Paganism vs. Monotheism

[uniquepegasister]

Looking for your thoughts on the difference. Thoughts on how followers represent themselves. Do you think they're all the same? And go...

[Silver]

My thoughts are going in a different direction; the direction of thinking what a dumb thread this is.

[Wyrd of Gawd]

Looking for your thoughts on the difference. Thoughts on how followers represent themselves. Do you think they're all the same? And go...

You seem to be the perfect example of some group or another.

[uniquepegasister]

Looking for your thoughts on the difference. Thoughts on how followers represent themselves. Do you think they're all the same? And go...

You seem to be the perfect example of some group or another.

Pardon? Explain?

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My thoughts are going in a different direction; the direction of thinking what a dumb thread this is.

Sorry you feel that way but if you pose no reasonable debate or interest then why bother replying. I don't really have a care whether you dislike the thread or not.

[Brian37]

Arguing over or even discussing the differences between religions is like debating the differences between Star Wars and Harry Potter

All religions are nothing more than artificial human invented constructs. No religion is a requirement to live life.

[AFTT47]

I guess they're less harmful because none of them have the social/political clout of the major monotheistic religions. As to credibility? No difference in my opinion. None of them have any. All the religions are clearly human-invented.

[Mudhammam]

Looking for your thoughts on the difference. Thoughts on how followers represent themselves. Do you think they're all the same? And go...

The differences? Hmm... let's see... monotheists believe there is one God at the head of a hierarchy that includes animals, man, and occasionally, spiritual beings such as angels and daemons; pagans believe that, while there is one Supreme Being or First Cause, his immediate creation or generative powers include a plurality of deities who reign over respective domains within the world and whom are capable of being propitiated by the prayers and sacrifices of humans... 

Thoughts on how followers represent themselves... um... well, the Greek and Roman pagans were typically much less zealous, and were even free to express licentious skepticism, in comparison with their obstinate Jewish, Zoroastrian, and Christian counterparts; As David Hume writes in section IX of his Natural History of Religion, 

...idolatry is attended with this evident advantage, that, by limiting the powers and functions of its deities, it naturally admits the Gods of other sects and nations to a share of divinity, and renders all the various deities, as well as rites, ceremonies, or traditions, compatible with each other. Theism is opposite both in its advantages and disadvantages. As that system supposes one sole deity, the perfection of reason and goodness, it should, if justly prosecuted, banish everything frivolous, unreasonable, or inhuman from religious worship, and set before men the most illustrious example, as well as the most commanding motives of justice and benevolence. These mighty advantages are not indeed over-balanced (for that is not possible), but somewhat diminished, by inconveniences, which arise from the vices and prejudices of mankind. While one sole object of devotion is acknowleged, the worship of other deities is regarded as absurd and impious. Nay, this unity of object seems naturally to require the unity of faith and ceremonies, and furnishes designing men with a pretence for representing their adversaries as profane, and the objects of divine as well as human vengeance. For as each sect is positive that its own faith and worship are entirely acceptable to the deity, and as no one can conceive that the same being should be pleased with different and opposite rites and principles, the several sects fall naturally into animosity, and mutually discharge on each other that sacred zeal and rancour, the most furious and implacable of all human passions.

The entire essay is worth a read. Finally, no, they're not all the same... Duh.

[Pyrrho]

I guess they're less harmful because none of them have the social/political clout of the major monotheistic religions. As to credibility? No difference in my opinion. None of them have any. All the religions are clearly human-invented.

There is a great deal of difference in credibility between, say, Christianity and the ancient Greek religion.  The problem of evil proves that Christianity is a lie, but does nothing to disprove the ancient Greek religion.  In the ancient Greek religion, none of the gods are omnipotent, none are omniscient, and none are perfectly benevolent.  So the ancient Greek religion, while still implausible and not worthy of serious consideration, is more plausible than Christianity.

[I_am_not_mafia]

Looking for your thoughts on the difference. Thoughts on how followers represent themselves. Do you think they're all the same? And go...

Dancing naked around a bonfire sounds a lot more fun than watching some bloke in a dress speak some weird language.

[Brian37]

Read the myth of Apollo and Cassandra, and what Ajax did to her. Polytheism was/is even the ones today are full of sexism,