I think that based on the wide disparity and non-continuity of the data about God(s), it might be said we lack the ability to even effectively convey what God is, much less understand the entire premise. This, IMO, is as it was intended.
Nope, and that's how God made us. We are but children compared to His levels of knowledge and understanding. Throughout our lives, we have the potential to learn, study, grow intellectually, become enlightened, etc., but the discipline, effort, devotion and sacrifesacrifice necessary to achieve it escapes us due to all of our other distractions. ~
This post was edited by Randy D at May 4, 2018 10:27 AM MDT
(Comma after the second instance if "God" and after the word "so".)
God instilled free will in humans, meaning that for one thing, He does not force anyone to serve Him, He merely presents the choice to serve Him or not to serve Him. If anyone believes that there are no distractions that cause a barrier between humans and God, all one needs to do is consider how much he or she focused thoughts and actions on God during any 24-hour period and how much in other things. Modern life explodes with distractions. ~
When supernatural forces were assumed to be cause of all the events of nature next step was to develop the concept of gods in the image of man, woman or beast as the 'persons' in control of these forces. Eventually the idea of having only one Almighty Creator God -male gender preferred- instead of multiple gods came as an inspirational thought to someone then they also changed God in the image of man to man created in the image of God. Illustrating God as a man is just a hanger-on from the ancient times of pagan gods I guess. It's hard to illustrate a spirit kind of thing.
This post was edited by Kittigate at May 5, 2018 12:06 AM MDT
Maybe, but in my egalitarian conservative Jewish congregation, we use only gender-neutral references - often substituting "God" for "father" or "him" as appears in our prayer books.
The Word of God is a purifying agency. Our mind is full of seeds sown before conversion. If you water it now, those seeds will sprout. You must pluck up these weeds. Otherwise, our mind can become strong to resist God. The devil himself was once an angel. He had a powerful mind. So he gets hold of a backslider. www.
This post was edited by Beans/SilentGeneration at May 4, 2018 10:36 PM MDT
I would think if we were created in the image of God then shouldn't understanding His spiritual nature come naturally so no person should ever even have the capacity to doubt His existence?
Methink the biological link is through the pineal gland. The ancients knew a great deal about it. They called it the third eye before we found out it was made up of cells similar to cells we actually see by. Amazing! Part of the scheme against the image of God is to cut us off from him by the toxification of our environment. We used to see visions through prayer and we still can but not as naturally. Many experience the spiritual world today but through chemical and artificial stimuli that opens you up to demonic forces. All this to say God's chosen know him just as he knows us.
This post was edited by O-uknow at May 4, 2018 11:55 PM MDT
I googled 'pineal gland' the third eye; the mystery gland.. enables one to make conscious connect to the infinite depths of the subconscious. Very interesting. Seems worth doing a bit of serious research. Thank-you!
Don't dabble in it too much. It is to be opened by The Most High himself when he speaks to you NOT by chemical witchcraft and heathen RELIGION.
This post was edited by O-uknow at May 6, 2018 12:13 PM MDT
All right. So perhaps it was via the pineal gland that the bible prophets were enabled to achieve visions of future events thus enabled to make their prophecies.
Then also anecdotal stories you occasionally hear about like the man driving along the highway during the night with his young son and the boy suddenly pleads with dad "PLEASE STOP THE CAR!". So dad does and just as coming to a stop there is a huge tree lying across the road in front of them spotted in the headlights: the third eye. Or about a momma fox moving her babies from the den in a riverbank to higher ground a day or so before the river floods and destroys the den and contents.
This post was edited by Kittigate at May 6, 2018 12:46 PM MDT
Within us is the infinite depths of our subconscious where we could become aware of what we perceive as His spiritual presence but a perception does not necessarily prove that a God exists. I don't think a supernatural force is required for one to be spiritual.
The human brain is suitably designed and constructed to understand all that God would have us understand about His nature and our relationship to Him. The human mind is an engineering marvel devised by the mind of God. There are, however, mysteries that are kept by God of which we need not be concerned. His infinite supernatural character cannot all be grasped by our finite abilities. I have faith in what I both know and in that which I cannot possibly conceive.
Randy D 