagan/Revival, Syncretic, and the Pantheism/Panentheism DIRs (as well as to others who have belief in multiple gods, such as Hindus) to discuss the multiplicity of deity…or if you prefer the term, Polytheism. Others are of course welcome to ask questions and provide respectful observations--but again, this is DISCUSSION and NOT DEBATE.
For this discussion, the meaning of the term "god" is the first usage in the Oxford English Dictionary:
1a. A superhuman person regarded as having power over nature and human fortunes; a deity…Chiefly applied to the divinities of polytheistic systems; … in Greek mythology, the gods are distinguished from the daemons or supernatural powers of inferior rank… (emphasis added)
Notice, too, that the definition summarizes the first sentence by providing the term “deity,” as a functional equivalent (the two terms use each other in their definitions):
1. a. The estate or rank of a god; godhood; the personality of a god; godship; esp. with poss. pron.
b. The divine quality, character, or nature of God; Godhood, divinity; the divine nature and attributes, the Godhead.
2. a. concr. A divinity, a divine being, a god; one of the gods worshipped by a people or tribe.
b. fig. An object of worship; a thing or person deified.
So, the word “god” means:
-The estate or rank of A superhuman person regarded as having power over nature and human fortunes
-Any person (or other equivalent entity) who is regarded as having power over nature and human fortunes
-The personality of any superhuman person regarded as having power over nature and human fortunes
-The divine quality, character, or nature of A superhuman person regarded as having power over nature and human fortunes
-Any superhuman person regarded as having power over nature and human fortunes worshiped by a people or tribe
So, the questions for discussion here:
Does this definition make sense to you? How does your understanding differ?
What is your experience with deities?
How do you know there is more than one, what their nature is, etc.?
This thread/question was inspired by @Sunstone 's similarly-titled thread elsewhere. His exiting question had to do with multiple rather than a singular god--but efforts to insert pluralism into the discussion didn't seem to work well, so...
This is primarily for members of the Indigenous, Neopagan/Revival, Syncretic, and the Pantheism/Panentheism DIRs (as well as to others who have belief in multiple gods, such as Hindus) to discuss the multiplicity of deity…or if you prefer the term, Polytheism. Others are of course welcome to ask questions and provide respectful observations--but again, this is DISCUSSION and NOT DEBATE.
For this discussion, the meaning of the term "god" is the first usage in the Oxford English Dictionary:
1a. A superhuman person regarded as having power over nature and human fortunes; a deity…Chiefly applied to the divinities of polytheistic systems; … in Greek mythology, the gods are distinguished from the daemons or supernatural powers of inferior rank… (emphasis added)
Notice, too, that the definition summarizes the first sentence by providing the term “deity,” as a functional equivalent (the two terms use each other in their definitions):
1. a. The estate or rank of a god; godhood; the personality of a god; godship; esp. with poss. pron.
b. The divine quality, character, or nature of God; Godhood, divinity; the divine nature and attributes, the Godhead.
2. a. concr. A divinity, a divine being, a god; one of the gods worshipped by a people or tribe.
b. fig. An object of worship; a thing or person deified.
So, the word “god” means:
-The estate or rank of A superhuman person regarded as having power over nature and human fortunes
-Any person (or other equivalent entity) who is regarded as having power over nature and human fortunes
-The personality of any superhuman person regarded as having power over nature and human fortunes
-The divine quality, character, or nature of A superhuman person regarded as having power over nature and human fortunes
-Any superhuman person regarded as having power over nature and human fortunes worshiped by a people or tribe
So, the questions for discussion here:
Does this definition make sense to you? How does your understanding differ?
What is your experience with deities?
How do you know there is more than one, what their nature is, etc.?