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

[9-10ths_Penguin]

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.

If you haven't decided whether monism is about gods, then you haven't decided whether monism has anything to do with what we're talking about.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Many Gods
Interdependency if work is divided
Variation in views leading to clash of views
Many Bosses to do one work
.. all leading to chaos and confusion .
Please read my discussion with 9-10 ths penguins,
Pls if there is any question beyond that I will try to explain.

I read our discussion. I don't think you've given any valid reason why one god is more reasonable an assumption than many gods.

 

[Tabu]

I don't see how that statement is relevant to what we're talking about.

Ok , let me make it clear and very simple.
What we see around us , the chaos and confusion is Man's creation , a product of free will , this again is a proof as to how far things could go wrong if many intellects are involved.

 

[Willamena]

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

As I understand it, there is only god. So if thers's only god, it follows that the one is the one.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

When discussion multiple deities, there is no reason to assume that the deities have the traits normally asserted for the Abrahamic monotheistic God.

Frankly, there's no reason to assume these traits for a single God, either.

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.

But those weren't the people I was talking to. If I assume the traits of God that the person I'm talking with already accepts, then:

- I can illustrate how their own god-concept is compatible with multiple gods.

- I avoid getting off on tangents where I assume some other god-concept with different attributes, just to have them come back at me with "well, *I* wouldn't call *that* a god."

Also, I think that under the surface, this thread is largely about the classical arguments for God (e.g. the Cosmological Argument, the Trancendental Argument, etc.). It's useful to point out that these arguments generally don't limit the number of gods to one if you really think about it: two, three or many gods would satisfy the arguments just as well as one god would. Most polytheistic god-concepts have nothing to do with these arguments for God, so bringing them up really has nothing to do with the issues at hand.

I know full well that there's a vast range of god-concepts out there.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

in the scheme of superlatives.....
there can be only ONE Almighty
top of the line

So the concept of a tie doesn't exist on your planet?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

The Uniformity of design , Harmonious and systematic functioning and sustaining of the universe (Except in those limited domains where free will has momentarily dismantled ) , , I think is a valid proof that there is a only One God running the universe.

Many gods can work at this more than one god because many gods work together with each other and the people they are helping (us). One god (president say) who calls the shots would make our American culture at the whim of one president's decision. However, the supreme court (pretending they make good decisions for now) working with the president with no one over another gives a sense of community rather than hierarchy.

Uniformity in design doesn't prove their is one god. It actually doesn't prove there is any god(s) if we are talking about one vs many creators. It's just assuming that we are here so we must have a creator. Not everyone thinks that way. The gods help us on earth so I wouldn't think they are concerned over the creation of the universe even that be the creators of such.

How do you find god in creation?

The question would be How long any such committee has lasted , How many disagree in due course and pull back later?

If the committee were human, then that would be a good point. Gods are not human they're spirits so their interaction would be different. That, and they are not interacting with themselves but the people they "serve" as "clients." How can one person keep up a company?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Ok , let me make it clear and very simple.
What we see around us , the chaos and confusion is Man's creation , a product of free will , this again is a proof as to how far things could go wrong if many intellects are involved.

Wait... so you see chaos around us, and believe that if there were many gods, chaos would happen.

So what in this equation implies that many gods can't exist?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Many Gods
Interdependency if work is divided
Variation in views leading to clash of views
Many Bosses to do one work
.. all leading to chaos and confusion .

(edit) There's no clash with multiple gods because they are working together. One can't put human interactions with the gods.

Gods aren't bosses and creators. They work together. If they were all bosses, which some religions believe, they usually don't work together but work with humans and the humans form a relationship with the god(s) they are working with.

If the gods are perfect, there would be no confusion or chaos.

 

[metis]

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

I have not "moved the goal posts", and I cannot for the life of me figure out how you have drawn such a conclusion. Maybe you can point it out to us? I've answered honestly, and I have not switched anything. If you disagree with what I posted, that's fine, don't don't accuse me of being manipulative unless you can substantiate it.

So, with that being said, please put forth your evidence about there only being one deity, and then we'll go on from there, OK?

 

[Tabu]

Wait... so you see chaos around us, and believe that if there were many gods, chaos would happen.

So what in this equation implies that many gods can't exist?

Where in this equation do you see many gods fit?

 

[Tabu]

(edit) There's no clash with multiple gods because they are working together. One can't put human interactions with the gods.

Gods aren't bosses and creators. They work together. If they were all bosses, which some religions believe, they usually don't work together but work with humans and the humans form a relationship with the god(s) they are working with.

If the gods are perfect, there would be no confusion or chaos.

So , you agree with interdependency , and do not consider it a weakness,
Well, to each his/her view,

 

[Unveiled Artist]

So , you agree with interdependency , and do not consider it a weakness,
Well, to each his/her view,

I actually rather have a conversation about this because I'd like to know how it makes sense to have on god "running the company" when you can be a team. Just like on earth. Some people like communism others like democracy. If we were perfect, I rather have democracy. How does it make sense, in human terms, to follow only one man? That's like saying I rather learn from my mother even though my father is my parent as well.

I don't understand that.

--

Interdependence is more than one person who are reliant on each other. That's different than team work where we work with each other. Also, the spirits are not supporting each other (relying on each other) but are having an inter-connection with people on earth.

ALSO (I didn't mean to scream/its an edit) How is interdependence a weakness? The gods aren't interdependent on each other. However, if you told that to someone in an AA meeting, that wouldn't work well.

 

[McBell]

Well , you have just said what multiple intellects would do , divert from the point.

How long did it take for splits from your one god?

 

[McBell]

Many Gods
Interdependency if work is divided
Variation in views leading to clash of views
Many Bosses to do one work
.. all leading to chaos and confusion .
Please read my discussion with 9-10 ths penguins,
Pls if there is any question beyond that I will try to explain.

Why do you believe the gods to be as petty as humans?
Do you believe your one god as petty also?

 

[McBell]

Ok , let me make it clear and very simple.
What we see around us , the chaos and confusion is Man's creation , a product of free will , this again is a proof as to how far things could go wrong if many intellects are involved.

How does it not also prove that your one god system is any better?

 

[McBell]

I have not "moved the goal posts", and I cannot for the life of me figure out how you have drawn such a conclusion. Maybe you can point it out to us? I've answered honestly, and I have not switched anything. If you disagree with what I posted, that's fine, don't don't accuse me of being manipulative unless you can substantiate it.

There simply is not one shred of evidence that there's one deity,

Maybe you can provide some objectively-derived evidence that there's only one deity?

Like I said, goal posts moved

So, with that being said, please put forth your evidence about there only being one deity, and then we'll go on from there, OK?

Since I never claimed to have any such evidence, I suspect this is nothing more than a sad attempt to divert from your moving of the goal posts.

 

[metis]

​

Like I said, goal posts moved


Since I never claimed to have any such evidence, I suspect this is nothing more than a sad attempt to divert from your moving of the goal posts.

I posted this: "There simply is not one shred of evidence that there's one deity", ... and I then asked you this: "Maybe you can provide some objectively-derived evidence that there's only one deity?"

How is that in any way "moving the goalposts"? The first statement is one that's simply a statement of fact, and the second one is merely asking you if you have any evidence that would verify that I supposedly was painting with a very "broad brush", as you put it. And I never made any claim that you have any evidence, which is why I asked you the question to begin with!

Therefore, you are just being dishonest as I clearly did not change my tune one iota, so you can believe anything you want to believe for all I care, but bearing false witness by making false accusations against someone is morally deplorable.

 

[McBell]

I posted this: "There simply is not one shred of evidence that there's one deity", ... and I then asked you this: "Maybe you can provide some objectively-derived evidence that there's only one deity?"

How is that in any way "moving the goalposts"? The first statement is one that's simply a statement of fact, and the second one is merely asking you if you have any evidence that would verify that I supposedly was painting with a very "broad brush", as you put it. And I never made any claim that you have any evidence, which is why I asked you the question to begin with!

Therefore, you are just being dishonest as I clearly did not change my tune one iota, so you can believe anything you want to believe for all I care, but bearing false witness by making false accusations against someone is morally deplorable.

You claimed there was no evidence what so ever, then demand a specific type of evidence.
That is moving the goal posts.

That you are unable to understand that is on you, not me.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Where in this equation do you see many gods fit?

Frankly, I think the assumption that there are no gods is easier to reconcile with what we observe than the assumption that there is one god or many gods.

I see no reason to say that one god fits better than many gods (or that many gods fit better than one god). Once we open the door to the existence of at least one god, I see no reason to put an upper limit on the number of gods that might exist.

I certainly don't think it's justified to think that exactly one god exists. I think no gods is a more reasonable assumption, but if - for whatever reason - we have to assume the existence of gods, I think the exact number of gods would be an open question.

And it's a question that, so far, you haven't justified an answer for.