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| Author: Posted: Sep. 8, 2002 | This Page Viewed: 7,021,468 |
Question of the Week: 80 - 10/6/2002 Polytheist, Monotheist, Dualist or Other? Are you a die-hard Polytheist who believes that the many Gods/Goddesses are distinct and individual entities? Are you a Pagan Monotheist? Pantheist? Do you believe that “All Gods/Goddesses are One God/Goddess”? Does the term ‘Lord and Lady’ represent a specific Lord and/or Lady to you or is it a term used most often to simply denote the concept of a male and/or a female deity? Do you think that all of these terms are interchangeable? Can you see where and when the need to define what YOU mean by ‘Gods/Goddesses’ might be necessary? What do you think about ‘Choose one from column A and one from Column B’ pantheon building? |
| Reponses: There are 104 responses posted to this question. | Reverse Sort |
| Evolving With Skepticism | Oct 7th. at 12:21:28 am EDT |
| Brighid (Jackson) | Age: 35 - Email |
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What I believe is ever changing and evolving, towards what I learn and see..as I change and grow. I do believe in a Supreme being, although I feel free to address the Love as God/Goddess or with particular names.s Coming from a christian background, it is hard to use the word or title god. I also believe that Deity is in everything! |
| A Henotheist | Oct 7th. at 12:54:17 am EDT |
| Stacey Michael (New Orleans) | Age: 34 - Email - Web |
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A Theurgist in the Sabaean Religious Order out of Chicago, (featured in Margot Adler’s ‘Drawing Down the Moon’ as well as several books by Hans Holtzer). Coming from a small Middle America town, lovingly referred to by the author as ‘Corn County’ was drawn by the Dead to move to the big city to fulfil a destiny. One, which was elusive, yet tangible, powerful, yet passive, knowledgeable, and yet unknown, to become an adept into a ‘Mystery Religion’, called Sabaeanism. A tradition of the Luccume of West Africa’s Yoruba country, yet, with a way of life of the Stoic’s of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, by following a Henothiestic philosophy of worshipping one deity without the exclusion of others. Respecting the individual for who they were, rather than who they should be, moving through life trying to achieve excellence, yet not passing judgment on those who do not. |
| One Great Mother | Oct 7th. at 12:55:00 am EDT |
| Curly Willow (NC, USA) | Age: 18 - Email |
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I was raised Mormon, and have only recently been able to shake off the (for me) ill-fitting coat of those beliefs and explore new ones. My feelings may at some point change, but for the moment I find myself unable to visualize any deity other than Our Great Mother Earth, as I call her. I don't see her as a threefold goddess, or as a human form at all, but as the ever-changing and all-encompassing spirit of our world. |
| Duotheism | Oct 7th. at 1:07:55 am EDT |
| Sgeir (Scotland) | Age: 21 - Email |
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I believe that there is one God, and one Goddess, and not that they are one Divine Being, nor that there are tons of them either. Just the two, which is why I call myself a duotheist. I do, however, believe that the Gods and Goddesses of various traditions are the responses and visions of the human mind of one God and one Goddess - in essence that the Gods and Goddesses we know are avatars of one God and one Goddesss. Maybe that sounds a little confused, maybe I still am a little confused, but it makes sense to me. |
| When You Start Subtracting... | Oct 7th. at 1:44:58 am EDT |
| Azi Vajravai (Oakland, CA) | Age: 28 - Email |
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I have been struggling with this for a while. When I have researched the history of monotheism, I saw that monotheism is an intellectual costruct. This is often used to control people, when left to their own devices in ancient times - they usually turned to polytheism and idolatry. I wrote this in a resturaunt when I was musing on this topic: "The fallacy of Monotheism is attributing a personality to Ayin/Chaos/Dao, and if you "eliminate" the real gods - then you are left with No Thing. Gods, Angels, Demons, Fairies, Spirits, Jotnir, Alfar, Dwarves, Humans, Monkeys, and Trees (and so much more) are all independent spritual entities. Gods may be evolved forms of the others - who knows? Ascended Masters? |
| Agnostic Pantheist | Oct 7th. at 1:54:57 am EDT |
| Arinnadia (South East Coast, USA) | Age: 34 - Email |
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Of all the theories out there concerning how and why life exists I prefer Pantheism but having been raised by an agnostic mother I learned early not to get to arrogant or sure of any one theory of existence. If my mom were here she would point out that the chaos of life may be more easily explained by competition among equally powerful and seperate spiritual forces at work. Then again you could say that the idea of pantheism also supports this since all of creation inherents the same powerful spiritual force and competes and or co-operates in the world. Boy it sure is confusing having the "voice" of an agnostic pop up in your head every time you think you have the world all figured out. But it sure does keep you on your toes. :) That's where faith comes in. I have faith that even if I've got it all wrong, the power/s that be will love me anyway. I guess I also learned that from my Mom. Thanks Mom. Blessed Be, Arinnadia |
| All Gods Are One Are All | Oct 7th. at 3:15:20 am EDT |
| Alumenios (Ocala, FL) | Age: 27 - Email |
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I took the time to read everyone's post before I posted my own... but here I go. I believe in all gods. Any deity that has ever been conceived of, I acknowledge. I believe that deities gain their power from the amount of conscious thought that is given to them, which (IMHO) is a better measure of their influence than the $$$ amount that is given to them in the name of society. The way I figure it, everyone see's one small slice of the overall divine pie, and we only get a full view of that pie when we put everyone's views together, whether they be pagan, christian, atheist, what have you, as long as it doesn't negate someone else's point of view... wisdom is wisdom, whatever the source. The universe is too infinite not to have room for everybody, as long as they're not hating on someone else. So BELIEVE! Your belief can make the difference! Blessings/93 Alumenios |
| Thou Art God..... | Oct 7th. at 9:17:40 am EDT |
| Aravan Windwalker (Saco, Maine) | Age: 37 - Email |
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I am a polytheist. For there are as many gods and goddesses as there are people with imaginations to create them. There are the pantheon gods(esses). Any deity that has been made up over the centuries and any deity that will be made up. Ever heard of Asphaltia? Goddess of parking. Someone once made her up in a little prayer to find a parking place fast due to a meeting he had to be at. Now I know of many who actually utter a prayer to her when in need. Then there are the Old Ones. Those of this world who have passed on from this life and are using their experiences and knowledge to aid those of us who are still striving. Do I really consider them gods, well I have to as the third type is considered. Thou are God. " 'Thou art God.' It's not a message of cheer and hope. It's a defieance--and an unafraid unabashed assumption of personal responsibility." (Mike to Jubal, SIASL by Robert Heinlein) Each of us is God. Each of us is responcible for what we do and how we act in this life. Life is good or bad dependant on our own actions. This has become the most comfortable concept for me to follow. May you never thirst. Aravan Windwalker /|\ OMS-RDNA |
| Pagan Pantheist | Oct 7th. at 10:21:38 am EDT |
| Nikos Wolf (New England, USA) | Age: 21 - Email |
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To best sum it up, I'm very much a Pagan in terms of my views on Nature and its inherent, immanent divinity, but my specific view on that is pantheistic. As for polythiesm, I'm beginning to appreciate a metaphorical view on the Gods and Goddesses, but I whole-heartedly believe in the possibility of literal deities. The great thing (well, *one* of the many great things) about being a Pagan is that I can easily ease my mind over differing opinions and accept plurality as a blessing, not a complication. With monotheism, I have an immensly hard time beleiving in the Judeo-XN-Islamic notion of a creator God, but rather take the view of Baruch Spinoza, that "God" is actually the laws of the universe and the collection of all essences and thoughts of everything therein. Also, I do not use the terms "Lord and Lady" at all. Nothing against them, mind you, but I try not to assign gender roles to divinity. And, as for the practice of choosing one's own pantheon, I want to first state that I believe in understanding and being true to one's own heritage and culture, even if that culture isn't "in the family", so to speak, and adopted. To clarify, if one follows an Irish path, whether they are of Irish decent or not, I would vouch for focusing on the Irish deities above all, learning and understanding them and thier role in Irish tradition. Personally, though, it comes down to who you are and what you want out of your path - If you find spiritual fulfillment in a mixed pantheon, more power to you. |
| Shine On You Crazy Diamond | Oct 7th. at 10:34:33 am EDT |
| OmniVitke (Gulfport, MS) | Age: 52 - Email - Web |
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There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. I picture God as a huge Diamond with unnumbered facetts. As you gaze you are drawn to a shard of sparkle and then become entranced on what makes you happy and whole. To profess that this part or that part is the total and only real part is the effect of narrow vision and not using proper eye protection. No matter if you believe in a person hung to a tree or sprung from a caldren, if your Faith gets you thru the Night not measured on any clock, then it is your God to be praised and kept close to your heart. To bend the Wills of others towards Your God is not only wrong but shows Bad Manners. To do this for Profit is just playing the Shell Game for those searching for Truth. Those who do this will find one day that a Diamond is just a lump of coal that work best under pressure. Live Large & Strong. |
| Polytheist | Oct 7th. at 11:09:45 am EDT |
| Ulfgeira (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) | Age: 31 - Email |
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Being Heathen (Asatru), I believe the God(dess)s to being separate entities, rather than all god(ess)s being one. The wonderful thing about being pagan in general is that everyone has an opinion on things, but no-one starts shouting about the "One True Path" =-) As defining what the divine is and what it means to, I think that is a personal choice between the individual and the deity. There really will never be one theory, answer or choice. And that's good =-) |
| I Guess I Have To Say Other... | Oct 7th. at 12:03:42 pm EDT |
| Ciarrai (New Jersey) | Age: 35 - Email |
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...because I believe that they are all separate and apart, and at the same time, all One. It works for me though so at least I'm not banging my head into my books trying to find the perfect answer to this! Bright blessing & peace out, Ciarrai |
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