Think Big

[erichard]

... There is NOTHING that "God" does not perceive continuously.

Now, is that concept for "God" the start of something BIG enough for anyone else?

I'd be more than interested in reading "your" thoughts on the matter of personal theologies. Do your theologies far transcend the dogma of your religious inculcation from scripture and the pulpit? ...

Hi QB,

Philosophers have been considering the question of what God is for a long time. But you must consider the possibility that God cannot be fully understood by "thinking" about Him.

If God chooses prophets to bring us further understanding of Him, I will accept that God knows best. I appreciate the New Testament that brought forth a greater understanding than the Old Testament one. I appreciate the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price which brought forth even more understanding. We definately need more, but must be grateful for what we have.

One may think and decide that "idealistically" God must be a certain way. For instance, idealistically God must be immaterial and inconceivable and outside of time and space, etc. But just because something may "idealistically" seem a certain way does not guarantee it is that way.

In the Mormon faith, matter, intelligence and the universe is eternal. What you see here on earth is what also exists in heaven in a perfected state. Our world is built up with the only "building blocks" that exist. The idea of a magical God who creates with blank check power out of nothing is false philosophy and a fraud.

Agreed that we are babes in arms when it comes to understanding God and eternity. But we should consider the world we are in and the scriptures, for answers-- not idealistic thinking. Maybe you are doing just that.

Richard

[LDS Guy 1986]

Hi QB,

Philosophers have been considering the question of what God is for a long time. But you must consider the possibility that God cannot be fully understood by "thinking" about Him.

If God chooses prophets to bring us further understanding of Him, I will accept that God knows best. I appreciate the New Testament that brought forth a greater understanding than the Old Testament one. I appreciate the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price which brought forth even more understanding. We definately need more, but must be grateful for what we have.

One may think and decide that "idealistically" God must be a certain way. For instance, idealistically God must be immaterial and inconceivable and outside of time and space, etc. But just because something may "idealistically" seem a certain way does not guarantee it is that way.

In the Mormon faith, matter, intelligence and the universe is eternal. What you see here on earth is what also exists in heaven in a perfected state. Our world is built up with the only "building blocks" that exist. The idea of a magical God who creates with blank check power out of nothing is false philosophy and a fraud.

Agreed that we are babes in arms when it comes to understanding God and eternity. But we should consider the world we are in and the scriptures, for answers-- not idealistic thinking. Maybe you are doing just that.

Richard

The desire of the flesh to comprehend everything is more of a curse then it is a blessing at times, people would rather make up elaborate and complex explanations for things we don't have the slightest clues about (both in spiritual and scientific matters) and cling to these poor excuse at a best guess, instead of accept that we don't know and keep searching for the eternal truth that is out there.

In general people would rather accept poor and irrational theories of men just to feel like they know what is going on around them, instead of admit we have no clue and keep searching for the truth that is out there!

[california boy]

How much volunteer service do most "Christians" with paid clergy give their communities and even their own congregations?

Who does it for them?

Just something to think about.

I don't think this is an us against them issue. It is how we live the message of Christ no matter what church you go to.

[mfbukowski]

In general people would rather accept poor and irrational theories of men just to feel like they know what is going on around them, instead of admit we have no clue and keep searching for the truth that is out there!

On the other hand, I prefer to think that God created us to use the brain he gave us, and smart enough to teach us about himself in the way our puny brains can understand him.

Even prophets are human, and receive revelation in the same way we all do.

[LDS Guy 1986]

On the other hand, I prefer to think that God created us to use the brain he gave us, and smart enough to teach us about himself in the way our puny brains can understand him.

Even prophets are human, and receive revelation in the same way we all do.

And when you become so proud of that puny brain that you think you know more than God you start making up silly theories that you cling to no matter how ridiculous they are. God is the sourse of truth not men who think they know everything, the smartest man I have ever heard of was Socrates and he was just smart enough to know that he didn't know anything at all.

[mfbukowski]

And when you become so proud of that puny brain that you think you know more than God you start making up silly theories that you cling to no matter how ridiculous they are. God is the sourse of truth not men who think they know everything, the smartest man I have ever heard of was Socrates and he was just smart enough to know that he didn't know anything at all.

So you would limit what is necessary for me to make sense of the gospel?

Should I join another church instead?

Perhaps it is you who should check your pride at the door and not tell others how to live their lives.

Incidentally, Socrates never said that. He said "the unexamined life is not worth living" and I agree with him.

[LDS Guy 1986]

So you would limit what is necessary for me to make sense of the gospel?

Should I join another church instead?

Perhaps it is you who should check your pride at the door and not tell others how to live their lives.

Incidentally, Socrates never said that. He said "the unexamined life is not worth living" and I agree with him.

Wow, where am I telling people "how to live there lives"?

I am stating what I believe if you take it out of context that is your choice.

Discovering the gospel is great unless you start conflicting with the gospel this is deception.

Also socrates did know that he knew little, he spent most of his days making fools out of those who thought they knew everything by pointing out how they knew nothing.

This is why Athens sought to execute him, they got tired of this simple man making fools of all the affluent members of Athens.

The reason why he was so wise is because he understood that he could never understand the complexity of universe around him and accepted that instead of making silliness up like most do to try and explain everything.

[Questing Beast]

This is good. I hope that more participate. I'm lurking (reading my own thread). Just because I haven't responded directly to anything anyone has said doesn't mean I'm not paying attention....

[mfbukowski]

Discovering the gospel is great unless you start conflicting with the gospel this is deception.

One man's discovery is another man's conflict.

[TAO]

LDS guy, mfb, no arguing is necessary... please?

D&C 64:11

And ye ought to say in your hearts

[WalkerW]

Kerry Shirts

Blake Ostler, who had some excellent points regarding "using your head" and the supposed "philosophies of men" regarding theology.

[WalkerW]

Discovering the gospel is great unless you start conflicting with the gospel this is deception.

This isn't meant as a direct response to LDS Guy 1986's post. I'm just piggy-backing.

Paul declared the gospel to be the atonement of Christ, including His death, burial, and resurrection (see 1 Cor. 15:1-.

It is when we start attaching a variety of other things (as we often do as members of the Church) that we begin to become problematic. We often use the term "the gospel" as an abstract description of the Restoration teachings. People then start coming up with personal views and interpretations of particular teachings and begin assuming that these personal views are "the gospel."

As my mother once said, "I don't know how anyone who has ever been the temple can believe in evolution." I guess in her mind (and in the minds of some GAs), the theory of evolution conflicts with "the gospel."

Ironic enough, it is the temple's ritualized creation drama that colors my reading of Genesis, Abraham, and Moses and gives me the ability to accept evolution.

We need to be careful on how we define "the gospel." We need to be aware of our own biases, interpretations, and assumptions.

[mfbukowski]

LDS guy, mfb, no arguing is necessary... please?

I am not particularly concerned about what others think about the relationship between God and I, I don't think you guys need to be concerned about what they think about yours either.

I would participate in this thread with my own opinions on the issue... but I have a feeling that would lead QuestingBeast's thread off in another tangent, which we don't want.

Nannies not needed thank you.

We are all big boys around here.

[Vance]

Kerry Shirts

Blake Ostler, who had some excellent points regarding "using your head" and the supposed "philosophies of men" regarding theology.

Thanks for providing that link. It was EXTREMELY interesting.

[Jason]

The truth is limiting, but only in the sense that the other possibilities you thought were there are no longer possible.