Ancient Wisdom and Pagan Spirituality

Behind the Aegis

(54,854 posts)

2. I didn't care for his analysis.

Fri Dec 9, 2011, 03:15 AM

Dec 2011

I think he missed serveral points and also overlooked the utter brutality of pagan groups throughout history. Also, he seems to be trying to claim monotheism is actually polytheism, which is odd, but I think he does so to reconcile his own feelings against major religions, particularly Christianity. The article was long and convoluted and a bit confusing.

I also think his "conclusion" in the excerpt about tolerating polytheism in Euro-Americans is flawed. Also: "Monotheisms marked the first totalitarian effort to impose a way of thought on people who had other ideas." That is just laughable. He needs a better understanding of history.

I can understand some of his points because new cults/religions are often looked down upon because they don't have "street cred" (history), but in reality, all religions started as cults, some survived and thrived, others died out; it will be no different now with the exception that many are leaving religions all together and opting for forms of individual spirituality or secularism.

Just my thoughts. It was a long article and I had to read the whole thing twice and several parts I read multiple times because I had trouble following them.

(Sorry for spelling errors..6 languages and I can't spell in any of them very well! I can't wait for the return of spell check!!!)

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Well, here's a little lite reading! The Myth of Monotheism [View all] icymist Dec 2011 OP

As always, Icymist, you educate with truth. yellerpup Dec 2011 #1

I didn't care for his analysis. Behind the Aegis Dec 2011 #2

I welcome your thoughts here. icymist Dec 2011 #3

I haven't read that book, but I am familiar with the myth. Behind the Aegis Dec 2011 #4

I'll be getting back to you soon. icymist Dec 2011 #5

Take your time. Behind the Aegis Dec 2011 #6

Okay, here are some of my comments: icymist Dec 2011 #8

You are only fooling yourself if you think monotheism humblebum Dec 2011 #7

I don't think atheism itself was ever imposed DissedByBush Dec 2011 #10

Just how is being "expert in everything who shoots four holes-in-one every time he plays golf." humblebum Dec 2011 #11

He was portrayed as super-human DissedByBush Dec 2011 #12

"god-like status?" That's a pretty ambiguous description. Washington, Lincoln, even MLK have left humblebum Dec 2011 #13

Nothing even close DissedByBush Dec 2011 #15

"Apparently ol' Jong-Il could control the weather by his mood." And people have still observed humblebum Dec 2011 #17

It's not folklore DissedByBush Dec 2011 #20

"LMA was just a bunch of people who didn't like religion." Alrighty then! humblebum Dec 2011 #24

Pretty much DissedByBush Dec 2011 #25

Do you have any idea how many died at the hands of these people or were sent to their deaths humblebum Dec 2011 #27

As part of Stalin's crackdown on possible opposition to his state DissedByBush Dec 2011 #29

"As an atheist movement bent on spreading atheism in itself" - Yes. That was the stated objective. humblebum Dec 2011 #31

Again, because the religious were thought to be a threat to Stalin's power DissedByBush Dec 2011 #34

Much was done specifically to impose atheism and in the name of atheism as the the facts prove. And, humblebum Dec 2011 #35

And the process did not just happen under Stalin. The "Storming the Heavens" humblebum Dec 2011 #37

Other way around DissedByBush Dec 2011 #48

If communism had been the "purpose", then all of the signs and slogans would have humblebum Dec 2011 #49

People were killed because they adhered to something DissedByBush Dec 2011 #51

And a huge part of it was done in the name of atheism, not Communism. That humblebum Dec 2011 #52

If the fact that entire villages were overrun and the religious structure in the villages destroyed humblebum Dec 2011 #56

I applaud your effort, but you are dealing with someone who does not want to hear what you say. cleanhippie Dec 2011 #38

Yes, objective proof is a bit hard to accept for some, even when it is overwhelming. nt humblebum Dec 2011 #39

See what I mean? cleanhippie Dec 2011 #41

You guys are straying off the subject of the OP icymist Dec 2011 #42

I agree 100%. It was hijacked with the same old, tired nonsense, that poster spews in R&T. cleanhippie Dec 2011 #43

Where is there any mention of Kim as a deity? Marxist-Leninist governments are categorically atheist humblebum Dec 2011 #14

Research "cult of personality" regarding Jong-il and Il-sung n/t DissedByBush Dec 2011 #16

Cult of personality is not deity. It is reverence for the achievements and greatness of the person humblebum Dec 2011 #18

Yes, deification DissedByBush Dec 2011 #19

The country officially declares itself to be state atheist. Always has. humblebum Dec 2011 #21

The DPRK also officially declares itself to be democratic DissedByBush Dec 2011 #22

According to Kim Il-sung,"man is the master of everything and decides everything." humblebum Dec 2011 #23

Oh yes, leaders always live by their own words DissedByBush Dec 2011 #26

Now you are grasping at straws. humblebum Dec 2011 #28

And you're believing the words of maniacs over everyone else DissedByBush Dec 2011 #30

It's also a government based on Marxist-Leninist ideals and installed into power by Stalin humblebum Dec 2011 #32

As you note above, they renounced Stalin and came up with their own homegrown idea DissedByBush Dec 2011 #33

In that case Lincoln and Washington were gods. But in truth, their constitution still humblebum Dec 2011 #36

Both of you guys have strayed off topic icymist Dec 2011 #40

When it is being implied that monotheism and religion in general are responsible humblebum Dec 2011 #44

The absence of mentioning atheism did not mean that the author was ignorant to violence by such. icymist Dec 2011 #45

It's not so simple DissedByBush Dec 2011 #50

A major declaration of Lenin concerned the importance of establishing state atheism. humblebum Dec 2011 #53

So that the state will be god DissedByBush Dec 2011 #54

In that case, atheism is a religion. Regardless, there is no philosophical difference between humblebum Dec 2011 #55

"The USSR still would have done what it did even without atheism because it had a state purpose." humblebum Dec 2011 #57

Fuck all of that. Don't you think a single god would create another just to fuck? HopeHoops Dec 2011 #9

All-mighty God tama Dec 2011 #46

The subject of the criticism is monotheism, therefore you must expect humblebum Dec 2011 #47