religion of oneness

[strawbridge]

Hi, I am new on this forum. I am hoping someone could explain simply what the religion of oneness means?

[YesNo]

What do you think it means?

When I think of subjectivity, it seems like it is not an "individual" thing. It is not my subjectivity separate from yours or your subjectivity separate from mine. That might be the start of understanding what "oneness" means.

[strawbridge]

What do you think it means?

When I think of subjectivity, it seems like it is not an "individual" thing. It is not my subjectivity separate from yours or your subjectivity separate from mine. That might be the start of understanding what "oneness" means.

I need to understand the manyness vs oneness. I cannot seem to grasp it

[YesNo]

I don't know either. However, what we see as many individual objects may have aspects of themselves in common. Consider human beings. Each of us seems to be a separate individual and yet we are linked by families. None of us is so separate as not to have parents. Also we communicate. There is a commonness there that allows that communication.

Part of the problem with not seeing everything as one may start at a misunderstanding of what it means to be an individual. If one can't figure out what the oneness means, then ask oneself what non-oneness means, or individuality.

What we see of ourselves all came out of a single big bang. That would be another way to get to a sort of oneness.

The religious person may have a realization of this oneness that neither of us can comprehend. That becomes a problem because how do we know it is true if we don't comprehend it?

[fajfall]

'Religion of oneness' immediately has me think of monotheism, ie. Islam and Judaism. There are Islamic groups that name themselves as the 'party of oneness' ('tawhid' in Arabic).

[YesNo]

I was thinking it referred to a more general mystical experience of oneness that one accesses through participating in subjectivity.

The "oneness" idea has potential problems. When it suggests political or religious uniformity, it may not be a good thing to pursue. Also when it suggests a pseudoscientific, deterministic block universe where there is no "arrow of time", it can be a basis for delusion.

[desiresjab]

Numbers were mystical, magical entities to the old goat herders, and before that, and later to high priests. Many intelligent people, in fact, held such views of numbers. The evidence for widespread numerology is everywhere.

Oneness is the simplest idea from math and human abstraction, an axiom. It provides all kinds of mystical/symbolical suggestiveness--unity being chief.

Religion borrowed from math to create a concept of God with mathematical foundations. Religions constantly pick up ideas and rituals from other religions and people they conquer. It is called syncretism. Jehovah is largely Baal in a slightly more civilized skin.

Why Oneness, instead of Two-ness or Three-ness? Because numbers were mystical entities, friend, and these folk were advertising one god, not two or three. Monotheism may have been a Hebrew invention.

When we want to express surety, we always say, You can count on it. That phrase is right there with by God, when it comes to expressing a sure thing for humanity.

Oneness itself got introduced because numbers are powerful in the minds of the ancients, numbers have mystical powers, swaying ability and hidden meanings.

In short, the idea of Oneness in religion is lifted from what cannot be otherwise, which is mathematics itself. Even before formal math, the idea of oneness could be grasped by any man. Thirteen-ness is quite another matter. Primitive human minds would not immediately grasp the cardinality of more than about four objects set in front of them. In fact, we do not either, without counting.

There is an extreme paucity of small whole numbers in the universe. There are infinitely many whole numbers yet only a few we can grasp immediately upon eyesight.

1,2,3,4,5,6,7 have received a real workout in religious texts. Beyond 13, religioius texts more or less leave numbers alone, other than an occasional large number presented like an awed child to awed children, equivalent to saying zillions.

But the Bible is crammed full of small number mysticism--there are seven deadly sins, six angels, three faces of God yet a Oneness of God. There are never 41 angels or trumpets. Do you see why now? They do not make for good mysticism. They cannot be fully grasped on sight.

All Oneness is in religion is a bunch of folk trying to reconcile this ancient notion of oneness stolen long ago and put to bad use, to reconcile this with any kind of reasoniong. This old concept that was lifted to scare peasants into acceptable worship and quail the many divided Gods of enemies with the very name of unity, is simply a notion, nothing more. You might even call it propaganda

[caddy_caddy]

oneness means there in no equal to it too.

[Iain Sparrow]

I need to understand the manyness vs oneness. I cannot seem to grasp it

Think of Oneness as perfect knowledge, or 'logos', the word of God that sets a divine reason and order to the universe, and from our limited perspective; where and how we fit in.
It's of course bull****.

Think of Manyness as being in a quantum state, unintelligible. Manyness is, and is not, with no regard to the observer's prejudice.

[caddy_caddy]

he should think of Oneness as there is no equal in being, attributes, or deeds. This is the meaning of oneness in religion he asks abt

[Shiva]

If I may add, the word "oneness" brings to my mind both hinduist and buddhist word "Dharma".

Dharma is basically the metaphysics principle of both religions (despite they don't try to explain the cosmos physically). Through the Dharma, both religions state that the universe is under a divine law created by Gods themselves (Brahma). By this divine law the universe follows a pattern (the sun rises at x time at y time of the year at z distance of the sun...).

But this law also includes the moral acts. Human beings have got the freedom to act for themselves, but Dharma will respond to your action through "Karma", the famous action-reaction law.

I am not sure if this was what you were looking for, but once I read "oneness" this was the first thing that came to my mind.

[YesNo]

Welcome, Shiva.

I would not have thought of "dharma" as "oneness", but I don't really know what dharma is. I do like the idea of the universe following a pattern with the possibility of moral acts.

[desiresjab]

I never found an idea of oneness that was appealing to me. I am not a fan of oneness, as far as I can understand it.

[Shiva]

Dear YesNo,

As I explained, Dharma is the pattern created by the gods that the universe follows. But, since we (humans) are part of the universe as well, we are also ONE with the Dharma, and, therefore, with Brahma.

That's why the idea of "oneness" made me think about this :)

[YesNo]

It occurred to me that anything we can point to, including ourselves, we think must be a "part", or perhaps better said, an "aspect", of some larger whole which is part of everything.

The mystery is that we are able to point at anything at all. This makes us think what we point to is "part" of something bigger, and that we ourselves are "part" of something bigger, which we ultimately can't point to.

[Shiva]

Wouldn't have said it better!!

[zianizinou]

there is not anything called religion of oneness , but there is thing in islam called the Oneness of God in Islam ( Oneness of Lordship)
the Arabic word 'Islam' means submission and obedience, and derives from a word meaning 'peace'.

Understanding Tawhid ( Oneness of Lordship) is key to understanding Islam and the fundamentals of a Muslim's faith. Setting up partners with Allah is the one unforgiveable sin in Islam:

The basic belief of Islam is that there is only one God, whose name in the Arabic language is Allah, and who is the sole and sovereign ruler of the universe.
Acknowledgment of the Oneness of Allah is the most important principle of Islam, being the cornerstone of the faith and the basis for salvation. The most emphasized aspect of Allah in Islam is His Unity.

The Oneness of God in Islam is a comprehensive teaching and can be further understood through the following attributes of Allah: Allah has no partners, no equals and no rivals Allah has no father, mother, sons, daughters or wives Allah is worshipped directly without anyone or anything acting as an intermediary Allah is not in need of anyone worship Allah is not answerable to anyone Allah is not dependant on any person or thing, but all persons and things are dependant on Him Allah created everything without any assistance There is nothing above or comparable to Allah There is nothing that exists except that it is completely subservient to Him No one can withhold what Allah provides and no one can provide what Allah withholds Allah alone can benefit or harm

because The true purpose of a human being's life is the worship of God, the attainment of His understanding and complete devotion to Him.

[shammusp]

Nice thread, One of my Favorite Quote suites this Thread: "God is One and None is Equal to God."