Exploring Polytheism – Part 1

In my book, The Philosophy of Dark Paganism, I write that a defining feature of contemporary Paganism is it’s polytheistic. This begs the question as to why not monotheism? Polytheism isn’t necessary for the practice of magick because the big three Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all have rich magical traditions. Nor does one have to be a polytheist to respect ancestors or nature; both practices can also be found within Abrahamic religions.

For any proposal, scientific or otherwise, a necessary requirement is that it must accurately predict the world as we know it. For example, suppose one proposes a scientific theory to explain a phenomenon. If the theory fails to accurately predict what occurs in reality, then it’s deemed false. We can and should also apply this standard to metaphysical proposals.

The claim by classical monotheists is that there exists a One True God that is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent and is the source of all of Creation. To determine the validity of this claim, we need to see if this Monotheistic Model of Divinity fits the reality around us.

Does this Monotheistic Model account for what we find in the world around us? More specifically, is it consistent with the existence of evil? The most famous thought experiment of this is the Epicurus Trilema:

1.    If God is unable to prevent evil, then he is not all-powerful.
2.    If God is not willing to prevent evil, then he is not all-good.
3.    If God is both willing and able to prevent evil, then why does evil exist?

When confronted with the Problem of Evil, a typical response by monotheists is that preventing evil would interfere with our free will. Therefore, God must allow evil to exist even though He’s omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent.

However, the problem with this argument is that it flies in the face of the claim that God is omnipotent. God could make the world in whatever manner He wishes. Even if it meant writing the laws of logic so that free will is consistent with the absence of evil. A square peg could be made to logically fit into a round hole by Divine command. If He's unable to do so then He isn't omnipotent. 

Another response given by monotheists is that evil, especially natural evil, while horrible, is necessary for goodness. For example, sickness from a virus helps build an immune response in the body to protect it. No pain, no gain. 

Once again, there are problems with this response. Not all natural evil is productive. Some simply cause unnecessary suffering. As Stephen Fry once said when asked what he would say to God, “I’d say, bone cancer in children? What’s that about?” Nothing good can possibly come from a child suffering with bone cancer. Yet, the God of monotheism allows it to occur despite being supposedly omnipotent and capable of preventing the suffering and death of innocent children. If you had the power to prevent a child from developing bone cancer, wouldn’t you? The omnipotent God of monotheism can but refuses. 

The Monotheistic Model of Divinity fails to correctly account for the world around us. It fails because an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent God could not allow evil and, therefore, could not exist. Therefore, monotheism has no place in contemporary Paganism.

In part 2 of this series, I’ll make a case for a polytheistic view of divinity.