Interesting article about God

I am with Viva. Invisible friend is not a complimentary term. It reeks of childhood invisible friends and the jokes that endure about this. I also am not thrilled when I read people talking disrectfully about the Garden of Eden. I may not believe the story as handed down but to belittle beliefs is not attractive. It is the belief not the speicific issue that is important. The rest can be metaphors so people could understand concepts that are hard to define. The concept of good and evil is pretty much found in many religions, certainly all that use even parts of the OT.

While we talk about having a friend in Jesus, and describe God as a loving and friendly Being we are not describing our bff. We are describing a deity. To me it is similar to calling a tree a bunch of water and chlorophyll with wood. True but not complete.

While you may see religions based on a one God principle as something you don't believe in or wish to endorse in any other way, you came to this thread that is about God as a Rabbi understands him. He has had multiple years and the scholars before him centuries of thought and study. I would rather discuss his views and not focus on an individual POV.

I did not realize an individual's POV was not what threads were about. There seems to be others posting their own individual POV (such as the rabbi) and those POV are welcomed, so your opinion that my POV is less worthy or less logical than his, makes no sense to me.

I did discuss his POV, many times, too, not just my own.

I can understand why some religious people do not like to think of gods as an invisible friend, yet, it is true. I'd call it an invisible diety, but, i do not believe in deities, and tewdles herself says she views her god as a "friend", and, in fact, so far as i know, tewdles can not directly see her friend there, so, it is, in fact, an invisible friend.

If that brings to mind things you feel are illogical, that is worth discussing, if you want to discuss things that seem childish or illogical from your POV.

In your 'tree' analogy, you are breaking down an item into parts, and listing the parts, as if that is what i did. Nope, i took tewdle's own words, and added the word "invisible". Which is true. The choice to feel insulted that i pointed out gods are invisible, that IS a choice you can make to feel umbrage over that, but, maybe not a rational choice to make.

Btw, the bible has 3 gods, not one. I know, i know, christians say "OH, it's just 3 parts of one god", but, each of the 3 biblegods has it's own name, it's own distinct personality, and the 3 parts talk about each other as separate entities, can be simultaneously present as two entities,

and even talk TO each other.

It is debatable if there is really only one god in that book. Seems like 3 gods to me. but, whatever.

The number of gods in the bible, are not my main concern with that book.

I do not see where i have been rude. I have a different point of view. That is not the same thing as being rude. I also do not see questioning the morality of a god in a book or an article, the same thing as criticizing a member of AN. so far as i know, the gods of the bible are not members of AN.

I do not necessarily agree, that ideas all have to match, to be seen as "respectful" discussion.

I think questioning bible stories is a healthy thing to do, wish more people did, really. I did not realize, when you publicly posted this topic for discussion, that only those who agreed that whether or not the comets hit the earth

said anything about the gods plans or feelings about humans

would be welcomed.

I was seven when we went to a revival. I'd heard about them but being Catholic it wasn't our way of worship. We were also aware that most were only for White people.

But that summer day my uncle took me, his oldest son, one other cousin, and one sister and a man who worked for hip way out on a highway to a revival.

Just last year my cousin told me it was Oral Roberts. Seems he preached against racisim and segregation. I never knew until last June.

The highlight to me was singing. This song really affected me. They sang a verse not in this version. it went:

We wonder why it's a test when we try and do our best.

We'll Understand it Better By and By.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkhJLcwRfms

PS: I loved the music on Hee Haw. Much of the rest i didn't like.

haven't listened to this song yet,

but, i tend to love music!! even religious music!!

Yes, i am very familiar with the concept, "we'll understand later" as a way to dismiss very rational questions. It is a popular response, imo. It might be hard to locate even one christian, who has not heard that concept. "if you don't understand, you will understand later."

i have much to say about if that is a good answer, or how they know this,

but, it would not match most people's ideas, and thus,

could be seen as rude, to even suggest this is just a way to suppress critical thinking skills, or questioning and the use of logic. We have to agree, or the one who doesn't, could be seen as rude.

Edited Feb 17, 2013 by somenurse

The believers of Jesus Christ "see" Him and His work with "spritual eyes". So to us, He is not "invisible".

I for one, am not offended by those who do not share my faith or by the words they use relative to faith...

Love is not easily offended.

I also believe in love!!

It is a choice to feel sunsets, and any "good" stuff, as signs of a god. It is not the same thing as seeing an actual god. The god is still invisible.

also, i appreciate that you don't take umbrage over a 'word'. I rather think, if one replies to point out where i am flawed in my idea or logic, or can explain to me where i got something wrong in a point i was making,

is more rational response than to feel indignant over having someone point out that the god they speak of as their "friend",

is, in fact, invisible.

I for one, am not offended by those who do not share my faith or by the words they use relative to faith...

Love is not easily offended.

i feel this way too.

i have to agree with jean marie on this one.

i have always told my therapist that my very first cognizant encounter with God, was when i was around 3 yrs old...

and likened it to that "invisible friend" that many toddlers play with.

difference being, this "invisible friend" never left my side.

furthermore, surely God knows our hearts and isn't going to be offended by being referred to this term...

so if He wouldn't be offended, why would anyone else have the right to feel judgmental?

if you truly, truly-from-your-core, love your God and it is an unshakeable love and faith, then why would others beliefs affect you?

if anything, it is "contemptuous" to judge another because they do not believe as you do.

jm said nothing offensive yet some chose to be offended?

why?

not understanding.

please *enlighten* me again.

leslie

Guess I am wrong. I took offense and see none was intended. Consider me enlightened.

wow, thank you, this never happens to me. It takes a big person to say that. In your defense, after decades of having similar discussions with others about gods, it is almost 100% guaranteed, the person does feel insulted if another doesn't agree about gods. Is nothing wrong with you at all, it is very common thing.

we atheists get disagreed with, most every time we open our mouths, ha ha! Be glad you are not an atheist!

Guess I am wrong. I took offense and see none was intended. Consider me enlightened.

aky, for the record, i am NOT judging you.

your feelings are yours, and you have every right to feel as you do...

just as i do, as jm does...as everyone does.

so no, you weren't wrong.

it is what it is.

all of us can choose to accept it or reject it.

but none of us truly have a right to condemn someone else for believing otherwise.

that's all i am saying.

(and i am trusting you know me well enough that i speak from my heart.)

leslie