Is Christianity truly a monotheistic religion?

[Immortal Goat]

I have read some very interesting theories about the Christian religions. If you believe that you are following a monotheistic religion, then you cannot believe in a devil that is a rival to your god. If it is a TRULY monotheistic religion, there can be NO rival to God, for that being would be a god themselves. If you insist on believing in demons and a Satan, then it is required that they are not rivals, but simply servants to a god that, far from being purely good, is simply neutral.

In the Bible, it is read that "I form the light and create darkness; I make peace and create evil. I the Lord do all these things." (Isaiah 45:7) God's sun and rain pour on the good and evil alike and make both weeds and wheat grow.

So, does that sound like the typical Cristian belief in God? Didn't think so.

[Zhukov]

Are there any other religions that you like to bash?

[Cosmo Electrolux]

He hates those fucking Druids, too...goddamned shrub fuckers....

[mburbank]

I'll tell you what;

Zoroastrians suck ass.

Manicheans? Buncha two faced fucks.

[Immortal Goat]

If you are wondering why I seem preoccupied with the Christian religion, it is because I try to make arguments about things I know stuff about. Unlike some people on this site, I usually try to make my opinions known only if I at least think I know what I am talking about.

[FS]

WE'LL HAVE CHRISTIANITY DISPROVED BY SUNDOWN

[mburbank]

Is that a belief your beliefs led you to believe, or do you just believe believing leads to beliefs you believe are like that?

[kahljorn]

And unlike you I tend to talk out of my ass

[El Blanco]

We don't see the devil as God's equal. They are not on the same level. God is clearly superior. Lucifer is a fallen angel who used his free will to defy God. He promptly got his ass whooped.

Believing there is a being out there who is more powerful than us does not mean that we believe that being is another god.

Its like saying that the guy at the basketball court down the block is as good as Tracy McGrady. He might be better than you or I, but he is nowhere near McGrady's status.

[O71394658]

The Devil is not a rival. He exists because it is God's will that he exists. If you would argue that he is "neutral" by perpetuating evil and allowing it to exist, then so be it. But first, let's examine the entirety of the Biblical quote you used:

"I am the Lord and there is no other, there is no God besides me. It is I who arm you, though you know me not, so that toward the rising and the setting of the Sun men may know that there is no one besides me. I am the Lord there is no other; I form the light and create the darkness, I make well-being and create woe. I, the Lord, do all these things. Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above, like gentle rain let teh skies drop it down. Let the earth open and salvation bud forth; let justice also spring up! I, the Lord, have created this." (Isaiah 45: 5-8)

As you can see, it's almost comical how the author of the "theory" you propose would take such a quote to disprove the monotheistic qualities of God, yet God actually "addresses" the point in the previous sentence. Yet another Biblical quote taken out of context.

The basic will of God is well known throughout the world. Words like "good", "loving", "saving", and "forgiving" come to mind, but what most people leave out is "just". Justice is one of the ultimate facets of God that people so willingly ignore. Yes, God is caring and loving, but he is also just. I think it's obvious that he has power over evil. Satan is not his rival, nor his equal. If you wish to say so, he can even be called an "instrument of God" as he is even under His power. Yes, God allows evil to exist. Why does he do this? To tell you the truth, I believe it falls under the premise of justice. "Free will". We're given a choice to follow a distinct and set path in life. The choice is yours. God gives us the choice. He allows evil to exist because it is an instrument that people may use in exercising their free will.

If you want a more information on this, I'll post it later, but I'm tired of typing right now.

[Baalzamon]

God gives us the choice. He allows evil to exist because it is an instrument that people may use in exercising their free will.

Thats a very good way of saying it, and I see a lot of people overlook that.

I would however take issue with the idea that evil is a tool of god used in the name of justice.

Evil stems from people utilizing their free will, and so does good. God does not actively dish out justice for evil deeds or rewards for good, at least not in this life anyway.

At any rate the only responsibility god has for either good or evil is only in the act of creating us able to do both. The actual act of good or evil comes from man, not from god or the devil.

I personally dont believe in a god, but if there is a god this is the way I would interpret his role in the universe.

In the end it all comes down to us and the choices we make, and whether there is a god or not, we will never get it right untill we accept the responsibility for our own actions. God didn't make you do it, neither did the "devil", YOU made yourself do it.

Maybe god is sitting back waiting for the day when we take responsibility for ourselves. Maybe he doesnt want us to constantly ask him to do good, to punish evil and redeem us.


Maybe gods entire purpose in giving us free will is for us to learn to stand on our own two feet and stop attributing everything to him when its really our own actions that are to blame.

Maybe we should be earning our redemption instead of asking for it for free.

[Vibecrewangel]

Mr. NumberGuy -

Nice. I've always thought of Satan as an employee of the All Mighty.


I have a question on the issue of Free Will. Doesn't it seem contradictory to give people free will and then essentially demand certain things of them? These ideas are mutually exclusive in this case.
It seems to me that if we were truly given free will then in the end each of us would be judged according to our choices and our reward or punishment would fit what we chose to do during our lives.
Believe in Me or you won't get into Heaven really doesn't give you Free Will.

[mburbank]

Sure it does! Eternal Damnation is a choice!

When I was growing up, my Dad said I always had two choices. Take it or Leave it.

On the other hand, he also said God's message was "Kill everyone different than you."

[El Blanco]

Actions have consequences. You can't expect to defy God and then have him welcome you into His home.

If I tell you to go fuck yourself repeatedly, are you going to invite me to dinner?

[Immortal Goat]

No, but you are not a supposedly "eternally loving God", so therefor, you cannot possibly make assumptions about what are the criteria to be in the state of Heaven.

[Jeanette X]

Most of the things I've read regarding Christianity not being monotheistic concern the Trinity, not Satan.

[Vibecrewangel]

id / ego /super-ego

body / mind / soul or spirit

me / myself / I

[El Blanco]

Originally Posted by Immortal Goat

No, but you are not a supposedly "eternally loving God", so therefor, you cannot possibly make assumptions about what are the criteria to be in the state of Heaven.

I'm not trying to say who is and who isn't goign to Heaven. I'm just saying there is a line of reasoning here.

I don't have all the answers and don't pretend to.

Most of the things I've read regarding Christianity not being monotheistic concern the Trinity, not Satan.

How so? 3 people 1 God.

[Jeanette X]

Its kind of like saying that Hinduism is monotheistic because all of their gods are merely aspects of the divine, including Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu.

[Rev. Danno]

Just because you wear a guy nailed to a peice of wood around your neck doesn't mean that you belive in the holy trinity does it?
I thought that was just a Catholic thing...
But then again what do I know about Christianity...
(it's funny because I'm a minister, but I'm also a semi-practicing Jew)

[Vibecrewangel]

I have been pondering this one as of late and I have my own theory, but as my knowledge of the Bible is limited my theory may be missing some key pieces.

What does it mean that God created us in his image?

[O71394658]

Originally Posted by Jeanette X

Its kind of like saying that Hinduism is monotheistic because all of their gods are merely aspects of the divine, including Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu.

Those gods are three distinct entities representing three different facets of the religion. Saying that it's monotheism is lame, as they're recognized to have their own personalities and actions that worshipers attribute to them.

The Holy Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are three different manifestations of the same entity. The Hindus believe in three completely different beings in and of themselves, in which there is one manifestation concerning each God, not the same entity represented in three forms (as per Christianity).

[Jeanette X]

Originally Posted by O71394658

Those gods are three distinct entities representing three different facets of the religion. Saying that it's monotheism is lame, as they're recognized to have their own personalities and actions that worshipers attribute to them.
But same goes for the Trinity!

Originally Posted by O71394658

The Hindus believe in three completely different beings in and of themselves, in which there is one manifestation concerning each God, not the same entity represented in three forms (as per Christianity).

From what I understand, the Big Three in Hinduism are simply manifestations of the same divine essence. I'd better go look it up. :/

[Supafly345]

Originally Posted by Vibecrewangel

What does it mean that God created us in his image?

As is almost everything else in the Bible, it has a literal meaning. God didn't make dogs, or carrots in his image. We have his appearance I guess. We are his favorite of all his creations it reads.

I am still a skeptic on the Bible. So far in my studies I can't prove or disprove any of it.

[El Blanco]

I don't think it was meant in a physical sense. I think it was meant to mean we can evolve to God's level.