If "There is No God but God" then why do you get upset about people following "false gods"?

Question

"you" being strictly metaphorical.

It seems the least tolerance I see both on R&S and in the real world, come from people who think that their God is the ONLY god, and all other gods are fake. Why would anyone get upset or intolerant - let alone persecute others - for devoting their life to something that is a complete fiction?

Am I missing something?

Answer 1

I've been hearing Atheists make argument recently that goes something like this;

"You Christians are almost as close-minded as we are. You think all Gods are imaginary except for your own, and we think all Gods are imaginary including yours. You're only One God away from Atheism yourself."

Now, I am a Polytheist. I believe in the metaphysical, spiritual, and psychological reality of All Gods. I believe they all exist on some level. I only worship the ones I have formed a relationship with, but acknowledge the existence and validity of all others -- including the Christian God. (Henotheism is the belief that there are many gods, but that you only worship one -- Polytheistic in Theory and Monotheistic in Practice.) Some Christians, it seems, do not grant my beliefs the same courtesy.

Answer 2

Yeah the bible is the word of God, it only took a Emperor and a hand picked Bishops from the the west to pick and choose writings and those that they did they edited them to support the doctrine that they got from Augustine about original sin, and thus went on to create a system by which they could control people. Interesting how this word of God was put together by some carnal men in the Nicea meeting, where their they made up the trinity, made the Jesus-God, and etc. Your list is all the examples of what a pharisaic mindset is, and the words of one whom does not understand salvation. Baptism is a spiritual/internal event in the life of a seeker, has nothing to do with a ritual, that my friend is a tradition, much like what the pharisaic did when they read what was allegoric as literal and made rituals and traditions that took them away from the very purpose of the esoteric meaning that they must apply the key of knowledge (gnosis) to even understand and work towards having this event come upon them, so they can put on the anointed mind. You are a victim of the Letter that killeth. And no Sabbath isn't on a Sunday. Where did Yeshua or even Paul for that matter ever say that? Again another tradition formed by the latter church whom integrated pagan mystery religion celebrations (the celebration of Mithra was on Sunday). Actually you have zero understanding of what the Sabbath is, and what it is attempting to show forth. The manner in which the Jews celebrated Sabbath was in a literalistic manner, Jesus/Yeshua made it known that Sabbath is observed inwardly. All Yeshua asked was that you bear your own cross and walk in his pattern, but so many negate this. Interesting though your judgments are all based on years of imperial activity in the church. EDIT - Negative, again their is a void in your understanding. The Sabbath celebration like I said was practiced by the jews in a carnal manner. All things that are done in a early/physical manner are shadows, which hold the image of the true, but are not it in substance. Just how in this world there are only shadow temples/churches, since the temple is the body and the church is what you hold within yourself between you and the one teacher that abides within. The outer sabbath application is a shadow, the internal sabbath is not, which is to manifest the rest - completion of perfection, the end of the octave (passover). One keeps the sabbath holy, by walking towards the sabbath. Outer baptism in the same vain is a shadow, this would is a shadow in regards to the spiritual, the body is a shadow in regards to the soul/mind. But no where did Paul ever say anything about the Sabbath being on a Sunday. The resurrection is a event in the life of a seeker, each seeker must manifest the resurrection to enter into perpetual sabbath. And guess what this used to be in the scriptures, found in one of the oldest codexes, "On the same day, He (Jesus) beholding a man laboring on the Sabbath, said to him: Man if thou knowest what thou doest, blessed art thou; if however thou dost not know, cursed art thou and a transgressor of the law" Sunday is sun day, the worship of the sun, it was the pagan day of Mithra in Rome. Go research.

Answer 3

Because some people's faith is so weak that the mere idea of somebody worshipping some other God gives them nightmares. It makes them question their beliefs. After all, if there was "no other God but God", why would anybody else experience anything different? Atheists are usually brushed off as people who simply have not experienced Divinity -- it takes a special kind of religious nut-bar (as opposed to a regular religious person) to be offended by Atheism.

But polytheists? People who know their "God" by another name? Well, now that's just plain subversive! How dare Pagans, Zoroastrians, Native American spiritualists, and other such heretics make these nice God-fearing Christians question their own beliefs?

They keep telling themselves that Pagan and other non-Abrahamic mythos are "complete fiction" in hopes that one day they'll actually believe it themselves. After all, if they truly believed that, then they'd most likely be more tollerant -- if it were all really "just a story" to them, then there would be no fear of losing their own faith, "losing" their children to some "false faith" (after all, if it were "just a story", children would figure it out eventually -- just like they figure out that Santa Claus and talking marionettes and Mickey Mouse and the like are "just stories"), or anything of the sort.

The fact is, they SEE something spiritual and real in these religions they decry as "false faiths", and they fear it. They fear it because it answers the questions that their own faith cannot, and they fear it because it goes against everything that they were taught was absolutely true. They fear it because it took them too long to figure out that not everything is always as it seems.

Answer 4

I get upset about people following "false gods" when their families and the police get involved. The families want to see their children for family functions and the police for crimes these people have committed.
When adults freely follow a path I never get upset.
When people are tricked into an action I get upset, like donating their savings or other money schemes. When mind control is used and freedom of movement is restricted this upsets me too.

Answer 5

The metaphorical "me" feels not upset about this, or at anything at all. I am not even upset if you feel like missing something, or not. I go where the wind blows.

But I like that metaphor about Jesus (or anybody else) stooping down to retrieve a trapped lamb, breaking some law on some Sabbath or other. We shouldn't fault him for it, should we? How about this Gabby(a Filipina car racing champ residing now at Endemol's Big Brother House) when she dived in the pool to rescue a piglet, with her lapel(microphone gadget)? It is against Big Brother's rules to wet that gadget cuz it costs much, and it could lead to automatic eviction if she does. But she dived in to save the piglet, forgetting about the rules. Don't you just wish you were that piglet, and a gorgeous lady like that will dive in to save you?

Answer 6

There is only one God, people interpret God in different names and forms. God is the Origin and Destination of the Universe and is beyond life and death. All religions of world teach human way to get close to God. You give your Best, God will give thy Best. Ask God for help and forgive, God will help and forgive you. Pray; Worship and Thank God for everything. Remember wherever there is Happiness in Life, there will be Sorrow. To get Happiness, you must master Sorrow. For Success in Life; Believe in Self and God, Learn from Past, Concentrate in Present, Plan for Future, and remember ignorance gives failures. Have control on, be the master of, not the slave of your body, senses, and mind. Purpose of this Life is to Improve by Gaining and Sharing utmost Knowledge and Experience to differentiate and choose Best, Right, Good, Truth, God against Worst, Wrong, Bad, Untruth, Devil. Set your Desire level perfect or OK to be brave, no low to be coward, no high to be cruel. You have rights of Survival, Self Defence, and Freedom.

Answer 7

Something to do with lacking confidence IMO.

As if the mere existence of someone who believes differently lessens the validity of their own beliefs or threatens their God.

Oh yeah. And because their God tells them to. Nice.
.

Answer 8

Nope, you got it right. Their religion demands that theirs is the only way and their god is the only one. To accept other religions as valid would make them question their religion and God. Most can't face the questions and doubts.

Answer 9

yes, you're missing the word TRUE. there is no TRUE GOD but one. That's why HE said no to have other god's before him.
6 “‘I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves. 7 You must never have any other gods against my face.
8 “‘You must not make for yourself a carved image, any form like anything that is in the heavens above or that is on the earth underneath or that is in the waters under the earth. 9 You must not bow down to them or be led to serve them, because I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons and upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation, in the case of those who hate me; 10 but exercising loving-kindness toward the thousandth generation in the case of those who love me and keep my commandments

Answer 10

It is our duty for us to show our brothers and sisters to follow the only God and that they will be saved and repent there sins and ask Jesus to come into there heart.