Figure 1.--Here is an Orthdox Christian family church celebration in Serbia. Image courtesy of William Ferguson.

Many social analysts have seen early history as a struggle between polythesism and monotheism. Early religions were normally animistic and polytheistic in nature. The adoption of monotheism is seen as an advanced important stage in human development. This view is in part an example of the dictim that it is the victors that write history, The Christiand that took control of the Roman Empire with Constantine's victory, set out to vilify and eliminate pagan polytheism. Theodociys the Great outlawed paganism and made Christianity the state religion, in effect an agency of state in the governance of the Empire. Smear tactics were used to vilify pagan beliefs. Paganism was associated with vile practices such as orgies and child sacrifice. This image has caried over into our modern world. The word pagan does not only mean non-Christian, but also has connotations of hedonism and evil. Often left unsaid is that the great pagan civilizations, especially Greece and Rome were the foundation of Western civilzation. [Kirsch] They were also more tolerant socities than the monotheistic Christian era that was to follow. The moral codes associate with the great monothesitic religions are generally seen as more sophisticated than polythestic religions. There is often an intolerant element associated with monothedsistic faiths that was not nearly as common with earlier ploythestic religions. [Cook] Intolerant acts since the 4th century AD like the Christian destruction of the Serapeum (the beautiful pagan temple in Alexandria) to the Islamic (Taliban) destruction of theBamiyan Buddah in Afghanistan to monotheism. The belief that there is one God and one righteous system of believes has empowered monothesitic religions since the fall of Rome to when possible impose their beliefs on others. One author writes, "At the heart of polytheismis an open-minded and easygoing approach to religious belief and practice." In contrast he sees in montheism a regretable "tendency to regard one's own rituals and practics as the only proper way to worshipthe one true god." [Kirsch] There are many examples of intolerance in the great montheistic religions. Perhaps the ultimate example in Christianity is Torquemada and the Spanish Inquisition. There are many examples in Islamic history and they are not all historical examples. The Taliban, Whabism, and Osama bin Laden are modern examples. By the same token there are many examples of religious toleration on the great monotheistic religions. Perhaps the best example in modern Christianity is Pope John XXIII.

Sources

Cook, Michael. A Brief History of the Human Race (Norton, 2003).

Kirsch, Jonathan. God Against the Gods: The History of the War between Monotheism and Polytheism (Viking Compass, 2004), 336p.

Created: 6:23 AM 4/1/2007
Last updated: 6:23 AM 4/1/2007