There are at least twenty distinct options on God, found throughout history and afoot right now.
We can say there is considerable variety in the approach to God as long as we admit that variety is just a pretty word for disagreement.
What does disagreement show?
Theological disagreement shows us that humanity has never ever agreed about Who or What or Whether God is. Your own view of God (find it in the list below) will always be a minority opinion, outnumbered by all the other opinions combined.
Here are the twenty:
Polytheists say there are many Gods, as many as you like, into the millions if you prefer, perhaps billions, one for every pair of human eyes. You may worship and adore all the Gods.
Henotheists admit many Gods too, but you may only have time to devote yourself to one, and thats okay because these are not self-doubting, jealous Gods.
Kat-henotheists also acknowledge many Gods, but you should dedicate yourself to a single God at a time, moving from one God to another God at different phases of your life, perhaps the phases offered in As You Like It by Shakespeares intellectualist idler, Jaques, who espies seven stages of life, beginning with infancy and ending in the second childishness of old-aged senilitysans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. There are Gods aplenty for each stage.
Trinitarians affirm one God but this God is to be worshiped and adored in three persons: Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Ghost. To other monotheists like Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Bahais and Caodais, and to polytheists and atheists too, Trinitarian math is elusive (1+1+1=1?) and susceptible to being labelled a petite polytheism of three distinct Gods. Trinitarians vigorously defend the oneness of three.
Dualists acknowledge two Gods, one very very Good and the other one very very Evil. The need for two rests upon the worlds oscillation between beauty and ugliness, delight and dread, kindness and cruelty, irises and ebola viruses. In a family of Dualists you may hear the following dialogue: Child: Mommy, did our good, loving and compassionate God create the talon, the fang and the claw? Mom: No, sweetie, the other God, the God of cruelty, made those. As if you needed to be told, you should adore the very very Good God.
Monotheists declare there has only ever been one good God to worship and adore. Several distinct and opposing monotheistic religions claim this God and define him in many different ways, with many different hues.
Dystheists say theres one God who is not really all that good, given conspicuous evidence from our bloody red in tooth and claw, predator-prey natural world. Adore with caution.
Pantheists state that God is identical to the many things of the physical, material world, and when you adore the many things of the material world you adore God.
Pan-en-theists claim that God is within the many things of the material world but distinct from the many things of the material world. You may adore this God in your esteem for the material world, or adore this God as something above the material world.
Deists insist there is one God who created the universe but thereafter took no interest in it. You do not adore this God because this God cares nothing about you, either because he doesnt know you exist, or because he cares about you as much as he cares about the life of an oyster or a gnat (with due apologies to The World Parliament of Insects, Mollusks, & Affiliated Clam Culture).
Daoists maintain that God is not a person at all but an Impersonal Force that pervades the universe and may be tapped-into by humans but requires no adoration. (Cf. Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Rey of the Star Wars mythos.)
Extra-Terrrestrialists say that what humans have been calling Gods are actually space-visiting galactic beings who used modest ingredients and measuring spoons to un-miraculously originate life on Earth and thereafter vacationed in rural New Mexico.
Monists proclaim there is only one item in existence: God. God is everything, everything is God, and everything is only one thing, God. Variety is a delusion, and all the words we have for the many existent things are superfluous. Thin the dictionary to the letter g and the word God. (Pantheism is different in that it admits the existence of many things).
Anatheists say God cannot be rendered into any image or concept, because the God that can be imagined is not the real God. Our mystics proffer this deity and claim to adore God immediately; that is, without the mediation of holy saints, holy buildings, holy worship services, bells, books, candles, or even thoughts and words. Mystics often claim an ineffable experience and then write inch-thick books describing it.
Euhemerists say all Gods were once humans who at some point achieved apotheosis, elevation to divinity. Adore the worthy ones. (Some Buddhists may be here.)
Misotheists follow Prometheus and hate all Gods because Gods are completely overbearing, pompous, fat-witted despots. Adoration is inapt.
Skeptics doubt not only avowals about God but also all claims to all knowledge. A Skeptic might say, You you claim to know God exists and you dont even know if Charlemagne existed.
Atheists find no persuasive arguments for God, no convincing idea of God on offer in six thousand years, and therefore say there must be no Gods. (Some Buddhists may be here).
Agnostics remain unconvinced by every argument for Gods existence but prefer to withhold judgment as to whether God exists by saying I dont know if theres a God. Agnostics are no kind of believer in God and do not hedge their bet by attending religious services or by prayingjust in case theres a God.
Ignostics advise us to give up the word God and rub it from the worlds lexicons and never utter it again. Why? Because it has been proved over many thousands of years that humans are utterly ignorant about what the word God signifies, as established by our extensive disagreements concerning God, evinced in this very roster of twenty.
Featured image Confusion by lisa-skorpion via Flickr
.
Originally posted here:
20 Options on God (Find Yours Here) - Patheos (blog)
- Shiv Khera and the Ultimate Value Test | MorungExpress ... - Morung Express - December 3rd, 2023 [December 3rd, 2023]
- 'She was startled by what the angel said and tried to figure out what ... - America: The Jesuit Review - September 21st, 2023 [September 21st, 2023]
- Religion in India - Wikipedia - December 26th, 2022 [December 26th, 2022]
- Ethics (Spinoza book) - Wikipedia - December 18th, 2022 [December 18th, 2022]
- Scientific Pantheism: Frequently Asked Questions - November 23rd, 2022 [November 23rd, 2022]
- Pantheism - Conservapedia - October 25th, 2022 [October 25th, 2022]
- Themes in Avatar - Wikipedia - October 25th, 2022 [October 25th, 2022]
- Theism - Wikipedia - October 25th, 2022 [October 25th, 2022]
- Animism - Wikipedia - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- What Was So Incredible About the Incredible String Band? - PopMatters - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Religious and philosophical views of Albert Einstein - Wikipedia - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- God's Omnipresence: A Reassuring Reality to Rejoice In - TGC Africa - The Gospel Coalition Africa - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Avatar Is Back, and It Still Looks Like Damanhur - Bitter Winter - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- PART 3 GOD'S ABUNDANT LIFE - Block Island Times - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- New York Botanical Garden In Three Hours: Here's What To See - TheTravel - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Reconciliation Pope And Paganism - Nation World News - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Only God could join us to God Catholic Outlook - Catholic Outlook - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Only God Could Join Us to God - Commonweal - September 3rd, 2022 [September 3rd, 2022]
- Back to school: dogs, AP classes and alarm clocks. What Colorado students are looking forward to this school year and what they want changed -... - August 25th, 2022 [August 25th, 2022]
- The Organization | [Deck Recipes] July 31st, 2022 - YGOrganization - August 6th, 2022 [August 6th, 2022]
- Thinking of the Old Catholics and the Union of Utrecht - Patheos - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- Speaking the Roots - The Shillong Times - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- Basic beliefs of Scientific Pantheism World Pantheism - July 9th, 2022 [July 9th, 2022]
- Plural Like the Universe - City Journal - July 7th, 2022 [July 7th, 2022]
- Seeing Peter Obi through prisms of his younger brother The Sun Nigeria - Daily Sun - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- From Gnosticism to Marxism: The Spirit of Antichrist in Movement - OnePeterFive - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- World Pantheism Revering the Universe, Caring for Nature, Celebrating ... - June 5th, 2022 [June 5th, 2022]
- The R&S Pantheism Thread - City-Data - June 5th, 2022 [June 5th, 2022]
- Mary Beth Edelson Celebrated the Goddess Within - Hyperallergic - June 5th, 2022 [June 5th, 2022]
- The Organization | [Deck Recipes] May 26th, 2022 - YGOrganization - May 27th, 2022 [May 27th, 2022]
- Who Is Defending and Who Is Criticizing the Nine Years of Francis's Pontificate? (2) - FSSPX.News - May 3rd, 2022 [May 3rd, 2022]
- Girls performance in maths starting to add up to boys, says UNESCO - Modern Diplomacy - May 3rd, 2022 [May 3rd, 2022]
- Declaring the glory of God - The Robesonian - April 6th, 2022 [April 6th, 2022]
- Hen Kai Pan is a comic that finds a bleak but beautiful poetry in humanitys end - The A.V. Club - March 27th, 2022 [March 27th, 2022]
- Ideology of Pakistan and beyond - Chitral News - March 27th, 2022 [March 27th, 2022]
- Universal Directives of Quran: Introducing 'The Quran Speaks to You' - Kashmir Observer - March 27th, 2022 [March 27th, 2022]
- The Organization | [Deck Recipes] March 25th, 2022 - YGOrganization - March 27th, 2022 [March 27th, 2022]
- Homage in rock to Bodhisattva - Sunday Observer - March 17th, 2022 [March 17th, 2022]
- How can God be everywhere? - Journal Review - March 17th, 2022 [March 17th, 2022]
- Baruch Spinoza - Wikipedia - February 28th, 2022 [February 28th, 2022]
- New free book from Cambridge Press: Pantheism - Religion ... - February 28th, 2022 [February 28th, 2022]
- When This Jewish Musician Visited a Church During Benediction, He Never Expected This to Happen - National Catholic Register - February 19th, 2022 [February 19th, 2022]
- Hymn Notes: All Creatures of Our God and King - Longview News-Journal - January 27th, 2022 [January 27th, 2022]
- His Blood Cries Out From the Ground!: Climate Change And Moral Corruption - Patheos - January 9th, 2022 [January 9th, 2022]
- Respect for the Body: A Response to Archbishop Jackels - National Catholic Register - November 19th, 2021 [November 19th, 2021]
- AFRICA - "It is on the old mat that we sit and weave the new one": Cop 26, for a return to the sacred - Agenzia Fides - November 9th, 2021 [November 9th, 2021]
- BANGLADESH Rising number of baptised among tribal people in Rajshahi - AsiaNews - October 19th, 2021 [October 19th, 2021]
- Did Einstein Believe in God? - bethinking.org - October 17th, 2021 [October 17th, 2021]
- Three Decades Later, This Classic Book About the New Age Is More Relevant Than Ever - National Catholic Register - October 1st, 2021 [October 1st, 2021]
- Book of a Lifetime: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - The Independent - September 26th, 2021 [September 26th, 2021]
- Meditation Isnt Mere Therapy Its a Living Relationship With Almighty God - National Catholic Register - September 4th, 2021 [September 4th, 2021]
- Is Everything That Exists Part of God? (Pantheism) - August 28th, 2021 [August 28th, 2021]
- Home - Universal Pantheist Society - August 28th, 2021 [August 28th, 2021]
- 8 Major Worldviews (Part 1) | CrossExamined.org by Brian ... - August 26th, 2021 [August 26th, 2021]
- You shall have no other gods, including 'trivial' ones - The B.C. Catholic - August 26th, 2021 [August 26th, 2021]
- Religion Is Far Too Complex to Have a Single Evolution Story - Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence - August 6th, 2021 [August 6th, 2021]
- Is the Enlightenment Still a Foundation for Working-Class Liberation? - LA Progressive - August 6th, 2021 [August 6th, 2021]
- The Revival of Stoicism - VICE - July 5th, 2021 [July 5th, 2021]
- Jane Goodall Meets the God Hypothesis - Discovery Institute - May 27th, 2021 [May 27th, 2021]
- Parramatta Laity Make Their Voices Heard in Dispute With Their Bishop - National Catholic Register - May 14th, 2021 [May 14th, 2021]
- Matthew Wong Ink Works, Never Before Exhibited, Will Alight in New York - ARTnews - April 19th, 2021 [April 19th, 2021]
- Double Blind by Edward St Aubyn review in pursuit of knowledge - The Guardian - March 31st, 2021 [March 31st, 2021]
- How to Sound Like a Catholic When You Talk About Ashes and Death - National Catholic Register - February 25th, 2021 [February 25th, 2021]
- The consolation of philosophy during Covid darkness - Offaly Express - February 25th, 2021 [February 25th, 2021]
- What Is This 'QAnon' Thing They're Talking About? - Calbuzz - February 21st, 2021 [February 21st, 2021]
- Manifestations of Higher Meaning: On Dana Gioia's The Catholic Writer Today and Studying with Miss Bishop - Los Angeles Review of Books -... - February 10th, 2021 [February 10th, 2021]
- Arts Pantheon - The Daily Star - January 17th, 2021 [January 17th, 2021]
- Christmas and the birth of truth on earth - TheCable - January 1st, 2021 [January 1st, 2021]
- Pantheism | Definition of Pantheism by Merriam-Webster - November 29th, 2020 [November 29th, 2020]
- No writer was better suited to chronicle the Depression than John Steinbeck - Spectator.co.uk - November 29th, 2020 [November 29th, 2020]
- A world of mysticism and spirituality - Times of Malta - November 29th, 2020 [November 29th, 2020]
- WHAT IS 'SPIRITUALITY OF PLACE'? | Bret Thoman - Patheos - November 29th, 2020 [November 29th, 2020]
- Do Not Offend the Gods: 8 SFF Books Featuring Deities - tor.com - October 7th, 2020 [October 7th, 2020]
- Religion, Non-Reductive and Saturated, Gains Respect in Post-Modern Academic World - Patheos - May 29th, 2020 [May 29th, 2020]
- What's the difference between pandemic and epidemic? - ChicagoNow - March 31st, 2020 [March 31st, 2020]
- Porfiry Ivanov: what Stalin said the main freak of the USSR - International Law Lawyer News - March 24th, 2020 [March 24th, 2020]
- World Pantheism Revering the Universe, Caring for Nature ... - March 5th, 2020 [March 5th, 2020]
- Freeman Dyson: The Passing of an Iconoclastic Physicist - Discovery Institute - March 5th, 2020 [March 5th, 2020]
- Pantheism | Britannica - February 27th, 2020 [February 27th, 2020]
- Dan McCaslin: Nature and Shallowing the Mind - Noozhawk - January 28th, 2020 [January 28th, 2020]