What can we know (or think we know) about the nature of God? A correlative question would necessarily be (in light of my foregoing discussion) Can we accept the following hypothesis: "God is immutable, human comprehension of the nature of God is not"?This is how I ended my last post over 2 weeks ago. I can't say I've given it a lot of thought in that time. I had hoped for some comment, but none was forthcoming. So, I'll answer my second question. Yes, I accept the hypothesis that God does not change, but human comprehension of the nature of God does, indeed, change.
Once we looked around, and we connected with a divine reality, we figured there must be many of them to explain the forces about us....
Then we began to allow that understanding to coalesce into the understanding that there was but one divine reality that explained all of them... But we weren't yet ready to comprehend our own natures sufficiently, nor were we able to fathom something that was not essentially a grander us, namely we anthropomorphized our understanding of God... and the concept of the old man with flowing robes and a beard was born!
And on this old man, we placed our own faults and failings, while trying to declare him to be without faults and failings... so we contrived this concept of the angry God, wreaking vengeance and violence on the world on our behalf.
Our comprehension of the Divine paradigm changed, mutated to accept oneness. In time, some came to see that the divine paradigm was changing once again... this time to embrace a loving Divinity. And this space and my time are too finite to delve into the entire evolution of humanity's understanding of the Divine.
So, what can we know (or think we know) of the nature of God?
I'll throw out one or two things that I am comfortable in saying I know.
First, I'm comfortable with the notion/understanding that the Divine is ultimately responsible for the coming in to being of all creation... hence I'm comfortable in saying that this Divine Other CREATED all things. The method, however, of this creation is at this time incomprehensible.
Second, I'm comfortable with the notion that God is limited by God's own Will. In other words, while God is not limited by external laws of nature or other forces imposed upon the Divine, God has chosen to impose upon God's self, limitations.
So, thirdly, I can say I'm comfortable with the concept that God is Love, and the source of all Love.
Now, it's your turn. Can you add to this list?
I agree that God does not change. BUT, my definition of that "god" has changed. In my youth, God was all powerful, forgiving and damning in the same sentance. He punishes for infractions and sins... The God of fear was something that was pounded into my brain and soul for years.
ReplyDeleteAs I grew up, God became something of a father figure. Someone who listened and forgave. I had to find my conception of God. I found that my "interpretation" of God had changed.
Coming into my own - religiously - as a gay Man, I had to find my god again. Through the Grey Nuns here in Montreal, I have realized who my God is. And it works for me. It may not be who you see or beleive in, but HE is all that Is in my religious observance.
We were forced as Gay men to find a God that worked for us, in order to have some religious belief, at least I did.
I agree with your points of who you see God is, at the end of your post. I see him that way as well. Today for me, God is not going to damn me to hell for being Gay or for doing my best.
dealing with my own mortality in the fact that I was going to die, I had to make peace with this God of my understanding. And I did.
There is, for me, one divine presence in my life. a Higher power, a God, a father. He is up there controlling the show, so to speak. Creator and giver of life.
I do have that "elder father" in flowing robes as the Grey Nuns see him in the painting "The Heavenly Father." it is amazing.
My personal conception of God has changed over the years, yet, God divinity and "placement" has not changed.
Many people say they speak for God when they judge and condemn. My answer to that is this, Unless you have had a direct communication from God himself either by 1-800 number or direct voice message, don't tell me what God says! Until He comes to me directly and says "Stop" I will keep on keeping on in my faith life as I have done for so many years.
How is that for an answer?
Jeremy
Wanderer !!