patrick.net

Polytheists believe in any number greater than 2 of gods. They have 1000s of gods to choose from.

Monotheists deny almost all of these 1000s of gods, but still maintain the existence of one of them, usually the King of the Mountain (El Shaddai) aka Adonis, Yahweh, or just "God".

Monotheists just need to apply the same reasoning they gave to the other 1000s of gods to their own.

And problem solved: Monotheism is reducible to Atheism.

Atheists believe in just one less god.

For a lot of people, God is a simple, easily understandable entity. Like God is a Guy, with a long beard etc. etc. as they portray in 'The Simpsons'. It is not that simple. Where does God exist when all space and time is created by God. What about existence when God himself created existence. God created gender for propagation of life. He himself is not restricted to a specific gender. Human beings cannot even begin to fathom what God is. We have not been given the intellect. We have our limitations. It's like some guy lost in a huge, dense and dark forest and then he lights a match. He is only aware of the existence of what he can see in the dim light of that match. This is our understanding of this vast universe. Trying to make sense of what God is way beyond that.

Waitup says

Where does God exist when all space and time is created by God.

Evidence?

Your thinking is so three dimension (or four?) :-)

Peter P says

Problem solved. Polytheism is reducible to monotheism.

I get the impression that Hinduism is that way, where Brahman is somehow all Gods.

When Voltron forms do the members of the Voltron Force loose their individuality? No.

Assuming that the Supreme court of the heavens was to rule that god corps were also gods, this would just add one more god to the pantheon.

Peter P says

Problem solved. Polytheism is reducible to monotheism.

I get the impression that Hinduism is that way, where Brahman is somehow all Gods.

The way I understand it--very simplified--is that Brahman is not just all gods, but everything. You, I...my keyboard.

I don't think this invalidates our existence as individuals, or the various gods existence as individual gods in a polytheistic system.

leo707 says

Peter P says

Problem solved. Polytheism is reducible to monotheism.

I get the impression that Hinduism is that way, where Brahman is somehow all Gods.

The way I understand it--very simplified--is that Brahman is not just all gods, but everything. You, I...my keyboard.

I don't think this invalidates our existence as individuals, or the various gods existence as individual gods in a polytheistic system.

See, both are reducible to pantheism.

Peter P says

See, both are reducible to pantheism.

Great! now that you have the Real Spiritual Truth(TM), all you have to do is convince all the people of all the religions in the world that this is the case.

Maybe you can start a new religion and start proselytizing. I am sure that before long you will have convinced everyone of the truth.

;)

Religions are not about God. They are about people above people.

Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film.

Steven Wright

What is your favorite proof of God's existence.

Such existence can be literal, metaphysical, linguistic, or tautological.

gracer says

Jesus said, "The sin of the world is unbelief in Me."

OK, let's posit I believe he exists? Existed?

Therefore I have no sin, and can go to heaven without having to ever hear another word about the matter. I sure did waste a lot of time in Sunday School in my youth as they nattered on about more trivial points.

Great!