You're making a lot of unrelated statements. I asked what your claim that we are a means to an end was supposed to mean. What is it about your belief that God is spirit have to do with our physical existence? Sounds like you are just assigning arbitrary definitions of reality with nothing to justify your definitions.
I am not attempting to speak for Ding, only making an observation. God is spirit. As such, why didn't he just create mankind in the form of spirit only? Why did God give us a physical existence to experience before we entered into a spirit existence?

Genesis hints that as God is pure love and goodness, a material existence gives us, His children, an opportunity to choose love and goodness over other qualities. It appears that some of the angels felt that an existence in the sole presence of love and goodness was somewhat lacking.

At least that is a coherent theory. Even if you accept that a God does exist, there are still a lot of unknowns, and you can't just start spouting crap because it popped into your head, like Ding is doing.
It’s not a good look on you to be an asshole all of the time.

And I regularly lose sleep worrying about if you think I'm an asshole.
Nor should you.

You’ve suffered enough already.
 
God is not pure spirit, when the Son of God became man, he took on a fleshy body.
 
You're making a lot of unrelated statements. I asked what your claim that we are a means to an end was supposed to mean. What is it about your belief that God is spirit have to do with our physical existence? Sounds like you are just assigning arbitrary definitions of reality with nothing to justify your definitions.
I am not attempting to speak for Ding, only making an observation. God is spirit. As such, why didn't he just create mankind in the form of spirit only? Why did God give us a physical existence to experience before we entered into a spirit existence?

Genesis hints that as God is pure love and goodness, a material existence gives us, His children, an opportunity to choose love and goodness over other qualities. It appears that some of the angels felt that an existence in the sole presence of love and goodness was somewhat lacking.
..the fact is---all you and ding are doing is speculating/guessing/etc
 
..the fact is---all you and ding are doing is speculating/guessing/etc
Absolutely! The same as everyone, including you. The reasoning you see from me is based on Biblical accounts, other human experiences, and my own experiences. It is my perspective, one that I am sharing here. I am asking no one to agree with it, because then the conversation ends. On a discussion board, good discussions happen when I share and continue with you share.
 
If God willed us into existence then our existence is contingent upon God and if God is beyond material such that the closest we can come to describing his nature is spirit, then our material existence in and of itself is not the end but a means to an end.
.
If God willed us into existence then our existence is contingent upon God and if God is beyond material such that the closest we can come to describing his nature is spirit, then our material existence in and of itself is not the end but a means to an end.

that would necessarily be so were there before the Almighty something for their existence as well however the meaning changes for why that dependence is relevant. from antiquity, triumph over evil is what is required for a freed spirit to acquire admission to the Everlasting - that may be all there will be for a relationship with the creator or in actuality creators responsible for our existence.
 
If God willed us into existence then our existence is contingent upon God and if God is beyond material such that the closest we can come to describing his nature is spirit, then our material existence in and of itself is not the end but a means to an end.
.
If God willed us into existence then our existence is contingent upon God and if God is beyond material such that the closest we can come to describing his nature is spirit, then our material existence in and of itself is not the end but a means to an end.

that would necessarily be so were there before the Almighty something for their existence as well however the meaning changes for why that dependence is relevant. from antiquity, triumph over evil is what is required for a freed spirit to acquire admission to the Everlasting - that may be all there will be for a relationship with the creator or in actuality creators responsible for our existence.
Catholics believe that Faith is man's response to God, who reveals himself and gives himself to man, at the same time bringing man a superabundant light as he searches for the ultimate meaning of his life.

Catholics believe that desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find truth and happiness.

Catholics believe that The dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is called to communion with God. This invitation to converse with God is addressed to man as soon as he comes into being. For if man exists it is because God has created him through love, and through love continues to hold him in existence. He cannot live fully according to truth unless he freely acknowledges that love and entrusts himself to his creator. Throughout history down to the present day, men have given expression to their quest for God in their religious beliefs and behavior: in their prayers, sacrifices, rituals, meditations, and so forth. These forms of religious expression, despite the ambiguities they often bring with them, are so universal that one may well call man a religious being
 
God is not spirit.
Spirit is a creation.
God is not definable by His creation.
God is beyond anything we can imagine.
The closest I can come to describing God is consciousness without form. Spirit seems to be an apt analogy.

Not to mention your own religious texts mention the spirit of God.
 
1. The Spirit participated in creation (Gen. 1:2; Job 26:13; Is. 32:15).

2. The Spirit gives life to humanity and the other creatures (Ps. 104:29, 30). It is interesting that when Genesis says God endows people with life by breathing into their nostrils the “breath of life” (Gen. 2:7), the word for “breath” is the same word translated elsewhere as “spirit.”

3. The Spirit strives with sinners (Gen. 6:3), which is perhaps related to His work in convicting people of sin (John 16:8–11).

4. The Spirit came upon certain judges, warriors, and prophets in a way that gave them extraordinary power: for example, Joshua (Num. 27:18), Othniel (Judg. 3:10), Gideon (6:34), Samson (13:25; 14:6), and Saul (1 Sam. 10:9, 10). However, the Spirit later departed from Saul because of his disobedience (16:14).

5. The Spirit played a prominent role in the long span of Old Testament prophecy. David declared that “the Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue” (2 Sam. 23:2). Likewise, Ezekiel reported that “the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me” (Ezek. 2:2).

6. The Spirit inspired holiness in Old Testament believers (Ps. 143:10). And Scripture promised that someday God would put His Spirit in His people in a way that would cause them to live according to His statutes (Ezek. 36:27).

7. “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him” (Is. 11:2), inspiring God’s Chosen One with wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, fear of the Lord, righteousness, and faithfulness.
 
God is not spirit.
Spirit is a creation.
God is not definable by His creation.
God is beyond anything we can imagine.
The closest I can come to describing God is consciousness without form. Spirit seems to be an apt analogy.

Not to mention your own religious texts mention the spirit of God.
Tanach describes manifestations of God, not God.
 
that would necessarily be so were there before the Almighty something for their existence as well however the meaning changes for why that dependence is relevant. from antiquity, triumph over evil is what is required for a freed spirit to acquire admission to the Everlasting - that may be all there will be for a relationship with the creator or in actuality creators responsible for our existence.

Catholics believe that Faith is man's response to God, who reveals himself and gives himself to man, at the same time bringing man a superabundant light as he searches for the ultimate meaning of his life.


do you ever respond to the content of a post -

how is revealing theirself ... a matter of faith, is that how robbing a bank is not a crime. no matter the outcome. for a make believe (catholic) version.

christians have nothing to search, bing you make no sense at all.
 
that would necessarily be so were there before the Almighty something for their existence as well however the meaning changes for why that dependence is relevant. from antiquity, triumph over evil is what is required for a freed spirit to acquire admission to the Everlasting - that may be all there will be for a relationship with the creator or in actuality creators responsible for our existence.

Catholics believe that Faith is man's response to God, who reveals himself and gives himself to man, at the same time bringing man a superabundant light as he searches for the ultimate meaning of his life.


do you ever respond to the content of a post -

how is revealing theirself ... a matter of faith, is that how robbing a bank is not a crime. no matter the outcome. for a make believe (catholic) version.

christians have nothing to search, bing you make no sense at all.
I did respond to your comment. Did you not understand the response?

We are called into a relationship with God.

Now do you understand?
 
th


Drugs, sex, and rock & roll???

*****CHUCKLE*****



:)
 
The problem that I see in this topic is, in my opinion, the verse of the book of John saying "God is spirit" which causes confusion.

It can be that John was drunk that day and was babbling around or, that the Greek dude who translated his writings into Greek language, he messed up.

By no means God is spirit.

The whole bible -with the exception of the verse of John- says the spirit comes from God.

In this biblical writings, the requirement in this kind of issues must require at least of tho witness. One witness is not enough, and the verse of John is lonely, without any other verse backing it up.

The essence of God must be something different than spirit, because spirit is what God uses, God sends.
 
God is not spirit.
Spirit is a creation.
God is not definable by His creation.
God is beyond anything we can imagine.
The closest I can come to describing God is consciousness without form. Spirit seems to be an apt analogy.

Not to mention your own religious texts mention the spirit of God.
Tanach describes manifestations of God, not God.
As in spirits?

Or were they human?
God is neither, so what’s the difference.
When God drowns the Egyptians, He is described as a “Man of war”...
Is God a “Man of war”, or is that episode a manifestation of God through the eyes of man?
 
God is not spirit.
Spirit is a creation.
God is not definable by His creation.
God is beyond anything we can imagine.
The closest I can come to describing God is consciousness without form. Spirit seems to be an apt analogy.

Not to mention your own religious texts mention the spirit of God.
Tanach describes manifestations of God, not God.
As in spirits?

Or were they human?
God is neither, so what’s the difference.
When God drowns the Egyptians, He is described as a “Man of war”...
Is God a “Man of war”, or is that episode a manifestation of God through the eyes of man?
God is beyond anything we can comprehend. So is spirit. It seems like an apt way to describe consciousness without form.

To answer your question it was man’s perception. So yes, it was a manifestation of God through the eyes of man.
 
God is not spirit.
Spirit is a creation.
God is not definable by His creation.
God is beyond anything we can imagine.
The closest I can come to describing God is consciousness without form. Spirit seems to be an apt analogy.

Not to mention your own religious texts mention the spirit of God.
Tanach describes manifestations of God, not God.
As in spirits?

Or were they human?
God is neither, so what’s the difference.
When God drowns the Egyptians, He is described as a “Man of war”...
Is God a “Man of war”, or is that episode a manifestation of God through the eyes of man?
God is beyond anything we can comprehend. So is spirit. It seems like an apt way to describe consciousness without form.

To answer your question it was man’s perception. So yes, it was a manifestation of God through the eyes of man.
Spirit is a creation.
The essence of God has no relation to any creation.
 

Forum List

Back
Top