Why "insert prefix"-theism?

[Autumnal Light]

After doing some (admittedly basic) research about the variations of theistic belief, I began to wonder what influenced people to adopt one over the other. Why would someone become a pantheist instead of a panentheist? A monotheist instead of a henotheist?

Personally, I'm more of a pantheist. This is mostly because the idea of a supernatural deity seperate from the natural world does not make sense to me, and all 'holy moments' I've experienced have been accompanied by a sense of unity with the world around me. This is, of course, a gross oversimplification, but hopefully you get the idea.

What I would like is for you to tell me which theistic category your beliefs fall under and why you believe in your '-theism'. This is not a debate thread. No one's beliefs will be argued against here, although you may receive some questions for the sake of understanding.

For clarification purposes, I have listed several -theisms and my understanding of them below. If you think I've made a mistake or neglected to include an important group, please let me know!

Monotheism - belief in the existence of one god.
Polytheism - belief in or worship of multiple deities.
Henotheism - devotion to a single god while accepting the existence of other gods.
Pantheism - belief in one god who is one with the universe, but did not create it.
Panentheism - belief in one god who is one with the universe, but also transcends it.
Agnosticism - belief that there is not enough information to make a claim for or against the existence of god(s) and/or goddess(es). [This is not a -theism, but still very important.]
Atheism - belief that no god of any sort exists.  

[maenad nuri]

I am a polytheist. It's simple to understand why, as I both believe in and worship many gods. In addition, I'm also a "hard" polytheist; I believe that the gods, with some overlap and linguistic changes, are individuals.

Sometimes, I entertain the idea of the gods having a divine source (while maintaining their individuality) but I have not developed this line of thought sufficiently.  

[patch99329]

I'm both a pantheist and a hard polytheist.
Thats a strange combination, but if I explain it you'll see it's really not.

xd  

[TeaDidikai]

Hard Polytheist.

My personal experiences with others evoking deities with the same "theme" and the mess that was left behind has nulled any flittering ideas in the back of my mind that deities are anything but individuals.  

[maenad nuri]

patch99329

I'm both a pantheist and a hard polytheist.
Thats a strange combination, but if I explain it you'll see it's really not.

xd

I'd like to hear it. smile  

[Elizabeth Tarion]

I am a hard polytheist.
I believe in many deities each distinct from each other as their respective religions state.
I do believe that it's possible that a deity may have multiple faces or aspects, but it is still separate from from other deities: the Hindu gods may be aspects of a Hindu super-god, but they or it is still separate from the Norse gods, etc, if that needed clarification.

I've always believed in other deities, even when I was younger in my Christian upbringing.
The concept of there only being one deity doesn't sit well with me, and honestly doesn't make sense to me.  

[Starlock]

... darn... no all of the above option.

Except Atheism of course, and probably Henotheism.  

[patch99329]

Nuri

patch99329

I'm both a pantheist and a hard polytheist.
Thats a strange combination, but if I explain it you'll see it's really not.

xd

I'd like to hear it. smile

Well, I believe everything is bound together by one force. Nature, if you like ^_^ That can be seprated into a male and female polarity (sometimes you may hear a traditional witch refer to 'the god and goddess' and 9 times out of 10 they are referring to this idea).

But I believe individual deities and no more 'interconnected' than we are, they are just other spirits(not in the conventional dead people way). We are all part of this force but we are all individuals, whats the difference?
People always use the 'facets of a gem' metaphor, I prefer 'deities are like a finger and a toe, the two are both part of the body; however they are completely independant to eachother'.

So, I suppose a more accurate label for my beliefs would be 'the hardest soft polytheist you're ever gonna meet'. mad D  

[TeaDidikai]

patch99329

So, I suppose a more accurate label for my beliefs would be 'the hardest soft polytheist you're ever gonna meet'. mad D

Or a hard polytheist with an Emanation mythos.  

[TheDisreputableDog]

MoreSpareParts

I do believe that it's possible that a deity may have multiple faces or aspects, but it is still separate from from other deities: the Hindu gods may be aspects of a Hindu super-god, but they or it is still separate from the Norse gods, etc, if that needed clarification.

This is part of my view.

I follow the Egyptian gods pretty much exclusively--I don't believe Anyone else has ever wanted to talk to me. Netjer as One and Many all at the same time makes sense to me. However, most Kemetic Orthodox adherents I've talked to believe that Netjer is the all-god for every culture, and that every god is part of Netjer in the end. I can't grok this. For me, Netjer is only the godhead for the Kemetic Names, and not for any other god-system.

It can get really, really confusing. rofl Geb is the earth, as well as being "the god of" it, so all rocks and things are part of Him, yet He likes to be offered pretty or interesting stones. And that's not even getting on the syncretized and aspected Names! It's a trip.

Hopefully that all made sense.

As for why I am this and not other... I don't know. The Names have called me, I answered. This is the way They make sense to me. I think I've always been a hard polytheist. Nothing else really made sense. I briefly tried the pseudo-Wiccan all-Goddess thing, but there was absolutely nothing there, because it doesn't work like that for me.  

[patch99329]

TeaDidikai

patch99329

So, I suppose a more accurate label for my beliefs would be 'the hardest soft polytheist you're ever gonna meet'. mad D

Or a hard polytheist with an Emanation mythos.

I haven't the foggiest what that is biggrin Care to elaborate?  

[TeaDidikai]

patch99329

TeaDidikai

patch99329

So, I suppose a more accurate label for my beliefs would be 'the hardest soft polytheist you're ever gonna meet'. mad D

Or a hard polytheist with an Emanation mythos.

I haven't the foggiest what that is biggrin Care to elaborate?

All gods are as individualistic as you and I, however- they emanated or defused out from one source.

My UPG states this is the case for all things, gods, spirits, my chair and myself.  

[Elizabeth Tarion]

TheDisreputableDog

Geb is the earth, as well as being "the god of" it, so all rocks and things are part of Him, yet He likes to be offered pretty or interesting stones.

The explanation that comes to mind is that he wants his followers to recognise and understand the beauty he has to offer, which I can't help but find beautiful in itself. It's like learning the Truth and Mystery he has to offer, by recognising beauty of the earth, even if it may not be presented as such.
Of course he could also be narscissistic, I don't know. ninja

Are you a member of the Kemetic Orthodox? I can't tell very well by your wording sweatdrop

Tea Didikai

Or a hard polytheist with an Emanation mythos.

I've got one floating around in my head, too, also not being limited to deities, but everything that is, physically or metaphysically.
It was an idea that popped into my head, and I've kept it because I've found it useful and suiting. I don't know if I'd count it as UPG.  

[TeaDidikai]

MoreSpareParts

Are you a member of the Kemetic Orthodox? I can't tell very well by your wording sweatdrop

DD is a UU with Kemetic Leanings.

Quote:

I've got one floating around in my head, too, also not being limited to deities, but everything that is, physically or metaphysically.
It was an idea that popped into my head, and I've kept it because I've found it useful and suiting. I don't know if I'd count it as UPG.

That counts as UPG.

The most important distinction between me and a pantheist is that Pantheist ascribe characteristics to that which produced the emanation. I don't. While as an animist I accept that which was emanated has an awareness, for me it is the light the expression of awareness and not source that is the point of interface.  

[TheDisreputableDog]

TeaDidikai

MoreSpareParts

Are you a member of the Kemetic Orthodox? I can't tell very well by your wording sweatdrop

DD is a UU with Kemetic Leanings.

Correct. I just hang out on the KO boards and have made friends with many members, so it is the Kemetic recon path that I have the most familiarity with. I have yet to make any formal overtures towards becoming part of that faith, and it may never happen. Someday I'll get to that bit in my Pathways thread... sweatdrop