knapplc Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 So the Bible can be anything anyone perceives it to be (better, JJ?), and I'm understanding the quote here to mean that God is/can be different in different peoples' brains? I mean, if God can't be different in different people's brains, then the maximum number of Christians in the world can't be bigger than 1 Are you talking about God's actual self, or everyone's concept of God? Because those are two different things. Link to comment
Redux Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 I think arguing the complexities of another worldly being such as "God" proves pointless once we accept that if such a being exists it likely doesn't follow the laws of our physics. Link to comment
Landlord Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Obviously I'm talking about conceptions about God. To talk about what actually is seems like mostly a waste of time to me, because what is only exists in relation to how it's perceived. For example, is there actually such a thing as the color 'blue'? On a related note but not part of any point or argument, quantum physics has shown us that, at least on the smallest scale, reality only exists once it's observed. Weird stuff. Link to comment
knapplc Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 I think arguing the complexities of another worldly being such as "God" proves pointless once we accept that if such a being exists it likely doesn't follow the laws of our physics. There's definitely a point to identifying "god." Link to comment
knapplc Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 The Bible can be anything anyone perceives it to be. God can be anything anyone perceives it to be. This is not Christian theology. Link to comment
Redux Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 I think arguing the complexities of another worldly being such as "God" proves pointless once we accept that if such a being exists it likely doesn't follow the laws of our physics. There's definitely a point to identifying "god." Sure there is. However, we probably don't posess the capabilities as humans to understand what God is or how God exists. There doesn't HAVE to be one answer or even a "right" answer. Again, the concept of God is probably too complex for us to understand in life or even death. Link to comment
Landlord Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ If it's helpful to slap a label on it and say it isn't Christian, then by all means, call it whatever you will. It's my perspective, and I'm comfortable identifying as a Christian, and living as someone who follows and puts faith in Jesus, who I believe was the Christ, 1/3 of the Trinity. I believe that is the extent of Christian theology - at least that was the summation of what was asked by the founder of the faith. If you insist on declaring that I am not that thing, I'm fine with that if it's is helpful towards love, peace, justice, unity and reconciliation, just like I'm fine with people taking their different ideas or different understandings of what the source, creator, point, energy, whatever of all of this is, and calling it God. 1 Link to comment
knapplc Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 You label you however you want to label you. I'm not putting any label on you, I'm defining the theology we're discussing. Link to comment
JJ Husker Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Edit: To the post below, of course! Even in the best possible scenario in defense of the Bible, where it is God's perfect, inspired, inerrant, incorruptible Word, the best it can ever hope to be is a simple metaphorical understanding of the natural forces that created and sustain the Universe as experienced via a psychosocial model in human brains that naturally emerges from innate biases, which we happen to call God. So the Bible can be anything anyone perceives it to be (better, JJ?), and I'm understanding the quote here to mean that God is/can be different in different peoples' brains? Sure, better. I guess the catch in my mind is, aren't we all subject to our perceptions? So yes, the Bible and God can be different in different people's minds. Now, as far as what I believe, I don't think that means God is whatever somebody perceives (or wants) him to be. I think there is one God and he isn't affected by what people may think he is. So, in that regard he is what he is and we're all at varying degrees of being wrong or right about what he is. As an example, I may believe that Jesus died for my sins and that the Christian's way to heaven is rooted in that belief. The Bible states that no one may come to the father except through him. But I also happen to believe that there must also be other ways to salvation because my logic tells me that not everyone is exposed to this message and surely God wouldn't hold that against them. So I fall back on my belief that God will do the right and just thing in all cases. This is a perfect example of believing what is in the Bible while at the same not believing it absolutely applies to everyone in all situations. I refuse to believe Christianity is the only right way and all others are wrong.....but I'm Christian and I have no trouble accepting that is the right way for me or other Christians. I realize it may seem contradictory or confusing but I have no trouble with it at all. Link to comment
Moiraine Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 The Bible can be anything anyone perceives it to be. God can be anything anyone perceives it to be. This is not Christian theology. I don't think that's quite it. God is God. The words used to describe God (and his thoughts) were translated, written and combined by man and we read them using a man made language. It's highly unlikely to me that any two people interpret them exactly the same way, even if all of the writing in them came into the authors' minds from God. Even two pastors in the same denomination might disagree on things. But the importance of those things isn't such that one of them will go to hell. Link to comment
knapplc Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 The Bible can be anything anyone perceives it to be. God can be anything anyone perceives it to be. This is not Christian theology. I don't think that's quite it. God is God. The words used to describe God were translated, written and combined by man and we read them using a man made language. It's highly unlikely to me that any two people interpret them exactly the same way, even if all of the writing in them came into the authors' minds from God. Even two pastors in the same denomination might disagree on things. But the importance of those things isn't such that one of them will go to hell. I have always believed, based on Biblical theology, that god is god. But apparently some believe that is not the case. Link to comment
Landlord Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Like I've said before - I know plenty of individual Christians and Christian traditions that adhere to either the entirety or plenty of elements of the things I hold to be true. I'm not sure who has the authority to decide what is or isn't Christian, but I know the debate about what is or isn't has existed since Pentecost. I'm entirely disinterested in defining something as Christian or non-Christian. I'd much rather have conversations about loving God and loving your neighbor. I'd much rather have conversations about how we're all either the prodigal son or the son who stayed home. I'd much rather have conversations about what we are doing to the least of these. Christianity is the tradition and vehicle in which I've fallen and which I come from. It's the means by which I try to understand this mystery I call God. Jesus' entire ministry centered around the idea of people like me, people like the Pharisee, people like Rome, leaving room at the table to break bread with those who are hungry; with the Samaritan, with the leper, with the tax collector, and in a modern context, or at least in my context, for the "non-Christian". Link to comment
Landlord Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 I have always believed, based on Biblical theology, that god is god. But apparently some believe that is not the case. You asked me to make a distinction between talking about God or talking about people's perceptions of God. I made the distinction that I was talking about people's perceptions. Now, you're claiming that I was actually talking about God? Link to comment
Moiraine Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 The Bible can be anything anyone perceives it to be. God can be anything anyone perceives it to be. This is not Christian theology. I don't think that's quite it. God is God. The words used to describe God were translated, written and combined by man and we read them using a man made language. It's highly unlikely to me that any two people interpret them exactly the same way, even if all of the writing in them came into the authors' minds from God. Even two pastors in the same denomination might disagree on things. But the importance of those things isn't such that one of them will go to hell. I have always believed, based on Biblical theology, that god is god. But apparently some believe that is not the case. Who are these "some" ? God is God. But we all have different interpretations of what God is. Link to comment
RedDenver Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 I am completely blameless, innocent, and wholly without fault.haha 1 Link to comment
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