[firmbeliever]

http://www.bloomington.in.us/~lgthscac/monotheism.htm
http://cogweb.ucla.edu/Culture/Monotheism.html


I was just reading through these two links...

And would like your thoughts on them.

If possible links to other similar articles will be highly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.. :)

[Dark_crow]

Historian Dr. Albert Hyma wrote, I believe, in Streams of Civilization I: “According to many present authorities, the Sumerians were originally monotheistic in their belief, for the most ancient written records state clearly that they believed in only one God. This is a very important fact to note, because until very recently (1937) a large number of historians believed that mankind originally was polytheistic and that gradually as human beings became civilized, they formed a higher conception of the deity.”

[Mr_am]

It started with Adam. Was Adam (the father of humanity) monotheist ? YES.. So his religion is the first religion.

[Capuchin]

It started with Adam. Was Adam (the father of humanity) monotheist ? YES .. So his religion is the first religion.

Lol

[firmbeliever]

Historian Dr. Albert Hyma wrote, I believe, in Streams of Civilization I: “According to many present authorities, the Sumerians were originally monotheistic in their belief, for the most ancient written records state clearly that they believed in only one God. This is a very important fact to note, because until very recently (1937) a large number of historians believed that mankind originally was polytheistic and that gradually as human beings became civilized, they formed a higher conception of the deity.”

I have always believed in monotheism being the original religion since the beginning of human life in this world.
It is good to find archeological findings which support it,though my belief does not change even if there were no archeological evidence of it. I did always believe that the more research is done into the origin of religions,the more people will realise that all religions lead to one source.We are from the same source and unto the same source we will return.

I also believe that the universal laws that people find similar to the 10 commandments came from this very source.Which is why although one may not be a believer,they have certain values in them to discern right from wrong.
Of course there are those who uses their free will to do wrong even when they know it is not right.

"Finally, Dr. Wilhelm Schmidt, an Austrian, set out in the 1920's to compile every "alias of the Almighty" discovered by explorers around the world. It took Schmidt an amazing six volumes totalling 4,500 pages to detail them all! A minimum of a thousand more examples have come to light since then. An approximate 90 percent or more of the folk religions on this planet contain clear acknowledgment of the existence of one Supreme God! Schmidt's classic "Der Ursprung der Gottesidee" (The Origin of the Concept of God) was finally published in 1934."
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a393151a5332f.htm
Also from the above link.
"They had thoroughly debunked all pretensions about the supernatural origin of religion. Religion, they claimed, evolved mentally just as biological forms evolved physically.

Back on the Kalahari Desert, in the Ituri forest, and innumberable other locations, however; the young anthropologists were getting down to a deeper level of questioning. They would ask the animists: "By the way, who made the world?" and were startled to hear them respond, often with a happy smile, by naming a single Being who lived in the sky.

"Is he good or bad?" was a usual second question. "Good, of course", was the invariable reply. "Show me the idol you use to represent him", the researcher might ask. "What idol? Don't you know that he must never be represented by an idol?"

It started with Adam. Was Adam (the father of humanity) monotheist ? YES .. So his religion is the first religion.

I agree with you on this.

From the appearance of the first human on earth and all the descendants from then were aware of the existence of an Almighty God,but then humans being humans have found their own interpretations of the guidace given to them and branched off into different beliefs in nature and the universe.

Hinduism, considered one of the oldest religions,it is mentioned in their books that there is non comparable to the One (Brahma).They have One God,but the priests of the same religion,thought that it will be hard for the commoners to understand and communicate with the One,they started worshipping nature and people as manifestations of the One,or worship through these objects to get to the One God.

[michealb]

My take which I'm sure most of you won't want to hear but I give it anyway.

The first article is based on work by Dr. Clifford Wilson who has an impressive list of degrees except for one small problem his degree in archaeology is an honorary degree which means he never studied archaeology.

Correct me if I'm wrong here but the second article seems to say that the temple was first used by polytheists then monotheists meaning the articles contradict each other.

[Mr_am]

My take which I'm sure most of you won't want to hear but I give it anyways.

The first article is based on work by Dr. Clifford Wilson who has an impressive list of degrees except for one small problem his degree in archaeology is an honorary degree which means he never studied archaeology.

Correct me if I'm wrong here but the second article seems to say that the temple was first used by polytheists then monotheists meaning the articles contradict each other.

Could be true.

[firmbeliever]

My take which I'm sure most of you won't want to hear but I give it anyways.

The first article is based on work by Dr. Clifford Wilson who has an impressive list of degrees except for one small problem his degree in archaeology is an honorary degree which means he never studied archaeology.

Correct me if I'm wrong here but the second article seems to say that the temple was first used by polytheists then monotheists meaning the articles contradict each other.

Thanks for correcting that,I don't really know Dr.Clifford Wilson.

Yes the second article does say that the temple was polytheistic before monotheistic,which is what was being said by most people that polytheism came before monotheism.
I do not agree with it.The temple may show polytheism came before monotheism,but the temple could have been built after the people became polytheists.

I think that polytheism was what people followed later,they changed their beliefs of monotheism over time and found their own versions of belief.
This is where the messengers had to be sent as reminders to help guide people to the right path.

I would also like to know why people believe that polytheism came first?

I have read an article which said that the "primitive" societies found their way to monotheism.Primitve I think might be only technologically(as compared to the present),but otherwise there must have been great thinkers,and builders even in those times.

[Capuchin]

Because archeological evidence shows that most civilizations BC believed in polytheism, mayans, aztecs, egyptians, greeks, romans, babylonians, assyrians, all polytheist.

I actually think that it's the other way around, many gods was too hard to understand so they dumbed it down into one almighty god who controlled everything.

[firmbeliever]

Because archeological evidence shows that most civilizations BC believed in polytheism, mayans, aztecs, egyptians, greeks, romans, babylonians, assyrians, all polytheist.

I actually think that it's the other way around, many gods was too hard to understand so they dumbed it down into one almighty god who controlled everything.

"BC" as in Before Christ?

[Capuchin]

Yes. A fairly arbitrary line to draw, I know.

[firmbeliever]

Didn't the Jews come before Christ?Were they not already following a single deity before the arrival of Christ?

[Capuchin]

Sure. They aren't "most civilizations" though.

[Capuchin]

Polytheists predate the jews by quite some time.

[firmbeliever]

Please do elaborate!

[Dark_crow]

Horus, the Sun God of Egypt is reckoned to be from around 3000 BC he is the sun, anthropomorphized, and his life is a series of allegorical myths involving the sun's movement in the sky; while the roots of the Jewish religion go back some 4,000 years in history…The Jewish people are descendants of an ancient, Hebrew-speaking branch of the Semitic race. (Genesis 10:1, 21-32; 1 Chronicles 1:17-28, 34; 2:1, 2) close to 4,000 years ago, their forefather Abram immigrated from the great city of Ur of the Chaldeans in Sumeria to the land of Canaan, of which God had stated: “I will assign this land to your offspring.” (Genesis 11:31–12:7) He is spoken of as “Abram the Hebrew” at Genesis 14:13, although his name was later changed to Abraham. (Genesis 17:4-6)

From him the Jews draw a line of descent that begins with his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. (Genesis 32:27-29) Israel had 12 sons, who became the founders of 12 tribes. One of those was Judah, from which name the word “Jew” was eventually derived.—2 Kings 16:6.

[firmbeliever]

Horus, the Sun God of Egypt is reckoned to be from around 3000 BC he is the sun, anthropomorphized, and his life is a series of allegorical myths involving the sun's movement in the sky; while the roots of the Jewish religion go back some 4,000 years in history…The Jewish people are descendants of an ancient, Hebrew-speaking branch of the Semitic race. (Genesis 10:1, 21-32; 1 Chronicles 1:17-28, 34; 2:1, 2) close to 4,000 years ago, their forefather Abram immigrated from the great city of Ur of the Chaldeans in Sumeria to the land of Canaan, of which God had stated: “I will assign this land to your offspring.” (Genesis 11:31–12:7) He is spoken of as “Abram the Hebrew” at Genesis 14:13, although his name was later changed to Abraham. (Genesis 17:4-6)

From him the Jews draw a line of descent that begins with his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. (Genesis 32:27-29) Israel had 12 sons, who became the founders of 12 tribes. One of those was Judah, from which name the word “Jew” was eventually derived.—2 Kings 16:6.

Are there any records or similar names found in any older (older than the Jewish faith) of the Messengers before Abraham(alaihi salaam)?Like Enoch,Noah,etc(peace be upon them all) and the ones that came after Abraham (alaihi salaam)?

[Dark_crow]

I'm a bit unsure of the question… Scientific claims that man has been on this earth for hundreds of thousands or even millions of years cannot be substantiated by written records as Biblical events are. The dates given to “prehistoric man” are based on assumptions that cannot be proved. Actually, reliable secular history, together with its chronology, extends back only a few thousand years.

As Sir Isaac Newton, an eminent as a critic of ancient writings said, after examining with great care the Holy Scriptures. 'I find,' says he, 'more sure marks of authenticity in the New Testament than in any profane [secular] history whatever.

Professor R. D. Wilson writes in A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament, pages 213-14: “The chronological and geographical statements are more accurate and reliable than those afforded by any other ancient documents; and the biographical and other historical narratives harmonize marvelously with the evidence afforded by extra-biblical documents.”

[firmbeliever]

I would also like to say that it is not an easy task to find answers from civilisation long ago.Those who knew the facts are dead,but then artifacts from ancient civilisations have been analysed and conclusions made whether they are right or wrong only time will tell.

Saying that the older civilisations were not advance enough to think for themselves cannot be true.Just by looking at the structures built at different times show proof that they were advanced even though they did not have what we call "technological marvels"

As a firmbeliever in my own faith, I also believe in the other monotheistic religions being part of my history as a believer.Jews, Chrisitans,Muslims maybe the only currently existing group of people who do have their beliefs based on monotheism,but I am sure they are not the first group to believe in monotheism and accept it as their faith,or follow monotheistic teachings.

Monotheism could not have suddenly sprung out of nowhere in the middle of polytheistic tribes unless,someone tried to spread the message of monotheism(which would point to a messenger) or they already had something from their ancestors which linked to monotheism in their past.

I think atheism had more chance of springing out of nowhere than monotheism,because if all the polytheistic idols got to be too much for someone to follow or it got confusing it is more likely they will want to reject all of it than follow One deity and this too at the cost of being rejected by their tribes.

Someday,some archeologist will find something that might bring to light the true origins of monotheism.
As the speculation right now is the Jews got their beliefs from an Egyptian King which some historians speculate does not really ring true,as the Egyptian single deity was the sun and that they did not seem to share their beliefs outside their territory.http://www.usu.edu/markdamen/1320His...rs/10AKHEN.htm

Do any of you monotheists believe that it suddenly sprang out of polytheism?

[firmbeliever]

I'm a bit unsure of the question… Scientific claims that man has been on this earth for hundreds of thousands or even millions of years cannot be substantiated by written records as Biblical events are. The dates given to “prehistoric man” are based on assumptions that cannot be proved. Actually, reliable secular history, together with its chronology, extends back only a few thousand years.

As Sir Isaac Newton, an eminent as a critic of ancient writings said, after examining with great care the Holy Scriptures. 'I find,' says he, 'more sure marks of authenticity in the New Testament than in any profane [secular] history whatever.

Professor R. D. Wilson writes in A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament, pages 213-14: “The chronological and geographical statements are more accurate and reliable than those afforded by any other ancient documents; and the biographical and other historical narratives harmonize marvelously with the evidence afforded by extra-biblical documents.”

You are right.. it is a hard thing to prove scientifically or historically without actually being there when the event happened.

For me it isn't hard to believe it,it only takes faith from my end to believe.It must be harder for those who don't follow a monotheistic faith.