Primitive Monotheism

[burroughs]

I was raised in a devout Catholic family and attended religious schools from kindergarten through college. I went to church every Sunday until I was 18 (read: was forced), then I stopped. Mostly because I have never firmly believed in the doctrines that I was taught. Even as a child, it never made much sense to me despite how much I actually wanted it to. The Bible has a lot of thought provoking and moving passages, but also a lot of fucked up stuff that I could never accept as divinely inspired. Still though, religion has always interested me and I really, honestly want to find something with a community around it that I truly believe in.

The idea of one God makes sense to me. I completely accept evolution, the Big Bang, and all that other jazz. But I think that all that still had to come from something else in the very beginning. And if there exists a being powerful enough to will the entire universe as we know it into creation, I don't think he / she has to compete for power with someone or something else.

I think it'd be cool if there was a religion that simply believed in one all powerful higher being, and made no other assumptions about his or her nature or gave commandments on how we should live other than don't rape or kill each other.

Discuss.

[Built To Last]

One further question: In your opinion, is this God still active in the world today or did God's activity end with the creation of something from nothing, the creation of the universe?

What you describe sounds to me like Deism, which argues for a creator God who is no longer active in the world.

I think it'd be cool if there was a religion that simply believed in one all powerful higher being, and made no other assumptions about his or her nature or gave commandments on how we should live other than don't rape or kill each other.

For me, God is other, unknowable, and transcendent. I believe, as Paul says in Acts 17, in "an Unknown God...in whom we live, and move, and have our being," (Acts 17:23-28).

The problem lies, not with God, but with language and communication. That is, I experience this God in my soul, "with sighs too deep for words, " (Rom. 8:26). However, if I want to relate this experience to another person, I am forced to use human words and concepts in order to describe God.

You must understand, the true nature of God is completely foreign to human life and worldly existence. There is absolutely nothing comparable in the created world to the nature of God. Therefore, when humans attempt to describe God, we are forced to describe God by the things that God is not; to describe the Creator in terms of the creation. This is why all religious analogies ultimately fall short of the mark.

[RisiR]

There is absolutely nothing comparable in the created world to the nature of God. Therefore, when humans attempt to describe God, we are forced to describe God by the things that God is not; to describe the Creator in terms of the creation. This is why all religious analogies ultimately fall short of the mark.

Then why do you have a Jesus avatar? If "There is absolutely nothing comparable in the created world to the nature of God." What about that dude in your avatar?

I agree with these, though.
 

"an Unknown God...in whom we live, and move, and have our being,"

with sighs too deep for words,

Good stuff.

[millionsofdeadcats]

You must understand, the true nature of God is completely foreign to human life and worldly existence.

I had a thread at zoklet about a similar concept. 

https://www.zoklet.net/bbs/showthread.php?t=303514

[Ninja]

You should worship me.  I will take real good care of your everlasting soul.

[Built To Last]

Then why do you have a Jesus avatar? If "There is absolutely nothing comparable in the created world to the nature of God." What about that dude in your avatar?

I like what Jesus has to say about God.

[RisiR]

Then why do you have a Jesus avatar? If "There is absolutely nothing comparable in the created world to the nature of God." What about that dude in your avatar?

I like what Jesus has to say about God.

But you are not a Christian?

[burroughs]

You must understand, the true nature of God is completely foreign to human life and worldly existence. There is absolutely nothing comparable in the created world to the nature of God. Therefore, when humans attempt to describe God, we are forced to describe God by the things that God is not; to describe the Creator in terms of the creation. This is why all religious analogies ultimately fall short of the mark.

That's pretty much my point. The major world religions are way too specific about the nature of God to be really believable for me.

I'm familiar with Deism, though I don't know how I feel about it. I think that saying God isn't active in this world is also a fairly big assumption on our end.

[Sirfearoth]

Do some reading on Egyptian Paganism.