Dear Atheist, polytheism?
I have heard many of you claim that apologetics as a discipline does not point to the monotheistic God. This assertion may be an attempt on your part to water down the strength of the apologetic arguments by creating what must seem like an unanswerable dilemma, Polytheism or Monotheism? To you this may feel like an argument against Christianity, because Christianity is monotheistic as you know. Even though there are different ways to answer this dilemma, I have chosen one that should help clarify why this dilemma is not actually a dilemma.
Atheistic Claim
While apologetic arguments may attempt to show evidence for the existence of God, these arguments do nothing to show whether this God is a team or a group of gods (polytheistic) or one God (monotheistic). Because apologetics cannot show whether God is a god or gods, these arguments do nothing to further Christianity.
The Definition
(In Christianity and other monotheistic religions) the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being.
Clarification
God is defined as the greatest conceivable being. As the greatest conceivable being, there is none greater. As the greatest conceivable being,
God has great making properties.
Is it greater to have all knowledge or partial knowledge? All Knowledge.
Is it greater to have all power or some power? All Power.
Is it greater to a contingent being or a necessary being? God is a Necessary being.
Is it greater to be omnipresent or be in one place at a time? Omnipresent, etc.
In light of understanding God as the greatest conceivable being, how could multiple gods exist? If there were many gods, none could actually be the greatest conceivable being, rendering God by definition impossible.
Conclusion
The term God by definition can only truly be used in a monotheistic system. When you say that apologetics does nothing to support the idea of God as monotheistic, you violate the definition, the very concept of God. That is the real dilemma. Know your terms!