polytheism and monotheism

[Jainarayan]

one god can have all these attributes. but why polytheism exist? don't many gods have part in nature?

He (or she) could. But not everyone sees God in the same way. In Hinduism there's a verse from the Rig Veda that translates as "There is one Truth the sages call by many names", which has a follow on saying that "God shows himself in a way meaningful to the person". To limited human minds it might be easier to see God in different "parts". There are also degrees of polytheism. It's not "either or". Gods could be manifestations of one God; they could be archetypes; they could be distinct beings that work together; or any number of other views.

 

[sun rise]

one god can have all these attributes. but why polytheism exist? don't many gods have part in nature?

In some systems there are call them devas or angels who exist on certain planes of life. It sounds like you are asking about how some Hindus view divinity deva/devi and the one supreme triune God existing at one and the same time.

 

[George-ananda]

how many gods are there? one or many? how many gods does it need to create nature?

The number is uncountable and even the word 'god' is imprecise.

My thought is that the gods are beings on the highest planes of nature working in their own roles for the evolution of the universe.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

how many gods are there? one or many? how many gods does it need to create nature?

Syo there is only One God who gives mankind Guidance in His many Names. All of His Names are an attribute that is a cause.

Regards Tony

 

[Araceli Cianna]

all-powerful limits the gods to one or none. so about a polytheist pantheon, gods are powerful but not all-powerful, is that it?

This is how I understand it. The idea of there being only one God stems from the being all knowing, all powerful, and all good all together. If there is one God with all those attributes then why is there the need for any other gods?

But the idea that one being could be all those things at once to me isn't practical. It's what I was raised to believe but I feel that the spiritual would mirror the natural and visa versa. There isn't an all knowing, all powerful, all good human, or any other animal species that combines all traits... but there many different humans with different specialisations that when combined can create something new.

Then the question is if there are multiple gods, did they create us and this universe, or since they are not all knowing, all powerful, and all good, are they too just a by product of nature? That seems more likely. So to me there is no ultimate deity, and just many gods with some powers of an individual nature, who are perhaps more evolved than us as a species, and nothing more.

 

[David T]

how many gods are there? one or many? how many gods does it need to create nature?

Interestingly in the Greek mythology the Greek gods freaked out when detmer threatened to starve humanity to death if persephone was not released from hades. It appears at some level ancient Greeks understood all this better than we do today!! Go figure.

 

[soulsurvivor]

how many gods are there? one or many? how many gods does it need to create nature?

The main Gods (at least three) create the universe and establish the laws of nature.

However, there are separate individual Gods who manage the evolution of a specific planet and also one for each solar system.

So there is a God for Earth who is subordinate to the God of our solar system who is subordinate to the God of the galaxy etc.

So in our galaxy with 100 billion stars, there at least that many Gods.

 

[Rational Agnostic]

how many gods are there? one or many? how many gods does it need to create nature?

how many gods does it take to create a god?

 

[syo]

how many gods does it take to create a god?

i'd say the gods are uncreated. they always existed

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

i'd say the gods are uncreated. they always existed

What makes you say that?

More of a general question: what is this fixation people seem to have with the gods having to be uncreated in order to be considered the gods?

 

[Quintessence]

What makes you say that?

More of a general question: what is this fixation people seem to have with the gods having to be uncreated in order to be considered the gods?

It's a fixation of classical monotheism, I suppose, and that's the type of theism that dominates conversations. Some while back there were theologians/philosophers who posited the one-god of classical monotheism was the uncaused cause, and therefore an uncreated creator. This is not so much of a thing within polytheistic theologies, though. Certainly, it isn't required for gods to be uncreated to be gods in such systems.

 

[syo]

What makes you say that?

More of a general question: what is this fixation people seem to have with the gods having to be uncreated in order to be considered the gods?

because gods are immortal. they always exist.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

because gods are immortal. they always exist.

“Immortal” means “doesn’t die,” not “wasn’t born.”

 

[Holdasown]

There are some pretty large pantheons and some of the gods in those might be unknown. Then there could be gods we can't access here. It think the possibility is endless. They are evolved beings. Some places are created by gods some are not. There is no proof Earth is created but came to be. Odin speaks of creating some of the nine world. The God of Abraham his world with a garden. Nature exist though.

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

Odin speaks of creating some of the nine world.

I think the only of the Nine Worlds that's creation is ever spoken of is Midgard; even then Odin didn't create it alone, but with his brothers.

 

[syo]

“Immortal” means “doesn’t die,” not “wasn’t born.”

yes, that is true.