Author Topic: Christianity question. (Read 986 times)

miko2d · « **on:** February 20, 2003, 12:03:47 PM »

Despite the Holy Trinity twist, Christianity is considered a monotheistic religion.

At the same time the Old Testament contains numerous references to other gods besides the God of Israel and existence of powers coming from other sources than God of Israel or His angels (even if fallen ones like Satan) - witness the the Moses supported by God of Israel competing with Faraoh's mages - supposedely supported by gods of Egypt.

How about that "Thou shalt not have other gods before me" and ""For I am .. a jealous Lord..."? Here and elswhere He clearely states there are other gods but jews should worship the One - according to the covenant between Him and Abraham.

I am reading about proseciton of witches during the rennaisance/enlighenment times (not middle ages, as commonly believed and much more civilised than presented) and the official view seems to be that any powers not coming from God or his saints come from Satan which opposes Him. But that misses the option that the powers could come from those other - "neutral" - gods.

What's the modern theological consensus on that subject?

miko

mietla · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2003, 12:06:58 PM »

Post it in AGW forum, Worr is back

AKIron · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2003, 12:10:37 PM »

I don't know what the modern theological consenus is but I think I know what many Christians believe. And that is that the other "gods" are either Satan (in disguise) or other fallen Angels.

It only seems reasonable to me that this would be the case since Satan "fell" primarily due to his desire to be worshipped as God.

SLO · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2003, 12:25:33 PM »

hmmm......interesting.....fan tasy subject...I like those subjects

witches
sorceress
Mages
Gods
Creators
Wizards
Dreamwalkers
Seekers
Angels
Dwarves
Elves

hmm what a lovely subject:p

people believe in the most wierd things about....lucky we humans now how to believe in our own imaginations

AKIron · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2003, 12:49:31 PM »

Hey Slo, why do you find it so necessary to attempt to offend others?

Quote

Originally posted by SLO
hmmm......interesting.....fantasy subject...I like those subjects

witches
sorceress
Mages
Gods
Creators
Wizards
Dreamwalkers
Seekers
Angels
Dwarves
Elves

hmm what a lovely subject:p

people believe in the most wierd things about....lucky we humans now how to believe in our own imaginations

Siaf__csf · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2003, 01:12:53 PM »

He just pointed out the obvious..

Discussing seriously about stuff like that is offending oneself.. Heheh..

miko2d · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2003, 01:39:12 PM »

You think studying the details of a faith that determined values and development of the western civilisation and is still professed by majority of people in US is not a serious occupation?

Do you often pop up into people's homes uninvited just to shout "I am ignorant and stupid, look how smart I am"?
I bet if I look more carefully into your ignorance I will find a couple of weird religions there.
I did not see SLO mention communism or socialism or infallibility of state worship among his list irrational beliefs. Did he forget? Why didn't you correct him?

miko

AKIron · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2003, 01:39:16 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Siaf__csf
He just pointed out the obvious..

Discussing seriously about stuff like that is offending oneself.. Heheh..

I see, you know-it-alls are just trying to enlighten everyone, is that it?

batdog · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2003, 01:47:14 PM »

Why cant there be a God? Perhaps the old world concept of God is simply dated and out of touch. Perhaps GOD is a being that IS a supream being to us. Much like we are to the bacteria in a petri-dish?

Open your mind to the possiablities. Hasnt it been shown that often what one call imagination turns out to be true? Perhaps not in the manner thought but yet... its there.

Hawklore · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2003, 01:55:29 PM »

I didn't read through all the thread, but,

Judaisn was the first monotheistic religion.

I'm not an Athesist, I'm not a christian, I'm not Jewish, I'm not muslim, But I belive, that most religions lead to the same god, whether named Allah, or God, I belive that they will lead to God, now there are Bible Thumpers, and they call themselves christian.

But thats one type of christianity, same thing with this war and terroism, there practicing one type of Islamic belife, so don't target the religion target the people that are saying that violence is part of there religion.

If your gonna look at a violent religion, look at christianity, I see tons of violence in the Bible, and hear tons of violence.

Just my Opinion, whether or not it has to do with this thread.

Kanth · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2003, 02:05:18 PM »

That's a winner!

miko2d · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2003, 02:05:52 PM »

Hawklore: Judaism was the first monotheistic religion.

I doubt it would be the first one if it were monotheistic. And this whole thread is about it apparently not being monotheistic - according to the words of the very God it worships in its Holy Book.

It worships one God - true. But monoteistic religion presumes existence of only one God. If that God mentions existence of other gods and contends with them - it's hardly monotheistic.

This thread certainly has nothing to do with religious violence.

miko

AKIron · « **Reply #12 on:** February 20, 2003, 02:13:49 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by miko2d
Hawklore: Judaism was the first monotheistic religion.

I doubt it would be the first one if it were monotheistic. And this whole thread is about it apparently not being monotheistic - according to the words of the very God it worships in its Holy Book.

It worships one God - true. But monoteistic religion presumes existence of only one God. If that God mentions existence of other gods and contends with them - it's hardly monotheistic.

This thread certainly has nothing to do with religious violence.

miko

If you're referring to this: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3 as evidence that God acknowledged the existence of other gods then I think you are mistaken. This was a command given to a people that worshipped other gods and while it doesn't plainly deny the existence of those other gods it doesn't imply their existence either.

AKIron · « **Reply #13 on:** February 20, 2003, 02:24:02 PM »

I guess what we need is a clear definition as to what a "god" or "deity" is.

If by god we mean any "supernatural" (I hesitate to use that word because there are so many interpretations as to what it means) being that is "magical" in it's capabilites compared to mankind then I believe there are many. However, according to mainstream Christian faith there is only one creator and it is he that created all the others.

Batz · « **Reply #14 on:** February 20, 2003, 02:29:58 PM »

From my Chatholic background akiron would be right.

Quote

Thou shalt have no other gods before me

Taking exact literal interpretations from the bible is a tough thing to do since the the gospels were written at different times and in different contexts. They were also translated and retranslated and in some cases "sanitized" and arranged to give a consistant theme.

From what I was taught that there is only 1 God and that all others are false or the creation of Satan inorder to deceive and seperate you from God.

"shall have no other Gods before me" doesnt mean that there are other Gods. Theres only 1. But humans have a tendency to exalt other things to God status.

Money could be your God, power, science etc..........