What sparked the change from polytheism to monotheism?

Question

As far as I can tell, for most of human history people have believed in many gods - i.e. a population of deities, often characterised as male and female. Somewhere around the time of the Pharoahs, monotheistic religions started to become popular.

What was responsible for this change?

Answer 1

kill people and say obey MY God, ba-itch.

Answer 2

Zoroastrianism is considered to be one of the earliest monotheistic beliefs, though some derivatives of it are not fully so, as the chief god in derivatives such as Zurvanism is not the sole creator. Zoroastrian monotheism has had major influence on the religions of the middle eastern monotheisms in adaptations of such concepts as heavens, hells, judgement day and messianic figures.

Also, the Aten cult in the reign of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten, under the chiefly influence of the Eastern-originating Nefertiti.

Answer 3

Ironically - Hinduism, the oldest practised religion in the world, contrary to popular beliefs is moontheistic. There is only God and that God pervades the entire universe as Consciousness - Hindus call this one God - "Brahman'.

The one God is capable of expressing Himself in infinite forms with unqique charatersistics - and the suble manifestations of the One God with specific charactersistics resuklts in the deities.

So, its like you have the one God at the apex called - Brahman. Brahman is both manifest and unmanifest. The unmanifest Brahman is called 'Nirgun Brahman' (equivalent to Allah) and is formless.

The manifest Brahman or "sagun Brahman' is with form and at the top layer of embodied Gods - we have Bramha (spelt different from Brahman), Vishnu and Shiva - The hindu trinity.

There are several other deities each with an embodied charactersistics of Brahman.

And finally, you have "Avatars" - who represent complete descent of transcendetal consciousness in a human form that walked on earth. Hence, you have Rama, Krishna....

So, there you go the oldest religion is monotheistic and polytheistic :-)

Answer 4

Monotheism appeared in two parts of the planet: the Middle East and the Americas. It had its origins in Palestine via Egypt, The Hebrews adapted to it roughly 300 years before Christ. In the Americas, it was the prevalent religion for North America. Its origins are in Siberian shamanism.

Answer 5

Pretty much it was like this.After Noah civilization tended to center around Babylon.Nimrod was king and he started the tower or Ziggarat,that was to reach to heaven.Because Nimrod was so powerful and a mighty hunter,protecting his people from terrible animals (I believe left over Dinos etc)that his wife Semiramis had him worshiped as a God.When he died she said he went back to the sun where he came from.Hence,Sun worship,in Egypt it was Ra,and Isis and their son Horace.According to legend.Horace(Tammuz)was killed by a mighty priest warrior(became Hercules but was actually Shem,son of Noah)all the god legends start here .Abraham brought everything back to monotheism,even his father was an idolater.They had forgotten the one true God See Romans ch.I and Joshua 24:2(Terah father of Abraham)

Answer 6

The Jewish faith was the first Monotheistic religion. It became popular after Christ's death, when Christianity was founded and soread. Almost all of the Religions a long time ago were polytheistic.

Answer 7

It might have been when Pharaoh saw that his magicians couldn't duplicate the power of Moses's God. Maybe he stopped and thought for a bit (or maybe not, I wasn't there!)

Answer 8

Most likely, economics and pragmatism. It probably got pretty expensive, having to sacrifice a goat at one temple to guarantee your crops, then sacrifice a oxen to another god to help your eldest son get well. Ultimately, they decided that it was cheaper to have one god take care of all that crap, so they could consolidate their sacrifices.

Answer 9

God revealed Himself as the One True God.