Thursday, 6 October 2016

Monotheism v Polytheism

http://www.etymonline.com/columns/polytheism.htm

This is from a book titled 'Hindu Polytheism' by Alain Danielou from 1964, which sounds irrelevant, but when I've been reading around the Christianisation of Europe and the repression of pagan traditions, it fit in:

'Monotheism is always linked with a culture, a civilization. It is not through its forms but in spite of them that gifted individuals may reach spiritual attainment. We shall see that monotheism is the projection of the human individuality into the cosmic sphere, the shaping of 'god' to the image of man. Hence the monotheist commonly visualizes his 'god' as an anthropomorphic entity who shares his habits, patronizes his customs, and acts according to his ideals. Religion becomes a means of glorifying his culture or his race, or of expanding his influence. He is one of the elect who follows the 'Way of God' as if there could be a Way that did not lead to 'God.' We can see all monotheistic religions fighting to impose their god and destroy other gods as if God were not one as they claim. Monotheism is basically the absolute exaltation of the worshiper's own deity over all other aspects of the Divine, all other gods, who must be considered false and dangerous. The very notion of a false god is, however, an obvious fallacy. If there is an all-powerful, all-pervading divinity, how can there be a false god? How can we worship anything that is not Him? Whatever form we try to worship, the worship ultimately goes to Him who is everything.'

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