GOD!!! The finite topic for an infinite being

[Venger]

So what is he? What does he look like? is he really omni-potent/scient/powerful? Is he really the creator of all life in the universe?

Of course, all the following post are completely the poster's opinion, so don't none of you ankle biters go and get your selves offended over something silly, ya hear? But do be serious, and of course mature about it, being sure to uphold all forum rules in a topic as thus. But have at it. Talk about God.

First off, and something inspired (stolen) from Veck is the question of: What do you think God looks like?

For me, it was always something between Zeus, in the more traditional sense of the Christian depiction of God (bright white light, long flowing beard, and white robes) but this is what I grew up with, so it naturally sticks with me. But beyond that, a dwarf or some scrappy little kid at around the age of 14-ish. Dunno why. But it is hard for me to imagine the "creator of the universe" as anything other than a simple kid having fun with his toys, much like one us would with our legos.

[AddictedtoMorrowind]

I thought he always looked like a white man with a white flowing beard and white all over. I imagine that he has the powers of, you know, God. Turning water into wine, stuff like that(how can you change the molecular structure of a liquid?).

[VirtualWeasel]

I believe it does not have gender, does not appear as a bearded man in the sky, but is just simply... The heartbeat of life.
The song of birds.
The beauty of a rose.
The cleverness of a human.

[AddictedtoMorrowind]

Maybe no physical form at all? Like a spirit hovering in the air?

[ZeRoc]

I thought he always looked like a white man with a white flowing beard and white all over. I imagine that he has the powers of, you know, God. Turning water into wine, stuff like that(how can you change the molecular structure of a liquid?).

You can change the molecular structure when you made the structure.
Further more, I believe that god looks like how you see in the pictures, brown hair, beard, etc. (except that most of the pictures are of Jesus, but religions differ as to whether or not they are the same or not, in my case they are not the same being.) But I'm not certain of the form that he would take when he (I'm getting into my religion here) comes to earth, or when we see him in heaven.

[Venger]

So God, as you see him Weasel, isn't a corporeal being, as far as we understand it, but rather all life around us? That gives a whole new perspective in seeing God around doesn't it/ Interesting philosophy.

And I don't know. Technically speaking you may be right, God does have an actual gender, but coming from the Bible, he is ALWAYS referred to as the Father, which is stipulated as being a male. And besides, if God was a female, we'd all be dead, cuz you know how females are.

[ZeRoc]

And besides, if God was a female, we'd all be dead, cuz you know how females are.

That gives me something to ponder. (jk)
In my religion, it is rarely mentioned in sunday school, but there is actually a Heavenly Mother to go along with the Heavenly Father. but that's my religion and opinions may differ.

Spoiler:

I know I'm pushing the "I'm a Mormon but not a preachy one" a bit, but this topic calls for it.

I'm not sure if I should further discuss my opinion on his appearance, as it would be a perfect being, and there is no easy way to describe perfect unless you know what it looks like. (which I don't)

[Venger]

I have often heard of wives to Gods in mythology, Hera to Zeus, Persephone to Hades, etc., but never in any modern religion. Care to elaborate? Not saying it is the absolute proof or doctrine of all things God, but the Bible, or the KJV least ways, never makes even the slightest illusion to God having a wife.

[Spiney]

I'm an atheist.

Most of this comes from the fact that no one can represent God's appearance in any basic form. This puts him on the same level as an imaginary friend.

[Eltee]

Well.
I don't think that God is an old man in white in the sky, for starters. I think that my own belief lies closer to VW's philosophy, that God is omniscient and exists in everything, everywhere, and in everyone, and not from some cloudy throne in the sky.

[Wolfie]

I belive God dose have a form what form is that? any he wants, it stands to reasson he is not bound by our rules if he did in fact make us.

If he wants to be a dragon who is going to stop him?

I also think that God is a "male" in the sense that he used that to conecnt to use bacj when we had men as the "head of the house"

if God turned out to be a female would the pepole have folloewd God?


I think God exist evrey where but can manifest him self

[ZeRoc]

I'm sure that there is a slight allusion somewhere, just not sure where, but then it might also be in my religions book, so not everything I may say others will agree. I'm unsure as to whether or not it ever directly states that there is a mother in the Bible, but then I haven't studied the Bible very much. Simply put, we were created in God's image, and in order to create women that kind of implies that there is a mother with the father.

Spoiler:

my religions book= Book of Mormon, just incase that needed clarifying.

I'm not entirely sure if I envision him in a cloudy throne, but I don't feel like going too far into my religion here. I'm also fairly certain not everyone wants to hear it, I'm also not sure if I can interpret it correctly.

[Eltee]

No judgement here. And, to be frank, I am interested.

[Wolfie]

I believe no one religion is 100% right, just because most have simulates and a bit deferent things to so
I belive in a "God" but I would not put my faith in the human race to keep an acurate acount of God
so I belive none are dead on the money

[ZeRoc]

While I agree with Wolfie's statement, to an extent, with it being accurate that it is nigh on impossible for one religion to keep all the records straight, well... the BofM was, from my religions standpoint, was taken up to heaven for 1700 or so years, and was redelivered on Earth with no alterations. and for LtGt (I hope this doesn't count as advertising.) there is a site to answer some of the basic questions about my religion. http://mormon.org/faq/#Eternal+Life|que ... fe-belief/ which summarizes it pretty well. (I'm not here to play missionary though, so I'm probably going to try to stay out of this for now.)

[Eltee]

Nah, don't worry. Not gonna be any converts made today. Religion is nevertheless an interesting topic.

[ZeRoc]

Indeed it is a very interesting topic, when I get to college I will take religion classes just to learn about others, as I believe in tolerance and understanding of others beliefs. (free agency and all that)
I feel that this is going more religious than the thread was intended... (sorry if it is going of topic Venger)

[Dan-Ru]

I also think of God as the white beardy man with white robe and all that, possibly due to several run ins with Simpson Episodes in the past.

Personally i am athiest too, but if any gods were to exist it would be Greek gods, dunno why, just makes more sense. Anyway, most people know what the Greek Gods look like, and i won't bore you will pages of descriptions for each.

[ZeRoc]

Ah yes, the Simpsons interpretation of God, with Jesus on his left and Colonel Sanders on his right.
I agree that the Greek gods are interesting to study, (they also make a really great movie... go Hercules!)

[Dan-Ru]

I agree that the Greek gods are interesting to study, (they also make a really great movie... go Hercules!)

Quite so, i've lost count of the hours i've spent scrolling through the masses of those pages. Norse Mythology is actually quite interesting too i burnt a few hours in there too.

[Dark Lord Cam]

I believe it does not have gender, does not appear as a bearded man in the sky, but is just simply... The heartbeat of life.
The song of birds.
The beauty of a rose.
The cleverness of a human.

[Spiney]

I believe it does not have gender, does not appear as a bearded man in the sky, but is just simply... The heartbeat of life.
The song of birds.
The beauty of a rose.
The cleverness of a human.

Eh, that to me is like: "I don't know how to describe him realistically, so I'll come up with some philosophical babble to make seems real, yet beyond our tangible realm."

[ZeRoc]

I could bring up a verse in my scriptures, but I once again don't think that there is much of a point in using it. (summary: Faith is in things that are not seen. (/summary) Knowledge is for the things people can prove, like gravity.) But everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

[Velothi]

The interesting part about religion is how they form their holy books, what is "orthodox" and what isn't.

The whole Biblical Apocrypha has gotten my attention, and even some of my favorite of the tales.

Personally? I don't hold to religion, as I don't find evidence of this being of omnipotence that has certain characteristics from one mind to another.

I have often heard of wives to Gods in mythology, Hera to Zeus, Persephone to Hades, etc., but never in any modern religion. Care to elaborate? Not saying it is the absolute proof or doctrine of all things God, but the Bible, or the KJV least ways, never makes even the slightest illusion to God having a wife.

From what has been seen of the Dead Sea Scrolls? No text or story has circulated about god ever having a wife, though we do get to see the Teacher of Righteousness. (Some say its either "Brother" of Jesus, James, or Jesus himself)

Mostly the idea of a wife to an all-powerful god that *created* everything and anything, it has to be single. (Or 'he', as the purpose was intended.)

For it was very heretical to most religions (Islam might be the ex-factor during the Caliphates and now, though it depends from Region to Region) if a women was 'in-charge'.

Why would a female (who is created "from man") be co-creator of the Universe? The concept of 'equality to both sexes' wasn't much thought up when people began to settle down in cities. It all went on about who was the most powerful male.

When the holy book of Christanity and Judaism said "in the beginning Yahweh (to use Jewish terms to clarify Genesis came from Kingdom of Israeli origin as well as Juda) created the...", that was it.

Then again, they couldn't really if they tried. The Bible wasn't formed into 4th century CE and the Jewish Bible some time after.

So no one could point at the book and claim superiority.

EDIT: One could also say since the Pauline Epistles (half of which are basically not even genuine by the whole apologist christain scholarly) are the oldest they most likely came from Roman origin of sorts. And since the Roman Women wasn't highly given, why would the writer of these Epistles care any more than the average Roman?

Matthew-John are mostly around the Romano-Jew War, especially Mark. (As we see the whole "Jerusalem fell when it rejected its savior" is a reference to that war. One can say the writer of Mark sympathized with the Revolutionary Jesus, and connected the Pharisee betrayal to the rejecting of the good radical word)

So, yeah. The only Epistle within Christianity that would give equal-say to women is the Epistle of James.

[Vendetta]

To be honest, I don't think god has a plysical or signature form. We see him as a bearded old man, but because of old artists. I don't think he is physical at all, just there. I don't think he has a gender either.

Real or fake, there is no description of his appearance on the bible, just a voice.