Christians: Doesn't the first commandment prove the existence of "other gods"?

Question

If there were no other gods, why would God make his first commandment, not to have any others before Him? He didn't say, there are no others. He didn't say, don't worship them. What he said was, Thou shalt have no other gods BEFORE me. The commandment says, very explicitly, that there are others, but that He should be at the top of the list.

As a pagan, I understand this. So why do so many Christians not?

Answer 1

huh.....i never really thought about it like that....you make a very good point. and all these people arnt getting it. i think that it follows up with "do not worship false idols" wouldnt idols be the man-made stuff? i think ur on to something here!

Answer 2

Even in Genesis 1, it already showedthe proof whne creation said, Let "US" make man in our own image and likeness. "Male and Female" He made them. These were the first people created before Adam and Eve.
The US there does not necessarily mean that there were other Gods creating these people but rather indicating that those people were let to wonder who created them and so they came out with many speculations and beliefs that there is God to every element of nature and the sun is the main source of life and light. That was where all this mythologies of many nations came about.
Adam and Eve's creation was for enlightenment of man to a single God belief, a reason why the Jews whom Adam was there ancestor are monotheists. The commandment was for the Jews, the Christians as organized by a Roman Pagan Ruler copied that creation because of Jesus who was a Jew
and yet they injected a lot of pagan belief.

Answer 3

It's apparent that as a pagan, you Don't understand it so guess you'd best go back to the old drawing board and do some more studying and have an attitude adjustment :) Twisting the scripture to fit your wants and desires isn't nice.

As others have said, god with a little "g" refers to idols and anything on this earth can be an idol if one makes it so. Most people worship money and material things, they worship their booze and their drugs and their cigarettes, etc. and even though many claim to believe in and love the one true God, their actions say otherwise.

Nothing on this earth should take priority over God so even TV, games, partying with friends, etc ~ all lead people away from God if they don't keep them within perspective.

Hope we've all been able to clear up that misconception of yours. Have a good day

Answer 4

First of all, let me note that I am a christian. Now, as to answer your question, anything can be a god. TV, Computer, the newest game console, money, a god is just something you worship. Something you look upon as a very very important thing. What I mean by that is that that item or practice or whatever is so important that it is more important than life. Well, It says, Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me. That meant, you should not have anything more important than me. =) I'm fond about religious studies =) Personally, I repeat, am a Christian =).

Answer 5

It does not say there are others, He is speaking of man-made idols that people create and worship. Anything that you put before the Lord, your job, pursuit of money, relationships - can be considered your "god" because you are putting something else as a priority over Him - if you spend more time watching t.v. than you do studying and meditating and praying, you have, in effect, made t.v. your "god." At that point in history, people already had various "gods" they worshipped, Bel, Baal, etc... they had been given names and idols made of them. God is not saying there are other Gods LIKE HIM, He is saying don't worship FALSE gods. To say that it "explicitly says there are others" shows that you are reading more into that verse than what there is. These pagens believed that their idols were gods, so He is referencing that aspect of their belief. Never once does God say that there ARE other gods, you are making false inferrences.

Answer 6

In response to Jersey Rick's claim that Early Judaism was polytheistic and most theists haven't studied ancient history and sociology...

I've studied both. I graduated with a degree in ancient languages and history from a secular university. I'm not trying to toot my own horn here, just saying that despite the fact that I am a Christian I have studied ancient cultures and I can say without a doubt...

Nowhere in the history of Judaism was it polytheistic. I have no idea where you're getting that claim from. Judaism, in fact, is unique because it is the first documented monotheistic religion.

Now with that said, sure some ancient Jews had idols. They were like what Drake said, symbols of various things such as fertility. Also there have been Jewish sects that have adopted other gods, think the ancient Israelites who built a golden calf. Also some Hellenistic Jews prayed to various gods and goddesses of the time. But this is in no means a representation of Jewish religion, just small deviant groups. Judaism as a religion, as I said, has never held to a polytheistic theology.

Answer 7

You are correct. There are other "gods". However they are not God, they are demons/fallen angels with supernatural powers who seek to take God's rightful place in our lives and lead us to the pit of Hell so that they can get some measure of vengence and some company for the hopeless eternity that awaits them and all who follow them.

1 Corinthians 10:19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

Matthew 25:41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Answer 8

Well at the time there were a ton of different gods out there that people worshiped, doesn't mean that they exist. A lot of those idols were used to represent different things: a bountiful harvest, fertility, wealth, etc. By saying "no other gods before me" God not only means not to worship false gods but also not to prioritize things like money before him.

Answer 9

A god is an object of worship, You can worship a car, a home, a person or a friend, a tree or a statue, & make them an object of worship of that of a god, or you can worship satan which is th god of this earth right now. But when it comes to who the ONE TRUE GOD IS, we have to look at who created everything.

Answer 10

because we think God was talking about idol worship (man made gods), not that there was actually another god besides him. Also, It says in the Bible that the Lord is the only God.