False god
The phrase false god is a derogatory term used in Abrahamic religions (namely Judaism, Samaritanism, Christianity, the Baháʼí Faith, and Islam) to indicate cult images or deities of non-Abrahamic Pagan religions, as well as other competing entities or objects to which particular importance is attributed.[1][2][3][4][5] Conversely, followers of animistic and polytheistic religions may regard the gods of various monotheistic religions as "false gods", because they do not believe that any real deity possesses the properties ascribed by monotheists to their sole deity. Atheists, who do not believe in any deities, do not usually use the term false god even though that would encompass all deities from the atheist viewpoint. Usage of this term is generally limited to theists, who choose to worship some deity or deities, but not others.[2]
Overview
In Abrahamic religions, false god is used as a derogatory term to refer to a deity or object of worship besides the Abrahamic god that is regarded as either illegitimate or non-functioning in its professed authority or capability, and this characterization is further used as a definition of "idol".[2][3][4][5][6]
The term false god is often used throughout the Abrahamic scriptures (
The vast majority of religions in history have been and/or are still polytheistic, worshipping many diverse deities.[14] Moreover, the material depiction of a deity or more deities has always played an eminent role in all cultures of the world.[1] The claim to worship the "one and only true God" came to most of the world with the arrival of Abrahamic religions and is the distinguishing characteristic of their monotheistic worldview,[3][14][15][16] whereas virtually all the other religions in the world have been and/or are still animistic and polytheistic.[14]
In the Hebrew Bible
The
In Gnosticism
In
Gnostic Christians considered the Hebrew God of the Old Testament as the evil, false god and creator of the material universe, and the
However, not all Gnostic movements regarded the creator of the material universe as inherently evil or malevolent.
In Islam
The
Alternatively, ṭāġūt may refer to idols, sometimes thought to be inhabited by one or more demons.[36]: 210 Muslims don't necessarily deny the power of demons within the idol, but deny that they are worthy of worship. In the Kitāb al-ʾAṣnām ("Book of the Idols"), the Arab Muslim historian Ibn al-Kalbī (c. 737–819 CE) tells how Muhammad ordered Khālid ibn al-Walīd to kill the pre-Islamic Arabian goddess al-ʿUzzā, who was supposed to inhabit three trees. After cutting down all the trees, a woman with wild hair appears, identified with al-ʿUzzā. After battle, she is killed, and thus al-ʿUzzā considered to be defeated.
Similarly, the Arab Muslim geographer al-Maqdisī (c. 945/946–991 CE) wrote about Indian deities (known in Middle Eastern folklore as dīv), asserting that they have the power to enchant people, even Muslims, to worship them. A Muslim is said to have visited them and abandoned Islam. When he reached Muslim land again, he returned to his Islamic faith. The power of idols is not limited to enchantment alone, they could even grant wishes.[37]
Other similar entities are the shurakāʼ ("partners [of God]"), whose existence is not denied, however their relation to God is. They are regarded as powerless beings, who will be cast into Hell after the Day of Judgment, along with evil jinn and fallen angels turned devils (shayāṭīn), for usurping the divine nature.[38]: 41
See also
- Ancient Canaanite religion
- Ancient Semitic religion
- Atenism
- Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion
- Dhimmi
- Demiurge
- Dystheism
- Ethical monotheism
- Evil God Challenge
- False prophet
- Gnosticism
- God in Abrahamic religions
- God in Sikhism
- God in Zoroastrianism
- Maltheism
- Moralistic therapeutic deism
- Natural religion
- Outline of theology
- Problem of evil
- Problem of Hell
- Religion in pre-Islamic Arabia
- Satanic Verses
- Semitic Neopaganism
- Seven Laws of Noah
- Ger toshav (resident alien)
- Noahidism
- Theistic Satanism
- Theodicy
- Urmonotheismus (primitive monotheism)
- Violence in the Bible
- Violence in the Quran
Notes
References
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