As in the title of this work, I believe a clearer understanding of ‘what monotheism is’ vs. what it is not should be important to understanding, especially, to those involved within the structures of their belief already where they can and will be affected by them. First, let’s define what ‘monotheism is [with relief to some]… to better understand this concept. Here is a very good definition to what it [actually] is, see below.
Monotheism: A doctrine or belief that there is only one God.
I would go a little farther, and say… monotheism is the belief that there is but one true God [or real God] for all mankind, furthermore, to say there is only one God that has [undeniably] proven Himself [through prophecy (351 prophecies fulfilled by the life of Jesus), actions and the love for all mankind was shown] whereby is found worthy for mankind to worship Him. Mankind has either been shown what or who God is [as in the case of Judaism or christianity] or has been told what God is [as in the case of Islam… for our purposes here, discussing this topic]; which leaves those other gods [the world would respect or worship] having been fashioned from their own minds, ideas or hands to have an image of their creation as to what god is, should or could be, and be it known… these are called idols.
As it turns out, there are many who might be prone to lump the understanding of those that claim to be monotheistic in their beliefs together… this is to the emphasis of the writing before you, and also the very reason I have chosen to do this piece of needed material for us to see just what some might think- as they think of what it means to be monotheistic and what monotheism means to them. I found this written by a person [to be left unnamed by choice], a person that lays claim to have studied religions [not theology] and has this to say about ‘monotheism.’
” …I do not need to invent a new religion I only have to understand and live by the very basis of all three monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) all say there is only ONE GOD. If a person is a monotheist they know there is ONE GOD hence one heaven. Those who say their God is the only God suggest there are more than one God. Because, they believe they have the one and only true God and no other religion but theirs has the real God makes them polytheist as they are suggesting there is more than one God. One God or Creator one heaven, it does not matter what religion you have Heaven is open to everyone.”
I cannot think of a time in more recent memory where I have heard or thought of an individual being so wrong to the false belief [logical fallacy] seen here. As to the claim,”monotheists are polytheists,” these are two separate belief structures entirely, see below what polytheism means.
Polytheism:The belief in or worship of more than one God.
If I, as a christian, choose to believe in Jesus as my God and Savior… this does not mean I’m a polytheist [although to some it might, I’ll explain later on in this piece*]. Since I have made my choice of who to worship… and will worship only one God, this is what makes me a monotheist. This is not to say I do not know any other gods or that the world does not have any gods of their own choosing but that I do not worship them. To make the leap to believing them all to be the same is a huge mistake as well… this is so far from the truth each of them represent- even to themselves. To think all roads lead to heaven [as the all roads lead to Rome] is to completely miss the very essence of these religions, let alone lay claim to understanding them- even at face value. I will say heaven is open to anyone… should they choose to believe in Jesus Christ as having been the Messiah- for the Bible tells us this truth. Furthermore, to simply live to the basis of all three religions, if the basis is to be understood as living rightly or good, was enough to satisfy God… there would have been no need for Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of the world- this thought or belief [at best] would deny God’s authority [even the sacrifice of God’s own Son] and [at worst] slight’s God of our obedience being necessary to enter into heaven itself. In light of the scripture below… this is not the case.
2 Timothy 3:16 CJB
Complete Jewish Bible
All Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and training in right living;
As one can see [the correcting of faults and convicting of sin] the true emphasis of any religion is to improve the state of our condition… or is it? This is where the merging of world thought is wrong, and the notion of duality [like equal parts in Yin and Yang] between God and Satan should be understood; wherein the differences make for a contrasting of one to another by the nature of the culture or beliefs that thrive from within them under their respective influence. If we were to take three religions of the world… three that mention some of the same references and present some of the same characteristics, we will see some of what it means to be monotheistic to those involved. Granted, this will not be what it might mean to some [being people or religions talked about (discussed)]… even to (all) members of the three to be represented in this example. We will focus on: Judaism, Christianity and Islam… all three have some commonality [as believed by most… being monotheistic] but the separation between the three is very prominent- more so than many might believe.
All three share a commonality, other than being monotheistic, a stated and shared view of: Abraham as being special, Jesus as important [enough to mention] and heaven as the intended goal- of and for the believer.
Abraham is of profound religious significance because he was the historic ancestor of the twelve tribes, the “seed of Abraham, ” who regularly described their God as “the God of Abraham.”Although coming from a background of polytheism and idolatry at Ur, Abraham had been reared in the faith of the one true God by his father Terah. But when he received the Lord’s call at a mature stage of his life, he recognized that he had been chosen to implement a specific part of God’s plan for human destiny.
(What is seen above came from this link… http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/abraham.html )
Romans 4:3 KJV For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Hebrews 10:31 KJV It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Of the three religions with monotheism incorporated into them, the biggest differences can be found in who the Messiah is seen to be. In Judaism… the Messiah has not yet come, and they are still waiting. Sadly, the dire truth of the need to rebuild the Temple [to continue being able to worship] will give Jews sound reason for their need to tremble. The same is true for Islam but with Islam… they wait for their Messiah to come on the Earth and the Earth to conform to their view of the end times [their Eschatological view of the end times]. Christianity understands Jesus was the Messiah… when God dwelt among us [already, and the Christian God and Hebrew God are actually one and the same], as scripture said happened (found below). The reign of God on Earth will not happen until Jesus comes again [the second coming of God to Earth], a Christian view held on to for the eternal hope inspired by ‘the Resurrection of Jesus Himself.’ Earlier I stated [on polytheism*], many of the world believe not in the unity [The Trinity of God being: The Father, Son and Holy Spirit] of the christian God, and it is because of this belief they might refer to christians as being a polytheist. This is not the case, where they look at three separate entities [by adding one plus one plus one] but the truth is multiplied [one times one times one] and the yield is one. Islam does not recognize the ‘Trinity’ either.
John 1:14 KJV And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Since it is true to consider: the Bible, Torah and the Koran believe in one God but it should not be assumed they are one and the same. For example, there are all three with comparable information… where many have been led to think they are the same. This is not truthful, let me explain. The truth of God, as stated in the Bible, is incontrovertible and exclusive in its nature to the people God has chosen (see below); therefore, the traits of God should be seen by those claiming to follow Him in their lives.
Titus 1:2 KJV In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Deuteronomy 14:2 KJV For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
Psalm 132:13 KJV For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
Isaiah 41:8 KJV But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
Isaiah 43:10 KJV Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
If a culture shows [having lying as an acceptable tradition] traits and practices lying, the Bible is clear… lying is wrong. Lying is also endemic to: deception, deceit and arrogance to all else… and at any cost- without thought to the damage left in the wake of what is seen. If the truth of God is found in ‘His word,’ and ‘His word’ is coming from those under “Abrahamic Covenant,” and the Koran does not recognize Jesus as God… what god are they referring to? Did the angel Gabriel [an angel of God] tell Mohammad what to write, as Mohammad claimed was true for the basis of the Koran as holy scripture? Can all stand as if they are then unified? Of the many whom would contest the authenticity and authority of the Bible among Islamic history, here is a brief article to go through. I wonder if the truth of men [being fallible] will ever surpass the prophecies of God [told by the messengers (the Prophets) of God] fulfilled by the life of Jesus? Was not Mohammad a man as well?
1 John 2:22 KJV Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1 John 5:10 KJV He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
This is the strongest mirror to what the Hebrew God, Jesus Christ, calls the freedom to choice… to live we must die to ourselves and serve Him but here it is the complete opposite. Islam says if you do not choose to submit to Islam and Allah… you will die for what they believe.
Muslims cannot imagine God loving sinners to the extent of coming down personally, as the Son, to save them. To Muslims this is evidence of polytheism, because they are taught in the Koran that Allah does not love sinners (Surah 2:190). This is repeated twenty four times in the Koran for emphasis. That Allah does not love unbelievers (Surah 3:31) and that he has even blocked their ears, sealed their hearts and blindfolded their eyes (Surah 2:6-7). All these are in direct opposition to Bible teachings which instruct that:
“God commended His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Roman 5:8)
TAKIYYA:Takiyya is defined as dissimulation about ones Muslim identity.Islamic Sharia Law provides, “When it is possible to achieve an aim by lying but not by telling the truth, it is permissible to lie if attaining the goal is permissible, and lying is obligatory if the goal is obligatory.” (Reliance of the Traveler, Para r8.2) Examples include lying to protect Islam or a Muslim.
TAWRIYA: Tawriya is defined as concealing, and it could be called “creative lying”.
Suppose someone protests that Surah 1 of the Quran demeans Christians and Jews, because it is a supplication Muslims make to Allah seventeen times a day to keep them from the path of “those with whom God is angry” and “those who have lost their way”. A Muslim might respond, “Surah 1 never mentions Jews or Christians.” He is practicing tawriya, because while Surah 1 does not mention Jews and Christians by name, but he knows full-well that the words “those” refer to Jews and Christians.
KITMAN Kitman is characterized by someone telling only part of the truth. Often, kitman results in a gross distortion of the truth. In the example given, the Quran uses jihad and its derivatives 59 times. Of those, only 16 (27%) could be considered “internal” with no object as the target of the struggle based on the context of the surah.
Another common form of kitman is to quote only the few peaceful passages from the Quran, knowing full-well that that passage was later abrogated by a more militant, contradictory verse. Here is an example:
“There is no compulsion in religion” (Surah 2:256) Early Medina
“Are they seeking a religion other than Allah’s, when every soul in the heavens and earth has submitted to Him, willingly or by compulsion?” (Surah 3:83 Later Medina)
MURUNA: Muruna means using “flexibility” to blend in with the enemy or the surroundings. The justification for this kind of deception is a somewhat bizarre interpretation of Surah 2:106, which says, “If we abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten, We will replace it by a better one or similar.” Thus, Muslims may forget some of the commands in the Quran, as long as they are pursuing a better command. Muslims striving to advance Islam, therefore, can deviate from their Islamic laws in order to cause non-Muslims to lower their guard and place their trust in their Muslim counterpart.
Can a religion thrive when it continues to grow based on: lies being used, deceit and deception, a lack of love for those not of that faith… and, ultimately, the threat of death if one does not convert to their way of life? I think it can… based on the lack of faith, hope or understanding one may have of their own faith [or the conviction to stay faithful to it] in the face of being threatened to the point of death- the loss of your own life here and now. This was the whole point and very need to emphasize what christianity offers the believer- ETERNAL LIFE, the life beyond this one is the most valuable. This is a complete antithesis [a polar opposite] of the love that has been shown us in the life of Jesus Christ, and violates everything Jesus taught us- the things Jesus said for a follower of Himself to do. Jesus taught us to be servants to mankind [for the sake of His Gospel] out of love for them… not become subservient to a religion that would kill you if you do not convert to their way of doing. It does tell us, even in the words Jesus Himself used, there will come a time you will be hated for my name’s sake and will be subjected to persecution for it- or worse.
[The Bible: The Antichrist is an unparalleled political, military and religious leader that will emerge in the last days.
Islam: The Mahdi is an unparalleled political, military and religious leader that will emerge in the last days.
The Bible: The False Prophet is a secondary prominent figure that will emerge in the last days who will support the Antichrist.
Islam: The Muslim Jesus is a secondary prominent figure that will emerge in the last days to support the Mahdi.]
The end time views of one of these three religions is an antithesis of the other two, diametrically opposed [a mirror image in reverse] to one another… and should be realized how they will be perceived for all of us throughout the world.
When a Muslim declares that Islam is a religion of peace, he/she is either ignorant of the Koran (Qur’an), or is deceitfully thinking of this “peace”, as it extends only to those within the Muslim Community. The deceit is that they will not tell you exactly what they mean. According to the Qur’an: “Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah. Those who follow him are merciful to one another, but ruthless to unbelievers” Surah 48:29.
Psalm 102:27 KJV But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.
As the Bible has told us, which has not changed… nor will it ever, unless it is caused by man and the views pursued to promote the strength of God’s authority diluted, a pluralistic watered down version denying the blood sacrifice of Jesus or His deity in the Godhead. Please note this, even the people of God [the Jews] were subjected to loss of their land [their inheritance] and scattered throughout the world from their disobedience. It was also a Promise of God they would be returned to their land [this has never happened in the history of the world but we see it today in Israel as another of God’s prophecies fulfilled].
The traits of God are also inclusive [being made available to all those who accept Him as their God] but not to be shared [polytheistic] or embellished upon by claim to exclusivity without thoughts to include compatibility and love for God’s chosen people.
Matthew 20:16 KJV So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
I believe many are the conclusions [parallels] the above mentioned scripture can reference. The last shall be first could reference: the truth of Jesus being God, the nation of Israel (as seen by the world), or the Spirit within us (as mentioned in the NT with the day of Pentecost) when God came to reside within the temple [our bodies to become the living temples of God Himself]. The first last, as it is to be understood for a believer of Jesus Christ, where we are to be selfless in His cause and for His will to be done.
1 Corinthians 1:27 KJV But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
Galatians 4:30 KJV Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
Romans 9:17 KJV For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
Daniel 4:37 KJV Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
Luke 19:38 KJV Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
John 14:6 KJV Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
2 Peter 2:2 KJV And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
the breath of life–literally, of lives, not only animal but spiritual life. If the body is so admirable, how much more the soul with all its varied faculties.
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life–not that the Creator literally performed this act, but respiration being the medium and sign of life, this phrase is used to show that man’s life originated in a different way from his body–being implanted directly by God ( Ecclesiastes 12:7 ), and hence in the new creation of the soul Christ breathed on His disciples ( John 20:22 ).
We are likely to seek and find, when we seek with affection, and seek in tears. But many believers complain of the clouds and darkness they are under, which are methods of grace for humbling their souls, mortifying their sins, and endearing Christ to them. A sight of angels and their smiles, will not suffice, without a sight of Jesus, and God’s smiles in him. None know, but those who have tasted it, the sorrows of a deserted soul, which has had comfortable evidences of the love of God in Christ, and hopes of heaven, but has now lost them, and walks in darkness; such a wounded spirit who can bear? Christ, in manifesting himself to those that seek him, often outdoes their expectations. See how Mary’s heart was in earnest to find Jesus. Christ’s way of making himself known to his people is by his word; his word applied to their souls, speaking to them in particular. It might be read, Is it my Master? See with what pleasure those who love Jesus speak of his authority over them. He forbids her to expect that his bodily presence look further, than the present state of things. Observe the relation to God, from union with Christ. We, partaking of a Divine nature, Christ’s Father is our Father; and he, partaking of the human nature, our God is his God. Christ’s ascension into heaven, there to plead for us, is likewise an unspeakable comfort. Let them not think this earth is to be their home and rest; their eye and aim, and earnest desires, must be upon another world, and this ever upon their hearts, I ascend, therefore I must seek the things which are above. And let those who know the word of Christ, endeavour that others should get good from their knowledge.
(The words above are found here… verses 11-18, http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/20-22-compare.html )
Please also look at this work… written in November of 2013,”Elah is the living God… Jesus Christ”©
I do hope this will give you a clear look at what it might mean for you… to be monotheistic, and what some of the consequences could entail should you think you know vs. the differences involved in what was thought to be one and the same and was not! I do hope you will consider what is placed here for the sake of your eternal soul. (D.V.)
Your Brother in Christ Jesus,
Russ
P.S. It is with love in my heart for all people that I write as I do… to tell the truth of God’s love for us all [all being sinners, born this way] and the importance to Jesus dying on the cross to us all. The devil was defeated… though his own laughed that day [how ironic] but shut up [defeated] when Jesus rose again. The ‘Resurrection’ spelled defeat for death and the rise of hope eternal… life beyond this one we have now [temporal]. An imprisoned or defeated foe is one who has nothing to lose and would drag down as many as he can… such is the case here. The evil one waits for ‘the Temple’ in Israel to be rebuilt… and then will proclaim himself god but be not deceived by this course of action, and do not take ‘the mark of the beast‘ to conduct business.
P.S.S. I have also used writings from these sites to drag information from:
http://bibleprobe.com/muhammad.htm
http://www.prophecyandtruth.com/islam/
and for those that might think there have been no contributions of worth coming from the Middle East, I’d say think again, see below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_in_the_medieval_Islamic_world