# Why are the dominant world religions monotheistic?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [November 30, 2011, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546 "2011-11-30T08:48:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@IMfez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IMfez)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/1 "2011-11-30T08:48:13Z")
To the theologians out there (both professional and otherwise) are there any theories why monotheistic religions have risen to prominence? Is there a practical reason for this “refinement” from many gods to just one? Or no real significance?
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### Author:  [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/2 "2011-11-30T08:51:03Z")
Might makes right, I guess.
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### Author:  [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/3 "2011-11-30T09:20:45Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#):
>
> Might makes right, I guess.
Is that it? Lot’s of people converted of their own accord.
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### Author:  [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/4 "2011-11-30T09:42:34Z")
I think there’s something about monotheism that lends itself towards missionary work. If there’s only one god and its yours, then shouldn’t everybody know about that? Plus, both Christianity and Islam are monotheistic and evangelistic.
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### Author:  [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/5 "2011-11-30T09:48:36Z")
some Protestants don’t consider Catholics monotheistic,
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### Author:  [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/6 "2011-11-30T09:59:07Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#):
>
> I think there’s something about monotheism that lends itself towards missionary work.
This, or more likely its converse, e.g., multi-deism does **not** lend itself to proselytizing… The Romans, for example, would “swap gods” with conquered nations, adding the conquered god to their pantheon, and expecting the conquered people to add the Roman gods into theirs.
This didn’t go over well with the already-monotheistic Jews… with dire consequences (for the Jews).
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### Author:  [@thepillar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thepillar)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/7 "2011-11-30T10:09:30Z")
> [@IMfez](#):
>
> T Is there a practical reason for this “refinement” from many gods to just one? Or no real significance?
The gods were under one God. Nothing much has changed except for the terminology. I believe the gods are referred to as Archangels these days.
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### Author:  [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/8 "2011-11-30T14:14:39Z")
I doubt there is a factual answer for this. However, I’ve heard it argued that monotheism is more consistent with a slightly more scientific view of the universe. As people began to understand the underlying principles of the world, the idea that it was governed by a single divine plan rather than a group of squabbling deities became more intellectually satisfying. I find this somewhat persuasive.
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/9 "2011-11-30T14:17:08Z")
> [@thepillar](#):
>
> The gods were under one God. Nothing much has changed except for the terminology. I believe the gods are referred to as Archangels these days.
It was much more common for Christians to denote foreign gods as demons than as angels. I’ve personally never heard that the Archangels were non-Yahweh/Jehovah “gods” originally, and I’m pretty up on mythology and such.
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### Author:  [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/10 "2011-11-30T14:17:56Z")
Hindus. Buddhists. Shinto. Chinese religions. African tibal religions. None are monotheist. What is the OP talking about when he says dominant.
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### Author:  [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/11 "2011-11-30T14:40:31Z")
> [@AK84](#):
>
> Hindus. Buddhists. Shinto. Chinese religions. African tibal religions. None are monotheist. What is the OP talking about when he says dominant.
If you add together the numbers of Christians, Muslims, and Jews (and smaller monotheistic groups such as the Ba’hai) there are about twice twice as many monotheists in the world as there are non-monotheists, on generous estimates. I think that can reasonably count as being dominant.
[Religious demographics](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_religious_groups#Religious_demographics)
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### Author:  [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/12 "2011-11-30T14:45:12Z")
> [@njtt](#):
>
> If you add together the numbers of Christians, Muslims, and Jews (and smaller monotheistic groups such as the Ba’hai) there are about twice twice as many monotheists in the world as there are non-monotheists, on generous estimates. I think that can reasonably count as being dominant.
>
> [Religious demographics](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_religious_groups#Religious_demographics)
This answer makes sense if the OP’s question was “Why are the monotheistic world religions dominant?”, but it was the other way around: “Why are the dominant world religions monotheistic?”
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### Author:  [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/13 "2011-11-30T14:53:58Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#):
>
> I doubt there is a factual answer for this. However, I’ve heard it argued that monotheism is more consistent with a slightly more scientific view of the universe. As people began to understand the underlying principles of the world, the idea that it was governed by a single divine plan rather than a group of squabbling deities became more intellectually satisfying. I find this somewhat persuasive.
I think there is something in this. It helps to explain how Christianity grew so quickly to dominate the Roman Empire, and particularly how it could appeal to intellectuals. Even by the time of Christ it had become difficult for anyone with even a smattering of education to take the traditional Roman gods seriously, and the intellectual life of the early centuries AD, within the Empire, is filled with a proliferation of all sorts of contending religious systems, as people sought for something to replace the traditional religion. Christianity emerged as the clear winner. Having just one god enables you to isolate and quarantine the uneliminably irrational aspects of religion away from the more rational parts of your belief system much more easily and effectively than when you have a plethora of gods all specifically responsible for particular areas of experience.
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### Author:  [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/14 "2011-11-30T14:58:09Z")
> [@psychonaut](#):
>
> This answer makes sense if the OP’s question was “Why are the monotheistic world religions dominant?”, but it was the other way around: “Why are the dominant world religions monotheistic?”
But I was not directly responding to the OP, I was, quite explicitly, responding to **AK84** , who was questioning whether, in fact, monotheistic religions are dominant.
Please try to keep up.
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### Author:  [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/15 "2011-11-30T15:04:58Z")
> [@AK84](#):
>
> Hindus. Buddhists. Shinto. Chinese religions. African tibal religions. None are monotheist. What is the OP talking about when he says dominant.
That was my question. [This pie chart](http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html) shows Christianity at 33% and Islam at 21%. So, that’s a bit more than half monotheistic–not exactly “dominant.” And that’s lumping the Presbyterians in with the RC’s and the Sunni with the Shia…
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/16 "2011-11-30T15:05:24Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#):
>
> I doubt there is a factual answer for this. However, I’ve heard it argued that monotheism is more consistent with a slightly more scientific view of the universe. As people began to understand the underlying principles of the world, the idea that it was governed by a single divine plan rather than a group of squabbling deities became more intellectually satisfying. I find this somewhat persuasive.
Except Christianity and Islam spread to roughly its current geographic dominance before the scientific revolution. And, as noted, you have a whole panoply of angels and saints who can serve the same purpose as the lesser gods.
Also, I’m with **AK84** in noting that, especially Hinduism, should be considered a dominant world religion. Buddhism isn’t really a religion and doesn’t have any gods (or doesn’t need to). Judaism, while important in having spawned Christianity and Islam, cannot be considered a dominant religion. Too few adherents.
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### Author:  [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/17 "2011-11-30T15:43:41Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#):
>
> As people began to understand the underlying principles of the world, the idea that it was governed by a single divine plan rather than a group of squabbling deities became more intellectually satisfying. I find this somewhat persuasive.
Really? Seems like the squabbling would explain the chaos of the world a lot better.
And Christianity is pseudo-monotheistic, what with the one god being three put together.
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### Author:  [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/18 "2011-11-30T15:44:02Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Except Christianity and Islam spread to roughly its current geographic dominance before the scientific revolution. And, as noted, you have a whole panoply of angels and saints who can serve the same purpose as the lesser gods.
That’s why I said “more scientific” rather than “scientific”. Christianity and Islam spread after the work of the Greek philosophers. As **njitt** says, I can see why they might appeal to the more educated. I also disagree that an angel is equivalent to a god. The Greek Gods are near peers, while angels in Christian mythology are subjects. Similar, yes, equilavent, no.
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Also, I’m with AK84 in noting that, especially Hinduism, should be considered a dominant world religion.
In Hinduism, aren’t the various gods often presented as aspects of the same being? I’ve heard it described as both pantheistic and monotheistic.
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### Author:  [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/19 "2011-11-30T16:23:15Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Buddhism isn’t really a religion and doesn’t have any gods (or doesn’t need to).
Westernized Buddhism does not. Ask a Tibetan or a Chinese Buddhist and you’ll get a different answer.
[The first thing Google replies with when you search ‘Buddhist deities’](http://www.iloveulove.com/spirituality/buddhist/buddhistdeities.htm); I’m aware that they can be interpreted as aspects of the Infinite and rationalized that way. So can Jesus, when you get down to it.
[Specifically Chinese Buddhist deities](http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/chin_deities.htm) looking a lot like the figures of the saints my more Catholic relatives own. I wonder if burying one upside-down in your yard will help you sell your house.
[Wrathful Tibetan Buddhist deities](http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/deities/wrathful_deities.htm), the better to scare evil spirits away.
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### Author:  [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-dominant-world-religions-monotheistic/604546/20 "2011-11-30T16:35:47Z")
> [@njtt](#):
>
> I think there is something in this. It helps to explain how Christianity grew so quickly to dominate the Roman Empire, and particularly how it could appeal to intellectuals. Even by the time of Christ it had become difficult for anyone with even a smattering of education to take the traditional Roman gods seriously, and the intellectual life of the early centuries AD, within the Empire, is filled with a proliferation of all sorts of contending religious systems, as people sought for something to replace the traditional religion. Christianity emerged as the clear winner. Having just one god enables you to isolate and quarantine the uneliminably irrational aspects of religion away from the more rational parts of your belief system much more easily and effectively than when you have a plethora of gods all specifically responsible for particular areas of experience.
Not to mention the Greco-Roman pantheon were unapologetic jerks. At least the monotheistic religions claimed that there was an ineffable but benelovent divine plan behind everything. Compared to hearing yet another “Jupiter seduces a mortal in the disguise of a banana, Juno turns her into a goldfish” stories, it must have seemed a much more agreeable world-view.
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