How many Abrahamic followers believe God could have been the original inspiration of other religions? (myths, Revelation)
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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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At heart, Hinduism, for instance, actually could be interpreted as Monotheistic. Vishnu is kind of like the ultimate Creator, while Shiva is like the destroyer...of course more obviously there's Zooroastrianism, which is thought to have influenced Judaism. Later on, of course, as humans often do, many deities were added (some human) and the avatars or manifestations became gods in their own right. Yet in many polytheistic religions, the supreme God is sort of treated differently...Taoism has it's Jade Emperor as well as Shangdi.
How many Christians/Jews/Muslims (Abrahamic monotheists) believed that these ideas were originally gained from divine revelation, but over the years, the truth of monotheism was muddied over time?
Historically, the story arc is that monotheism was a refinement of polytheism, a later development. I have never heard any historian suggest that any polytheistic religion is a corruption of an original monotheistic belief. But I'm open to citations.
That's not to say that the multiplication of deities doesn't happen somewhat like you suggest within a polytheistic religion, but in monotheistic religions, no competition for the One True God is allowed ... it's taboo so it doesn't happen.
I'd say that each religion is based on that group's understanding of God, and whether it started as monotheistic or polytheistic is irrelevant.
The Hebrew Bible describes the ancient Isrealites' spiritual evolution from polytheism to henotheism to monotheism.
The idea of a single deity was the conclusion, not the beginning.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mordant
Historically, the story arc is that monotheism was a refinement of polytheism, a later development. I have never heard any historian suggest that any polytheistic religion is a corruption of an original monotheistic belief. But I'm open to citations.
That's not to say that the multiplication of deities doesn't happen somewhat like you suggest within a polytheistic religion, but in monotheistic religions, no competition for the One True God is allowed ... it's taboo so it doesn't happen.
That's the dogma we're taught, but my understanding of other religions has actually made it seem to me the opposite. Even the most polytheistic of religions seem to have a strong sense of one supreme being, or a single force. In many cases, these 'gods' aren't really gods in the sense Yahweh is, being all powerful. Many are merely like humans with some special powers, like X-men or something even. In many cases the Gods were merely symbolic representations of elements in nature or objects like trees or rivers. There still persisted though a sense of some initial cause giving rise to the known world. Pantheons of Gods and Goddesses seemingly deriving from one, two or three supreme beings.
That's the dogma we're taught, but my understanding of other religions has actually made it seem to me the opposite. Even the most polytheistic of religions seem to have a strong sense of one supreme being, or a single force. In many cases, these 'gods' aren't really gods in the sense Yahweh is, being all powerful. Many are merely like humans with some special powers, like X-men or something even. In many cases the Gods were merely symbolic representations of elements in nature or objects like trees or rivers. There still persisted though a sense of some initial cause giving rise to the known world. Pantheons of Gods and Goddesses seemingly deriving from one, two or three supreme beings.
RESPONSE:
In Christianity these other gods are called angels.
Islam teaches that Allaah(swt) sent Prophets(PBUT) to all people of all nations. Therefore many non-Abrahamic faiths probably have the same origin from Allaah(swt) but the original teachings were changed or lost.
Historically, the story arc is that monotheism was a refinement of polytheism, a later development. I have never heard any historian suggest that any polytheistic religion is a corruption of an original monotheistic belief. But I'm open to citations.
That's not to say that the multiplication of deities doesn't happen somewhat like you suggest within a polytheistic religion, but in monotheistic religions, no competition for the One True God is allowed ... it's taboo so it doesn't happen.
i think this view is historically false. polytheism was syncretism.
monotheism was the norm for each city-state!
But to join them you need to make each unique God a part of Heavenly Union.
At heart, Hinduism, for instance, actually could be interpreted as Monotheistic. Vishnu is kind of like the ultimate Creator, while Shiva is like the destroyer...of course more obviously there's Zooroastrianism, which is thought to have influenced Judaism. Later on, of course, as humans often do, many deities were added (some human) and the avatars or manifestations became gods in their own right. Yet in many polytheistic religions, the supreme God is sort of treated differently...Taoism has it's Jade Emperor as well as Shangdi.
How many Christians/Jews/Muslims (Abrahamic monotheists) believed that these ideas were originally gained from divine revelation, but over the years, the truth of monotheism was muddied over time?
God revealed himself to Abraham. His child, Isaac was father to Jacob, who became Israel. Abraham's son by his wife's servant girl, Ishmael, became father of the Muslim nation.
At heart, Hinduism, for instance, actually could be interpreted as Monotheistic. Vishnu is kind of like the ultimate Creator, while Shiva is like the destroyer...of course more obviously there's Zooroastrianism, which is thought to have influenced Judaism. Later on, of course, as humans often do, many deities were added (some human) and the avatars or manifestations became gods in their own right. Yet in many polytheistic religions, the supreme God is sort of treated differently...Taoism has it's Jade Emperor as well as Shangdi.
How many Christians/Jews/Muslims (Abrahamic monotheists) believed that these ideas were originally gained from divine revelation, but over the years, the truth of monotheism was muddied over time?
Abrahamic faith is actually based in Sanskrit Indo-Aryan faiths like Hinduism and Zoroastrianism. Look at the patriarchs and matriarchs that originally separated Hebrews from the rest of humanity as "chosen".
Brahma -> Abram -> Abraham
Sarai-svati -> Sarai -> Sarah
Melik-Sadaksina -> Melchizedek
and oh yeah...
Krishna -> Christ
That's just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. The post-flood patriarchs are all listed in the Vedas as well, with only slight variations. I think they picked up Afro-Asiatic speech from centuries in Egypt (making so-called "Semitic" languages), but originally they came from India. Sumerian texts also have a lot of the same themes as the Bible. Egypt, Sumeria and Indus Valley civilizations were probably branched from the same source. Hebraism and later Judaism was an offshoot located in a central trading crossroads in a supposed "holy" land.
Hebrew supposedly meant "from beyond the river". That "river" could be the Indus or Euphrates. Carefully reading of the Old Testament and other texts, one can pick up hints. Like most national history-myths, a lot is embellished and relocated to claim "ownership" of the history. But you find similar threads in a lot of traditions. I don't think Noah's Ark really landed on Ararat, if he existed (which a lot of cultures seem to believe). Back then they didn't have Google Earth and a split-second reckoning of geography from space. You had to walk or ride a beast of burden to get to that physical spot. When trying to recall a spot of importance in your people's history, one would tend to remember places that they are familiar with. Other times leaders and scribes (a very important ancient class) may edit the histories to give their culture a greater sense of importance. Why would a tribe on the Eastern shore of the Mediterranean want to remember that their great ancestor landed on a mountain in Siberia? How would they even know where Siberia was? Jonah thought Ninevah was light years away...
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,060,466 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by ancient warrior
RESPONSE:
In Christianity these other gods are called angels.
Angels are more another class of beings, although one could make a case for Lucifer being another 'god', since he apparently can influence human beings magically.
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