God is not a divine being??

BobRyan

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Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/10/28/pope-francis-evolution-big-bang/18053509/

Pope Francis: "God is not a divine being or a magician, but the Creator who brought everything to life," the pope said. "Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve."

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Question - are there Catholics here who are on board with that? How is it that the Creator - is not a "Divine Being"??

Or is this statement about the idea that "Creator" who creates via the same evolution that atheists promote as the way that all things have come about without God - is not a "Divine Being"?

in Christ,

Bob
 

grasping the after wind

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Hmm. Perhap
Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/10/28/pope-francis-evolution-big-bang/18053509/

Pope Francis: "God is not a divine being or a magician, but the Creator who brought everything to life," the pope said. "Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve."

=====================================

Question - are there Catholics here who are on board with that? How is it that the Creator - is not a "Divine Being"??

Or is this statement about the idea that "Creator" who creates via the same evolution that atheists promote as the way that all things have come about without God - is not a "Divine Being"?

in Christ,

Bob
I'm not a Catholic but perhaps the Pope was unaware of what he was saying by using that term "Divine Being" ? If he meant it as I would mean the term and as I think you would too then he is way off base. I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one unless he follows up with something similar in the future.
 
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BobRyan

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Hmm. Perhap

I'm not a catholic but perhaps the Pope was unaware of what he was saying by using that term "Divine Being" ?

That is an intriguing suggestion. Loads of implications if it is true.
 
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Dialogist

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He actually doesn't say that on the clip that the article contained. I think it would be helpful to hear what word he used in Italian, or whatever language he was speaking.

I think all we can say is that the press translated something that the Pope said in another language as "God is not a divine being." That doesn't mean that their translation is accurate.
 
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BobRyan

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Well, being a 'being' implies that you were brought to life, and God was the one who brought everything to life. Try to follow what he's saying.

You post as if this "God is not a Divine Being" statement is something you are used to hearing and affirming.

Is that really true??
 
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CalmRon

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Well, being a 'being' implies that you were brought to life, and God was the one who brought everything to life. Try to follow what he's saying.
Being implies existence whether created or not. In essence a rock could be a being because it is, so can God because he is.
 
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Root of Jesse

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You post as if this "God is not a Divine Being" statement is something you are used to hearing and affirming.

Is that really true??
God is divine. I don't know that he's a being. To me, a being is something created. God is not created.
 
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Rhamiel

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here is what the pope said


"E così la creazione è andata avanti per secoli e secoli, millenni e millenni finché è diventata quella che conosciamo oggi, proprio perché Dio non è un demiurgo o un mago, ma il Creatore che dà l’essere a tutti gli enti."

the word that is translated as "divine being" is "demiurgo"

the concept of Demiurge can be seen in Platonic philosophy and Gnosticism
it can have various meanings depending on the context, it can mean a lesser creator
I think just translating it as just simply "Divine Being" is slightly irresponsible
but then, it is an odd word, maybe they should have just stuck with Demiurge
 
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tz620q

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here is what the pope said


"E così la creazione è andata avanti per secoli e secoli, millenni e millenni finché è diventata quella che conosciamo oggi, proprio perché Dio non è un demiurgo o un mago, ma il Creatore che dà l’essere a tutti gli enti."

the word that is translated as "divine being" is "demiurgo"

the concept of Demiurge can be seen in Platonic philosophy and Gnosticism
it can have various meanings depending on the context, it can mean a lesser creator
I think just translating it as just simply "Divine Being" is slightly irresponsible
but then, it is an odd word, maybe they should have just stuck with Demiurge
Most news accounts realized that it was a bad translation and amended their online articles to translate it as "demiurge". In fact the USA Today article is pulled from an article by Josephine McKenna in Religious News Services. The Religious News Services article was amended; but somehow USA Today online did not get the memo.
 
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BobRyan

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God is divine. I don't know that he's a being. To me, a being is something created. God is not created.

So then in your thinking God is not a "Divine Being" because that would make Him created. In your view does the Pope bring out that point "God is not a Divine being because then He would have to have been created?" - did you read that in his statement or does he have some other statement to that effect?
 
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BobRyan

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here is what the pope said


"E così la creazione è andata avanti per secoli e secoli, millenni e millenni finché è diventata quella che conosciamo oggi, proprio perché Dio non è un demiurgo o un mago, ma il Creatore che dà l’essere a tutti gli enti."

the word that is translated as "divine being" is "demiurgo"

That is a reasonable explanation - demiurge. Certainly it fits with
"magician"

And so then

"God is not a divine being or a magician, but the Creator who brought everything to life,"

Where it "appears" that the Creator does much more than the "demiurge and magician" because the Creator "Speaks and it is so". He speaks life into existence, He speaks the world and all life on it into existence in a mere 6 days.

Oh no wait!

No that is not it at all

the pope said. "Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation

Ok -- now do evolutionists claim that "something above a demiurge" is needed to make evolutionism work? Is that the point he is trying to make?
 
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Rhamiel

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God is not a magician
God is not a god like false gods of the Greek Pantheon, with Zeus turning into a bull to seduce a princess and Poseidon getting drunk or Hades getting tricked by Sisyphus

God is transcendent
God created all that is visible and invisible
and that is SO much more then we can even come close to understanding

were his comments kind of confusing? yeah
maybe Demiurge is slightly more common in Italian? I dunno, I do not speak Italian

how about you try reading things in context and then add a bit of charity
 
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