From: jay@oclc.org (Young Jeff)
Subject: Re: Polytheism
Organization: OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc.
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3
Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1992 14:43:39 GMT

lbarrass@phillip.edu.au writes:
: In article <1992Aug5.170223.13932@oclc.org>, jay@oclc.org (Young Jeff) writes:
: > lauraf@eecs.umich.edu (Laura Falk) writes:
: > : 
: > : The bible says that Satan is the God of this system of things.  It also says
: > : that God will intervene at his time and establish his Kingdom on earth as it is
: > : in heaven.  Now, if Satan is the God of this system of things and God will
: > : establish his kingdom at his given time, what does that say about his
: > : intervention with man's affairs today?
: > 
: > How do Christians justify their claim that theirs is a monotheistic
: > religion?  It seems to me that not just God but Satan et al qualify 
: > for the distinction of being gods in every normal sense.  I realize 
: > that Christians only worship the one called God, but that doesn't mean 
: > that the others don't qualify for the distinction as well.  Is it 
: > that the claim of monotheism is just a rationalization to discredit 
: > and differentiate themselves from the pagans?
: > -- 
: > Jeff Young
: > 
: > Opinions expressed are mine alone.
: 
:  First of all, when the Bible refers to Satan as the god of this world, it uses
: a lower case 'g', not the capital 'G' you quote. You might think this is
: quibbling but in the context of quoting scripture for this purpose, it is
: vitally important.

All you are doing here is equivocating on the word god/God.
It doesn't refute my claim that God is a god and Satan is a god.
 
:   Secondly, the Bible refers to gods (little g) as those things (objects,
: demons etc) that people worship. Nowadays that could be you car or your Cray
: supercomputer etc. I don't know your scriptural background, but you seem to
: forget **however innocently :-)** that Satan is a fallen angel, not a god or
: the God, and elsewhere the Father tells us that there is no other god. I have

I still claim Satan has all the characteristics of a god (little g) such
as supernatural power.  Christians like to point out that material objects
can be objects of worship, and I agree.  However, this has nothing to
do with my point.  They don't possess supernatural powers while Satan and
the angels do.  These are the gods (little g) I am referring to.  To
state that God said he is the only god is to appeal to authority as
an argument.  Since such a claim is contrary to the evidence, I am unwilling
to accept it on authority.

: been caught without my Bible so I can't quote  . Satan became the god of this
: world at the fall of man because man(kind) rejected God and by default accepted
: the evil one. He is the god of this world only in the sense that the world
: follows him (that doesn't mean everyone bashes grannies or kicks cats!!) and
: (as in Rev 20: v2[I think]) will eventually be cast into the lake of fire.
: 
:   In being called god of this world, there is no deity assumed or implied or
: any of the power or authority that goes with it. The devil is not omnipresent,
: onmipotent or holy. He cannot save people from hell or grant eternal life. He
: is a liar, a thief, a murderer and is also known as the destroyer. He has no

I don't think omnipotence, omniscience, holiness, truthfullness, kindness,
etc. are necessary requirements for a god (little g).  Just look at
the pagan gods.  Just because God (big g) has all the good characteristics
doesn't mean he is the only god.

: creative powers and can only imitate. This is not to say he has no power, he is
: still a spiritual being and was the most beautiful of God's creation and still
: very powerful. >>BUT<<  Jesus defeated him on the cross and that victory is
: [Christian propoganda deleted for space]

I am not arguing that Satan is God, I am arguing that Satan is a god.
He may be an inferior god, but a god nonetheless.  To restate my
initial point, Christianity has no legitimate claim to be called
monotheism.  As someone else pointed out, it is better described as
henotheism, the worship of one god without denying the existance of
other gods.
-- 
Jeff Young

Opinions expressed are mine alone.