Believers in many Gods frequently claim that there is more than one god with the same properties. It is also a popular belief in early mystical religions (such as Gnosticism). Gnostics claim that the god we worship in the world is an evil imposter, and that the true benevolent deity exists beyond this realm. Thomas de Quincey invented the term ditheism.
Polytheism
Polytheism can be described as a belief system that holds many gods. This form of belief is often called de facto polytheism and is prevalent among a variety of cultures. Buddhists, for example, believe in multiple gods while Hindus believe one god. This belief is in contradiction to Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Islam, who believe in one God.
Monotheism
While there are many different religions, only a few can be classified monotheism or polytheism. This article will focus on the differences between these two types. Some terms are also included that relate to these beliefs.
Monotheistic religions
There are many monotheistic religions. Each one has its own unique beliefs. Some are more exclusive than others. For example, the Christian faith believes that God appeared in three different forms to meet humankind: the father and the son, as well as the Holy Spirit. Rejecting one of these gods will result in the person losing God's protection.
Egyptians
Ancient Egyptians believed there were many gods. Each one had its own abilities and characteristics. Netjer was a term that refers to a number of entities, not all of which were all-powerful nor all-knowing in their religion. Yet, Egyptian gods were extremely powerful. Many could live indefinitely without dying, and some could even survive mortal injuries.
Syncretic recombinations
Syncretic synchronic recombinations involve the blending of diverse forms of belief, practice, and faith. For example, in the ancient world, Assyrians occupied Israel and repopulated it by people from other Assyrian regions. These people intermarried with the Jewish population. The result was a new race of mixed people, called Samaritans. These people were mentioned in the New Testament. Today, they can still be found in north central Israel.
Origins of polytheism
Polytheism, or the acceptance of multiple gods as religions, is polytheism. This is a violation of the oneness of God. This also marks a very primitive stage for the evolution and development of religious thought. Most empirical investigative science scholars see the evolution to monotheism as a refinement or polytheism. Catholic thought however takes a different approach. They view polytheism as a corrupted variant of monotheism.