Terry Blanton wrote:
There is a general solution. If G-d is Omnipresent, there is but One by exclusion; and, all monotheistic religions are worshiping the same G-d by definition.
"I am that I am"
Um ... You are assuming all those who _think_ they are worshiping the One God are indeed doing so. As I read the OT there are at least _two_ major power centers in the universe, Lucifer and Yhwh. Lucifer is, of course, not exactly big on humankind -- according to the Testament of Moses he is horribly jealous of Adam's place in the universe and hence detests all humans. None the less there's no reason to think he couldn't find it entertaining to try to convince humans to worship him in some apparently innocent guise.
Furthermore, if we take the whole Bible as literally true, then we must also include the rather intriguing book of Job. The devil portrayed in that book is clever enough to talk God Himself into sending a series of nasty plagues to one of His most devoted followers. Such a clever devil is surely capable of duping a few hundred million humans into worshiping him in the mistaken belief that he's God, don't you think?
In addition to the main devil in the story, there is certainly a historical record of many people mistakenly worshiping Baal who (according to the Jews) either had no existence at all or was an evil entity of some sort. And there was the Fish-God of the Phoenician -- who was that, anyway? You may claim these are all aspects of a single Deity but that's not the interpretation authors of the Bible brought to the situation.
And finally, at the other end of the book we find references to an Antichrist and hints that people might worship that entity. So, once again, we see that people may just be plain confused about what sort of supernatural entity it is that's manifesting over their alters.
If we go a little farther afield, we find that there are supposedly even people who are so misguided they worship Cthuhlu, thinking he/it is some sort of god, and boy are they going to be in for a surprise when he/it turns finally wakes up and _eats_ them ... er, oops, I think I've jumped the tracks here, time to rein it in.
*/Horace Heffner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>/* wrote:
Jews and Christians worship the god of Abraham. Islamists worship the god of Abraham. If it is the same Abraham it is the same god.
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