Views about the Nature of Reallity and the Divine..??

[ChickenMole]

I have to write an essay. The last part of the essay is to write about my beliefs and what my life would be like if they were opposite of the one's i have.

The first part of the essay is below. I HAVE TO NO CLUE HOW TO ANSWER.

Examine the relevence and the mystery of the implications laden in the following views about the nature of the reality and the divine: polytheism, monotheism/theism, pantheism, panentheism, and atheism.

Can anyone anyone please explain these to me so I can attempt to write this essay..

 

[path_of_one]

Does your course have a textbook that detail these? If not, I suggest reviewing information found on Wiki and religioustolerance.org. You may also find useful information on BeliefNet and various other online resources.

You can find threads on each of these through the Search function on this forum.

The point of doing essays for courses is for you to do the research and put it into your own words, so reading on each of these belief systems through online and in-library resources is the best place to start.

- From a Sometimes-Professor of Religion and Anthropology -

 

[ChickenMole]

We don't have a "textbook" like I have in all my other courses. The assigned reading is Huston Smith's "The World's Religions". So I don't have an outline in the book. I mean I think I understand but i'm not sure. So help me out and let me know if I'm on the right track.

First of all we have two different realities. There's conditioned reality is where religion meets reality (the envoys, teachings & practices). As there’s is also unconditioned reality which is what I would define as special person and/or institution. As is deities or nirvana for example.

Polytheism is the belief in more than one deity.
Monotheism is the belief of one deity.
Theism is the belief of a unified god head.
Pantheism is the belief that deity is all things.
Panentheism is the belief that there is deity exist & that deity is in all things.

Therefore, in polytheism and monotheism/theism conditioned reality and unconditioned reality exist as separate. In pantheism there is no separation of realities because god is in everything. God is the same as the universe. So conditioned reality and unconditioned reality are one. With panentheism there is only unconditioned reality. Although the universe is contained within God, God is the “effect and affect” on the universe.

Does that sound like I’m getting it?

 

[nativeastral]

hi chickenmole

if the assigned reading is a book then l suggest you'll find the 'answers' in there [ie they may want you to reference it in your essay].

heres a good portal with many sites

Other Internet Portals for Religious Studies

 

[Eudaimonist]

Can anyone anyone please explain these to me so I can attempt to write this essay..

It would help greatly if you could ask specific questions. I will be happy to answer as one particular atheist, but I need something more to go on. (All I can tell you right now is that atheism is the lack of belief in deities.)

I don't even know what your beliefs are! How can I provide a contrast?


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[iBrian]

I HAVE TO NO CLUE HOW TO ANSWER.

Well talk to your tutor then - asking people online to help with your homework is just plain lazy, but I constantly see people joining forums just to do that. Thread closed.