Question to Christians

I'm curious about the christian belief of 'God', I know not all christians see god as a figgure in human form, but those who do... why?

I can understand the viewpoint (to some extent) about God being a connection between all life. But God as a single figgure with 1 face which people 'should' pray to... For me, it contradicts itself. It only personifies the arrogance of man.

Someone please explain the backing behind this idea because from the explanations I've had currently it seems it can only lead to more harm than good, it gives rights for dictatorship and conflict.

 

I am a Christian but I cannot answer. I believe in an incorporeal God.

 

How can you say that as a Christian?
Surely the belief is that God incarnated as a man, Jesus? So God is incorporeal and yet 'corporeal' at the same time.

 

Well God in an of itself is incorporeal in my understanding, however, (at least one) persons of the Trinity are corporeal...I am unsure about the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Accutally, I am pretty sure the Holy Spirit does not have a body.

 

I agree with your last point -
It seems to me that it might be something like this - God has no body, but to make Himself known to us, He comes in a human body as Christ. In the old adage "He becomes as we are that we may become as He is".
But some would say that God's incarnation is the central mystery of Christianity, hence my earlier question.

 

I can understand that viewpoint of christianity and am agnostic towards it, but their are a lot of other christians who portray a human form.

Do you see god as something/one who forms opinions, judges people, forgives people and set gudlines for behaviour?

 

This verse explains it... 1 Colassians 1:15

"He (Christ) is the image of the invisible God..."

 

The wind is invisible as well... yet you can still see its effects... look at a tree sometime : )

 

You forgot Gravity

 

ahh even better thanks! : )

 

Thanks for the reply but it doesn't make any progress with my question, I'm already aware of this point of view for God but I have questions about:

Why do so many people believe in the image of God and doesn't the image of a Man just show the arrogance of humans?

Is god one conciousness? Did he set guidlines for humans? Is praying a part of these guidlines?

 

It's harder to control people for your own benefit if the guidlines aren't cryptic enough to be bent for your own needs

Maybe belief is that Christianity needs to be 'figgured out' to prove a persons worth.

 

I don't follow you.. ? :S

 

The Bible will not give us every single answer on earth... therefore there are parts that are up for debate... However, the more you study the Bible the less confusion there is. Again the Bible is a field guide for life but does not have all the answers, but has the one answer that will solve all life's problem's:

Do not worry about this life, for this life is only test with two possible grades-heaven or hell-and the only correct answer is to be born again spiritually. And Jesus was very clear on that.

 

Oh right, no I'm not trying to find God, I'm trying to understand other peoples perspectives to broaden my mind. I've established my beliefs quite strongly.

 

People can find meaning in any text if they want to enough, it doesn't mean the meaning was intended by the writer. History has proven that people believe what is easiest for them to believe if it makes them feel comfortable.

The bible to me seems more like a book of gossip in most of it's parts and without clear meaning, something so cryptic is not designed for humans to use as a teacher as it _will_ get mistranslated from the original teachings. How can you put faith into something that can so easily be corrupted?

Then you turn faith to the church instead? Well every person in the church will have impure thoughts, every person will have been tempted or biased in their views/actions from their memories. Even if their are people who aren't impure in their teachings the majority voice will always be passed on, history has also proved this.

Christianity is fading out of life and for a good reason, the original teachings are not the ones that are advertised today.

I'm not saying nobody has a good view on christianity at all, I'm certain their will be semi-enlightened individuals who understand what christianity means, but any belief they have can easily be argued against by proclaiming them ignorant. How can the religion possibly have a future?

 

TommyT: People can find meaning in any text if they want to enough, it doesn't mean the meaning was intended by the writer. History has proven that people believe what is easiest for them to believe if it makes them feel comfortable.

-That is why it is important to use Bible hermaneutics... in other words look at the original meaning before interpretating.

The Bible to me seems more like a book of gossip in most of it's parts and without clear meaning, something so cryptic is not designed for humans to use as a teacher as it _will_ get mistranslated from the original teachings. How can you put faith into something that can so easily be corrupted?

-In this world everything is easily corrupted, you have to rely on God to show you the correct way. Especially when it comes to the Bible. To many times have I seen these clergy and theologians that think they have it all known because they went to seminary and learned from another guy... which that guy learned from another guy... and so on. Relying on men will lead you to a dead end. Ask God for truth in the Bible and He will.

Then you turn faith to the church instead? Well every person in the church will have impure thoughts, every person will have been tempted or biased in their views/actions from their memories. Even if their are people who aren't impure in their teachings the majority voice will always be passed on, history has also proved this.

-Never rely on the church for faith. Men fail themselves and if you rely on them they will fail you as well.

Christianity is fading out of life and for a good reason, the original teachings are not the ones that are advertised today.

-Yet Jesus stated, "though heaven and earth will pass away, MY WORDS will never pass away" and here we are 2000 years later and this "crazy" Jewish carpenter's prediction hold's true. The Bible also states:

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.


I'm not saying nobody has a good view on christianity at all, I'm certain their will be semi-enlightened individuals who understand what christianity means, but any belief they have can easily be argued against by proclaiming them ignorant. How can the religion possibly have a future?

It peaked a long time ago... it is on the decline now and most of the "Christians" see to day are not the true christians according to the Bible. Jesus stated: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." If you were to go into the American church today and were able to examine people's hearts, I am sure you would be very suprised on how many people trully have Jesus in their hearts.

Jesus said it right when He stated:

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

 

Yeah, over the past little while I am being more and more drawn into the mystery surrounding God's incarnation as Jesus and his life on earth (for example, what is the meaning of the Transfiguration. Is it literal as writtten in the gospels, or is it figurative...for example, Moses and Elijah appearing beside him. Did they really show up, or is it figurative for some sort of knowledge and teachings that Jesus gave to his 3 disciples)

It is my (very limited) understanding that when "God" is often painted in the Christian context, it would be better to say that it is an icon of the Father, but that again depends on if you believe in a incorporeal of corporeal God what those icons mean to you.

not sure what you mean by your last questions...maybe PM me so we don't clutter your thread.

 

OMG THERE'S A MAGICAL MAN UP IN THE CLOUDS!

 

Not only is he in the clouds, but he is in your tongue.