You avoid it with unity. Like the universe, "god" needn't be quantified.
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Does *exactly one* god exist?
- Thread starter 9-10ths_Penguin
- Start date
I don't know. My intent was for each person to base their answer on what they understand "god" to mean... or to assume some definition for the purposes of this discussion.
So, since "one" is a quantity, your answer to the question "does exactly one god exist?" is no?
No, my answer is that monotheism is "only one god."
(The question of god's existence is atheism.)
Only for the first one. After that, it's a matter of monotheism vs. polytheism.
BruceDLimber
Well-Known Member
>Does "exactly one" God exist?
In the Baha'i view, yes: exactly!
Bruce
In the Baha'i view, yes: exactly!
Bruce
Okay... but why?
For instance, do you think that the term "god" necessarily implies only one?
Would you have been open to the idea of multiple gods if you hadn't been convinced that the Baha'i view was correct?
Midnight Pete
Well-Known Member
That's a pretty good way of describing the immanence and transcendance of God. :yes:
I do, as long as we use the capital: God.
Okay. And does the existence of God (with the capital) allow for the existence of other gods (lowercase)?
She answered that in post #5.
zenzero
Its only a Label
Friend 9-10th_P,
This is what the human MIND is like; We are not *UNITED* in understanding of any one aspect of life. The word *god* has been used as a label by us humans for a certain understanding as there was no word or label as *god* prior to the evolution oif human form on this planet earth. On the arrival of humans that communications developed and so did languages and words and then the use of different words for labelling different aspects of life which are all parts of ONE emergy which is labelled *god*.
Only when this is understood by all the humans of this palnet that there will be a great leap forward for huamns to evolve further which will be superior to the present form.
So far have rarely come across any muslim who would agree that the word *allah* is just another word which is alternatively used for the word *god*.
Love & rgds
This is what the human MIND is like; We are not *UNITED* in understanding of any one aspect of life. The word *god* has been used as a label by us humans for a certain understanding as there was no word or label as *god* prior to the evolution oif human form on this planet earth. On the arrival of humans that communications developed and so did languages and words and then the use of different words for labelling different aspects of life which are all parts of ONE emergy which is labelled *god*.
Only when this is understood by all the humans of this palnet that there will be a great leap forward for huamns to evolve further which will be superior to the present form.
So far have rarely come across any muslim who would agree that the word *allah* is just another word which is alternatively used for the word *god*.
Love & rgds
blackout
Violet.
I think my answer is Any and All.
Beginning with Pantheism,
"All is God".
You could see this as the whole unit (ie, One),
or any "bits" of that unit.
ie... All individual things are God as well.
As well, if by "All is God"
you also include "All things potential"
and expanding... evolving...
perhaps God is even infinite in quantity.
In mathmatical terms,
"All is God" is infinite.
As mythologies and pantheons are concerned,
as many Gods can exist in a person
as that person concieves of.
It could also be seen as the God of the "I" or the Self,
and it's inner pantheon.
The God of the Subjective Universe is the Self.
Beginning with Pantheism,
"All is God".
You could see this as the whole unit (ie, One),
or any "bits" of that unit.
ie... All individual things are God as well.
As well, if by "All is God"
you also include "All things potential"
and expanding... evolving...
perhaps God is even infinite in quantity.
In mathmatical terms,
"All is God" is infinite.
As mythologies and pantheons are concerned,
as many Gods can exist in a person
as that person concieves of.
It could also be seen as the God of the "I" or the Self,
and it's inner pantheon.
The God of the Subjective Universe is the Self.
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BruceDLimber
Well-Known Member
[D]o you think that the term "god" necessarily implies only one?
The word doesn't itself, but the other words attached to it make this extremely clear!
I've always been monotheistic, even before being Baha'i, and see no reson to change this--nor have I ever.
And given how MUCH stress the Baha'i Faith puts on this (it being one of our three most central principles), anything else simply doesn't fit.
Not true ones, no. Superstitions, yes.
Peace,
Bruce
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Breathe
Hostis humani generis
I believe there may be multiple "lowercase g" gods out there, if one wishes to call them gods.
I am of the opinion there is only one God (uppercase g) and I regard Her as the Originator of everything, in a panentheist and monist philosophical sense (so I don't regard creation and creator as separate, although I believe God encompasses, as well as transcends the universe (inc. multiverse), existence, form, genders and so on).
Still a work in progress, though. Any questions?
I am of the opinion there is only one God (uppercase g) and I regard Her as the Originator of everything, in a panentheist and monist philosophical sense (so I don't regard creation and creator as separate, although I believe God encompasses, as well as transcends the universe (inc. multiverse), existence, form, genders and so on).
Still a work in progress, though. Any questions?
Midnight Pete
Well-Known Member
I think the pantheon of lesser gods (lowercase) found in other religious systems are parallel to what Judeo-Christianity understands as angels. I have no support/evidence for this, of course. It's just my opinion. Take it or leave it.
BruceDLimber
Well-Known Member
The Baha'i scriptures explain angels thus:
"[C]oncerning His words: 'And He shall send His angels...' By 'angels' is meant those who, reinforced by the power of the spirit, have consumed, with the fire of the love of God, all human traits and limitations, and have clothed themselves with the attributes of the most exalted Beings...."
­The Book of Certitude, pp. 78-79
Thus angels are in fact people who have become completely spiritual!
Peace,
Bruce
Midnight Pete
Well-Known Member
The Baha'i scriptures explain angels thus:
"[C]oncerning His words: 'And He shall send His angels...' By 'angels' is meant those who, reinforced by the power of the spirit, have consumed, with the fire of the love of God, all human traits and limitations, and have clothed themselves with the attributes of the most exalted Beings...."
­The Book of Certitude, pp. 78-79
Thus angels are in fact people who have become completely spiritual!
Peace,
Bruce
Really? Okay. I'm thinking of the Enlightened Masters of the Spiritualist religion.
blackout
Violet.
Catholics definitely have Pantheons of Saints.
They are probably more 'story'/imagination than anything else.
(which makes them a sort of mythology,
if not a very pious and dry one.)
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