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As opposed to [[g-d]], other '''gods''' have been proposed throughout the history of mankind. The term g-d is applied in a general sense to any deity that is worshiped as part of a theistic belief system.

As opposed to [[God]], other '''gods''' have been proposed throughout the history of mankind. The term god is applied in a general sense to any deity that is or has been worshiped as part of a theistic belief system.  The capital G is reserved for the one true and living God.

== Other G-ds in the Bible ==

== Other gods in the Bible ==

The Jewish and Christian Bibles contain references to more than just the Jewish and Christian G-d(Hereafter referred to as G-d with a large G to avoid confusion).

The [[Old Testament|Jewish]] and [[New Testament|Christian Bible]]s contain references to more than just the Jewish and Christian God, but these gods are seen as false and having no real power, whether it be the [[golden calf]] or the images for [[Baal]].

== Genesis ==

== Genesis ==

God in the Garden of Eden often uses the plural:

 

*'And God said, let us make man in our image.', (Genesis 1:26)

G-d in the Garden of Eden often uses the plural, (Genesis 1:26) 'And G-d said, let us make man in our image.', (Genesis 3:22) 'And the Lord G-d said, Behold, then man is become as one of us, to know good and evil.' (Genesis 11:7) 'Let us go down, and there confound their language.'. This is occasionally explained as use of the 'Royal We'.

*'And the Lord God said, Behold, then man is become as one of us, to know good and evil.' (Genesis 3:22)

*'Let us go down, and there confound their language.'. (Genesis 11:7)

This is occasionally explained as use of the 'Royal We' in [[Judaism]] or foreshadowing of [[The Trinity]] in [[Christianity]].

== Exodus ==

== Exodus ==

The Egyptian gods are referred to several times, never as nonexistent. (Exodus 12:12) 'And against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment.' (Exodus 15:11) 'Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods?' (Exodus 18:11) 'Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods.'. The implication is that G-d is greater than any single member of the Egyptian pantheon, not that the gods worshiped by the ancient Egyptians don't exist. Furthermore, the Magi, empowered by those gods, are able to produce plagues of their own.

The Egyptian gods are referred to several times, but are never presented as having real form or power. For instance no god is ever discussed taking an action, having a thought, speaking, etc.  There are references to collective worship of other gods, but God always takes out his wrath on the Egyptian people themselves and the consequences of that wrath are seen, since they are real and exist.

*'And against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment.' (Exodus 12:12)

*'Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods?' (Exodus 15:11)

*'Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods.' (Exodus 18:11).

* The Magi of Egypt are able to produce plagues of their own, but it is never stated this is due to the power of a god.

The Commandments are the clearest: (Exodus 20:3, 5) 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me. ... Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.' G-d makes it clear while other g-ds may or may not exist, the Israelites are not to worship them before Him, or to serve them.

The First Commandment lets it be known that God will not tolerate the worship of these 'gods':

*'Thou shalt have no other gods before me. ... Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.' (Exodus 20:3, 5)

Other laws also make it clear that other g-ds may or may not exist, but the penalties for worshipping them are harsh: (Exodus 22:20) 'He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.' (Exodus 23:13) 'Make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.' (Exodus 23:24) 'Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.' (Exodus 23:32) 'Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.' (Exodus 34:14) 'For thou shalt worship no other g-d: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous G-d.'

Other laws follow the same idea:

*'He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.' (Exodus 22:20)

*'Make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.' (Exodus 23:13)

*'Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.' (Exodus 23:24)

*'Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.' (Exodus 23:32)

*'For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.' (Exodus 34:14)

The strangest section on multiple gods in Exodus is this law: (Exodus 22:28) 'Thou shalt not revile the gods.'. Despite strong prohibitions on the worship, naming, or serving of other gods, one is not to revile them.

There is also this section on multiple gods: 'Thou shalt not revile the gods.' (Exodus 22:28) Of course that makes sense. Why would one revile that which does not exist?

== Psalms ==

== Psalms ==

(Psalm 82:1) 'G-d standeth in the congregation of the mighty, he judgeth among the g-ds.' (Psalm 86:8) 'Among the g-ds there is none like unto thee, O Lord.' (Psalm 96:4) 'For the Lord ... is to be feared above all g-ds.' (Psalm 97:7) 'Worship him, all ye g-ds.'

*'God standeth in the congregation of the mighty, he judgeth among the gods.' (Psalm 82:1)

*'Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord.' (Psalm 86:8)

*'For the Lord ... is to be feared above all gods.' (Psalm 96:4)

*'Worship him, all ye gods.' (Psalm 97:7)

 

The Psalms are considered to be the poetic writings of [[King David|David]].  In the near east culture at that time kings and other men of renoun could be called gods. There is no indication in any of the discussions of David or Israel's kings going for almost 500 years where any god was ever considered to be real.  For instance no god was ever said to have caused a storm or shown any sign of actually existing.

 

==Notes==

==Notes==

Regardless of the lack of historical data regarding the origins of any of these religions, the mythological links between them are clear. It is a tenet of the Jewish religion that all Jews descended from Abraham (indeed, in order to convert to Judaism one must complete an 'adoption' ritual for the house of Israel); as Jesus is regarded as Jewish, the growth of Christianity as an offshoot of the Jewish religion is clear. In a similar fashion, Muslims claim to be descended from Abraham by way of Ishmael.

Some claim that Christianity, Judaism, and [[Islam]] worship the same God in different ways, a claim that many adherents of those religions, especially Christianity and Judaism, would question. This claim is regarded by some as a way to convert Jews and Christians to Islam, since it supports the idea that [[Abrahamic religions|Abrahamic religion]] has "grown" from Judaism to Christianity to Islam.<ref>http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/moongod.htm</ref> However, many are skeptical of this idea.<ref>http://www.letusreason.org/Islam6.htm</ref> Christianity and Judaism do not have a place in their scriptures for the Islamic view of Allah or the claims made against both religions.

 

It is a tenet of the Jewish religion that all Jews descended from Abraham (indeed, in order to convert to Judaism one must complete an 'adoption' ritual for the house of Israel); as Jesus is regarded as Jewish, the growth of Christianity as an offshoot of the Jewish religion is clear. In a similar fashion, Muslims claim to be descended from Abraham by way of Ishmael.  This claim is questioned, and the concept of what relevance it would have if it was true is also questioned.

==Short Story==

==Short Story==

Horror writer [[H.P. Lovecraft]] once wrote a short story called ''"The Other Gods."''

Horror writer [[H.P. Lovecraft]] once wrote a short story called "The Other Gods."

==References==

==References==

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