Single Idea 7605

[catalogued under 28. God / C. Attitudes to God / 1. Monotheism]

Full Idea

We have become so used to the intolerance of monotheism that we may not appreciate that its hostility towards other gods was a new religious attitude; paganism was an essentially tolerant faith.

Gist of Idea

Monotheism introduced intolerance into religious thinking

Source

Karen Armstrong (A History of God [1993], Ch.2)

Book Reference

Armstrong,Karen: 'A History of God' [Mandarin 1993], p.61


A Reaction

The comedian Dave Allen always signed off with "may your god go with you". To me the most striking feature of monotheists is frequently their barely controlled aggression, beneath a mask of strained compassion.