Poly, Mono, duo....What??????

[Faeawyn]

Could someone please explain to me what all these Polytheism, Pantheism.....I'm not sure if I got that right....anyway....what they all refer to. I see reference to them scattered throughout threads, but I'm not really sure what they all mean.....Or where I fit in.

[Cev'aq]

Here's a thread with some explanations: http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=43713 Hope this helps! :)

[Faeawyn]

Thank you Thank you!!! :clapping:

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

Could someone please explain to me what all these Polytheism, Pantheism.....I'm not sure if I got that right....anyway....what they all refer to. I see reference to them scattered throughout threads, but I'm not really sure what they all mean.....Or where I fit in.

Monotheism - Belief that there is but one God. Christians, Muslims, and Jews fall into this category.

Monlatry - The practice of worshiping a singular deity without denying the existence of other deities.

Duotheism - Belief in two deities. A good example is the Wiccan belief in the Lord and Lady/God and Goddess.

Polytheism - Belief or worship of many deities. These deities usually take on the specific functions in the world that they oversee, such as those of Roman and Greek pantheons. Whereas in other pantheons like those of the various Celtic and Native American tribes, they will take on characteristics of objects found in the world.

Pantheism - The doctrine that the universe itself is Divine, and that there is no outside deity.

Panentheism - The doctrine the universe is contained within the Divine. While the universe itself is divine, this divinity extends beyond the universe and is greater than the Universe. It is often combined with the belief in a personal or creator deity/deities.

Atheism - Disbelief in the existence of any Divine Force.

Agnosticism - The philosophy that the existence of any Divine Force or unseen realm such as heaven or hell can be neither proved or disproved due to limitations of the human mind. They neither believe nor disbelieve in a Divine Force or unseen realms.

Animism - The belief that everything in nature, including humans, animals, plants, waterways, mountains, etc., has a soul and are thusly spiritual beings. Animists believe that the universe itself has a soul. It is believed to be one of the most ancient forms of spirituallity, dating back as far as the Paleolithic Era.

Deism - The belief in a deity who created the universe and then abondoned it, assuming no control over life or the universe, exerting no control over nature, and providing no supernatural phenomenon.

Theism - The belief and/or worhip of a deity or deities.

Humanism - The doctrine that affirms that mankind has the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. There is no belief in a divinity and it rejects religion and the supernatural. It proposes that it is mankind’s duty to promote a human welfare through reason and free inquiry.

Panpsychism - The belief that everything in the universe, both organic and non-organic, has at least some degree of conciousness.

These are the most common terms you'll probably run into, with a couple of others (such as panpsychism or monolatry) that you may not come across as often.

[Faeawyn]

Hmmm...ok, so I think I'm Panentheism with a touch of animism....I think :)

[Heathen Dawn]

Here's a thread with some explanations: http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=43713 Hope this helps! :)

Ah, my old Theology Poll ... I’m happy to say, despite my frequent shifts lately, that I’ve managed to hold on to what I voted to there—soft polytheism. I’m now on a Wiccan path, and I believe in the Goddess and the God, but I’ve devised a synthetic position that has my theological confusion licked: all the individual Gods and Goddesses (Jupiter, Venus, Zeus, Belenos, Quetzalcoatl etc) exist, and the Wiccan Goddess (Triple Goddess) and God (Horned God) are two more individual deities alongside the rest of them. Having my cake and keeping it too! :D With that, I’m now free to leave theology and concentrate on practice. :thumbsup:

[banondraig]

that's great, heatheN dawn! :) i have yet to get there myself, but i'm working on it!

[Heathen Dawn]

I wish you quick release from any confusion. :hugz: I feel so free now, having to worry only about orthopraxy and no longer about orthodoxy.

[banondraig]

thank you.

orthopraxy? is that correct practice?

[Heathen Dawn]

orthopraxy? is that correct practice?

That’s right.

[Faeawyn]

I wish you quick release from any confusion. :hugz: I feel so free now, having to worry only about orthopraxy and no longer about orthodoxy.

ok now...those weren't on the list. You guys trying to confuse me again??? :)

[aftershocked]

I personally heard a different definition of monolatry;

Deity is like facets of a diamond; each faces of one beatuiful, all-encompassing being. Personally my view of deity.. That is the name I was told, if one of you has another name for this, please tell me.. It's hard to do a search for that definition.

[Kaylara]

I'm a poly-monotheist/ ;)

[Heathen Dawn]

ok now...those weren't on the list. You guys trying to confuse me again??? :)

:lol: They weren’t meant to be on the list ... orthodoxy means right belief, and orthopraxy means right practice.


Deity is like facets of a diamond; each faces of one beatuiful, all-encompassing being.

That’s soft polytheism.

[Faeawyn]

:lol: They weren’t meant to be on the list ... orthodoxy means right belief, and orthopraxy means right practice.

:bigredblu ahh..of course..I knew that :lol: