# For The Religious: What about other gods?(revised) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 8, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657 "2014-04-08T18:10:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/1 "2014-04-08T18:10:44Z")
What do you believe about deities other than your own? Are you atheistic about them, believing that they do not exist? Are you unsure about their existence? Do you believe that they are just avatars of your own deity? Other? Please note that for clarity I would like responses from those that are of a religious nature, and not supposition about what the religious might believe from those that are not, although comments about what religious people themselves post are certainly on topic. Please note, though, that I am asking about beliefs, and I hope that this thread doesn’t get bogged down in taking anyone’s belief and demanding that they prove that it is fact. Thank you. = = = Moderator Note: The first pass at this discussion occurred in [For The Religious: What about other gods?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=716973) that is now closed. ---
**Author:** ![sentrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@sentrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sentrix)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/2 "2014-04-08T18:13:02Z")
Examples of deities please. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/3 "2014-04-08T18:19:51Z")
> [@sentrix](#): > > Examples of deities please. [Start here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_gods). What deity do you believe in, and what is your viewpoint as to the existence of other deities? ---
**Author:** ![sentrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@sentrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sentrix)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/4 "2014-04-08T18:37:35Z")
[- YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-isGzfYUZ4) and mother nature. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/5 "2014-04-08T18:40:39Z")
To me, all aspects of one God, even things like the FSM, made up as fiction, is revealing the creator because the person who made up the FSM is a child of God and one with God and can not help doing ‘god’ things even if they don’t intend to do so. Children ‘gods’ such as Zeus and the Mount Olympus crowd (or AKA the Archangels) are exactly that, they are a aspect of God personified in a advanced body, each with special talents and abilities, as do we all on our own level, all is one. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/6 "2014-04-08T18:41:46Z")
Sure, I think other gods are valid. I think if I was God, I’d manifest myself in different ways for different cultures, so that I might be better understood. Who am I to say that the Trinity is the only valid God just because I happen to believe in it? It works for me, but if Buddhism or Hinduism works for you, I think you’re on just as solid a ground as I am. ---
**Author:** ![sentrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@sentrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sentrix)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/7 "2014-04-08T18:50:13Z")
I will also go with satan. If the devil ceased to exist would god create another one? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/8 "2014-04-08T18:52:42Z")
> [@sentrix](#): > > I will also go with satan. If the devil ceased to exist would god create another one? I’m not getting you at all here. I’m asking what deity you personally believe in, and what you feel about the existence of deities other than your own. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/9 "2014-04-08T19:00:10Z")
Define “god”. I believe that there is exactly one entity who created the Universe. If one wants to assign to this entity the name of “God” or “Yahweh” or “Allah” or “Aslan” or “The Flying Spaghetti Monster”, if one is speaking of the Creator, then one is speaking of the same entity (though one might, of course, make incorrect claims concerning said entity). There may or may not be any number of other entities, who are more powerful than humans but less powerful than the One Creator: If one wishes to refer to such entities as “gods”, then that’s fine by me, but I’ve never met one. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/10 "2014-04-08T19:02:43Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Define “god”. I believe that there is exactly one entity who created the Universe. If one wants to assign to this entity the name of “God” or “Yahweh” or “Allah” or “Aslan” or “The Flying Spaghetti Monster”, if one is speaking of the Creator, then one is speaking of the same entity (though one might, of course, make incorrect claims concerning said entity). There may or may not be any number of other entities, who are more powerful than humans but less powerful than the One Creator: If one wishes to refer to such entities as “gods”, then that’s fine by me, but I’ve never met one. Would you be comfortable asserting that all (or most) religions worship/pay homage to different but (roughly) equal manifestations of this creator? I don’t mean to put words in anyone’s mouth - I’m just clarifying. ---
**Author:** ![sentrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@sentrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sentrix)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/11 "2014-04-08T19:10:41Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I’m not getting you at all here. I’m asking what deity you personally believe in, and what you feel about the existence of deities other than your own. ‘Personally believe in’ is the key here. You will get many varied responses I am sure. Mother nature for one, satan is an entity, my bad. [Devil - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/12 "2014-04-08T19:18:36Z")
> [@sentrix](#): > > ‘Personally believe in’ is the key here. You will get many varied responses I am sure. Mother nature for one, satan is an entity, my bad. [Devil - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil) I think Satan would qualify as a deity in most religions, though monotheistic ones have to redefine him. He is immortal and has supernatural powers, after all, and Bible believing Christians have to believe in the devil. I think it is a great example. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/13 "2014-04-08T19:32:11Z")
> [@sentrix](#): > > ‘Personally believe in’ is the key here. You will get many varied responses I am sure. Mother nature for one, satan is an entity, my bad. [Devil - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil) Do you happen to have an answer to the question posed _as it pertains to you, personally?_ ---
**Author:** ![sentrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@sentrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sentrix)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/14 "2014-04-08T19:34:40Z")
Mother nature. As stated before…and Satan. One man’s ‘deity’ is another man’s god. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/15 "2014-04-08T19:35:58Z")
> [@sentrix](#): > > Mother nature. And your belief as to the existence of other gods is…? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/16 "2014-04-08T19:40:54Z")
I believe there is only one God, whom I know as the Judeo-Christian god Yahweh. I believe he is best revealed through the life and teachings of Jesus. However, I recognize that my experience and understanding of God has been shaped by my culture and upbringing and that there is validity in the way that peoples of other religions and cultures experience the same God. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/17 "2014-04-08T19:43:09Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I believe there is only one God, whom I know as the Judeo-Christian god Yahweh. I believe he is best revealed through the life and teachings of Jesus. However, I recognize that my experience and understanding of God has been shaped by my culture and upbringing and that there is validity in the way that peoples of other religions and cultures experience the same God. So you believe in “One God-Many Faces”? ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/18 "2014-04-08T19:43:50Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Define “god”. I believe that there is exactly one entity who created the Universe. If one wants to assign to this entity the name of “God” or “Yahweh” or “Allah” or “Aslan” or “The Flying Spaghetti Monster”, if one is speaking of the Creator, then one is speaking of the same entity (though one might, of course, make incorrect claims concerning said entity). There may or may not be any number of other entities, who are more powerful than humans but less powerful than the One Creator: If one wishes to refer to such entities as “gods”, then that’s fine by me, but I’ve never met one. This is not that far off from my own views on the matter. I believe in God, the nature of God is something that I ponder extensively and have my own views on, to some extent shaped by my upbringing, culture, and personal experiences as well. Thus, consistently, it makes sense that for those who are exploring what, in this context, is a legitimate spiritual experience or view, it must come from the same source, as there can be only one creator (or perhaps a group, for whatever that might mean). Obviously, those people will have their own views on the nature of God based on their own spiritual and religious ponderings, upbringing, culture, and personal experiences. So, as I see it, other than the fact that my view is the one that is most consistent with my own experiences, I can’t meaningfully argue one way or the other about the honestly held views of another, other than ones that can be objectively verified (eg, a view based upon scripture rather than experience). I do think, though, that any such view that isn’t honestly held, like the aforementioned Flying Spaghetti Monster, though it may or may not “exist” is essentially just noise; though I would be interested in someone who honestly believes in FSM rather than just claiming so for whatever other motives they may have. So, in that sense, I think the idea of believing or not believing in other gods is sort of missing the underlying point. Sure, I think I’m right, I wouldn’t believe what I believe if I didn’t, but part of that belief acknowledges not only that the nature of God is greater than that of man, but likely that, being the creator of the universe, is likely even beyond our comprehension, like trying to conceptualize a hypercube. In fact, like a hypercube, rotated and projected in 3D or even 2D, it’s difficult to intuitively understand how these projections can, in fact, be from the same object, I think we can begin to understand a greater truth about the nature of God in the same way. So, really, if anything, the “existence” of other gods and learning about them has given me greater clarity on the nature of “my” God. ---
**Author:** ![sentrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@sentrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sentrix)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/19 "2014-04-08T19:44:49Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > And your belief as to the existence of other gods is…? Skeptical. People believe what they want to believe in, doesn’t the world revolve around this concept? I was enthralled by Buddhism in Thailand but that does not make me a believer per se. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657/20 "2014-04-08T19:47:07Z")
A friend of mine once said, “Of course I know I’m right…about as right as any human can be, that is.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods-revised/685657.md?page=2)