# For The Religious: What about other gods? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 27, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442 "2014-02-27T19:40:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**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:** [March 18, 2014, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/141 "2014-03-18T11:25:37Z")
> [@MostlyUseless](#): > > Opinions vary. Thank you, Captain Obvious. ---
**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:** [March 18, 2014, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/142 "2014-03-18T11:30:56Z")
> [@Frank\_Merton](#): > > I think spiritual experiences are mostly delusions, and people seek them out largely they way they seek out other addictive experiences. I’ve had them myself and found them delightful, much like winning the lottery, and something one wants to repeat. Thank you-got it. ---
**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:** [March 18, 2014, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/143 "2014-03-18T11:33:44Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Broadly speaking they are either 1) mythological, 2) historical figures, or 3) corrupted versions of the Triune God (ie the God of Judaism, Islam, Mormonism etc.) Clarification please: Are you saying that “the God of Judaism, Islam, Mormonism etc.” are corrupted versions of the god you believe in? ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/144 "2014-03-18T19:48:39Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Broadly speaking they are either 1) mythological, 2) historical figures, or 3) corrupted versions of the Triune God (ie the God of Judaism, Islam, Mormonism etc.) I’m positive the god of Judaism is not triune. He is eternally and indivisibly one. I’m reasonably sure the same is true of Islam. ---
**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:** [March 18, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/145 "2014-03-18T19:53:18Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I’m positive the god of Judaism is not triune. He is eternally and indivisibly one. I’m reasonably sure the same is true of Islam. I think he was saying that those were corrupted versions of his triune god, but I’m awaiting clarification. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/146 "2014-03-18T20:03:38Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I’m positive the god of Judaism is not triune. He is eternally and indivisibly one. I’m reasonably sure the same is true of Islam. Christians would say that Jews and Muslims have a grossly defective view of God. Like St. John says, ‘he who denies the Son hath not the Father’. ---
**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:** [March 18, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/147 "2014-03-18T20:34:59Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > Christians would say that Jews and Muslims have a grossly defective view of God. Through this thread I have found out that, at best, _some_ who call themselves Christian have that view. ---
**Author:** ![Marick098](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Marick098](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marick098)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/148 "2014-03-18T21:35:03Z")
I will start off by letting everyone that I’m a Neo-Platonist and therefore I do believe in a God. This is a great topic and one that needs to be discussed more often in my opinion. I will start by answering the TCs questions, then express my view on the matter. For those of you who are not familiar with the platonic viewpoint I believe,and study even, a lot of different religions. So when I read, say the Bible, or the Quaran, or even the Bhagavad Geeta, I believe in those Gods as well as my own. My reason for this is that I feel as though dieties in most religions are roughly the same God. As you stated in your question, I do believe most other dieties to be an avatar of sorts of a one true God, one without any Judao-Christian affiliation. Now here comes my reasoning for having this belief. The new Abrahamic religions that we are familiar with, and that are only a few thousand years old, all came after previous religions and even borrowed many elements from earlier religions. Evidence of this is in the similarities that key figures play in almost every mythical text ever found. Now this isn’t to say that I’m only willing to believe that God does exist and I shun logical and practical thinking where its needed. Whether you are a theist, or an athiest you can still look at the texts and compare Gods and important characters from all different holy texts. Then you can analyze all the recurring characters and see them for what they really are, even if you don’t actually believe the stories surrounding them historically or literally. To give a more clear analogy, it would be like if you were to read Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, and compare characters and story elements and themes without actually believing that the books really happened. Then you can work your way back to the source that was prevelent enough to influence the story of two entirely seperate allegorical tales. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/149 "2014-03-18T21:46:22Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > 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? > This question came to mind after reading for the umpteenth time that atheism is a religion because they cannot, with _absolute_ certainty, _prove_ that God doesn’t exist. Is this reasoning valid when the shoe is on the other foot? Did you even think before you posted this? I am not “atheistic” about Odin and Zeus. I am monotheistic, whch means (by definition) I believe there is exactly one god. No more, no less. That has been the belief of Jews, Christians and Muslims for centuries. It’s not complicated. ---
**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:** [March 18, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/150 "2014-03-18T21:50:29Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Did you even think before you posted this? > > I am not “atheistic” about Odin and Zeus. I am monotheistic, whch means (by definition) I believe there is exactly one god. No more, no less. > > That has been the belief of Jews, Christians and Muslims for centuries. It’s not complicated. My question was directed towards _all_ religionists, not just monotheists of the Christian variety. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2014, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/151 "2014-03-19T05:13:35Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Did you even think before you posted this? > > I am not “atheistic” about Odin and Zeus. I am monotheistic, whch means (by definition) I believe there is exactly one god. No more, no less. > > That has been the belief of Jews, Christians and Muslims for centuries. It’s not complicated. Why? Because your book tells you so? Or from some process? After all, monotheism is relatively novel, historically speaking, so you can’t call it an obvious conclusion from all thoughts about gods. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Merton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Frank\_Merton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_Merton)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/152 "2014-03-19T06:22:36Z")
If you want an omniscient deity He has to be mono, since if there were more than one omniscient mind there would still be only 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:** [March 19, 2014, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/153 "2014-03-19T06:34:32Z")
> [@Frank\_Merton](#): > > If you want an omniscient deity He has to be mono, since if there were more than one omniscient mind there would still be only one. “Omniscient” wasn’t in the OP, either. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Merton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Frank\_Merton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_Merton)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/154 "2014-03-19T07:15:06Z")
Interesting. To me the “other deities” includes one that is omniscient. Maybe you should have said, “except omniscient deities.” ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/155 "2014-03-19T07:34:40Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I think he was saying that those were corrupted versions of his triune god, but I’m awaiting clarification. Yes, that’s what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/156 "2014-03-19T10:31:54Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Did you even think before you posted this? > > I am not “atheistic” about Odin and Zeus. I am monotheistic, whch means (by definition) I believe there is exactly one god. No more, no less. > > That has been the belief of Jews, Christians and Muslims for centuries. It’s not complicated. Did you think stomping your foot would be a valid argument? ---
**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:** [March 19, 2014, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/157 "2014-03-19T11:42:01Z")
> [@Frank\_Merton](#): > > Interesting. To me the “other deities” includes one that is omniscient. Maybe you should have said, “except omniscient deities.” No, I think what I wrote was what I intended to say. ---
**Author:** ![Chihuahua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@Chihuahua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chihuahua)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/158 "2014-03-19T11:59:31Z")
When I was a teenager in the 90’s, I was taught that anything that wasn’t God (in the Judeo-Christian sense) was Satan. That is to say, Satan created other religions, and anyone who worshipped another religion was a Satan worshipper. I didn’t get into the finer points of whether it was possible they were well-intentioned but incorrect, nor the issue of why Christianity was ostensibly valid while all others were not. I think at that stage of the game it was mostly about beating it into our young, empty heads that everyone different was evil. I am at this point an atheist. ---
**Author:** ![Chihuahua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@Chihuahua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chihuahua)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/159 "2014-03-19T12:11:38Z")
Sorry to jump into the thread late, but this struck me: > [@](#): > > I am convinced of my beliefs; why should anyone else matter? The fact that you are dismissing billions of people as irrelevant is kinda scary, but still… If we follow the premise that only one religion can be correct, that means that many billions of people in the world are living their entire lives pursuing an illusion. Entire nations are built and bloody wars are fought over whose religion is the right one. The entire history of man’s religious experiment shows us that it is a supremely important question with astonishing, often hideous real-world impacts. To dismiss it as a philosophical exercise with no real-world importance is baffling and incorrect. FWIW, my experience has been that most people’s religion is decided by geography, society, and family. I have questioned people as to why they believe their religion is correct, (that is, why did they choose their religion from among a number of competing alternatives) and they just looked at me like I was an idiot. Of course their religion was right, and I was either stupid or willfully evil for suggesting otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442/160 "2014-03-19T17:20:31Z")
> [@Chihuahua](#): > > Satan created other religions, and anyone who worshipped another religion was a Satan worshipper. And yet, God created Satan, and allowed Him to fall, so by extension, worshipping any other religious figure (e.g. Satan) is not that different from worshipping God. Which begs the question: Is Hell all that different from Heaven? Is it a lesser Paradise, or is Heaven itself the ultimate, eternal inferno? Do any Christians ever acknowledge this obvious, sinister paradox? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-religious-what-about-other-gods/682442.md?page=9)