If There is Only One God, Then How Do We Know There is Only One God?

[Tabu]

Ah, the versions bother you....

Then let us go with the Koran.

You think there are no disagreements , It took a very short time for splits to occur.

 

[metis]

I really wish people would stop painting with such a hugely broad brush....

Maybe you can provide some objectively-derived evidence that there's only one deity? I wish I could tell one way or the other, but I simply can't.

BTW, just a reminder that I am not an atheist.

 

[Tabu]

So there's no particular reason why a group of gods is unworkable?


Not under one leader - all equal, working collaboratively. Would they necessarily disagree?

Because of different views , who will decide who has the best view ?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Because of different views , who will decide who has the best view ?

Will they have different views?

If they're each omniscient and omnibenevolent, then wouldn't they all pick the best course of action?

And if they did have different views, wouldn't they be capable of coming to a consensus? I would think that a god that can do anything can come to a consensus (since "come to a consensus" falls within "anything").

 

[idav]

If there is only one god, then on what grounds, if any, can it be claimed there is only one god?

BONUS QUESTION: Are there any good arguments for the existence of multiple gods? If so, what are they?

This isn't readily apparent for obvious reasons. Though the best defense for any type of monism, substance monism, existence monism or priority monism. is that of simplicity. So I would invoke occams razor which by no means is full proof. The source ultimately could be a lot more complex but when searching for answers its best to assume the simplest model.

One example of complicating a monistic type view is monotheists who believe god is a trinity. Although even then is ultimately said to be one god, with the idea that the ultimate source will ultimately be one regardless of any separateness in origin whether caused or uncaused. This is another decent argument for monotheism in the sense that any kin an ulltimate source might have wouldn't be separate in any important sense of the word since uncaused causes should all be the same. Kinda like trying to distinguish a twin that think and feel each others thoughts and share in substance.

Monism in the sense of having one ultimate source does not exclude multiple gods because it is accepted that many parts can come from the whole. Though in such a view these would be in a sense lesser gods coming from a prior source.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

This isn't readily apparent for obvious reasons. Though the best defense for any type of monism, substance monism, existence monism or priority monism. is that of simplicity. So I would invoke occams razor which by no means is full proof.

This seems self-defeating, since wouldn't Occam's Razor suggest not assuming any gods at all?

 

[Tabu]

Will they have different views?

If they're each omniscient and omnibenevolent, then wouldn't they all pick the best course of action?

And if they did have different views, wouldn't they be capable of coming to a consensus? I would think that a god that can do anything can come to a consensus (since "come to a consensus" falls within "anything").

If each god is omniscient then why did they divide the labor ?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

If each god is omniscient then why did they divide the labor ?

Who says they did? Maybe all of them chip in; maybe they decide to have only one of them do the work.

Your question seems irrelevant to the issue of how many gods exist.

 

[Tabu]

Also, more than one god if seen as spirits can also help people individually. They are more personal because that said spirit connects with that person rather than one spirit trying to connect to all as if everyone is supposed to act the same because they have one spirit. Everyone is unique and different for a reason.

Good Question.
Probably you think one God cannot connect with the vast creation , then you are highly underestimating Him.
The Supreme Soul is not the soul within us , each of us is an individual soul traversing a different path in the journey of life , our diversities are due to our different experiences along this journey.
You will also notice that within the core of us we all value the same principles of love , peace , harmony , happiness , this is because of the original nature of the soul within us.

 

[Tabu]

Who says they did? Maybe all of them chip in; maybe they decide to have only one of them do the work.

Your question seems irrelevant to the issue of how many gods exist.

If they chip in , it is not god like , not even intelligent to have many to do a work which could be done by one.
If they put all the work on one god and the rest become latent , again its not god like because they are cheating , lazy and wasting their powers and knowledge.
My question is relevant to what you asked .

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Good Question.
Probably you think one God cannot connect with the vast creation , then you are highly underestimating Him.
The Supreme Soul is not the soul within us , each of us is an individual soul traversing a different path in the journey of life , our diversities are due to our different experiences along this journey.
You will also notice that within the core of us we all value the same principles of love , peace , harmony , happiness , this is because of the original nature of the soul within us.

I don't understand. It's hard to underestimate a god (Abrahamic?) I don't believe exists. I use gods for convenience. I believe in spirits. I don't understand the concept of a god/entity without "him" once being human or the core of different parts of the natural world.

The gods are family with humans and everything. One god and one leader just sounds too political. I was born and raised in Western culture but my mind is far from a one-party worship. Love, peace, harmony, and happiness etc are a conglomerate of things the spirits have and guide us so we can have the same. The only way we can have that is through our ancestral spirits of kin, humanity, land, and our own spirit. How do you squeeze a rainbow into one color?

I don't understand the Supreme Soul (Supreme Intelligence etc). The gods are on the same level as we are. They help us just as some of our family we hope to help us as well on earth living. It's a community of living souls and spirits on earth.

 

[psychoslice]

There is no argument for just one god, so multiple god's are out of the question.

 

[McBell]

You think there are no disagreements , It took a very short time for splits to occur.

You assume to much.
I know there are differences between the versions of the Bible.

Of course, that fact is nothing more than a diversion from the point.

 

[McBell]

Maybe you can provide some objectively-derived evidence that there's only one deity? I wish I could tell one way or the other, but I simply can't.

BTW, just a reminder that I am not an atheist.

Your moving the goal posts right here is why I really wish people would stop painting with such a hugely broad brush....

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

If they chip in , it is not god like , not even intelligent to have many to do a work which could be done by one.

Who's to say what's "god like"? If a god does it, isn't it "god like" by definition?

If they put all the work on one god and the rest become latent , again its not god like because they are cheating , lazy and wasting their powers and knowledge.

You mean like a single god that acts as if no gods exist at all?

My question is relevant to what you asked .

Asking how multiple gods would divide their work assumes the existence of multiple gods.

 

[idav]

This seems self-defeating, since wouldn't Occam's Razor suggest not assuming any gods at all?

Well monism isn't necessarily about god it becomes something of whether there are multiple sources or just one. Whether one calls it god is another issue but occams razor doesn't really fix that argument because its more a "i calls it like i see it" which a matter of perspective. So long as more isn't added when considering the ontology of reality.

 

[FearGod]

If there is only one god, then on what grounds, if any, can it be claimed there is only one god?

BONUS QUESTION: Are there any good arguments for the existence of multiple gods? If so, what are they?

What kind of evidence you're looking for?

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

omniscience

perfect

all equal

When discussion multiple deities, there is no reason to assume that the deities have the traits normally asserted for the Abrahamic monotheistic God. In most pantheons, and for most non-Abrahamics, the gods are not omniscient, perfect, or in fact have any of the omnimax traits asserted in Christianity, etc., nor are they equal to each other. They are entities with the potential to control or impact human lives--and that doesn't require perfection, omniscient, etc.

 

[loverofhumanity]

The Prophets of God have proven their credentials to speak for God and state unambiguously that there is only on God. I think we should refer to them on this topic for adjudication. They have experienced direct revelations from God so if anyone knows it's them.

 

[McBell]

The Prophets of God have proven their credentials to speak for God and state unambiguously that there is only on God.

Bold empty claim

I think we should refer to them on this topic for adjudication.

Well then bring the prophets forward so they may speak their minds

They have experienced direct revelations from God so if anyone knows it's them.

two bold empty claims in one sentence.
Impressive.