Is Christianity Monoheistic?

[Powerman]

I ran accross this website that kinda looks at some of the odd contradictions in the bible. Anyways it appears that there are a lot of verses in the bible that suggest that there are or at least were more than one God.

Gen.1:26
"And God said, let us make man in our image."
Gen.3:22
"And the Lord God said, Behold, then man is become as one of us, to know good and evil."
Gen.11:7
"Let us go down, and there confound their language."
Ex.12:12
"And against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment."
Ex.15:11
"Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods?"
Ex.18:11
"Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods."
Ex.20:3
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
Ex.22:20
"He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed."
Ex.22:28
"Thou shalt not revile the gods."
Ex.23:13
"Make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth."
Ex.23:24
"Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images."
Ex.23:32
"Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods."
Ex.34:14
"For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."
Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;(For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) Dt.6:14-15
Num.33:4
"Upon their gods also theLORD executed judgments."
Jg.11:24
Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess?
1 Sam.6:5
"Ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods."
1 Sam.28:13
"And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
Ps.82:1
"God standeth in the congregation of the mighty, he judgeth among the gods."
Ps.82:6
"I have said, Ye are gods."
Ps.86:8
"Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord."
Ps.96:4
"For the Lord ... is to be feared above all gods."
Ps.97:7
"Worship him, all ye gods."
Ps.136:2
"O give thanks unto the God of gods."
Jer.1:16
"I will utter my judgments against them ... who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods."
Jer.10:11
"The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens."
Zeph.2:11
"The Lord will be terrible to them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth."
Jn.10:33-34
"The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?"





In addition to these sciptures I always wondered about the exodus story. If you read the story the magicians performed several of the same supernatural feats that God did. This seems to be rather absurd. How can any monotheist rationalize the idea that magicians can turn sticks into snakes and change water into blood and command frogs to appear out of nowhere. I could see if you thought God could do that but how can men do such things?

 

[theim]

Several of those, such as the first, appear to be God simply using the royal "we". Common in ancient and medieval monarchies.

The others appear to only regard that other people have gods, not ackknowledge that they are real. I can safely say that Hindus worship several gods. That is a fact. My saying that does not, however, affirm their actual existance.

 

[Powerman]

That's an explanation I can handle. How would you explain the magicians in the exodus story though?

 

[5stringJeff]

Powerman, the terms "the gods" is used often in the Old Testament to refer to deities which were worshipped as gods, but there was always a distinction drawn between fake "gods" and the real God.

For confirmation that the Bible proclaims one God:

Isaiah 43:10-13" "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?"

James 2 "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder."

 

[no1tovote4]

It sounds more like the royal "We" than it is there is more than one God. The Bible is clear that there is the Trinity and none other.

Crap, I didn't realize that I was just repeating what Theim had to say on the subject. Sorry. Carry on....

 

[Abbey Normal]

P-Man, don't you have anything better to do with your life than spend your days looking for websites that purport to debunk Christianity?

Any friends? Family? Job? Hobbies?

At least Gabby appeared to have a life, even if she couldn't fit in a shower stall.

 

[Nienna]

As for the Exodus story...
God is the only GOD, but not the only supernatural being. There are other stories in the Bible of demon possession, etc. These magicians were probably not working under their own power. Demons can imitate "angels of light."

 

[Powerman]

P-Man, don't you have anything better to do with your life than spend your days looking for websites that purport to debunk Christianity?

Any friends? Family? Job? Hobbies?

At least Gabby appeared to have a life, even if she couldn't fit in a shower stall.

Not that it is relevant to the discussion but yes I do have a personal life. I'm currently not working at the moment because I saved up enough money where I can get through the last semester of college without doing so. I am visiting my family that you don't think exists and I have plenty of friends. I find it odd that intellectually devoid people usually go the personal attack route.

 

[Powerman]

As for the Exodus story...
God is the only GOD, but not the only supernatural being. There are other stories in the Bible of demon possession, etc. These magicians were probably not working under their own power. Demons can imitate "angels of light."

Thanks you're the only person that answered my question. I'm not sure if there is any way to really prove exactly what allowed them to do this but I appreciate you taking a stab at it.

 

[Abbey Normal]

Not that it is relevant to the discussion but yes I do have a personal life. I'm currently not working at the moment because I saved up enough money where I can get through the last semester of college without doing so. I am visiting my family that you don't think exists and I have plenty of friends. I find it odd that intellectually devoid people usually go the personal attack route.

Whew! For a minute there, I thought my being called "intellectually devoid" was a personal attack on me.

If you are visiting family, and have lots of friends, it's even more of a mystery how you have so much time to single-mindedly research anti-Christian sites, day after day, then bring all that Christian-phobic junk here for no apparent reason.

Abbey's advice:
Spend less time trying to prove that Christians are fools, and more time with those friends and family. Unless they are rabidly anti-Christian as well, it might be good for you.

 

[Annie]

I don't know that many atheists or agnostics. Those I do know, are not obsessed, which makes me wonder what this is about:

If you are visiting family, and have lots of friends, it's even more of a mystery how you have so much time to single-mindedly research anti-Christian sites, day after day, then bring all that Christian-phobic junk here for no apparent reason.

He really needs to live his own life, without the 'crutch' of religion, if that is what he chooses. Why the obsession?

 

[Abbey Normal]

I don't know that many atheists or agnostics. Those I do know, are not obsessed, which makes me wonder what this is about:



He really needs to live his own life, without the 'crutch' of religion, if that is what he chooses. Why the obsession?

I don't know, Kathianne. I don't think he will ever tell us the real reason for his obsession, as you so aptly call it.

 

[ThomasPaine]

Can do powerguy. Get on your knees.. Are you following me? Get on your knees and beg God's forgiveness for coming on this site and belittling Christianity. Now accept Jesus as your lord and saviour.. Are we on the same page here? Now ask God to forgive your past sinfulness and go and sin no more..... Let me know when you have completed this and Sunday school can begin....,....Gafaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!
It always amazes me that athiests are so consumed with religion. Why? Thought y'all were "above" such things...

 

[Powerman]

I don't know, Kathianne. I don't think he will ever tell us the real reason for his obsession, as you so aptly call it.

I've always found religion fascinating. It's amazing what people will believe just because someone else tells them it is true.

 

[Abbey Normal]

I've always found religion fascinating. It's amazing what people will believe just because someone else tells them it is true.

Good for you that you find it fascinating. At least you are thinking about it.

As for the second part of your post, my experiences with God are personal and real. Not second-hand. In your arrogance, you presume too much.

 

[StoptheMadness1]

Why are some athiests consumed with religion you ask? Perhaps in their "debunking" of religion, their soul can rest a little easier "knowing" that the teachings of Christianity for example, have no base. Perhaps it represents a need for power/control and a general dislike of themselves. Giving yourself up to Jesus requires you to be selfless, you need to bear your soul, maybe athiests know deep down in the depths of their being that something isnt quite right, and by "distancing" themselves from something that might awaken them to their imperfections gives them peace of mind. Ill tell you, when you give yourself up to God, you will find more joy in your life than you ever experienced before, when you believe literally in the bible, you will be a changed person. You will have a source of passion like none other, when the hand of God touches you there is nothing stoping you, darkness no longer holds fear and unknowingness, for you hold peace in your heart that the Lord is with you. Hiding from your sins, hiding from evil, hiding from darkness will not make it go away.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

I don't know, Kathianne. I don't think he will ever tell us the real reason for his obsession, as you so aptly call it.

I think he's one of those paranoid jews who's afraid of christians.

 

[Powerman]

I think he's one of those paranoid jews who's afraid of christians.

LOL why would Jews be afraid of Christians? I must have missed that one. I'm not Jewish though since you are so curious.

 

[deaddude]

Magicians are pretty common in the bible, witch craft is aknowledged, though it is shunned by Christianity, the Witch of Endor (book of Samuel) being the one that pops to my mind.

 

[Powerman]

Magicians are pretty common in the bible, witch craft is aknowledged, though it is shunned by Christianity, the Witch of Endor (book of Samuel) being the one that pops to my mind.

LOL isn't that where the wookies live in star wars?

But seriously if the bible acknowledges magic and whichcraft then why don't we see people doing such things today with any success?