Why does God have to be a Person??? (page 3)

JamesThomas

Watch the mind (without any mental commentary or interpretation), can you see it weaving a coherent identity? An autobiographical account that could easily be written onto a page?

It seems that religious beliefs (or lack thereof) are often cornerstones of our human identity. Could it simple be the ease of familiarity that motivates anthropomorphic ("person") gods or deities to be incorporated into our patchwork self?

All this, begs the question: who, is watching the mind? and does It, need a god?

j

Valis

One entry found for anthropomorphize. Main Entry: an·thro·po·mor·phize

Pronunciation: -"fIz
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): -phized; -phiz·ing
transitive senses : to attribute human form or personality to
intransitive senses : to attribute human form or personality to things not human
- an·thro·po·mor·phi·za·tion

/ -"mor-f&-'zA-sh&n / noun

LittleToe

In answer to your question, another:

You've obviously not met Him, have you?

Midget-Sasquatch

Well, here's my take from one particular notion of God. Other conceptions can easily discount it. If the ideals of Love, Justice and all thats "Good" are to be manifested in our universe/on our planet, I think it would take a consciousness, God, or God through people, because nature and the universe are themselves amoral.

Gretchen956

Just keep in mind that that biblical image of that angry bearded white male god is only one version of what god looks like. Mine doesn't look like that at all. Perhaps we do project a bit of what we need into the image, but doesn't that help us to connect and communicate? Don't see much harm in that.

Sherry

frankiespeakin

LT,

In answer to your question, another: You've obviously not met Him, have you?

No, have you? And if you did,, let say in a vision perhaps,, would that be proof God is a person??

Gretch,

Perhaps we do project a bit of what we need into the image, but doesn't that help us to connect and communicate? Don't see much harm in that.

Me neither,, I'm just showing that "God as a person" is purely an assumption with no solid basis.

LittleToe

Are you a person?

Dang, I hope so, else you've just bust some of my preconceptions for good...

Narkissos

Our Jewish/Christian/Muslim concept of "God" is tributary of two distinct things:

(1) The evolution of the originally male god Baal-Yhwh of Canaanite/Israelite mythology which successively became "the supreme god" (= El, some Psalms for instance) --> "the only god to worship" (Deuteronomy) --> "the only true god" (Second Isaiah) --> "God".

(2) The (really neutral) philosophical abstraction of "deity" as the nature of all gods and goddesses of mythology. This is obvious from the interchangeable expressions ho theos (masculine) or to theion (neuter) in philosophers such as Plato, but perhaps also in the articulate expression ha-'elohim in late Biblical Hebrew (e.g. Qoheleth).

Theology has one foot on mythology and the other on philosophy (rather than in Jerusalem and Athens, for both components are really found in both places). For this reason I feel "God," even as a metaphor, has to be personal and impersonal. It's a complex and limited concept that cannot be free of cultural predefinitions. We cannot use it like an unknown "x" -- although creative theology always pretends to do so, but it doesn't work.

BrendaCloutier

Well spoken, erm written, Narkissos.

However, it still Personifies "God".

The God of my understanding (He She It They) is beyond personification and more of an It... or god-entity. A being or entity beyond personification, and beyond earthling comprehension.

I believe this is why Jesus-being was sent. As a spirit-being (not entity) he needed to learn what it was like to be human in order to become our mentor and mediator. No, I do not believe Jesus is God, but I do believe he is God's emissary or ambassador, and thereby has all of God's authority when it comes to the earth.

For me this is the closest thing to god personification.

The interesting thing is, this is a belief I have come to on my own over 20 years. I have a friend who is deep into MasterPath (Enkankar knockoff) and confirms my belief. Except that Jesus has incarnated many times on this earth to lead the people. He is currently incarnate in some Shri Gary dude. Sorry, not about to go there... too "I am the true guru" cultish for my taste. I doubt he'd take me into training with no money, nor any prospects of money.

BTW G.U.R.U. really means Gee, U R U!

proplog2

God has to be a person for the same reason we give names to our cars and boats. Our brains grew large from interaction with other humans. Our brains are adapted to social functions. That's what we do best. So anything we become "intimate" with suddenly is perceived as a person.

That's why narrative is more persuasive than logic.

Why does God have to be a Person???

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