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Explore The Key Differences Between Monotheism And Polytheism

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Introduction Monotheism and polytheism are two distinct belief systems that have shaped human understanding of the divine for centuries. While monotheism posits the existence of a single all-powerful God, polytheism acknowledges multiple gods with different roles and powers. This essay will explore the key differences between monotheism and polytheism, examine other major differences based on the Gifford Lecture reading and additional sources, and provide personal views on which belief system is superior. Body Monotheism and polytheism differ significantly in their conception of God, moral frameworks, and inclusivity. A monotheistic God is seen as unity, while polytheistic gods are diverse and sometimes in conflict. Monotheism emphasizes …show more content…

The mystery defense, articulated by theologians like Augustine and Aquinas, suggests that God's ways are beyond human understanding. While these arguments offer explanations for why a purely good God would allow evil and suffering, they face criticisms and challenges. For example, the free will defense doesn't adequately explain natural evils like earthquakes or diseases, and the soul-making theodicy can be seen as justifying evil rather than providing an adequate response to the problem of evil. Despite these challenges, these arguments offer valuable insights into the complex issue of evil and suffering in the world. The problem of evil has sparked intense debates and questions about God's nature and human suffering. While there are various arguments, including the free will defense, greater good defense, theodicy, and personal experiences, they all attempt to explain why a purely good God would allow bad things to happen to good people. Although these arguments face criticism and challenges, they offer valuable insights into the complex issue of evil and suffering. Ultimately, the question of why God allows evil and suffering remains a mystery that may be beyond human understanding, but these arguments provide a deeper understanding of God's goodness and human

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He argues that God compensates for the evil that people suffer in this life by giving them rewards in the afterlife. Beaty's argument is based on the idea that God is just and merciful, and that he would not allow his creatures to suffer without compensating them in some way. Beaty's argument is creative and thought-provoking. He provides a new way of thinking about the problem of evil, and he offers a possible solution that is both plausible and consistent with traditional Christian beliefs. However, Beaty's argument is also controversial.

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In addition, how can humans treat each other as though another human is just a bug that needs to be exterminated? Through the shocking stories, the reader also begins to question where God is; however, there needs to be a separation of blame. Human’s evil actions are not the responsibility of God. It must be recognized that humans have freewill to choose to do good or evil. Evil is of the world, but since God is not of the world, God is not responsible for the evil in the world.

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The issue of evil, a long-standing philosophical challenge, urges us to contemplate the existence of God considering the presence of suffering and malevolence in the world. Upon careful reflection on various arguments and perspectives, I have drawn several conclusions that influence my perspective on the case for God's existence: The presence of evil does not necessarily negate the possibility of God's existence. Classic theists, such as Richard Swinburne, argue that God could permit temporary evils for the sake of the greater good, such as moral growth and overcoming challenges. This viewpoint recognizes that while evil is real and painful, it can serve a purpose within a larger divine plan. The concept of "soul-making" theodicy suggests that God and evil can coexist because suffering shapes human character.

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University of the People HIST 1421-01 Greek and Roman Civilization - AY2023-T3 Week 1: Learning Journal Was the Greek religion monotheistic or polytheistic? Almost all of us may have heard about the prominent Greek gods such as Zeus, Poseidon and Athena from a lot of books and films around the world. I was also introduced to Greek gods and mythology from the novel series called Percy Jackson & the Olympians. By simply looking at this information, we can clearly see that the Greek religion was not monotheistic, which means worship of a single god. In fact, they had a tradition of worshipping multiple gods, which is called polytheism.

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Various explanations are offered, such as the idea that suffering can lead to virtues like courage and altruism. Certain religious traditions highlight the significance of suffering in divine redemption and salvation, such as Christianity's belief in Jesus Christ's sacrifice for humanity's sins. The question of why God permits suffering is complex and invites contemplation from different angles. It remains a mystery that prompts reflection on the nature of existence, morality, and the divine, challenging individuals to grapple with doubt and uncertainty in the face of profound suffering.

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The deductive problem of evil defines omnipotence as having no bounds to power and being all-good as having the will to prevent and stop any evil that one possibly can. Furthermore, Adams presents how much this problem is amplified when considering horrendous evils that would push the average person to “doubt the positive meaning of their lives”(Adams 300). Adams acknowledges that this definition of God’s qualities alongside the definition of horrendous evils hinders the existence of the Christian God. God is one who is supposed to hold love for all of his creations, but allowing for his creations to suffer needlessly doesn’t align with this love. This problem causes people to question not only God’s love for them but also God’s reasoning in their suffering and their living.

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The former, when armed hastily, dissolves hastily, but the latter produces increasing dependence on the Lord. To this point, I’ve argued that there is meaning in all suffering—not only when we can’t understand it, but especially when we can’t understand it. However, not all suffering is impermanent, and if anguish is everlasting, it cannot produce the goodness which makes it somewhat bearable. This morning I attended Jonathan Storment’s lecture on apologetics. His concept of eternal damnation intrigued me: “The fires of hell are started by the hands of men,” he said.

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