# Multiplicity of religions: Part of God's plans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 3, 2003, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495 "2003-01-03T21:24:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/21 "2003-01-04T22:02:49Z")
Well, we have had [Og and Cthululu](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=104146&highlight=Cthulhu) fight it out in this board. ---
**Author:** ![sundog66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@sundog66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sundog66)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/22 "2003-01-05T00:18:37Z")
So, let’s say I know there is one true religion, I just don’t know which one it is. How would I go about finding it? Would it be more valuable if I actually sought it out and figured it out for myself, or is it just as meaningful if **His4ever** just told me? Come to think of it, if it’s true that Satan tries to confuse people about which religion is correct, then **His4ever** is probably just as deluded as I am. I wouldn’t doubt the power of Satan’s trickery. ---
**Author:** ![partly\_warmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@partly\_warmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partly_warmer)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/23 "2003-01-05T01:39:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\*Meatros is right. All religions teach the same thing: Treat people good. > > What did Jesus say was the greatest commandment? From Matthew 22. > > So how is this different from the teachings of any of the other world religions? “Treat people good.” … \*\* But the real devil, so to speak, is in the details. The person I know whose Christianity is closest to mine, who I’ve discussed Christianity endlessly with, a guy who went to seminary, has decided to stop going to church. Completely blew me away. And his argument seemed trivial, based on a peculiar reading of one Biblical passage, and unconvincing. It’s not the common factors between religions that lead to disputes, it’s coming to terms with the differences. It’s part of the spiritual learning process, I suggest. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/24 "2003-01-05T01:55:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sundog66 \* > \*\*So, let’s say I know there is one true religion, I just don’t know which one it is. How would I go about finding it? Would it be more valuable if I actually sought it out and figured it out for myself, or is it just as meaningful if **His4ever** just told me? > > Come to think of it, if it’s true that Satan tries to confuse people about which religion is correct, then **His4ever** is probably just as deluded as I am. I wouldn’t doubt the power of Satan’s trickery. \*\* I’ll substitute **His4Ever’s** name for “Person A”. I think you bring up a good point. As far as I can tell, there is no way to tell which religion is correct. As far as Person A coming up to me and telling me what to believe (assuming it’s **the** religion/belief) then I’d say the value comes with knowing the correct information. IMHO, it would be irrelevant if I saught it out or was told. Me putting faith in the religion is what counts. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/25 "2003-01-05T04:05:55Z")
> [@](#): > > But before Jesus came to earth, there was still one truth and one God. Um, no, I’m sorry but you’re wrong. Many, if not most of the Pre-Jesus cultures were pantheist, meaning they had many gods. The Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians. So which culture had the One True Religion? At the exact same time that God was giving Moses the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai, the Egyptians were worshiping many gods, the Bronze Age people who lived in Europe were worshiping other gods, the early Chinese dynasties were worshiping in still another way. So did Satan create all those religions? If so, why? The Chinese, and the Egyptians, and the Bronze Age Europeans had no way to get to Judea to hear the Children of Israel tell them about the One True God, so where did their religions all come from? You said that other religions were only created by Satan to tempt people away from the One True Religion, but if all these people had no way to hear about it in the first place, then why would Satan even bother to create new religions for them to follow? According to your beliefs, they were apparently already damned for not believing in the One True Religion, so why should he waste his time? I’m not questioning how long ago Satan went into the Badness Business. I’m not questioning how long ago he started being active. I _am_ questioning whether he was active starting new religions when he didn’t really need to. > [@](#): > > Still room for satan to keep people in the darkness of all tose cults, religions, and sects He didn’t need to bother. They created all those cults, religions, and sects _all by themselves_. It sounds like you’re getting ready to say that every single time a person sins, it’s because Satan tempted them, that every single evil thing that happens in the world, happens because Satan causes it to happen, that people of themselves would never normally sin, except that Satan is always there making them do bad stuff, like invent new religions for themselves. Does that about sum it up? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/26 "2003-01-05T04:09:59Z")
James 1:13, 14 > [@](#): > > When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Dragged away by his own evil desire for a religion different than the one his neighbors have. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/27 "2003-01-05T04:24:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\*Um, no, I’m sorry but you’re wrong. Many, if not most of the Pre-Jesus cultures were pantheist, meaning they had many gods. The Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians. So which culture had the One True Religion? \*\* Well, just because different religions exist, doesn’t mean they’re all correct. The Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians could all have been worshiping false gods. Besides, if you take the book of Genesis literally (and I don’t, btw), it might lead you to believe that all societies at one time did know “the True G-d”, but then fell away from that true faith into false beliefs whether influenced by demonic forces or not. (and there has been a belief in both Judaism and Christianity that the gods of other nations really are evil demons just tricking their worshipers into thinking they are gods.) ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/28 "2003-01-05T11:33:19Z")
Duck Forgive me for picking this tiny nit, but for the sake of StraightDope’s mission, pantheism is not the belief in many gods. That’s polytheism (as opposed to monotheism). Pantheism is the belief that the universe and everything in it is God. A similar term, panentheism, is the belief that the universe and everything in it is imbued with God. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/29 "2003-01-05T13:41:25Z")
Okay, nit duly picked, numbered, and registered. 😃 \<\< wanders off muttering “poly, poly, poly” \>\> ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/30 "2003-01-05T17:04:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > Religion is one of those devastatingly equivocal terms. > > For some, religion is a context of faith; for others, it is a context of politics. Politics? Could you give me an example of that? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > Every moral journey is unique. No two people have ever experienced the exact same thing in the exact same way from the exact same perspective at the exact same time. That does not make “every moral journey” (whatever that means) unique. People do not have unique reactions to each and every possible combinations of possible situations, they react to classes/groups/categories of them. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > That sort of religion is not just _part_ of God’s plan, in my opinion, but is His whole plan. When did “moral journey” become religion all of a sudden? ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/31 "2003-01-05T17:11:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > Forgive me for picking this tiny nit, but for the sake of StraightDope’s mission, pantheism is not the belief in many gods. That’s polytheism (as opposed to monotheism). Pantheism is the belief that the universe and everything in it is God. That’s not true. From Merriam-Webster: > [@](#): > > Main Entry: pan·the·ism > Pronunciation: 'pan(t)-thE-"i-z&m > Function: noun > Etymology: French panthéisme, from panthéiste pantheist, from English pantheist, from pan- + Greek theos god > Date: 1732 > 1 : a doctrine that equates God with the forces and laws of the universe > 2 : the worship of all gods of different creeds, cults, or peoples indifferently; also : toleration of worship of all gods (as at certain periods of the Roman empire) **DDG** is right about worshipping many gods, at least that is one of the meaning of pantheism, where “theism” is prefixed with “pan-,” which means “all.” P.S. What’s the deal with the capitalised “God?” ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/32 "2003-01-05T17:23:35Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* Um, no, I’m sorry but you’re wrong. Many, if not most of the Pre-Jesus cultures were pantheist, meaning they had many gods. The Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians. So which culture had the One True Religion?[/quite] If you presume YHWH is the one true god, clearly Judaism had it. Clearly, however, you cannot make such a presumption. Also, you can’t just say that the “one true religion” must be monotheistic. It could be the Greeks or the Egyptians had the “one true religion.” The one true god can also be the Invisible Purple Unicorn. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/33 "2003-01-05T17:27:58Z")
**Urban Ranger** , with all due respect, I think you’re misunderstanding the definition. pantheism is the worship of the universe itself as God. (Trust me, I have a degree in religion) This often includes the subsumption of all formal deities as symbolic manifestations of the universe. It is not a literal worship of multiple gods, it is a symbolic interpretation of theism by others. Polytheism is a belief in multiple gods, but these gods are _specific_. Polytheists do not necessarily recognize gods from other traditions as having any validity. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/34 "2003-01-05T17:29:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Also, you can’t just say that the “one true religion” must be monotheistic. Knowing His4Ever, I’m assuming for the sake of the discussion that _her_ definition of “the one true religion” would be the monotheistic Fundamentalist Christianity. > [@](#): > > It could be the Greeks or the Egyptians had the “one true religion.”…The one true god can also be the Invisible Purple Unicorn. Absolutely. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/35 "2003-01-05T17:33:11Z")
Nah, I think Lib was right. [http://mb-soft.com/believe/txo/polythei.htm](http://mb-soft.com/believe/txo/polythei.htm) > [@](#): > > General Information > > Polytheism is the belief in and worship of many gods. It contrasts with Monotheism, belief in one god, and Pantheism, identification of God with the universe. In polytheism the gods are personified, distinguished by functions, related to one another in a cosmic family, and the subjects of myths and legends. > > The belief in a multitude of distinct and separate deities. It is formally contrasted with pantheism, the belief in an impersonal God identical with the universe, although the two doctrines can sometimes be found in the same religious tradition. Polytheism is distinguished from theism, also called monotheism, on the basis of polytheism’s claim that divinity, while personal and distinguished from the universe, is many rather than one. > > Except for the great monotheisms of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the world’s religions are overwhelmingly polytheistic. Polytheism characterizes Hinduism, Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shintoism in the East, and also contemporary African tribal religions. In the ancient world Egyptians, Babylonians, and Assyrians worshipped a plurality of deities, as did the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Norse. Belief in several distinct deities serves to provide a focus for popular religious devotion when the official deity or deities of the religion are remote from the common person. And now please excuse me while I go put a cold cloth on my forehead… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/36 "2003-01-05T18:23:00Z")
> [@](#): > > _posted by Urban Ranger_ > P.S. What’s the deal with the capitalised “God?” When people who believe in God refer to Him, it is a matter of respect, or a sign of humility, to capitalize. IME, non-believers tend not to capitalize. This is because they don’t owe any respect or humility to a Deity which they do not worship. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/37 "2003-01-05T19:08:43Z")
I think **Urban Ranger** was wondering about the capitalization of God in the first definition of pantheism. Near as I can figure, it’s because the most familiar form of pantheism is Spinoza’s, and he was either Jewish or Christian, the sort to believe in a big “g” God. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/38 "2003-01-05T19:21:01Z")
Oh, my mistake. ---
**Author:** ![lynn73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@lynn73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynn73)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/39 "2003-01-05T19:27:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\* > > It sounds like you’re getting ready to say that every single time a person sins, it’s because Satan tempted them, that every single evil thing that happens in the world, happens because Satan causes it to happen, that people of themselves would never normally sin, except that Satan is always there making them do bad stuff, like invent new religions for themselves. > > Does that about sum it up? \*\* I wouldn’t say it exactly like that. I don’t necessarily think Satan causes everything. Sometimes people are just enticed by their own sin nature and give in to it. I do believe that he can and does tempt people, though, and it’s our decision whether to give in or not. This is just my personal opinion but I tend to think he (satan) is underestimated by a lot of people and capable of more lying deceptions than they might think. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and **lying wonders.** 2 Cor. 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transfomed into an angel of light. v15 also Anyway, that’s just my humble opinion as to the question in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495/40 "2003-01-05T19:37:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Anyway, that’s just my humble opinion as to the question in the OP. “Satan created all religions except Christianity” is your answer to the OP, is that it? But what about _my_ question? Why would he do that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiplicity-of-religions-part-of-gods-plans/146495.md?page=3)