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Henotheism
| Philosophy 101 |
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Henotheism |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
Henotheism 1. the worship of a particular god, as by a family or tribe, without disbelieving in the existence of others. [Origin: 1855–60; < Gk heno-, comb. form of hén one (neut. of heîs) + theism] Where has this word been all my life?  |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
So, which god do your worship, while believing in the existence of others? Stephen. |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
Worshipping a god is a bit like romance to me. I like to read about it and admire where it seems truest, learn about it, think about it, write about it, dream about it, and argue about it, but I don't wish to be part of it myself. |
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Alicat Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094Coastal Texas |
That description seems to exclude similarities between deities. Not so much respect for others religious beliefs, but seeing the comparisions. For instance, there are many Native American faiths which had an 'Unknown Name' or 'Hidden Name' figure who was at the top of the ladder over all other deities, long before Conquistadors and their Catholic priests first fulfilled Aztec prophecy. Or the precept (and one I personally accept) that Yahweh, God and Allah are one in the same. Aside from those, I guess I fit the definition. *chuckle* My mom is Church of Christ, and my dad is Druidic Wiccan. 40 years married so far and still going strong.  |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
quote: If, like romance, you were to enter into worship, I think you would eventually find out one of two things; Either that your tryst was not a true romance at all, or that it was a romance worthy of the most devoted monogamy. Stephen. |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
But what kind of monogamy disallows one to acknowledge the existance of others or be friends with others? I think that would be the worst monogamy. |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
Essorant: quote: You can rest easy. I don't think God is against anything that is true and beautiful (and there is such in other religions). But what kind of monogamy would entertain other men who also claim to be the husband of your wife? Or what kind of love would communicate untruth if indeed there were only one God? I think you are unaware of the incompatibility of the fundamentals of most of the world's religious claims, taking the general view that "all roads are the same". But as one who is only nominally interested in "romance", it's not unusual to make that kind of mistake. I'm not denying common dimensions of all paths, just denying one hazy common direction. Stephen. |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
Stephanos Not "all roads are the same" but rather "no matter how harsh the difference, one road from another, a rock from a cloud, a cave from a house, a man from a god, a day from a night, the difference is still always a variation of the same thing." |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
quote: Then you should probably abandon the concept of worship and "godhood" altogether. It makes no sense to worship if gods and rogues be essentially the same. I just finished reading the Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, and in the preface he said something relevant to this discussion: "Blake wrote the Marriage of Heaven and Hell. If I have written of their Divorce, this is not because I think myself a fit antagonist for so great a genius, nor even because I feel at all sure that I know what he meant. But in some sense or other the attempt to make that marriage is perennial. The attempt is based on the belief that reality never presents us with an absolutely unavoidable "either-or"; that, granted skill and patience and time enough, some way of embracing both alternatives can always be found; that mere development or adjustment or refinement will somehow turn evil into good without our being called on for a final and total rejection of anything we should like to retain. This belief I take to be a disastrous error. You cannot take all luggage with you on all journeys; on one journey even your right hand and your right eye may be among the things you have to leave behind. We are not living in a world where all roads are radii of a circle and where all, if followed long enough, will therefore draw gradually nearer and finally meet at the center: rather in a world where every road, after a few miles, forks into two and each of those into two again, and at each fork you must make a decision. Even on the biological level life is not like a pool but like a tree. It does not move towards unity but away from it and the creatures grow further apart as they increase in perfection. Good, as it ripens, becomes continually more different not only from evil but from other good. I do not think that all who choose wrong roads perish; but their rescue consists in being put back on the right road. A wrong sum can be put right: but only by going back till you find the error and working it afresh from that point, never by simply going on. Evil can be undone, but it cannot "develop: into good. Time does not heal it. The spell must be unwound, bit by bit, "with backward mutters of dissevering power" — or else not. It is still "either-or." If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven: if we accept Heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell..." Stephen |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
Thanks for sharing that Stephanos. I appreciate the wellmeaningness behind such sayings, even if I don't agree with them literally. I know one thing for sure: I don't want to argue anymore. It is turning me into a curmudgeon. |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
quote: That's good Ess ... and I do understand. Pull back, breathe, have some coffee, reflect. You always have my goodwill, even when we don't see it all the same. Stephen. |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
Thanks. I'm currently studying the Greek language so I shouldn't have problems relaxing (sarcasm) That's where I came across the word henotheism, shown as an example of a modern word in English that includes the Greek hen, the neuter form of the word meaning "one" If you ever wish to study Greek take a look at Hansen and Quinn's Greek: An Intensive Course. It is a very well written grammar, for beginners and otherwise. |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
Thanks Essorant. That's something I always wanted to do. I have lexicons where I can go and see what the scholars translate the Greek to mean, but there's probably nothing like reading it for yourself. Stephen. |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
Then you should, Stephanos! |
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Edward Grim Senior Member
since 2005-12-18
Posts 1154Greenville, South Carolina |
"the worship of a particular god, as by a family or tribe, without disbelieving in the existence of others. " So it's kinda like being groovy with everything, right? Sure, why just believe in one thing when you can just believe in everything whether they contradict each other or not. No one can call you a nihilist, that's for sure, LOL!!! "Worshipping a god is a bit like romance to me." Me too, and (when I do have the pleasure of being with a lady, which hasn't been years sadly) I tend to be a one-woman dude. So that's my take on it. Cheers on the thread man! G Yes it's me... |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
"why just believe in one thing when you can just believe in everything whether they contradict each other or not." I trust that everything exists, but not that everything can be trusted. |
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rwood Member Elite
since 2000-02-29
Posts 3793Tennessee |
I like the definition, but wouldn't blindly adhere to it in any case. A God has the power to appeal to others in different forms as well. One thing is for sure, everyone needs a blessing. |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
Stephanos There are some good resources on line for learning Greek as well: http://www.textkit.com/greek_grammar.php |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
Thanks Essorant. I appreciate your help. Stephen. |
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Edward Grim Senior Member
since 2005-12-18
Posts 1154Greenville, South Carolina |
"I trust that everything exists, but not that everything can be trusted." Right on... You should have that printed on a bullet-proof vest, lol. And I said to the devil, "You better leave my spleen alone." |
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Behind the Wall New Member
since 2007-01-19
Posts 4USA |
"One thing is for sure, everyone needs a blessing." Amen to that... |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Thanks Ess, I needed this one too. (I told ya'll there's a method to my madness.)  |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
What method is that? |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Knight's Move Thinking |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Here-- a poem I found on a related site: [Edit - copyrighted material removed - please follow the link to read the poem - Ron] Not only do I understand this? I LOVE it. Wish I wrote it. found here: http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1124579 Um...Capice?  [This message has been edited by Ron (10-11-2007 09:17 AM).] |
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TomMark Member Elite
since 2007-07-27
Posts 2133LA,CA |
Sir Essorant, How do you worship many? what if god of sun wanted to heat up and god of snow wanted to cool down so which side would you pick? |
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