Zone1 What are Your Deepest Confusions About God?

[ding]

jesus taught all are equal -

were your idea the case they would have had to destroy everything else all living beings to take claim for everything in existence made for themself and live forever in lonely solitude ... the desert worships tyranny over justice.

Your posts are getting more and more incoherent.

 

[ding]

Add to that there are some 3000 religions on this rock who have been the single most obfuscating self serving arrogant sources of confusion

~S~

So the world would have been better without them?

 

[ding]

Everybody knows we hatched from a cosmic egg.

From a cosmic chicken?

 

[rightwinger]

What's nothing else than stupid nonsense. You can climb Mount Olympus but you can't leave the universe, not even in your thoughts.

Mt Olympus exists
Heaven is made up

 

[Dragonlady]

How so? They are demonstrably two very different beings.

How do know what they are given that you have never seen either of them? Faith requires the belief in things not seen. You cannot credibly say they are very demonstrably different because no such demonstration is possible.

That statement is imbecilic at best.

 

[the watcher]

Do you really need a god or a Pope or a mullah to tell you to act like you had some fucking sense? If you do, and the market is such that you can shop around and get the best deal, then probably you should answer "yes".

 

[Meriweather]

How do know what they are given that you have never seen either of them? Faith requires the belief in things not seen. You cannot credibly say they are very demonstrably different because no such demonstration is possible.

Compare what is written about Zeus in Greek mythology and about God in the Bible. From what is written, it can be seen they are two very different beings. Salvation for humans, or calling humans to love one another (or even himself) was never a part of his story. His story is about maintaining his own power, his own desires--and he pretty much ignores humans except for the few times they can be used to further his own powers/desires among the gods.

The Bible teaches God is One, no other like him, that he alone is the almighty. God cares about humanity, about redeeming them and opening up the Way of Salvation. God fights for us, not for himself. He calls us to love one another. He calls people to put Him first. Zeus never cared if people put him first or not--nor called for them to do so.

Faith requires belief based on reason and logic. And, by reason and logic, I have shown Zeus and God to be two different beings.

 

[Dragonlady]

Compare what is written about Zeus in Greek mythology and about God in the Bible. From what is written, it can be seen they are two very different beings. Salvation for humans, or calling humans to love one another (or even himself) was never a part of his story. His story is about maintaining his own power, his own desires--and he pretty much ignores humans except for the few times they can be used to further his own powers/desires among the gods.

The Bible teaches God is One, no other like him, that he alone is the almighty. God cares about humanity, about redeeming them and opening up the Way of Salvation. God fights for us, not for himself. He calls us to love one another. He calls people to put Him first. Zeus never cared if people put him first or not--nor called for them to do so.

Faith requires belief based on reason and logic. And, by reason and logic, I have shown Zeus and God to be two different beings.

You’ve regurgitated what you’ve been told. No more. No less. You keep basing your assumptions on the belief that what you are told is true and valid.

Since we have way to confirm any of it true, we have to go on “faith”.

Faith requires the suspension of reason and logic. You seem incapable of comprehending this.

 

[JohnDB]

Psalms 66:18

If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;

 

[Meriweather]

Do you really need a god or a Pope or a mullah to tell you to act like you had some fucking sense? If you do, and the market is such that you can shop around and get the best deal, then probably you should answer "yes".

You raise an interesting thought. I haven't done the research, but I have searched my memory, and offhand, I can't think of a Bible verse or passage that call humans to act with common sense. The Bible calls for us to know, to love, to serve God, and to love each other as we love ourselves. It calls for us to forgive, and keep forgiving.

The purpose of the Catholic Church is to teach people--not common sense--but of God's plan and God in our midst. It is to teach love of God and love of neighbor. The purpose of the Pope is to keep the Church united through differences.

 

[Meriweather]

Faith requires the suspension of reason and logic. You seem incapable of comprehending this.

I attended Catholic school. St. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas were great teachers of this (not the only ones, but the great ones), which is why Catholic teaching does focus on faith through reasoning and logic and why we are called to have faith based on truth and logic/reasoning. God is truth; God reasons--and we are called to know God. Faith can call for us to believe in God, but we are also called to know God--and that takes truth and logic/reasoning.

 

[Meriweather]

Heaven is made up

Not only do people of faith disagree with your statement, so did the ancient Egyptians. They even went so far as to practice near death rites to support their teachings. They also noted the death and rebirth cycle that occurs in nature each year.

 

[sparky]

So the world would have been better without them?

you tell me ding

~S~

 

[Meriweather]

Add to that there are some 3000 religions on this rock who have been the single most obfuscating self serving arrogant sources of confusion

Only if you try to follow three thousand religions. That would be as comical as trying to follow three thousand governments. First seek God. Otherwise, it is like putting the cart before the horse.

 

[rightwinger]

Not only do people of faith disagree with your statement, so did the ancient Egyptians. They even went so far as to practice near death rites to support their teachings. They also noted the death and rebirth cycle that occurs in nature each year.

There is no proof there is a Heaven

 

[Meriweather]

I've never been confused by the doctrine of the Trinity because I don't believe in it, but upon reading about it I did find it to be confusing that others would believe in it since it is not in the Bible or any revealed scripture that I am aware of. The part that is extremely confusing is when it is taught that the Father and the Son are the same being and yet separate and distinct persons. Apparently this concept was devised in the post apostolic era a good time after the apostles and Christ were no longer leading the church.

Trinity is all through scripture. God's Spirit hovering over...God's Word being born into the world...God as Creator. Jesus statement of I AM; of being one with the Father (Creator). All this is the power and being of One God. Three persons, one God. The etymology of the word 'person' comes from 'persona' often used in plays where one individual played two or more roles. One actor...two or three personas or persons. Christians see the power of God acting in three ways: First, as Father/Creator. Second, the power of the Word. Third, as Spirit blowing where it wills always through Creator and Word.

LDS, of course, sees it differently. LDS teaches three people (individuals) (or Gods) make up the Godhead.

 

[sparky]

Only if you try to follow three thousand religions. That would be as comical as trying to follow three thousand governments. First seek God. Otherwise, it is like putting the cart before the horse.

So how would you propose to go about seeking God Merri?

~S~

 

[Meriweather]

There is no proof there is a Heaven

Here we go, running away to hide in "Scientism" the religion where only the physical exists. Scientism provides comforting boundaries where one doesn't have to explore the non-physical. One can stay landlocked, with no need to be a pioneer exploring the outside physical realms of spiritualism, philosophies, even ideas.

 

[Meriweather]

So how would you propose to go about seeking God Merri?

It was toddler determination for me. I didn't learn until years later that Jesus said seek God and the Kingdom of God as a child would. As a child (through Little Golden Books) I learned that God came down and talked to people like Noah, Abraham, and Moses. I told God if He could come down and talk to people back then, He could come down and talk to me, too. I graciously conceded I might have to grow up first, as the above three had been old men. Still, I was constantly on the alert, looking just in case God would come and talk to me when I was just a kid.

There is a great lesson in Kings where Elijah was seeking God. He was seeking God in great events...and discovered God in a tiny whisper. Seek God in small things. And don't expect it to happen in the foreseeable future. God's actions don't take place in the blink of an eye. Start with asking, and patiently await while staying alert, being open.

I might be getting ahead of the game now, but one thing I wanted after my own experience was to learn more about the experiences of others. I grew up, became an adult--and then started Bible Study which was a long, often confusing journey. Is there a faith that somewhat holds your attention? You might begin a study of that faith. This is an extremely cautious suggestion, and if it doesn't hit you right, go with your gut feeling and ignore it. Remember, my background is Catholicism, a path that has proved helpful to me--but apparently horrendous to others. However, if you feel a tug of interest in gaining a better understanding of the Bible (and perhaps God)--and have a half-hour to spare each day, Google "Bible in a Year". It launched several years ago, so it's fairly recent.
Buddhists, Hindus, and any number of other religions and faiths may have something similar.

Anyway, start with seeking God through tiny events, tiny things, the small things in your own life. This is not a long journey into far away or exotic places. It's a journey through your own day and the events in your own life. God will find a way--and so will you. Patience is a must. (Or, it was for me. )

 

[Meriweather]

If this God wants to be worshipped he has make an appearance.

What holds priority in your own life? What else do you put aside for this priority?

Worship is that which one gives first place in their lives.

It's not an order. God invites us to give Him/His ways first place in our lives.

What fascinates you? It was easy for me, because at a very early age, I was fascinated by God. I gave Him a lot of time (well, as much time as possible with any squirrelly child, but the interest, fascination was there. The other advantage of a child-like fascination is that one is too young to have developed prejudices about God--or anything else for that matter.

Anyway, an appearance gives one no choice--the mountain is there. God seems to work by invitation. When it becomes a priority within someone, the invitation is open.