I have discussed Gen 20:13 and how it supports the Latter-day Saint doctrine of the "plurality of the gods" here and here. I recently came across this article by J.P. Holding. In discussing this verse, Holding writes:
Actually, Abraham did affirm the ontological/objective existence of these gods. It is not similar to one saying "Vishnu is one of the gods of Hinduism." How so? Because this is part of Abraham's own speech to Abimelech! Here is Gen 20:10-13 from the NRSV:
Contra Holding, Abraham did affirm the ontological existence of the plurality of gods. This verse blows holes into various Trinitarian and Unitarian theologies today, though such is consistent with Latter-day Saint theology.
One does find it funny that Latter-day Saints are accused of preaching a gospel that is antithetical to that contained in the Bible, and yet, our Evangelical "friends" are guilty of the most eisegesis-driven arguments to support such a claim.
This is hardly proof of polytheism in a real sense. Of course, we may say "Allah is the God of the Muslims" without affirming the objective reality of Allah. There is no indication that Abraham at this point considered these gods to have an objective existence.
Actually, Abraham did affirm the ontological/objective existence of these gods. It is not similar to one saying "Vishnu is one of the gods of Hinduism." How so? Because this is part of Abraham's own speech to Abimelech! Here is Gen 20:10-13 from the NRSV:
And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What were you thinking of, what you did this thing?" Abraham said, "I did it because I thought, There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. And when God caused me to wander (Heb: the gods [they] caused me to wander) from my father's house, I said to her, 'This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, He is my brother.'"
Contra Holding, Abraham did affirm the ontological existence of the plurality of gods. This verse blows holes into various Trinitarian and Unitarian theologies today, though such is consistent with Latter-day Saint theology.
One does find it funny that Latter-day Saints are accused of preaching a gospel that is antithetical to that contained in the Bible, and yet, our Evangelical "friends" are guilty of the most eisegesis-driven arguments to support such a claim.
