Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Ojuice5001 · 04-01-2002, 11:17 PM

The theological theory of the Bible condemns polytheism. It seems to be no excuse that I, and most polytheists in history, think the world looks like there are many gods, not one, zero, or two. But this condemnation of polytheism has a certain consequence that no thinking person would think is a good thing.

Christianity and Islam don't like systems like Roman paganism, which assert that the gods have divided the world into various spheres of influence. I don't think they gave the idea a fair chance, but the closed-minded can still deserve some respect. So they destroyed many pagan religions. Illiberal, but what can you do about it, short of sinking to their level with a persecution?

But then they have the gall to preach that polytheism has not been defeated, that a Christian who passionately pursues money commits the same error as a polytheist. This is an insult even aside from the implication that polytheism is degrading. It means Christians destroyed the great religion of Rome, yet the popular saying, "I hope you're happy" would be met with the reply, "No, I'm not."

So let's sum this up. Christians destroy a great religion because they disagree with its theory. Then they can't get their own followers to understand their rationale for doing this, so the followers live their lives in a way that Christians think is just as bad. But it is highly unlikely that Mercury thinks these lives are just as good. Doesn't make Christianity look like a success.

This train of thought makes it seem that Christians are right in saying that few people are will ever be True Christians (TM). The question then becomes: How do we get all the false Christians to practice what they preach, or, preferably, preach what they practice?

repoman · 04-02-2002, 12:42 AM

The early Hebrews have been termed as monolatrous rather than monotheistic. Monolatry means that you accaept that other gods exist, but you have alleigance to only one god. Gradually this developed into the idea that those others gods were much weaker (i.e. the pissing match between the Egyptian gods and Moses god) and finally that those gods didn't even exist. I am not sure of the timeline of this transition.

Didn't the Catholic church coopt the "good" gods as patron saints and angels and the earthy, erotic ones as demons?

GunnerJ · 04-02-2002, 05:11 AM

Good point, repoman. OJuice, you may take comfort in the fact the Greco-Roman Paganism is alive and well in the Catholic system of saints.

ManM · 04-02-2002, 05:40 AM

Polytheism is opposed because it worships creation over the Creator. Avarice is opposed because it places money over the Creator. _____ is opposed because it places _____ over the Creator. See the trend? This is how Christianity lumps polytheism and greed together as the same error. There is nothing wrong with the reasoning here.

sidewinder · 04-02-2002, 06:03 AM

The concept of the Trinity is polytheistic even though Christians staunchly deny this. They believe Yahweh is one God with three essences. But then look at how Christians assign functions to each member of the Trinity. Each one has done something different and continues to have separate functions to this day. It gets confusing to remember which member is responsible for which function, which I suppose is why most Christians will just tell you that ultimately the Trinity is a mystery.

Ojuice5001 · 04-02-2002, 07:14 AM

That Catholic point is a good one. The saints, and many other factors, make Catholicism better than Protestantism. Things would be much worse if Europe had become the territory of Islam.

hinduwoman · 04-02-2002, 06:16 PM

I suppose that when there was absolute monarchy with only one all-powerful ruler, the concept of One God was more acceptable. Now we have democracies everywhere, a committee of gods deciding everything should be more acceptable.

Krieger · 04-04-2002, 04:05 PM

On the topic of polytheism. I'd like to see a new pagan sect that worships the old Egyptian or Roman gods. Asatru already worships the Norse gods.

Eudaimonist · 04-04-2002, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Krieger:
<strong>On the topic of polytheism. I'd like to see a new pagan sect that worships the old Egyptian or Roman gods. Asatru already worships the Norse gods.</strong>

It already exists.

<a href="http://belief.net/boards/discussion_list.asp?boardID=13978" target="_blank">Hellenismos and Religio Romana</a>

JL · 04-04-2002, 04:32 PM

<a href="http://www.xeper.org/pub/tos/main.html" target="_blank">Temple of Set.</a>

04-01-2002, 11:17 PM	#1
Ojuice5001 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: A city in Florida that I love Posts: 3,416	Christian views on polytheism The theological theory of the Bible condemns polytheism. It seems to be no excuse that I, and most polytheists in history, think the world looks like there are many gods, not one, zero, or two. But this condemnation of polytheism has a certain consequence that no thinking person would think is a good thing. Christianity and Islam don't like systems like Roman paganism, which assert that the gods have divided the world into various spheres of influence. I don't think they gave the idea a fair chance, but the closed-minded can still deserve some respect. So they destroyed many pagan religions. Illiberal, but what can you do about it, short of sinking to their level with a persecution? But then they have the gall to preach that polytheism has not been defeated, that a Christian who passionately pursues money commits the same error as a polytheist. This is an insult even aside from the implication that polytheism is degrading. It means Christians destroyed the great religion of Rome, yet the popular saying, "I hope you're happy" would be met with the reply, "No, I'm not." So let's sum this up. Christians destroy a great religion because they disagree with its theory. Then they can't get their own followers to understand their rationale for doing this, so the followers live their lives in a way that Christians think is just as bad. But it is highly unlikely that Mercury thinks these lives are just as good. Doesn't make Christianity look like a success. This train of thought makes it seem that Christians are right in saying that few people are will ever be True Christians (TM). The question then becomes: How do we get all the false Christians to practice what they preach, or, preferably, preach what they practice?

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04-02-2002, 12:42 AM	#2
repoman Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,280	The early Hebrews have been termed as monolatrous rather than monotheistic. Monolatry means that you accaept that other gods exist, but you have alleigance to only one god. Gradually this developed into the idea that those others gods were much weaker (i.e. the pissing match between the Egyptian gods and Moses god) and finally that those gods didn't even exist. I am not sure of the timeline of this transition. Didn't the Catholic church coopt the "good" gods as patron saints and angels and the earthy, erotic ones as demons?

04-02-2002, 05:11 AM	#3
GunnerJ Banned Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: a place where i can list whatever location i want Posts: 4,871	Good point, repoman. OJuice, you may take comfort in the fact the Greco-Roman Paganism is alive and well in the Catholic system of saints.

04-02-2002, 05:40 AM	#4
ManM Veteran Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: NW Florida, USA Posts: 1,279	Polytheism is opposed because it worships creation over the Creator. Avarice is opposed because it places money over the Creator. _____ is opposed because it places _____ over the Creator. See the trend? This is how Christianity lumps polytheism and greed together as the same error. There is nothing wrong with the reasoning here.

04-02-2002, 06:03 AM	#5
sidewinder Regular Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: omnipresent Posts: 234	The concept of the Trinity is polytheistic even though Christians staunchly deny this. They believe Yahweh is one God with three essences. But then look at how Christians assign functions to each member of the Trinity. Each one has done something different and continues to have separate functions to this day. It gets confusing to remember which member is responsible for which function, which I suppose is why most Christians will just tell you that ultimately the Trinity is a mystery.

04-02-2002, 07:14 AM	#6
Ojuice5001 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: A city in Florida that I love Posts: 3,416	That Catholic point is a good one. The saints, and many other factors, make Catholicism better than Protestantism. Things would be much worse if Europe had become the territory of Islam.

04-02-2002, 06:16 PM	#7
hinduwoman Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: India Posts: 6,977	I suppose that when there was absolute monarchy with only one all-powerful ruler, the concept of One God was more acceptable. Now we have democracies everywhere, a committee of gods deciding everything should be more acceptable.

04-04-2002, 04:05 PM	#8
Krieger Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: ... Posts: 2,191	On the topic of polytheism. I'd like to see a new pagan sect that worships the old Egyptian or Roman gods. Asatru already worships the Norse gods.

04-04-2002, 04:32 PM	#10
JL Regular Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Mawkish Virtue, NC Posts: 151	<a href="http://www.xeper.org/pub/tos/main.html" target="_blank">Temple of Set.</a>

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