Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Norton
Social climber
the Wastelands
|
|
|
Sep 25, 2012 - 03:21pm PT
|
How do you know god is a "he"?
because some desert shepard two thousand years ago, who was male, wrote that down on parchment, called it coming from god, and hoped it would later be included in a book someone later would call the Bible?
|
|
BLUEBLOCR
Social climber
joshua tree
|
|
|
Sep 25, 2012 - 03:22pm PT
|
For me when I close my eyes and pray I feel the presence of God in and all around me.
Example; you know when you're calling one of your relatives and the phone is ringing. You have a certain feeling come over you about that person and your anticipated Conversation.
Like when I call my uncle Clarence I always feel giddy. Because I know his relaxed sense of humor always brings a smile to my face.
I've learned from praying that it's not all about bringing our needs to His attention; although important! Once when my car broke down and I couldn't get to work. I prayed for a new tundra, well I didn't get one. But that evening my neighbor came by for a visit. And I ended up getting a ride with him for a couple of months. I know he answered my prayer.to get me to work anyways! so I believe he wants us to vocalize our needs, but prayer is our direct line of communication with our Father in heaven. And through prayer He can deal with us individually. Proving that He loves each and every one of us. Once you know Hes working in your life it will humble you too sheer appreciation. Nowadays 75% of my prayers consist of thanking Him for all the goodness in my life, and that His will would be done in my life. Because I know that He knows what I need even before I ask!
God truly loves to answer prayer as long as you acknowledge and praise him for it.
In the name of Jesus that's VERY important!
Jus Pray'in
BB
|
|
JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
|
|
|
Sep 25, 2012 - 03:29pm PT
|
rectorsquid, I think you raise an excellent question.
In my humble opinion, a great many people misunderstand prayer. Prayer is not a cosmic order form, but rather a conversation with God Himself. While I certainly ask Him for help, I also do a lot of silent listening as well as confession, adoration and thanksgiving.
As Miss J points out, there's nothing wrong with asking for what we (think we) want, as long as we understand that if he says "no," or "not yet" it doesn't mean that prayer is ineffectual.
To me, the difference between my prayer time and all the rest of the time is like the difference between being with someone at a sporting event in an arena with 100,000 other fans, and being alone with that person and some very good food and drink. I hear better when no one else is talking, and I understand better (and therefore ask better) when I've gotten to know the person by concentration on him or her. Same with God. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit's voice is so urgent that I cannot help but hear Him, but often there is so much "noise" in my life that His voice gets lost in my mind. The latter situation is why I need to pray.
John
|
|
JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
|
|
|
Sep 25, 2012 - 03:35pm PT
|
Norton,
In Hebrew, God has a pronoun unique to God, and different from he or she. In Greek, lacking that pronoun, convention made it He. That being said, Jesus referred to my "father," not my "father and mother," and to the Holy Spirit as a "he," (at least as translated in the Gospels -- again written in Greek), not a "she," "he and she" or an "it."
Since God created "man" (i.e. humanity) in God's own image, both male and female, this always suggested to me that God was more than what God would be if limited by gender.
Then again, while I'm on creation, there's always Sheridan Anderson's old character Washoe Ike, who said, "God created man. Then God created woman. Consequently, man created alcohol."
John
|
|
BLUEBLOCR
Social climber
joshua tree
|
|
|
Sep 25, 2012 - 03:43pm PT
|
John,
TRUE DAT!
BB
|
|
Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
|
|
|
Sep 25, 2012 - 04:04pm PT
|
There are times when I pray. I pray when people near and dear to me are struggling. I think this is the way it works for me:
I only pray if I am able to focus well on the prayer and the person I am praying for. During the prayer I get a strong feeling of being connected - maybe this is only once more to say that I am focused. Then after the prayer I always feel relief, maybe catharsis is a word that can be used. There's a trivial purity and beauty to it. I seldom pray. I'm mostly atheist and no agnostic.
|
|
Norton
Social climber
the Wastelands
|
|
|
Sep 25, 2012 - 04:15pm PT
|
JohnE said:
Since God created "man" (i.e. humanity) in God's own image, both male and female, t
John, a couple of questions if you would
since you said it above, do you "really" believe that god looks like a modern man does?
about six feet tall, two legs, two arms, a heart and lungs, etc?
I guess you do
second question, do you personally believe in the literal translation of the bible as being fully the word of god, including all of its tales of Genesis and Creationism, god ordering humans to enslave, rape, and murder each other, human evolution as bunk?
If not the above literal, than why would you believe that god has a human image?
how or why did you cherry pick that part of the bible to say is true, and the other "bad" parts not?
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
|
Sep 25, 2012 - 04:17pm PT
|
Marlow, Socrates would like that, maybe. Can't speak for him. I know I like it. Gos bless. I'll be thinking of you at Facelift.
And Fresno John, let me thank you for the explication of gender in Scripture. The Greeks have left us many gifts. Too bad they didn't wear Trojans!!!
That f*#king "Sherry Dan" Derson!!! So good when needed...RIP, brother.
|
|
JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
|
|
|
Sep 25, 2012 - 04:31pm PT
|
since you said it above, do you "really" believe that god looks like a modern man does?
about six feet tall, two legs, two arms, a heart and lungs, etc?
I guess you do
I'm not sure how you reach that conclusion, Norton. Since God is spirit, I don't know what God the Father or God the Holy Spirit looks like, and since I never saw God the Son, I only assume He looked like any other man, as Isaiah said, and had nothing about His physical appearance to distinguish him.
But yes, I believe in the inerrancy of Scripture (but apparently my spell check doesn't, since it refuses to recognize "inerrancy" as a word.) As for literalness, however, some parts state explicitly that they are not literal but figurative (see, e.g. the visions of Ezekiel or those in Revelation, that say that they saw something "like" or "as if.") The historical narrative, including all of creation, I take as historical narrative.
However, when Genesis 1, for example, says that God created everything in six days, (the Hebrew word, yom meaning "day") how long are those days? The Bible doesn't tell us that, though it gives some clues. For example, the sun was not created until Day 4, so it seems likely, to me, at least, that a "day" in Genesis 1 wasn't measured by the time it takes the earth to make one revolution. Besides, relativity tells us that time depends on who's looking and how fast they're going, so the creation narrative doesn't strike me as all that far-fetched, but frankly I don't care. The size of my puny mind doesn't limit God.
More importantly, Eden was clearly in Armenia, so the narrative must be true!
John
|
|
BLUEBLOCR
Social climber
joshua tree
|
|
|
Sep 25, 2012 - 04:44pm PT
|
God created man in his own image; not the human image ! "Cherry Picker"
I think what He's referring to is body, mind and soul...
If you step ahead a few chapters you learn that man has a susceptibility to ego
I think the Lord may have a problem with it also
Why else would he allow one angel Lucifer to pull us all out of Heaven.
And put us here on this planet
And have to deal with people like Norton
Jus Ask'in
BB
|
|
SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
|
|
|
Nov 12, 2012 - 10:20pm PT
|
I like the ATHEIST life. . .
'just sayin'
|
|
klk
Trad climber
cali
|
|
|
Nov 12, 2012 - 10:40pm PT
|
i have climbed so many mountains / just to reach the other side
and ive near drowned myself in freedom / just to feed my foolish pride
[Click to View YouTube Video]
|
|
splitter
Trad climber
Cali Hodad, surfing the galactic plane
|
|
|
Nov 12, 2012 - 11:11pm PT
|
[Click to View YouTube Video]
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have love me
Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
|
Dec 27, 2012 - 03:12pm PT
|
Noel Carol Christiani (no relation to Rick), wherever you are, your name still is music to my ears.
Go tell it on the mountain.
Wherever, whoever, whatever Ember is, this is seasonal.
And it sounds really grateful.
|
|
Truthdweller
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
|
|
|
Apr 15, 2013 - 04:18pm PT
|
April 14: HEAVEN’S HEALING
“They that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee: for Thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee” (Psalm 9:10). “God will… save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing” (Isaiah 35:4-6). “Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself… comfort your hearts” (2 Thessalonians 2:16,17).
They that put their trust in Christ Shall have the healing heaven gives. Our Lord for this was sacrificed, Was raised to life,and ever lives.
The Lord shall open blinded eyes. He shall unstop the deafened ear. The lame shall leap with glad surprise. The mute shall sing with heaven’s cheer.
How great is heaven’s remedy That heals the sickness of our soul, That fits us for eternity, And pays our ransom note in full!
There’s no one else who can provide This healing Jesus Christ imparts. The Lord resists the heart of pride, Yet gives His grace to humble hearts.
We thank You,Lord,for heaven’s healing And for Your sacrificial love Upon the cross You were revealing And shall unveil more above.
How well,O Lord,You’ve done all things! We see Your beauty,hear Your voice, We walk with You,the King of kings, And with our loosened tongues rejoice!
Lord,send us forth with ready feet, With eyes,with ears,and voice to tell That heaven’s healing is complete By which You save a soul from hell.
http://quiettimepoems.blogspot.com/
|
|
thebravecowboy
Social climber
Colorado Plateau
|
|
|
Apr 15, 2013 - 08:34pm PT
|
When times are tough and I worry about my relationship with my partner, this passage always does give me some succor:
“So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight. When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold. He said to her, ‘Get up; let’s go.’ But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.” Judges 19:25-28
|
|
thebravecowboy
Social climber
Colorado Plateau
|
|
|
Apr 15, 2013 - 08:41pm PT
|
(Malachi 2:3) "I will corrupt your seed and spread dung upon your faces!" Hmm, sounds like an episode of Jackass to me.
"And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight." (Ezekiel 4:12)
|
|
BLUEBLOCR
Social climber
joshua tree
|
|
|
Apr 15, 2013 - 08:50pm PT
|
Thanks Truthdweller !
HEAR, HEAR, I know the name Jesus! I know as fact he will meet anyone right where
their at. Anytime. Anywhere. He IS there! He knows me way better than I know myself.
And he proves it over and over... He even knows how many hairs on your head. Do
You know that about yourself? And that's just material bs. Importantly, He knows
what you need spiritually. Just ask Him.
|
|
thebravecowboy
Social climber
Colorado Plateau
|
|
|
Apr 15, 2013 - 09:07pm PT
|
Oh, I guess you are right, he IS everywhere
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!