1. For CathyBogart: You stated that pagans believe in multiple deities; I am curious, do all pagans believe in the same deities? Are they deities with names and particular responsibilities (like the ancient Greek or Roman pantheon?).



2. For popcornbird: You asked some questions about Jesus before, and I would like to return with a question about Abraham, since he is the common ancestor to all 3 'major' religions. I have a very minimal knowledge of Islam, and most of that comes from a National Geographic documentary, as I could never convince my 1 Muslim college friend to discuss religion with me.

Anyway, here's the issue I struggle with in Islam: the Jewish/Old Testament Christian Scripture claims that Abraham's legitimate wife was Sarah, and Hagar was only a servant in the household. Sarah doubted God's word that she would bear a son to Abraham, due to her old age, so encouraged Abraham to father a child by Hagar. This happened (Ishmael), but then Sarah also conceived (Isaac). As the first son to the legitimate wife, Jews and Christians believe that all the inheritance rights went to Isaac. It's my understanding that Islam considered Hagar the legitimate wife and therefore Ishmael was the legitimate son who should have received inheritance of all the promises God made. However, according to Islam, God commanded Abraham to leave Hagar in the wilderness, though he visited her (which is the symbolism represented by Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca). The video claimed that Abraham actually divorced Hagar (which according to Jewish/Christian believers, there was never a marriage, so why divorce?), but Islam also frowns on divorce. Why would God ask someone to break His own rules? Would that not be out of character for God? He makes the rules, but He does not break His own rules...we break the rules all the time, being made of flesh and bone, of course.

I look forward to a deeper understanding about each of your beliefs.