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07-01-2013, 09:53 PM #1
Is Christianity really monotheistic?
The Abrahamic religions of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are exclusively considered monotheist, they believe in and worship a single god. Some scholars argue against this, pointing to the original Hebrew text itself , where the word for god is expressed in numerous ways, El, Elohim, El Roi, El Elyon, El Olam, YHWH, and El Shaddai. Translators show this difference by capitalizing the term and translating it as “God”. According to some scholars, the use of these different terms for god in the Hebrew “Bible”, reflect the idea they were talking about different gods. In short, the Israelites worshiped a single god among multiple gods, and thus all Abrahamic religions are truly Henotheistic, “allegiance to one god while conceding that others also exist.”
Passages in the “Old Testament” support this theory, Elohim is used, though translated to God, and it is the plural form of El. The author’s context also shows the use of a plural form, Genesis 1:26; “Then God said, Let US make man in OUR image, and the authors use Elohim in this passage. Exodus 20:3, “You shall have NO OTHER GODS before me also show a henotheistic approach. Genesis 35:11, “and God said to him, I am God Almighty, here El Shaddai is used, which some scholars argue that El Shaddai refers to the highest god in a pantheon of lesser gods.
Just an interesting view I thought I would share.
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07-02-2013, 08:07 AM #2
The way christanity is practiced now a days it is not monothestic but polythestic. Jesus who is considered by most christians as the only begotton son of God is also considered God like by many christians. If God is the father and Jesus is the son and both of them are Gods that make 2 Gods right there. Add in the holy spirit and you have 3 Gods and a polythestic religion. That is one of the problems that I have with Christanity as it is taught today. Also the doctrine of the trinity is found no where in the bible.
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07-02-2013, 08:31 AM #3
veggie, that would not be polytheism, but I can see how people would think that. I agree it is not in the Bible, but, the Bible is not something Jesus wrote or even put together. It was canonized by men for political and power motives.
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07-02-2013, 10:40 AM #4
With that being said we have no idea what Jesus role really was and what exactly was his relationship to God.
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07-02-2013, 10:47 AM #5
veggie, I agree that could be said, but I do believe there are accurate writings on Jesus and what Jesus taught. The 4 gospels along with works from the Nag Hammadi library seem to contain many of the same things. Sure theses texts could have been altered, but being they were unknown for centuries and left out of the canon, I feel it is a good probability they reflect what Jesus taught.
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07-02-2013, 11:34 AM #6
Many Christians practice polytheism and don't even know it. The Trinity is one of the biggest, "oh but it's okay because" in history.
"I am the one and only God"
"If we say all three (don't forget, the spirit is a person too) are actually one, then it's cool, right?"
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07-02-2013, 12:01 PM #7
Yeah kind of like how some conservative christians who consider corporations people.
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07-02-2013, 01:44 PM #8
They are 3 aspects of God. Much like most males can be a father, a son, and a husband, or most females could be a mother, daughter, and wife.
veggie, you use every chance you get to get a conservative "knock" in there!
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07-02-2013, 03:08 PM #9
But no one can be all that to themselves. At best you're arguing to worship individual aspects of God, instead of God himself, which is just weird.
Veggie, I've never drawn that comparison before but, yes.
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07-02-2013, 03:12 PM #10
who worships the holy spirit or Jesus?
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Originally Posted by shrewsbury 
