Is there only 1 God?

There is one God in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. All three are separate, distinct and possessing specific roles while at the same time one God.

rgj.com - Faith Forum: One God, many Gods or none at all?

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Promotion

Rajan Zed

Evolutionary biologist and noted atheist Richard Dawkins indicates that God is a delusion — specifically, a "pernicious delusion." The Rig-Veda, the oldest existing scripture of mankind, points out that truth is one, and men call it by various names. Lord Krishna tells us in the ancient Bhagavad-Gita: "I am the source from which the gods come." Major world religions state to believe in one God; even those with multiple deities stress that those were just manifestations of (or point to) a single God. Some equate God to a universal soul. Some note that such a powerful entity cannot have a material existence, while others say that we humans are not able to fully comprehend God and we can only make approximate conclusions about God. Many will argue that their God is the real one, and the god or gods worshipped by other groups were imagined or dreamt-up versions.

We asked our panel of religious leaders of the region the following question: Is there one God or multiple Gods or no God?

Here is what they have to say:

ONE GOD

Stephen R. Karcher, St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church presiding priest

Christianity has always been monotheistic, meaning that we believe in one God. But our belief in God’s oneness refers specifically to his nature, or essence. Jesus taught and showed that the Divine Nature exists in three Divine Persons. Throughout his entire ministry, beginning at his baptism, Jesus demonstrated his own oneness with the Father while also introducing us to the Holy Spirit. In other words, God is three distinct persons who are united in one nature. Not simply a divine monad, the God who exists forever and is unchanging exists as a triad, or Trinity, in a communion of love. Therefore, the evangelist John can say that "God is love;" that is, he creates out of love, not in order to have something to love, but because his very existence is love. In this way, Christianity differs from other monotheistic religions that envision god only as a heavenly monad.

ONE SUPREME GOD

Bradley S. Corbin, Baha’i Faith teacher

There is one God, with possible subordinate divas, gods or spiritual powers. “Man all over the world is seeking for God. All that exists is God; but the Reality of Divinity is holy above all understanding. The pictures of Divinity that come to our mind are the product of our fancy; they exist in the realm of our imagination” (Abdu’l-Baha). This insight warns us that in attempting to know the unknowable God, our imagination may conceive realities that lead us astray from the Truth of one Creator. Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baha’i Faith teach monotheism. “We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our God and your God is One ...” (Quran 29:46). “Bear thou witness in thine inmost heart unto this testimony which God hath Himself and for Himself pronounced, that there is none other God but Him …” (Baha’u’llah).

THREE IN ONE

Bryan J. Smith, co-lead pastor, Summit Christian Church, Sparks

Within Christianity, the term "Trinity" is used to describe the belief of God existing in three Persons. This theological framework for understanding can be difficult to comprehend, yet not any less true. For the Jewish authors of the Bible there was little angst over the singular and plural nature of God. In Genesis 1:1, God is the singular creator of all. However, in Genesis 1:26 God said, “Let us make man in our image” (emphasis mine). Although mysterious, the Jewish authors never specifically addressed the workings of the plural nature of God. There is one God in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. All three are separate, distinct and possessing specific roles while at the same time one God. This moves the sacrifice of Jesus away from a criminal dying on a cross to God sacrificing himself for humanity. What a powerful act of love.

A MINORITY VIEW

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Kenneth G. Lucey, UNR philosophy/religion professor

The only intellectually responsible answer to the question posed is that it depends upon what you mean by "God." The question assumes everyone means the same thing. This is simply not true. The answer of about 75 percent of professional philosophers is that no gods exist, and the primary reason given is the failure of the free-will defense to answer the problem posed by natural evil. This position is often supplemented by reflections upon what is called “the hiddenness of God”. This is the moral issue posed by the absence of God’s active involvement during the Holocaust. A philosophical response to the majority (atheist) and the minority (theist) is that of the agnostic, who differs in denying knowledge of both God’s existence and nonexistence. Excellent arguments exist for the rationality of the agnostic’s position. Of course, within humanity the positions of the philosophers are a tiny proportion of human thinking generally.

ONE CREATOR; ONE GOD

Sherif A. Elfass, Northern Nevada Muslim Community president

Human logic recognizes the fact that to get anything precisely done, the task must be led by only one person. For example, there is only one driver for any vehicle. The Quran calls upon the people to reflect on this, saying if there were multiple gods in the heavens and in the earth, it would have been chaos and disarray. The order of the heavens and the earth is a sign of God’s Oneness (Quran 21:22). Thus, Muslims believe in one God — the God who created the universe and has power over everything within it. He is unique and exalted. He is above everything He creates. Hence, He is the one and the only one deserving of any worship. He is the One who has been sending prophets and messengers to guide His creation to Him. Belief in one God, monotheism, is the core and the most fundamental concept in Islam.

I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD …

Robert W. Chorey, Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno curia moderator

Christians believe in one God. This is core to our faith, which we inherited from our Jewish roots Christians believe, through the revelation of Jesus Christ, that this one God is a trinity of three “persons”. We need to be cautious in our understanding of “person.” The early theologians of the Church understood the word differently that we do in the 21st century. Christians believe this One and Three God transcends all; God is a mystery. This means in our reality, what we say of God, we must recognize that it will always fail to encompass all that God is. This utterly transcendent God became human, so that we humans can know God and become as God ourselves. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the fullness of revelation of God. Our lives now open us to the mystery of God, which helps us to transcend as well.

YES, THAT IS TRUE

Matthew T. Fisher, Reno Buddhist Center resident priest

Buddhism is nontheistic. While the Buddha interacted with the Devas (gods) of his time, they were not important to his process. Indeed the Gods often attended the Buddha’s Dharma talks. They even asked questions of the Buddha. We recognize six realms of existence from the hell realm to the heavenly realm of gods. All these beings are trapped in the same cycle of re-existence that all of us are. The Buddha showed a way out of this cycle. Many interpret these realms as psychological states that sentient beings transition in and out of — a byproduct of sentience. God and gods in this view are externalizations of our internal experience. Sometimes we are fantastically powerful (godlike) and sometimes tortured. To find the way out of this roller coaster is to find equanimity, peace and joy in all things. The Buddha's enlightenment is available to all. Ryan J. Earl, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints assistant area public affairs director We believe that there are three separate persons in the Godhead — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost — each of whom is a God. (See the entry for "God" on www.lds.org's Bible Dictionary.) When one speaks of God, it is generally and appropriately the Father who is referred to; that is, Elohim, the Supreme Governor of the universe and the Father of mankind. The personage known as Jehovah in Old Testament times is the Son, known as Jesus Christ, and who is also a God. Jesus works under the direction of the Father and is in complete harmony with Him. Many of the things that the scripture says were done by God were actually done by the Lord (Jesus), including the creation of heaven and earth (John 1:3, 10). As Paul said, God created all things by Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:9). The Holy Ghost as a member of the Godhead is also a God.

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ONE GOD, TWO POWERS

Brian E. Melendez, American Indian spirituality scholar

For tribal cultures, the Sun and the Moon, the Man and the Woman in the house in the sky, existing together in their own balance, is our God. Two powers coalescing into one. One God, Two God, Red God, Blue God … is my final answer. If I have to honestly declare what I believe to be accurate for me, to exist in a state of faith: I would say the God — the giver of light — for me, is the almighty Sun. As a man, I swear my allegiance to the Sun (whereas tribal creation stories say women get their power from the moon). Both uniquely gift us their own light in order to provide us all life. The Sun is not always forgiving. The Moon is always procrastinating. Neither is perfect, but together nonetheless provide us both the red day of waking life and the blue day of dreaming life.

ONE G-D

ElizaBeth Webb Beyer, Temple Beth Or rabbi

If Judaism had a central creed, it would be “Hear O Israel, Adonai is our G-d, Adonai is One” (Deuteronomy 6:4). This prayer is the first one taught to children and the last to be said when we die. Though it may seem like there are a myriad of gods, the bottom line is that there is actually only one. It’s like viewing many facets of a diamond. It’s still just one diamond, but it may appear differently when it’s seen from different perspectives. In Hebrew, there are many names for G-d which speak to the many perspectives we have of G-d. G-d is near and far, imminent and transcendent, outside of time and beyond our understanding. Names include: Holy One, Peace, Truth, Beloved, Compassionate One, Rock, Redeemer, and Life of the Worlds. Regardless of the many ways which we experience G-d, G-d is a unique oneness unlike any other.

WITHOUT GOD

Guest panelist Anthony Shafton, author and atheist thinker

The universe is all. Some call this God, but the word has entanglements: dominion, commandment, forgiveness, judgment, afterlife, even angels and devils and other symbols that take on a reality of their own; they always have. Better to leave God out of it. To be selfish or cruel or indifferent doesn’t reward us, God or no God. We are a joyous, loving, truth-seeking animal. If no giver gives these gifts, does it matter? Call it God if you wish. You needn’t. There is no proof of this, nor disproof. We neither deserve nor don’t deserve the wonder of it, the opportunity, our time alive. If there is also fear, it is the precondition for our dignity. Therefore, practice love and joy, and be thankful. This is a prayerful attitude, you say? It’s the pious atheist’s as-if. All will be renewed, without ourselves, without the need of God. Faith Forum is a weekly dialogue on religion produced by religious statesman Rajan Zed. Send questions or comments to rajanzed@gmail.com or on Twitter at @rajanzed.

rgj.com - Faith Forum: One God, many Gods or none at all?

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