Ojuice5001

I think it would be a great idea to have a formal debate of "polytheism vs. monotheism." The moderators also think this idea is a good one, but I need someone to debate the monotheist side. Polytheism is defined as the view that events in the world are ruled by many supernatural intelligences, while monotheism is the view that there is either only one, or an infinite good power and a finite evil one. Tercel and luvluv are my first two choices, but any number of Christians or Muslims would be suitable. To accept, post <a href="http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebbb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=44&t=001279" target="_blank">here.</a>

WJ

...I don't know, if one could figure out whether OJ did it, you might could solve the supernatural!



evidence, evidence, evidence

Keith Russell

Greetings:

A quick question:

How can there be an 'infinite' good power, and a 'finite' evil one?

Infinite is not a quantity of something. 'Infinite' means 'beyond all quantity'. If there was anything which truly was infinite, it would be all there is. There would literally be no room for anything else to exist--including an 'evil' power of any kind.

Keith Russell.

Amos

That's rather easy since life has no opposite in itself. The finite evil exist only because in our deprived state of consciousness we must extact love to sustain life from our higher state of consciousness and because of this intermitted regeneration of life an opposite force to love is possible. We call this hate, strife, lust etc.

Note that the definition of infinity here is without beginning and without end while the finite has a beginning and an end.

Automaton

Yes, another great debate to have on the infidels would be if Santa works alone, or if he really does hire all those mall Santas and elves to do his dirty business! How about the finer points of phlogiston theory?

Obviously, Ojuice, you misinterpret the purpose of Internet Infidels discussion forum, that is to have a community of nonbelievers and open up a dialog between non-theists and theists.

Bible Humper

Hello Amos,

Actually, undeath is the opposite of life. Ghosts, vampires, zombies and their ilk are all "undead".

What theology is this? New age? New to me....

This doesn't seem to answer the question anyway, though, this seems to say that "evil" is just a phenomenon of less "goodness", but then goes on to say that love(good) has an opposite. On the other hand, this is so esoteric that without proper elaboration, I wouldn't be surprised if I missed what you were talking about.

Right, so how can there be an infinite supernatural good as well as a finite supernatural evil?

hinduwoman

all 'theisms' believe in a god/gods. so why should this be debated on an atheist site?

Of course I am always ready to debate on this sisse with a Xian, but places like <a href="http://www.beliefnet.com" target="_blank">www.beliefnet.com</a> is the proper place.

Amos

Hi there Whimsy, I know what you mean because I've been a zomby and was alive but did not know it. Right? Right. However, I don't think that vampires and ghosts belong in this category.

Of course it answers the question because in our higher order consciousness (our soul) we are fully alive and without conditions or limitations the extension of our predestined determination. We are the Lord God protected by God to give sustainance to God and use "like god" (our ego from Gen.3) to do the dirty work (no pain in heaven).

From this determined mode of existence we draw inspirations and ambitions to live our own life (we wanne be "like god") and do the things we want to do in effort to enhance our lower form of existence. We expose these ambitions to the world so we can call them our own and while doing so we encounted opposites that are counterproductive. In religious terms they are called evil and are never supernatural but can be incarnate from within our soul.

In short, agape has no opposite and knows no envy, anger, protection or selfishness. From agape we extrapolate eros which is always protective, selfish and finds its opposite in hate, etc.

The same is true with pleasure which is extrapolated from infinite bliss. Pleasure has its opposite in pain and since a pair of opposites cannot be conceived to exist without the other our search for pleasure will always yield us an equal amount of pain and unless we draw near to our soul will we always be torn between pleasure and pain.

Notice that I never criticized humans for trying to be individuals of their own making.

ishalon

I would be very interested in the debate, although I am sadly inclined to agree with hinduwoman.

Amos

Well I don't think that there is much of a debate because monotheism proclaims the belief in one God to further its own cause, while at the same time proclaims that aim of monotheism is to be transformed into the image of their own God and so be the continuity of God.

In the end it just gives monotheism that kind of aggression for which it is hated by most people.