Polytheism: Whats the snags?

[barney]

Whats peoples veiws on the snags with polytheism.
What theological problems occour with Gods of the sea and a goddess of the sand etc?

Im thinking that if a nation was exclusively a livestock farming people and their cattle god sent a plauge that destroyed their cattle, thats easy. They simply hadnt pleased him/her somehow. But what if they were next door to a tribe that diddnt have specific cattle gods and the plauge avoided them, indeed they doubled their numbers in the same period.

Is it this sort of thing that destoyed polytheism? Or is there a theological excuse for the first tribe?

Any other perspectives on why Monotheism is > Polytheism?

 

[aamirsaab]

I think one of the theological problems with the concept of polytheism is that it actually contradicts its own logic: how can there be more than one god? I mean, if we take the definition of God as The ruler of the world (or The creator, or That which one worships), then how can it be so that there are multiple deities? It doesn't make sense within it's own logic. It's like, you only have one biological mother. You can't have two biological mothers (though,you can have adoptive and surrogate but then that's not biological is it)....there cannot be two biological ones since this would contradict the logic of biological mothers!

 

[ASeeker]

Is it this sort of thing that destoyed polytheism?

Polytheism is alive and well and exists in Asia, Africa and South America. Polytheism existed throughout the Arab world, until the rise of Islam, in the form of astral religion and evidence of this well known to archeologists. Abraham left Ur in Mesopotamia because of the influence of this kind of polytheism especially the worship of the Moon-god Sin. The ziggurat still stands in Ur to this day.

Good wishes Barney

 

[Trumble]

I think one of the theological problems with the concept of polytheism is that it actually contradicts its own logic: how can there be more than one god? I mean, if we take the definition of God as The ruler of the world (or The creator, or That which one worships), then how can it be so that there are multiple deities? It doesn't make sense within it's own logic.

There is no contradiction as you aren't using its own logic! You are using yours or, to be precise, you are using the same logic but with a fundamental premise a polytheist need not and would not accept. It's inevitable that if you define God in monotheistic terms, as you have, that such a definition will be incompatible with polytheism.

There are plenty of possible alternative definitions but the simplest is just to pluralize, i.e "a ruler of the world (or a creator, or one of those things that one worships). None of those thing logically entails exclusivity.

 

[aamirsaab]

There is no contradiction as you aren't using its own logic! You are using yours or, to be precise, you are using the same logic but with a fundamental premise a polytheist need not and would not accept. It's inevitable that if you define God in monotheistic terms, as you have, that such a definition will be incompatible with polytheism.

There are plenty of possible alternative definitions but the simplest is just to pluralize, i.e "a ruler of the world (or a creator, or one of those things that one worships). None of those thing logically entails exclusivity.

The problem then is a matter of definition and understanding. Polythiests (essentially) limit the ability of God whereas monotheists do not.

 

[Trumble]

The problem then is a matter of definition and understanding. Polythiests (essentially) limit the ability of God whereas monotheists do not.

Understanding rather than definition, I think. Any useful definition of 'a god' (as opposed to 'God') must surely be inclusive of both monotheistic and polytheistic conceptions?

 

[barney]

I would say that the fundements of power needent be limited with polytheism. Lets hypothetically say there were twelve gods who neither had beginning or end, they co-operate to make the universe then assign themselves to different aspects of reality. A god of fear , who covers illness, a god of rage who covers War/justice/ helps out with earthquakes, god of the earth, who covers trees and farming...etc etc....

 

[Uthman]

I'm in a rush but here is something from the Qur'an:

YUSUFALI: If there were, in the heavens and the earth, other gods besides Allah, there would have been confusion in both! but glory to Allah, the Lord of the Throne: (High is He) above what they attribute to Him!

PICKTHAL: If there were therein gods beside Allah, then verily both (the heavens and the earth) had been disordered. Glorified be Allah, the Lord of the Throne, from all that they ascribe (unto Him).

SHAKIR: If there had been in them any gods except Allah, they would both have certainly been in a state of disorder; therefore glory be to Allah, the Lord of the dominion, above what they attribute (to Him).

(021:022)

 

[ASeeker]

In ancient Rome, Greece and Egypt there were pantheons of gods each having their own function and story. It is a convention in some writings on world religions to use the lower case 'god' to describe apparently invented divinities and the upper case 'God' when describing the Supreme Being or One God.

Unfortunately, even when people or groups of people claim to believe in a single Supreme Being this cannot be taken to mean that they believe the same things about that Supreme Being as other people or groups. e.g. I do believe in a Supreme Being whose nature and attributes are essentially different from that of Islam. Monotheism takes different forms doesn't it?

 

[S1aveofA11ah]

In ancient Rome, Greece and Egypt there were pantheons of gods each having their own function and story. It is a convention in some writings on world religions to use the lower case 'god' to describe apparently invented divinities and the upper case 'God' when describing the Supreme Being or One God.

Unfortunately, even when people or groups of people claim to believe in a single Supreme Being this cannot be taken to mean that they believe the same things about that Supreme Being as other people or groups. e.g. I do believe in a Supreme Being whose nature and attributes are essentially different from that of Islam. Monotheism takes different forms doesn't it?

No it doesn't. It is not a tangible thing like for example an areoplane which has many different types.

The American Heritage Dictionary has this definition of monotheism:

"The doctrine or belief that there is only one God".

Any 'different forms' you mention are actually a straying away from or (attempted) perversion of monotheism.

Monotheism is the crux of Islam. It is Islam. This is why Islam requests we worship the creator and not the creation. No prophet is allowed to be worshipped, the sun/moon, ourselves or anything else in the entire universe. Further - 'Allah' has no gender in the Arabic language or plural as in English we have 'Gods' or 'Godesses'. Allah is above having a gender or equals and there is nothing like Him i.e. He is unique.

If Allah (God) exists (as most of mankind agree to) then surely He alone desrves to be worshipped without associating any partners, rivals, or equals in that worship.

To quote you a verse pertaining to monotheism from the Qur'an:-

"And I (Allah) have not created the Jinn (spirits) and Mankind except to worship me alone".

 

[alcurad]

polytheism is to an extent built on anthropomorphizing phenomena you don't understand ,so advances in science and technology take care of much of that. also for polytheistic societies, advances in hierarchical designs probably made the 'lesser gods' much less important.

 

[Trumble]

Any 'different forms' you mention are actually a straying away from or (attempted) perversion of monotheism.

In your opinion. As a 'neutral', effectively, I certainly consider the Islamic and Christian trinitarian concepts of God to be 'different forms' of monotheism while accepting both as monotheistic. You are just tying the concept down to the one you prefer, not presenting any sort of reasoned argument.

BTW, although it doesn't matter in this case 'dictionary' definitions of anything to do with religious dogma are rarely definitive. They are written by lexicographers not theologians, and even if theologians did write the definitions they would get edited down to uselessness anyway!

 

[alcurad]

rather the christian trinitarian concepts are the result of monotheism getting mixed up with polytheism.

 

[Zahida]

Isn't that from a song by the Black eyed peas titled where is the love??????????

I think one of the theological problems with the concept of polytheism is that it actually contradicts its own logic: how can there be more than one god? I mean, if we take the definition of God as The ruler of the world (or The creator, or That which one worships), then how can it be so that there are multiple deities? It doesn't make sense within it's own logic. It's like, you only have one biological mother. You can't have two biological mothers (though,you can have adoptive and surrogate but then that's not biological is it)....there cannot be two biological ones since this would contradict the logic of biological mothers!

 

[alcurad]

^??

 

[Zahida]

Dicriminate, generate irate????????? from a song?

Isn't that from a song by the Black eyed peas titled where is the love??????????

 

[barney]

polytheism is to an extent built on anthropomorphizing phenomena you don't understand ,so advances in science and technology take care of much of that. also for polytheistic societies, advances in hierarchical designs probably made the 'lesser gods' much less important.

Christianity and Judism anthropormorphise God.
They say he looks like mankind? Created in his image?

 

[Uthman]

Dicriminate, generate irate????????? from a song?

If you're on about aamirsaab's signature, then yeah you're right. lol.

 

[Trumble]

Christianity and Judism anthropormorphise God.
They say he looks like mankind? Created in his image?

True, particularly regarding the Old Testament. I suppose that's strike one to Islam, although I would argue that conception is anthropomorphic as well albeit in a slightly more subtle fashion. Allocating mental states such as judgements, beliefs and (especially) desires is conceptually no less anthropomorphic than any imaginings of God's physical form being a model for ours. It's also, IMHO, totally inconsistent with the claimed absolute nature of God.

 

[ASeeker]

Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity, parts of Hindusim, and Islam are all monotheistic religions. Aren't they?