What does God look like?

KCDAD said:

Keep the Greeks out of this. They have messed up Christianity enough.

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How? Please don't tell me you subscribe to the idea that the Greek Christian texts were inferior to the Hebrew Christian texts? Cause some of the Christian texts aren't (and may not have been) available in Hebrew.

KCDAD said:

Keep the Greeks out of this. They have messed up Christianity enough.

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With all due respect, I highly diasagree with the statment you said. the bible was written in Hebrew and in GREEK. Yes, they had their mithology, just like the average American has with Santa Claus and the Easter bunny; and the Aztec gods for the Mexican Culture. Yet, America and Mexico have the highest populations for christianity.

The Greeks by no means have "messes up" Christianity. If they did, would it be odd that god, the "author" of the bible, would permit his holy scriptures to be written by non-christian people? I think not.

I may be wrong, but the Greeks on the contrary contributed so much to Christianity. If this is wrong, please fill me in. Thanks.

KCDAD said:

Keep the Greeks out of this. They have messed up Christianity enough.

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In what way?

Eudaimonist said:

In what way?

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Yes, I do want to know

The whole concept of hell, as we understand it today, is Greek. This has had enumerable ramifications throughout Christian doctrines and thought.

The idea that women have no leadership place in church comes from a particular discussion Paul had with the Greeks and their idolatry.

The term virgin used in Isaiah and Matthew are problematic because of Greek translations.

Jesus Christ... we pray to a Greek version of Yehoshúa THE Moshiach.

Let's see... that's all I can think of off the top of my head. Other than that, why not have a Greek (pagan) Christianity? We are using a language we don't understand, using words that have only ceremonial meaning for us, and agreeing to precepts of faith that have little basis in Jewish theology.

KCDAD said:

The whole concept of hell, as we understand it today, is Greek. This has had enumerable ramifications throughout Christian doctrines and thought.

The idea that women have no leadership place in church comes from a particular discussion Paul had with the Greeks and their idolatry.

The term virgin used in Isaiah and Matthew are problematic because of Greek translations.

Jesus Christ... we pray to a Greek version of Yehoshúa THE Moshiach.

Let's see... that's all I can think of off the top of my head. Other than that, why not have a Greek (pagan) Christianity? We are using a language we don't understand, using words that have only ceremonial meaning for us, and agreeing to precepts of faith that have little basis in Jewish theology.

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Well, there are Greek chrsitians as well. I know Japanesse Christians as well. As Budhism is very powerful and rules as a major religion. Who said anything about using words we do not understand. In order to understand the bible in our language, we must first read that of the Greek writings as different grammer and spelling rules applied. Same with Hewbrew. The hebrews almost always used all of thier words in abbreviations and one had to look at the context clues in order to translate to other languages.

NOw, what does Jewish theology have to do with the perception of how god looks like?

The-Doctor said:

This is getting a little of topic. I'm interested in how you personally percieve God. Not what God actually looks like.

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hmm i see him as a 33 yr old attractive man who loves me and treats me like a lady...what about you?

KCDAD said:

The whole concept of hell, as we understand it today, is Greek. This has had enumerable ramifications throughout Christian doctrines and thought.

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Actually, the word hell comes from the Nordic pagan's Hel-heim (heim was put at the end of all places). The Greek concept of Hades and Tartarus were not to distant from the Jewish concepts of Sheol and Gehenna. The whole concept of hell is derived from medieval northern european works by monks that were trying to scare people into church using the "lake of fire" bit from Revelation. And then taking it a step further. The Greek concept of hell is actually a lot nicer than your average modern protestant's fire and brimstone pit of torment.

KCDAD said:

The idea that women have no leadership place in church comes from a particular discussion Paul had with the Greeks and their idolatry.

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Point being? Once the Greeks became Christians doesn't mean they had to become Jewish. Gee, Paul didn't even bother writting any further north than Galatia, which is modern day Spain and Portugul. And a large portion of that culture influenced modern western culture, along with greco-roman culture. I guess noone can be a Christian unless they start acting just like a Jew and move to Israel.

KCDAD said:

The term virgin used in Isaiah and Matthew are problematic because of Greek translations.

Jesus Christ... we pray to a Greek version of Yehoshúa THE Moshiach.

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Uh, hate to break it to you, but it's the same Deity. Just a name slightly altered by culture.

KCDAD said:

Let's see... that's all I can think of off the top of my head. Other than that, why not have a Greek (pagan) Christianity? We are using a language we don't understand, using words that have only ceremonial meaning for us, and agreeing to precepts of faith that have little basis in Jewish theology.

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Lessee, I don't see a Messianic Jew icon, so quit complaining dude. Yeshua, Iesus, Jesus, by any other name, is Christ, Logos, Savior, Messiah.

Hey, fellas, ain't there a verse about "no Jew or Gentile, just Christians?"

Would you rather have us use Jewish customs that are just as obscure to most of us? Actually, they'd be more obscure, since this society is more directly influenced by Greek culture than Jewish culture.

Would you rather still be speaking old English in daily life? Possibly Latin? Just because they started to call Jesus by their language does not make them heathen.

Do you use the term Adonai instead of God? Do you think that Japanese Christians are heathans for using the term "Kami-Sama" for God?

If you don't object to them using some different language terms for God, then why do you object to other different language terms for God?

Why aren't you speaking Hebrew? You're having a conversation about religion, saying we should favor Hebrew culture and language over Greek culture and language, but you're speaking a language based on Greek!

You're a fellow protestant.

We're making up stuff, instead of taking it from Greco-Roman culture as the Orthodox and Catholics (respectively, and with respect) have done, or Judaism as the Messianic Jews have done. I won't even tell you to get the board out of your eye cause this isn't something that actually matters. Nothing defines God, humans define our culture. Just because the culture changes, doesn't change God.

Leebal said:

NOw, what does Jewish theology have to do with the perception of how god looks like?

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Since they are the ones that started the whole thing... (at least as far as Christians are concerned) shouldn't their conceptualization of God be a little more important than the Greeks who confuse Apollo with Jesus?

The-Doctor said:

This is getting a little of topic. I'm interested in how you personally percieve God. Not what God actually looks like.

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Take the concept of Truth. What is essential in science, life, and the human experience is the pervasive nature of Truth. Everything is subject to it, everything is because of it, and everything is judged by it.
This is how I perceive God: God is Spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and in TRUTH. Interesting verse, doncha think? God's Word... Truth.
Amen... Truth.
Satan is called the father of lies.

Abbadon said:

Actually, the word hell comes from the Nordic pagan's Hel-heim (heim was put at the end of all places). The Greek concept of Hades and Tartarus were not to distant from the Jewish concepts of Sheol and Gehenna. The whole concept of hell is derived from medieval northern european works by monks that were trying to scare people into church using the "lake of fire" bit from Revelation. You mean Blake and Dante? Their poetic allegory of life separate from God's redemption? And then taking it a step further. The Greek concept of hell is actually a lot nicer than your average modern protestant's fire and brimstone pit of torment.

Point being? Once the Greeks became Christians doesn't mean they had to become Jewish. Gee, Paul didn't even bother writting any further north than Galatia, which is modern day Spain and Portugul. And a large portion of that culture influenced modern western culture, along with greco-roman culture. I guess noone can be a Christian unless they start acting just like a Jew and move to Israel.

Uh, hate to break it to you, but it's the same Deity. Just a name slightly altered by culture.



Lessee, I don't see a Messianic Jew icon, so quit complaining dude. Yeshua, Iesus, Jesus, by any other name, is Christ, Logos, Savior, Messiah.

Hey, fellas, ain't there a verse about "no Jew or Gentile, just Christians?"

Would you rather have us use Jewish customs that are just as obscure to most of us? Actually, they'd be more obscure, since this society is more directly influenced by Greek culture than Jewish culture.

Would you rather still be speaking old English in daily life? Possibly Latin? Just because they started to call Jesus by their language does not make them heathen.

Do you use the term Adonai instead of God? Do you think that Japanese Christians are heathans for using the term "Kami-Sama" for God?

If you don't object to them using some different language terms for God, then why do you object to other different language terms for God?

Why aren't you speaking Hebrew? You're having a conversation about religion, saying we should favor Hebrew culture and language over Greek culture and language, but you're speaking a language based on Greek!

You're a fellow protestant.

We're making up stuff, instead of taking it from Greco-Roman culture as the Orthodox and Catholics (respectively, and with respect) have done, or Judaism as the Messianic Jews have done. I won't even tell you to get the board out of your eye cause this isn't something that actually matters. Nothing defines God, humans define our culture. Just because the culture changes, doesn't change God.

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It isn't that we are using a different name... it is that many many Christians don't think about it at all. Ask a random group of "believers" and they will tell you the name of the baby born on Christmas day was Jesus Christ. (His parents must have been Mary and Joseph Christ.) What is wrong with Joshua if you want to Anglocize it? I have heard people in worship refer to Jesus Christ the Messiah. Duh... President Bush, the President. Dr. Ben Casey, the Doctor. Are we that brain dead that all we have is words without understanding?

The pagan reference is from Peter and Paul's understanding of the Greeks... they were gentiles, pagans.

Oh yeah... the Greek hades... Hades was the the God of the underworld. Hades is a being not a place. The underworld separated from the world by the river Styx... a place of forgetfulness... where the soul resided unless raised by those on Olympus. OK, maybe there is some similarity there. You are correct about Blake and Dante Allegheri (or whatever) and there "creation" of the fires and drowning pools and tortures of the afterlife... but as I said, they were meant to be allegorical, just like Revelation... just like Moses' seeing the backside of God as He passed... just like the Adam and Eve story... just like Jacob wrestling with Angels... sorry... running on when I should be running along.

Okay, back to the topic...our moderators strictly said for one topic for each thread. The topic was: How does god look like? Okay, go on.

My idea of god is that he looks like a human, only superiour. I would not think he is old, since he would be perfect. The only reason he is painted as an old man with a gray beard is because he represents time itself as described in the bible. We all know that we can't see god, he is a spirit, but the way we percieve him is different in all of us.

Of course, god's creation represent's his glory, so he can take any form as said earlier, since he is the omnipotent of the universe.

KCDAD said:

they were meant to be allegorical, just like Revelation... just like Moses' seeing the backside of God as He passed... just like the Adam and Eve story... just like Jacob wrestling with Angels... sorry... running on when I should be running along.

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You could tie this back to how the Greeks messed up Christianity. It is because of our Greek based way of thinking, which tells us that for something to be true it has to be literally true, that causes people to read the Bible like as science book, thus many people today are unable to see the symbolism and real meaning behind these stories (which was, in fact, written well before the mindset that true=literally true came on the scene).

Leebal said:

Okay, back to the topic...our moderators strictly said for one topic for each thread. The topic was: How does god look like? Okay, go on.

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Er....

A wise ancient philosopher once said (I forget his name...).

People always picture their gods as having human physical qualities. Indeed, the Ethiopians say the gods have dark skin and snub noses. The Thracians say the gods have light hair and blue eyes. And if the cows and horses had hands to draw with, they would draw the gods looking like...cows and horses.

HeWhoSearches said:

A wise ancient philosopher once said (I forget his name...).

People always picture their gods as having human physical qualities. Indeed, the Ethiopians say the gods have dark skin and snub noses. The Thracians say the gods have light hair and blue eyes. And if the cows and horses had hands to draw with, they would draw the gods looking like...cows and horses.

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So cows are Hindus then?

The-Doctor said:

Have you ever really thought what God actually might look like? Do you have a personal view of God's image or have you never really thought about it. I'm writing a short magazine piece on the image of God and I'm interested in your views. For example do you have an image of God as a person guiding us in our lives or do you think of Him in another way?

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What if God was one of us...blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah...nobody callin' on the phone, 'cept for the Pope maybe in Rome.

To answer your question, I try to avoid any image of God that reduces him to a bearded superman (such as the Mormon one).