Monotheism vs. polytheism?

Question

As we can see, democracy works better than monarchies.
To make another life, whether it be human or animal, TWO are involved. Not to mention all that is involved in it''s nurture as it grows.
In terms of plants, there are three necessities-seed, water/food, sun.
'E Pluribus Unum' 'of many, one'-phrase used by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, & Benjamin Franklin
I see nothing logical or believable about a monotheistic belief.

Answer 1

Absolutely.

Duality is a fundamental aspect of the universe, which has nothing to do with the mode of reproduction. A dual nature of the divine does not actually need to mean male and female, that's metaphor, just that there is a dual nature to it.

Now, I realize that many of the answerers are arguing the existence of the divine, but that's not the nature of this question. It's assumed that divinity exists, and goes on to argue the nature of the divine.

Stick to the Question folks!

Answer 2

Your grade 11 teacher is an idiot. Their is nothing inherently strong or weak in either religious philosophies. I mean Christianities rise over Greco-Roman paganism had nothing to do with monotheism vs Polytheism, is had much deeper more personal implications. For example, in Grece-Roman paganism, the afterlife consisted of sitting in a dark damp cave for eternity, while complaining about being dead. Read The Odyssey if you don't believe me. This was the fate of both the rich and the poor, the good and the evil. The exception was that Roman civil servants (aka rich aristocrats) went to Elysium. Considering the Christian afterlife, one can imagine how this would tug at the heart strings of the poor and marginalized. However, this isn't a strength or weakness to polytheism, one could easily conceptualize a polytheistic faith with a very popular afterlife. My point is that Polytheism vs. Monotheism is an irrelevant debate. The strengths and weaknesses of Christianity vs. Paganism would be valid, but likely un-PC. Im sorry, you teacher is wasting your time.

Answer 3

Your argument is feeble. Democracy may be representation of many but in the end, only one would make the decision - the head of state/government. Just so you know, humans and other living things are not creators, only God is. So, He can create anything He wants. In fact, everything is His creation. And FYI, Jefferson himself was a unitarian/monotheist, hence the Jefferson Bible where he threw out all verses suggesting the divinity of Jesus.

Your feeble argument is similar to the argument of one of the Church fathers, St. Iraneus who said that only 4 Gospels could be included in the canon of the New Testament because four was a sacred number that corresponded to the four winds, or the four faces of the cherubim in Ezekiel, etc. Similar to those who claim that the trinity is true merely based on logical deduction - 3 this and 3 that. God is transcendent. Our rules dont apply to Him.

Whether you want to believe or not is entirely up to you. It's your life, and your afterlife, so you decide. God said in the holy Quran that no soul can laden the burden of others.

"To you your religion and to me mine" (The Holy Quran)

Peace and Love

Answer 4

I object to your first premise.

Democracy is the best human form of government because no one human has complete access to the good. Indeed, humans are very often only concerned with their own selfish interests. Democracy, which allows for a balancing of interests, thus brings us closer to the common good. Because of the selfishness of humans, the rule of one is inferior rule as it can easily devolve into tyranny. However in absolutely ideal circumstances, the best form of rule is actually rule by one perfectly good person. This is because if one is perfectly good and wise than it would be in the best interests of society to be led by this one person because they through their goodness and wisdom would always rule justly. In human life, this is obviously impossible and unsustainable, which is why we use democracy as, basically, a means of protecting us from our own nature.

We should not, however, apply the belief that democracy is the best human government into the divine realm. Monotheistic beliefs hold that there is one perfectly good being that governs the universe. If this being is perfectly good and wise than there would be no need for other rulers.

I'm not a theist anyways, but I find your argument to be flawed.

Answer 5

Democracy is for decision making by the people because people are not all-knowing and need consultations to make decision.
Now come to the other side.
True Monotheist believe in creation and that there is one and only One Creator with no partners in His divinity whom we believe existed before He created the Universe and everything and everyone in it, and call Him God (Allah or any other name that reflects His Oneness). This is the starting point called faith because we believe in it, and observe its manifestations but we cannot prove it by any scientific methods that we are so used to it.
Monotheist believe that only the Most High, Who existed pre-creation is the One worthy of worship. The True monotheists believe that He is All-knowing Almighty so he does not need any partners in any decision making like we do in democracy.
When you are talking about plants, you are describing a property or process that God put in place to make thing happen with His permission. He does not have to come o every plant to germinate it Himself. He put properties and processes such as gravitational, magnetic and electric forces and biological processes in the universe to make it work like a clock work.
He has the power to suspend such forces or process by His permission to make a miracle happen such as the creation of Adam without a mom or dad or the birth of Isa (Jesus) without a father, peace be upon them.
So, instead of being thankful for the good forces and beautiful processes (such as pollination, germination, growth, flowering, fruiting) processes that God put in the universe, you are observing these processes in the creation of God (such as plants that you mentioned) and use it as an argument against the existence of its creator!
May Allah bless you with better knowledge.

Answer 6

your logic is spurious...there are many organisms that reproduce asexually where 2 partners are not needed....are you saying that the idea of 1 god makes no sense to you but a whole team of gods is more believeable? isn't it a tenet of monotheistic beliefs that all the gods stem from 1 godhead? religion has nothing to do with nature...one can not be used to explain the other...

Answer 7

That is the wackiest logic I have ever heard for not believing in one god, but that is not to say I don't believe there are more than one god. However, I do believe there is one God of this universe who orchestrates all things therein. I also believe he has a plan, which included sending His Son, Jesus Christ to atone for the sins of mankind. I do enjoy hearing what others believe (and have studied hundreds of religions) and respect all of them, regardless of any differences.

Answer 8

I agree only with your last sentence.

And, sorry to say it, but I see nothing logical or believable about a polytheistic belief either.

Pick the number; I don't believe in that many gods either.

Answer 9

If there is a god then he has spent eternity all by his self except for the last 6,000 years (if you believe in the bible). Seems like he would have wanted to create himself some company - maybe a girlfriend. Apparently he likes to be loved and talked to and appreciated so it seems unlikely that he would have wanted to be alone for so long.

So - I believe that monotheism and polytheism are equally likely prospects.

Answer 10

Who said democracy works better than a monarchy?

I think that depends on who the monarch is and how they were originally selected.

I don't understand how any of that other stuff proves that polytheism is right.