Dgar

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

This commandment, widely considered to be the first one, where God specifically confirms the existence of other gods, but says he’s ‘number one’ out of all of them, always seemed to me, a weird thing to find in the texts of a monotheistic religion.

May 14, 2023 at 11:47amWeb
Show threadSystem IV, Building KMay 14, 2023
@dgar Well you’ve also always have whatever the Devil is, right? Kind of God, amirite?
Show threadKashif ShahMay 14, 2023
@goodthinking @dgar In Islam, the devil is a genie, essentially. Just another creation of God’s. Definitely not a god, itself, but you know how people like to pray to genies for wishes.
Show threadSystem IV, Building KMay 14, 2023
@KashifShah @dgar I like this ‘genie’ caper! Will read further!
Show threadMegan WestonMay 15, 2023
@goodthinking super interesting podcast: https://www.grimandmild.com/thehiddendjinn
The Hidden Djinn — Grim & Mild

Grim & Mild
Show threadHighlandLawyerMay 14, 2023
@goodthinking @dgar Biblically the devil is more like God's prosecutor or agent provocateur, subordinate rather than a rival deity. Dualism is more associated with Gnosticism.
Show threadSystem IV, Building KMay 14, 2023
@HighlandLawyer @dgar His insurance agent, if I follow you.
Show threadOrange LanternMay 14, 2023
@dgar I think it is meant as "you should not imagine there are others" but this reading makes more sense, tbh.
Show threadOtownKimMay 14, 2023
@dgar Religion is an MLM Scam
Show threadDgarMay 14, 2023
@otownKim ☝️😁👍
Show threadRaymond RussellMay 14, 2023
@dgar
I am an atheist but I think that there is a very easy counter to this argument.
Humans are good at creating fiction and God knows this, so he is saying don't be inventing other Gods cos I am the only one.
Show threadCatweazleMay 14, 2023
@dgar
Show threadEl Satánico Dr. KatowMay 14, 2023
@Catweazle @dgar Yay! You know Quino's work.
Have you met Mafalda?
Show threadCatweazleMay 14, 2023

@katow @dgar, sorpupuesto conozco como iberico de sobra la Obra Magna de Quino

(editado)
(Sorry, vagando tanto tiempo por la Tierra y respondiendo en varios idiomas, a veces me confundo con el silulumagama)

Show threadzendao42May 16, 2023
@Catweazle @dgar
We're all screwed
Show threaddmartukMay 14, 2023
@dgar This commandment likely echoes a time when the Israelites were henotheistic and is an injunction to practice strict monolatry.
Show threadvarelseMay 14, 2023

@dgar Well, before Judaism the Israelites practiced Yahwism, which was polytheistic but had Yahweh as the supreme god.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahwism

Yahwism - Wikipedia

Show threadEl Satánico Dr. KatowMay 14, 2023
@dgar J. Lacan says tgaat the true meaning is that adoration of other gods is forbidden while inside Israel.
Show threadIan TindaleMay 14, 2023

@dgar monotheism is a gift from the gods

[I think that’s an Emo Philips one actually]

Show thread2¢May 14, 2023
@dgar or it is God implying that gods are human-designated entities.
Show threadFrank InserraMay 14, 2023
@dgar Right, but a little deep reading into the original texts underlying the Abrahamic faiths makes it abundantly clear that the idea of monotheism was cultivated over a long period, rather than emerged whole cloth. Many original texts underlying Judaism make it abundantly clear that "the God" originated as an amalgam of local Gods, and then "a God" that was first in a pantheon. There was a lot of politicking involved. A good book on the subject is The Evolution of God by Robert Wright. Organized religion either runs away from, or rationalizes away, these texts, but historians with an interest in religion do not.
Show threadDogzillaMay 14, 2023
@dgar There is no “Bob” but “Bob”
Show threadNina🐀🌻WTAF America?May 14, 2023
@dgar Just prefiguring the existence of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Show threadStewartMay 14, 2023
@dgar He meant ‘now you’ve made me up, do go making any others up’.