Mar 12:28-34 Then one of the scribes came near and heard them arguing with one another. He saw how well Jesus answered them, so he asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of them all?" (29) Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, (30) and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' (31) The second is this: 'You must love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." (32) Then the scribe said to him, "Well said, Teacher! You have told the truth that 'God is one, and there is no other besides him.' (33) To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices." (34) When Jesus saw how wisely the man answered, he told him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that, no one dared to ask him another question.
The scholar who praises Jesus interprets the word "one" for us, "God is one, and there is no other beside him." God is a unit, one and he alone is God. In our world there are those who say "there is no God" and there are those who see gods everywhere. In practice they are not really so far apart. The person who doesn't believe there is a god bases his behavior on what he himself feels is right or what he himself wants to do. The person who believes in many gods doesn't feel the need to pay attention to any particular one, since they may have conflicting demands and expectations. If you don't like the answer from one, you can always get a second opinion. In practice one can behave as if there is no god since you can't definitely say which one needs to really be heeded.
The monotheist doesn't have this option. He believes that there is one God whom he is obligated to love and obey. I don't know much about Islam. My impression is that Islam stresses obedience and worship of God. The focus is on God's greatness (thus "God is Great") and transcendance. Christians focus on God's nearness and on his love ("God is love"). Jesus tells us that God wants our love. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and wtih all your strength." God wants a love relationship with me. Not just obedience, not just worship, but passion.
9:31:43 AM 
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