Comments on: Pascal's Wager (Part the third) http://blog.using.me.uk/2009/12/pascals-wager-part-the-third/ Critical Thought, Science, Religion, Politics and more Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:26:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jumile http://blog.using.me.uk/2009/12/pascals-wager-part-the-third/comment-page-1/#comment-225 Jumile Sun, 13 Dec 2009 01:24:10 +0000 http://blog.using.me.uk/?p=166#comment-225 My understanding is that the change 'from' other gods and 'to' one god that you mention lays with Abraham when he/his god decided that polytheism was bad (mmkay) and that there was One True God. The birth of monotheism. A number of papers I've read state this as a natural step in the evolution of religion: nature and weather worship -> polytheism with idols -> monotheism (and then presumably to atheism when we finally have no more gaps in which to push the God of the Gaps). It's not quite accurate though, as Christianity in all its forms is unarguably polytheistic (the Trinity, the Bible itself, the Popes or local pastor, the saints, angels, crackers and relics, etc), and the same accusation can be levelled at Islam with all that "salla allahu alaihi wa sallam" (but you didn't hear that from me ;)). The problem with the rationale of religious evolution is that although there's this "one true god" rhetoric scattered throughout the Old Testament (sticking with the middle-eastern stories), this one, true and only god keeps telling everyone that "the other gods" aren't to be followed, that he's the only one (really, truly, honestly) and those others... they don't exist, nope, no sirree. If you get my meaning (the lady doth protest too much, as it were). Clearly this is a socially inept or OCD god, or man trying to get a message across as if it's from god. Now what did Mr Occam use to get rid of that beard -- I always forget...? ;) My understanding is that the change ‘from’ other gods and ‘to’ one god that you mention lays with Abraham when he/his god decided that polytheism was bad (mmkay) and that there was One True God. The birth of monotheism.

A number of papers I’ve read state this as a natural step in the evolution of religion: nature and weather worship -> polytheism with idols -> monotheism (and then presumably to atheism when we finally have no more gaps in which to push the God of the Gaps). It’s not quite accurate though, as Christianity in all its forms is unarguably polytheistic (the Trinity, the Bible itself, the Popes or local pastor, the saints, angels, crackers and relics, etc), and the same accusation can be levelled at Islam with all that “salla allahu alaihi wa sallam” (but you didn’t hear that from me ;) ).

The problem with the rationale of religious evolution is that although there’s this “one true god” rhetoric scattered throughout the Old Testament (sticking with the middle-eastern stories), this one, true and only god keeps telling everyone that “the other gods” aren’t to be followed, that he’s the only one (really, truly, honestly) and those others… they don’t exist, nope, no sirree. If you get my meaning (the lady doth protest too much, as it were).

Clearly this is a socially inept or OCD god, or man trying to get a message across as if it’s from god. Now what did Mr Occam use to get rid of that beard — I always forget…? ;)

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