Native to Abrahamic faiths?

Are not the 'deities' of the Hindus aspects of the ONE Power?


That is what I was told by an Hindu scholar...

Each are worshiped as individual deities.

Earlier Native American religions were characterized by both animism and shamanism. Any conceptions of the Great Spirit that were monotheistic in nature would have been due to the much later advent of Christianity in North America.

Perhaps, the real question should be was there a progression of religious belief from animism to polytheism and then finally monotheism? After all, certain passages in the Christian Old Testament, or Hebrew Bible, seem to point to a shift from polytheism to tribal henotheism before full blown monotheism emerges during the reign of King Josiah. Many of our worship choruses based upon Old Testament seem to reflect upon a more ancient understanding. When we sing, "You are exalted above all gods" there is an implication that other gods existed, but our tribal god is far superior to other tribal gods in existence.

However, the Apostle Paul would later write in the letter to Romans (1:20-23) that monotheism was present from the beginning, but the darkening of the hearts and minds led to a reverse progression that led to polytheism and animism. Which view of religious history is the correct one? However, it is apparent that monotheism is certainly the more dominant belief today, while polytheism and animism exist only among primitive cultures isolated from the modern world.