Does *exactly one* god exist?

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I think most systems admit that more than one god existed at one time or other but that all agree that there is only one supreme God ie a god who has power over everything including other gods.

My opinion on this is that a universe with two gods would be in confusion . From the evidence of an orderly universe I deduce that there is one supreme God.

So... would it be fair to say that you don't think that there is any contradiction in the idea of a pantheon of any number of gods, as long as these gods are arranged in some sort of orderly hierarchy?

BTW - how would a person be able to tell the difference between a universe with a single supreme God with a single will, and a universe with multiple supreme Gods who agree on every detail?

I concede that these extra supreme Gods would be superfluous, but I don't see how they'd be disprovable.

 

[Revoltingest]

So... would it be fair to say that you don't think that there is any contradiction in the idea of a pantheon of any number of gods, as long as these gods are arranged in some sort of orderly hierarchy?

I imagine that you'd have chief gods, middle management gods & then the indians...sort of demi-gods.
I haven't figured out how they get promoted though.

 

[AxisMundi]

Just got to thinking: we've had a few threads here where people have debated whether or no gods exist and whether god(s) exist in the general sense. However, I can't recall having one where people debate whether monotheism is correct... i.e. whether one, and only one, god exists.

So have at it: if we take as given that god(s) exist, what reason would a person have to believe that only one god exists as opposed to two, three, several, or many?

What do you think? Does anyone have an opinion for? An opinion against?

Why should people believe in only one god?

Power and Greed.

A large powerbase (adherents) allows for greater theopolitical power, and material wealth, and one cimply cannot attainthis with said pwoerbase spread over several gods.

 

[AxisMundi]

I think most systems admit that more than one god existed at one time or other but that all agree that there is only one supreme God ie a god who has power over everything including other gods.

Feel free to list them. Sicne you claim it is "most", it shouldn't be difficult.

My opinion on this is that a universe with two gods would be in confusion . From the evidence of an orderly universe I deduce that there is one supreme God.

Circular argument, sorry.

 

[Katzpur]

Why should people believe in only one god?

Power and Greed.

A large powerbase (adherents) allows for greater theopolitical power, and material wealth, and one cimply cannot attainthis with said pwoerbase spread over several gods.

Huh? So a polytheistic faith would have less power than a monotheistic faith? That makes no sense to me, but maybe I misunderstood what you were trying to say.

 

[Penumbra]

From the evidence of an orderly universe I deduce that there is one supreme God.

You view this universe as orderly?

 

[Zadok]

You view this universe as orderly?

My view is that the universe is both orderly and isotropic. I have found no evidence of randomness but that there is cause to all that happens.

Zadok

 

[Penumbra]

My view is that the universe is both orderly and isotropic. I have found no evidence of randomness but that there is cause to all that happens.

Zadok

Well, of course there is a cause for just about everything, but it can be a random cause.

I mean, viruses, asteroids, and miscarriages have causes, just not very intelligent or orderly ones.

 

[Willamena]

My view is that the universe is both orderly and isotropic...

But did you look up?

 

[AxisMundi]

Huh? So a polytheistic faith would have less power than a monotheistic faith? That makes no sense to me, but maybe I misunderstood what you were trying to say.

In a polythestic faith, the theopolitical power is spread across the clergy, each of whom has a "patron", ie one god(dess) they represent.
It is not centralized as in the Abrahamics.