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Author Topic: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god  (Read 19290 times)

Barry Hufker

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #30 on: April 17, 2008, 11:27:53 PM »

Mankind does indeed create god in its own image.  That's why there are so many "gods".  The ultimate form of that is when people say there is no God and that they themselves are the supreme being in their lives.

I don't say this to offend anyone.  If I've done so I'm truly sorry.  But I say this as it is the logical extension of that saying "Man creates god in his own image".  Ultimately then, Man is his own god.  Personally, I don't want to be my own god.  I wouldn't trust myself with good judgment even as far as I could throw myself.
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Hallams

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #31 on: April 17, 2008, 11:28:12 PM »

maxim wrote on Fri, 18 April 2008 11:38

dog thinks therefore it is..


........I consume, therefore i am, i don't think.
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Chris Hallam.
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mgod

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #32 on: April 18, 2008, 01:57:47 AM »

Barry Hufker wrote on Thu, 17 April 2008 20:27

I don't say this to offend anyone.  If I've done so I'm truly sorry.

You see why I like this guy?

The "that" referred to was the idea that god said he created mankind in his own image. I don't buy it. If we want to plumb the depths of what "image" might mean we might have a conversation here. But it sure don't mean looks. What it means is that in order to grasp the infinite, ineffable and truly unnameable, we reduce the window through which we try to look at it to human scale, to an image WE can manage.

But Jimi can (will?) probably provide us with a take on what man in the image of god might mean from a more mystical perpsective. The literal take helps not at all.

DS

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Barry Hufker

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #33 on: April 18, 2008, 11:41:32 AM »

If I understand you correctly, I would agree Mankind is not the exact image of God because, as I understand you to say, humans need an image they can see and grasp.  I totally accept that.  But even a pale image imbued with the same attributes as God (goodness, mercy, love,etc.) is enough of an "image" for me.

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mgod

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #34 on: April 18, 2008, 12:16:11 PM »

For me, the whole idea of image involves light, photons, light particles and waves etc. I begin there.

For some, Jesus represents the intermediating consciousness between the genuinely inconceivable oneness and the human. For others its Krishna, god in human form. Yogananda promoted the idea of a personal god in order to be able to come to terms with it. There is an idea that when pure spirit speaks to the human mind it has to use concepts, words and images which are already in that mind.

Of course, Richard Dawkins would tell us something else entirely. He was very funny on Bill Maher this past week.

DS
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studiojimi

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #35 on: April 18, 2008, 01:17:09 PM »

Lets get something straight here.

God created man in his image LIKENESS.

you guys leave that out for some reason

likeness....

to me that means SPIRIT

God is a spirit

We have a spirit

because we are ONE with HIM.

and HE needs us.

he doesn't have hands and feet and arms as a spirit but with our oneness we can do HIS good work

amen?
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CAZADOR RECORDING
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when kindred live together in unity!
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MagnetoSound

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #36 on: April 18, 2008, 01:55:51 PM »

studiojimi wrote on Fri, 18 April 2008 18:17

Lets get something straight here.

God created man in his image LIKENESS.

you guys leave that out for some reason

likeness....

to me that means SPIRIT





So, 'spirit' and 'image' mean the same thing?

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studiojimi

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #37 on: April 18, 2008, 02:15:08 PM »

MagnetoSound wrote on Fri, 18 April 2008 10:55

studiojimi wrote on Fri, 18 April 2008 18:17

Lets get something straight here.

God created man in his image LIKENESS.

you guys leave that out for some reason

likeness....

to me that means SPIRIT





So, 'spirit' and 'image' mean the same thing?




in the context of which i was speaking

YOU are made of the fabric (spirit) of Creative Intelligence

i think you are intelligent enough to understand this aren't you?

why waste valuable time and posting space on useless banter

tell us how YOU feel bro!
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CAZADOR RECORDING
STUDIOJIMI'S PSW SONG FORUM
MY MYSPACE
How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity!
Psalm 133:1

Barry Hufker

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #38 on: April 18, 2008, 02:35:18 PM »

From the New International Version:

Genesis 1:26
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
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mgod

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #39 on: April 18, 2008, 03:10:36 PM »

But:

Who is this US? Plural?

And are we imagining a bunch of human looking gods standing around? Is that what's meant by image?

DS
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Barry Hufker

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #40 on: April 18, 2008, 03:30:22 PM »

The "US" is God -- three persons in one God, Father, Son, Holy Spirit.  The Lord God is one God.  You know that one.  But he is three persons in One God.

The verse says "And God said..." I don't see how the conclusion is drawn that there are three humans standing around.  Nowhere is it said the "images" are identical.  The images just possess charicteristics of God.  This might be similar to a child who is the "spitting image" of his father.  Does that mean they are the same person? No.  Does that mean they look identical? No.  It means they both share characteristics (physical or otherwise) where another person can see a relationship between the two.

I don't believe we should get hung up on this point.  I believe it to be relatively minor.
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PookyNMR

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #41 on: April 18, 2008, 05:02:05 PM »

The Imago Dei is much like Barry described.  It's been the subject of much discussion from theologians ancient and contemporary.

In it's purest form we share much of God's nature and character.  And as his image bearers, we reflect that glorious image to all of creation.

However, due to sin, that image was broken and is now distorted.  Part of our salvation journey is to have the beauty of that image restored.

The Imago Dei has many ramifications for how we treat God, each other and all of creation.  As his image bearers, we are like his ambassadors, his children, to use metaphorical description.


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Nathan Rousu

mgod

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #42 on: April 18, 2008, 05:13:27 PM »

Barry Hufker wrote on Fri, 18 April 2008 12:30


I don't believe we should get hung up on this point.  I believe it to be relatively minor.

I just wondered what you mean when you think of of image in this context. Jimi's explanation makes some logical sense.

DS
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Bill_Urick

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #43 on: April 18, 2008, 06:12:18 PM »

Wonderful thread, guys (and Jessica!) Lot's of thought provoking opinions.

mgod wrote on Thu, 17 April 2008 21:24

Assuming one buys that. Sounds like typical human-centric arrogance to me, devised in a self-serving manner to make brutality as convenient as possible.


I would venture that every species on earth is species-centric and that every member of those species is egocentric to the extent that their level of sentience permits. If one of us ever has the misfortune to killed and eaten by a lion or pack of wolves I don't think that there will me much debate on the lucky predator's part as to the level of brutality of their actions. I firmly believe we are the only species in the history of this planet to have individuals who feel guilty about their position on the food chain. Whether ordained by God or Darwinism, humans are the dominant species on the planet at this time and no amount of hand-wringing or self flagellation is going to change that.

An asteroid of sufficient mass could, however.

Quote:


As in the other thread, I find myself increasingly creeped out by the tendency for folks to lay down absolutes, in a forum in which people of many paths and nations gather. Just sayin', y'know...

BTW, didja know America is the greatest nation in the world? Ever? Absolutely?! How do I know? Well, I live here!

DS


I do think that America is the greatest nation on earth because it is a nation made up of "people of many paths and nations".

Seriously, what's behind this "my species sucks" and "my country sucks" perspective? I would really like to understand.
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Good sense is, of all things among men, the most equally distributed; for everyone thinks himself so abundantly provided with it, that those even who are the most difficult to satisfy in everything else, do not usually desire a larger measure of this quality than they already possess.

studiojimi

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Re: Fascinating explanation of the human need for god
« Reply #44 on: April 18, 2008, 06:39:58 PM »

mgod wrote on Fri, 18 April 2008 12:10

But:

Who is this US? Plural?

And are we imagining a bunch of human looking gods standing around? Is that what's meant by image?

DS



some think and interpret this to be THE Trinity
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CAZADOR RECORDING
STUDIOJIMI'S PSW SONG FORUM
MY MYSPACE
How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity!
Psalm 133:1
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