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What does the word 'God' mean to you?
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Wesley S Date: 15 Jan 01 - 06:02 PM This is a HUGE topic. Here are a few scattered ideas. We are supposed to be created in Gods image but instead we recreate God in our own image. What we see in our own hearts is what we imagine God to be like. I have a hard time thinking that an all powerful God would love us enough to create us and then turn around and want to punish us for all eternity in a lake of fire. Thats human - not God-like. The death of a 6 day old baby is not Gods will. It is Gods will however that there be people on the earth that go to extraordinary means and methods to save that babys life. Those are the "healers". Not the guys with poofy hair and cable network programs. Some of Jesus's biggest fans scare me to death. I don't think He was sent here to die for us. I would rather believe that He came here as a teacher - to show us how to live. But he got on the wrong side of the politicians of that era and was executed. Just like He would be today. I think a lot of Christ's biggest fans miss the point. You don't become a Christian by reading the Bible. I read Louis Lamour and that doesn't make me a cowboy. And you don't become Christian by going to church. I think you become Christian by ACTING in a Christ-like manner. And that can take a lifetime. Some of the best "Christians" have never heard of Him. And all of the WWJD jewelery that you see ?? What would Jesus do?? He'd take all the profits from that stuff and give it to the poor. Isn't it amazing that we max out our credit cards and spend all of our money to celibrate the birth of a man that never had any personal possessions and lived his life in poverty ? I believe in God - just not the God that I was taught about by the nuns. He might not fit the description that most people have of Him but I like Him. I'll be interested to see if I'm right. You're welcome to disagree with me but I don't need to be "saved". There are much better ways to use your energy. This is the perfect post for me to end with those words "in my humble opinion". Thanks. |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: GUEST,God Date: 15 Jan 01 - 06:18 PM My son was sent to change the political process of Judaea.
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: CarolC Date: 15 Jan 01 - 06:31 PM Hi Wesley S, You make a lot of very interesting points. One of the things that I think is pretty special about this particular thread is that nobody seems to be trying to "save" anyone else. It's just a mellow sort of discussion about what that particular word means to each of us. Pretty cool, huh? Best wishes, Carol |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief Date: 15 Jan 01 - 06:50 PM Oh ye brood of vipers! Ye den of thieves! Ye recalcitrant generation of hotheaded fornicating transvestite houseplants! Repent for the end is yea verily nigh! The Lord will come and rend ye into tiny little pieces not fit for the trodding under of the feet of swine and drywall installation crews! If the salt hath lost its saltiness, will it not be flushed down the toilet of doom? This evil fate awaits you if you don't copy this to 50 of your closest friends and send a dollar to the person at the top of the list! Oh wait. Wrong thread. This was meant for the "chain letter" thread. Sorry about that. Alex |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: kendall Date: 15 Jan 01 - 07:12 PM I saw starving children, and I screamed at God. Then, I realized that those starving children was God, screaming at me. |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Haruo Date: 15 Jan 01 - 07:21 PM little john cameron: was bernhardt czechorslovak? (sic) Alex, how about the Athanasian Creed? That's the one I find really amusing (and would find really irritating if I were required to believe it). And speaking of science fiction, Arthur C. Clarke's story The Nine Billion Names of God is good, too. A bit less concise than the Brown one, and less clear in its finality. I think. Liland |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Little Hawk Date: 15 Jan 01 - 07:33 PM Geez, Alex, I thought you had just mutated into Jehovah! Scary, Scary! Thank God I was mistaken! :-D Wesley - GREAT POST! Bravo! Sorcha - you postulated the theory of a "God" as someone who's "in charge" of everything. But...if God's in charge, then where does that leave free will? I would suggest that God is the process itself (and the source of the process), rather than a being separate from the process and in charge of it. So, rather than being separate from his/her/its creations, God is part and parcel of each one of them...which is why we have free will. Free will is God's creative use of each conscious situation, through each conscious individual, in a totally unique fashion in every case...which is why, in a sense, we are all God/Goddess...expressing itself. Ummm...that's just my opinion, of course... Pretty cool, eh? In this scenario there are, ultimately, no bad guys...although they might seem bad from someone else's point of view...and they certainly might unleash destructive effects on others, for sure, in their misguided use of free will. No question of that. It happens frequently. Still, I find most people behave reasonably well under most circumstances...except when DRIVING!!! :-D Then they turn into maniacs. What's the hurry, is what I want to know? They must think it's a competitive game or something... As for Jesus and Buddha being God's delegates...yes, you could indeed say that. But we actually are ALL God's delegates. Jesus and Buddha were just WAY better at it than most of us are, so they became spiritual teachers for whoever was willing first to listen, and then to follow their example. To worship them is to miss the point. They did not come to be worshipped, but to set an example of good conduct for others to learn from. Jesus was able to forgive even the most awful things people did to him...because he had a clear overview of life, and saw that we are all sons and daughters of the divine, all of great value, all of equal importance. Gandhi had a similar overview. I think that Martin Luther King did as well. More power to them. Each one of them is an inspiration to me. - LH p.s. in that previous posting way up there I meant to say "heat and cold", not "head and cold". Sheesh! Gotta blow my node. |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: little john cameron Date: 15 Jan 01 - 08:36 PM LILAND, austrian. ljc |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Butch Date: 15 Jan 01 - 09:15 PM God- that which is greater that that which can be concieved. God IS that which exists to a greater degree than can be concieved.
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: GUEST,God Date: 15 Jan 01 - 09:25 PM Huh? |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Date: 15 Jan 01 - 09:39 PM Mark me up on the board with Bill D as far a sexplaining anything HERE................ I am what you believe I am...... (most interesting thought in the Bible) Spaw |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: wysiwyg Date: 15 Jan 01 - 10:28 PM Spaw, sexplains? ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Haruo Date: 15 Jan 01 - 10:52 PM A sexplaining is Freudian jargon for as explaining, Susan. Leastways that's how I took it. Liland |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Amos Date: 15 Jan 01 - 10:59 PM God? We've got one over by the stove, here at DUH (United Dyslexics Anonymous). Scritches a lot, but he's awful friendly.... A. |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Tinker Date: 15 Jan 01 - 11:16 PM ...Be still and know that I AM.... and sometimes when I'm lost in a song, or up to my elbows in the garden,or in the middle of joyful play, I can get out of my own way enough to connect and be... only a glimpse. ... and anyone who feels comfortable definitively defining the infinite sets off blinking red lights for me... This thread has left the boundries unwoven...Great fun Tinker |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: wysiwyg Date: 15 Jan 01 - 11:21 PM Amos. Get back to work. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Haruo Date: 15 Jan 01 - 11:46 PM But praise, he's in a meeting. Don't tell him to get back to work, he might prelase. All that stress. (•: The Esperanto Bible has "cedu" [yield, give up] where the English has "be still" there, Tinker. As in the song. Incidentally, anybody know the secular name of the tune, or other lyrics? Liland |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: dwditty Date: 16 Jan 01 - 01:09 AM Hey Spaw, you're starting to sound like the Mock Turtle in Alice in Wonderland. "Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise."' |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Joe Offer Date: 16 Jan 01 - 02:49 AM Well, I'm a believer, and I suppose much of what I believe and much of what everybody else believes is wrong - but God doesn't seem to mind. God is a higher reality that we all keep reaching for, but can't quite touch. If we keep reaching, that's what makes it all worthwhile. Every once in a while, we do get a glimpse of what it's all about. Of course, a lot of people have decided they know all the answers, and then they stop reaching - that's when they get into trouble. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Wesley S Date: 16 Jan 01 - 11:36 AM Something I meant to add last night : I think the concept of "God" is more than we can understand. I'm reminded of the 7 blind men that try to describe an elephant. One says an enephant is like a wall because he is touching the elephants side. Another says an elephant is like a rope because he is feeling the elephants tail, ect. We humans can only describe God by what we come in contact with but the reality is much larger and beyond our comprehension. I believe in heaven but I don't believe in hell. |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Date: 16 Jan 01 - 11:45 AM Evidently I'm the guy with my arm up the elephant's ass................. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief Date: 16 Jan 01 - 11:58 AM The Athanasian creed is a little over-the-top. The product (not of Athanasius, of course) of somebody who wants to define God within an iota of his/her/its life. In general the Orthodox only define things when somebody asks (here "ask" must be taken very metaphorically), and then only reluctantly. Spaw, your ability to find things in the Bible that aren't really there is admirable. Alex |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: annamill Date: 16 Jan 01 - 12:30 PM I love the teachings of Christ and I try to live by them. If someone steals something from me, my first thought is usually "Wow! That person must be in bad shape and really needs whatever it was he stole". You see, I can always get another, but maybe he can't even get one. I'm talking about simple stealing now. I have different ideas about killing. I feel very bad for the dead and their families, but I also feel bad for the killer. What circumstances causes a human to take the life of another when life is so precious. It must have been an overpowering pain he was going through. I believe human beings are social creatures and in need of each other. When we are misused by someone, I think it can make you a lopsided thinker. But I don't believe there is some higher power. Just us. I don't deride others believing. Whatever make you feel good, or do good, is ok with me. I just don't seem to need it. Love, annamill |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: katlaughing Date: 16 Jan 01 - 12:46 PM Annamill, the Hopi believe pretty much the same about people who kill. They believe they have become off center and need big time medicine, so will sing a "Blessing Way" for that person to help them get back on track. kat |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Date: 16 Jan 01 - 12:46 PM Actually MT, its not me but from Dr. James Holloway, PhD. philosophy, D.D. who wrote extensively on the various translations of Isaih and the various meanings attributed to YHWH (Yahweh). He had several theories from sources well researched that the word meant more than the commonly attributed "He brings into being whatever comes into being" and that the idea of a supreme being was suggested in the mind through the word. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief Date: 16 Jan 01 - 12:52 PM Golly, I never heard "He brings into being whatever comes into being" attributed; Perhaps I am uncommon? I thought it meant "He that is." But I only had 2 years of Biblical Hebrew. Maybe translating the tetragtrammaton comes in year 3? Of course people with a lot of letters after their names are constantly finding new interpretations of the same old words. It's their job. Better them than me. Alex |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Date: 16 Jan 01 - 01:01 PM Take it easy there MT.......I'm with you on the letters stuff. Holloway was just an interesting cat and presented a lot of challenges to standard thinking on any number of topics. He had 5 post grad degrees but drove a '51 Chevy pickup and had about the same respect for the grad degrees that you of I might. He also spent a good bit of time figuring how close things actually came to bringing reincarnation in as a tenet of the faith a thousand years ago. But for all the digging, he was still an average guy you passed on the street. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: katlaughing Date: 16 Jan 01 - 01:02 PM Sorry, I should have said the Navajo have a Blessing Way. here is some info for those who are interested: Blessing Way central ritual of a complex system of ceremonies performed by the Navajo to restore equilibrium to the cosmos. Of the many rituals classified by the Navajo according to their purpose, the largest group is the Chant Ways, which are concerned with curing and are divided into three groups. The first group are the Holy Way chants--including the Blessing Way, parts of which are found throughout most of the rituals, and the Wind Ways--all of which are used to cure diseases that can be traced to some violation by humans of the supernatural provinces of the Holy People, or supernatural beings. These rituals are further classified into Peaceful Ways, which invoke the beneficence of the Holy People, and Injury Ways, which are primarily exorcistic. A second subdivision is that of the Ghost Way, or Evil Way, chants--the best known being the Upward-Reaching-Way--that are practiced for exorcism and the curing of illnesses caused by ghosts and witches. A third subdivision is the Life Ways, which are concerned with healing accidental injuries--the most notable being the Flint Way. In addition to the Chant Ways, other prominent groups are concerned with success in war (the Enemy Ways) and hunting (the Game Ways), but these groups have mostly become obsolete. Set apart from all these specifically oriented ways is the Blessing Way, a comparatively short (taking only two days to perform) and simple ritual. Performed for the general well-being of the community, rather than for specific curative purposes, it contains none of the typical features of curing rituals (e.g., sand paintings, prayer sticks, medicine songs, and herbs). To invoke good fortune--such as during childbirth, in blessing a new hogan (home), and in a girl's puberty ceremony--the traditional Navajo family would have the Blessing Way sung at least twice a year. Parts of the Blessing Way are incorporated into almost all other Chant Ways. The story of the Blessing Way contains various details of the mythical events that occurred after the legendary emergence of the Navajo from the earth at creation. These events provide the prototypes for the organization of the cosmos, important Navajo ceremonials, and their central cultural institutions. |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief Date: 16 Jan 01 - 01:05 PM Could be, Spaw. I'm not upset or anything. I just take all these revisionists with a case of salt. Interestingly, the LXX translates YWHW as 'o wn -- the existing one. Indicating probably that this was how it was thought of in Alexandria in the 3rd century BCE. Alex |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Date: 16 Jan 01 - 01:05 PM ...and sorry MT, I also should have said that the word is simply the first word in a word grouping that translates as I stated. Too many years, but I think the whole thing is something like (excuse spelling here): Yahweh seir ye(i?)weh. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: LR Mole Date: 16 Jan 01 - 01:05 PM God, for me is something I call,"Oh, I am SO lost," and at other times, "How lovely!" But when I call it, "Let me help," or just laugh, I know I'm closer than I was. Circles, you know... |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Kim C Date: 16 Jan 01 - 03:42 PM I am with Wesley except that I do believe in hell because I am a believer in yin and yang, the balance of the universe, Newton's law, whatever you want to call it. I know there are a lot of people who don't believe in hell, and you know what? That's okay by me. I believe God is that great power of the Universe that we could tap into and live like kings and queens but so many are unwilling to do so, for whatever reason... |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Wesley S Date: 16 Jan 01 - 03:56 PM Kim - I agree about the ying and yang but what if Heaven is the ying and THIS world is the yang?? Hmmmmmm....... |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: SeanM Date: 16 Jan 01 - 04:03 PM I really like a quote that's mildly OT for this... but here goes... "Hell is only there for those who believe in it... and the lowest rung must be reserved for those who believe they'll be sent there if they don't believe in it. Heaven is only there for those who deserve it... and the highest rung must be reserved for those who don't believe they deserve it" I'm not entirely behind the quote, but there's a kernel of something sage in there somewhere... M |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: GUEST,Blind deasert pete Date: 16 Jan 01 - 05:38 PM I do surely get sick of gandi worship. His name was mohandas, not mahatma, he drank piss, slept with little girls, and had he been dealing with nazis instead of brits no one would have ever heard of him. |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Kim C Date: 16 Jan 01 - 05:40 PM Wesley, I have often wondered that myself. :) |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief Date: 16 Jan 01 - 05:46 PM Well, we made it this far without the nasties raising their ugly heads; we were pushing our luck.
Then leaf subsides to leaf Alex |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Haruo Date: 16 Jan 01 - 06:07 PM Spaw & Alex, I think the phrase you're arguing about is not the Tetragrammaton, but, as Spaw you later corrected yourself, the name the YHWH that spoke to Moshe from the burning bush. Moses said, essentially, "What's your name? If you want me to be your spokesman you'd better tell me who to tell people I'm spokesing for." And the Being in the Bush replied, "[Hebrew consonants]", which (depending on the vowels supplied, the context, and the taste of the interpreter) is usually translated "I AM that I am", but can be rendered "I will be what I will be", "I will do what I will do", and lots of variations and expansions thereon. It's early in Exodus if anybody wants to look it up, probably about chapter 3. Liland |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Date: 16 Jan 01 - 06:08 PM Hey Wes and Kim..........What if its the other way around? Spaw |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief Date: 16 Jan 01 - 06:17 PM I'll stand on my belief that Moses would never say anything like "spokesing." Spaw, if it's the other way around, we're in a world of hurt! Alex |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: CarolC Date: 16 Jan 01 - 06:45 PM Re: Mohandas Ghandi. The more I learn about him, the less inclined I am to put him up on any kind of moral pedestal. Actually, I don't think it's very kind to put people up on moral pedestals anyway. But, he was a man of his times and of his culture. However, he did make some pretty significant contributions to the world. We learned a lot about the power of passive resistance through his activities. I think that's a really huge thing to have contributed to the world. Carol |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Date: 16 Jan 01 - 06:49 PM Yeah, I'd agree with that Alex....and this is already too often a world of "hurt." Spaw |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief Date: 16 Jan 01 - 06:50 PM Amen, Spaw. |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Haruo Date: 16 Jan 01 - 07:29 PM Amen to all three of you, Spaw, Carol, Alex. Actually, Spaw, Moshe didn't say "spokesing"; I snuck that in to see if I could get away with it. Liland |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Little Hawk Date: 16 Jan 01 - 08:14 PM Had Gandhi been dealing with someone other than the Brits, he would probably have dealt with them differently. He wasn't stupid. He did amazing things in India which will not be forgotten, and thus deserves to be remembered. As for drinking urine, that is done by a lot of Eastern adepts. Strange to the western mind, but it reputedly has certain health benefits. We do strange things here too, which horrify people in some other cultures. So? Who really cares? - LH |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Lox Date: 17 Jan 01 - 01:12 AM Actually, Ghandi did exactly the same things in South Africa. lox PS "where 2 or more people gather in my name, I am with them" (I don't know if it's true or not, but it's another nice thought) |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Penny S. Date: 18 Jan 01 - 05:42 PM I had a post half written, but was called away for a practical instead of theory test. So I'll dump that one, and go back to Eeyore. Miserable and pessimistic, but think of the birthday presents. Pooh has eaten his, and Piglet has burst his, but Eeyore sends them away happy by finding the empty honey pot ideal for putting things in, and the balloon ideal for putting in it. How negative is that? Penny |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Paul G. Date: 18 Jan 01 - 07:05 PM Get hold of the song "God Is In" by Billy Jonas...God Is In, Goddess In, God is Zen, God is Sin, Got Us In...very cool tune that covers all the bases. |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Little Hawk Date: 19 Jan 01 - 11:53 AM This has been a good thread. It has almost reached 100, and a lot of good postings on it. Spaw - YOU'RE the guy with his hand up the elephant's ass??? Well, I should have guessed that, I suppose. BTW, not only is God "whatever you think he is"...so is everything else! Yowsa! - LH |
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Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: little john cameron Date: 19 Jan 01 - 12:11 PM Are we gettin ony nearer the answer?? ljc |
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