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From an Abrahamic perspective, Why is God emotional?

Tumah

Veteran Member
I cannot agree with this. If God has no emotions then what motivates him to act? The only thing I know that acts without emotion is a robot - and the robot only does so because it was programmed to do so.

Now I can agree that we may not always understand the exact emotion God is feeling when he does any particular thing - (E.g. when a parent prevents their child from going to a club a child may think the emotion that caused the refusal is hate and selfishness; and there is a good chance the child is wrong) - but to say he has no emotions and that having emotions would mean that it violates his characteristic of being unchanging is wrong in my opinion.
There is no question that it contradicts his unchanging-ness (which is a product of His oneness). If today he has this motivation and tomorrow that one, that is clearly a change.
G-d is unfathomable on any level. The fact that we can't attribute motivation or any sort of emotion to Him, doesn't mean that we can understand Him as being like a robot because a robots lack of emotion is fathomable. He neither has nor lacks emotion. The concept of emotion is simply not relevant to Him on any level, neither in the positive or the negative. G-d is the first. He precedes emotion just as much as he precedes time and space.

The fact that I don't understand G-d whatsoever doesn't bother me. He's the Infinite Simple Creator. I'm a tiny finite creation of many multiples. To expect me to have some inkling of Him is even crazier than expecting an ant to understand quantum mechanics. What is true, is that we need some sort of translator device that works between us so that we can have any sort of relation to Him. And for that He created these "lenses" with act on His "Will" to give us the perception of different concepts by G-d that we can relate to.
 

Thanda

Well-Known Member
There is no question that it contradicts his unchanging-ness (which is a product of His oneness). If today he has this motivation and tomorrow that one, that is clearly a change.
G-d is unfathomable on any level. The fact that we can't attribute motivation or any sort of emotion to Him, doesn't mean that we can understand Him as being like a robot because a robots lack of emotion is fathomable. He neither has nor lacks emotion. The concept of emotion is simply not relevant to Him on any level, neither in the positive or the negative. G-d is the first. He precedes emotion just as much as he precedes time and space.

The fact that I don't understand G-d whatsoever doesn't bother me. He's the Infinite Simple Creator. I'm a tiny finite creation of many multiples. To expect me to have some inkling of Him is even crazier than expecting an ant to understand quantum mechanics. What is true, is that we need some sort of translator device that works between us so that we can have any sort of relation to Him. And for that He created these "lenses" with act on His "Will" to give us the perception of different concepts by G-d that we can relate to.

I've had this conversation with someone before. God can be unchanging and still react differently to different stimuli. Let us take water as an example. If you gently put your hand in water, your hand will go through it easily and softly, with almost no resistance. However if you slap water at a very high speed your hand will be in great pain and you will feel a huge amount of resistance. This doesn't mean the water has changed. The water is still what it always was - it does not change it's properties. It is you the slapper who has changed and by changing you have discovered the other properties that water has.

Likewise God is who he is. He does not change. But we change - and because we change the way he reacts to us changes. But the same thing that made God angry 1000 years ago will make him angry today. The same thing that made God happy 1000 years ago will make him happy today.

In fact when you come to think of it your first paragraph does not make sense. You could as well say that the fact that God one day did not decide to create the earth and the next day he decided to create it means he changed. You could also say that the fact that God did not give the ten commandments to Moses on the previous day but did on the day he gave them also means he changed. It is illogical.
 

Tumah

Veteran Member
I've had this conversation with someone before. God can be unchanging and still react differently to different stimuli. Let us take water as an example. If you gently put your hand in water, your hand will go through it easily and softly, with almost no resistance. However if you slap water at a very high speed your hand will be in great pain and you will feel a huge amount of resistance. This doesn't mean the water has changed. The water is still what it always was - it does not change it's properties. It is you the slapper who has changed and by changing you have discovered the other properties that water has.
Its an interesting concept, but I still have a problem.
Water is something that has multiple properties which by G-d would be a contradiction to His Oneness. Using your water analogy, imagine happiness as blue water. G-d is happy. G-d is infinite. So there is an infinite expanse of blue water. Where are you going to put the angry red water? Wherever you put it, will create a boundary for the blue water impinging on its infinity. Wherever you can say, this is happy and that's angry, you've detracted from the infinite nature of G-d.
Besides for that, your explanation would mean that G-d is simultaneously angry, sad, loving, happy, etc. just as water always maintains its properties (with its various effects being a result of different external stimuli not changing properties). You'll have to clarify how this is a more logical explanation.

Likewise God is who he is. He does not change. But we change - and because we change the way he reacts to us changes. But the same thing that made God angry 1000 years ago will make him angry today. The same thing that made God happy 1000 years ago will make him happy today.
"Made G-d angry" is a change of state from "happy" to "angry".

In fact when you come to think of it your first paragraph does not make sense. You could as well say that the fact that God one day did not decide to create the earth and the next day he decided to create it means he changed.
No we can't because time didn't exist before G-d created it. There is no reference point with which to place G-d's "decision" to create the earth.
You could also say that the fact that God did not give the ten commandments to Moses on the previous day but did on the day he gave them also means he changed. It is illogical.
No, G-d is always giving the same bounty. Its the lenses that changes the bounty. Sometimes the lenses turn it into 10 commandments and sometimes into food, but the bounty remains the same. How the lenses change according to an infinitely Simple Will, is - so far - mostly beyond me. But I don't expect to understand the process since the starting point is beyond my imagination.
 

Thanda

Well-Known Member
Its an interesting concept, but I still have a problem.
Water is something that has multiple properties which by G-d would be a contradiction to His Oneness. Using your water analogy, imagine happiness as blue water. G-d is happy. G-d is infinite. So there is an infinite expanse of blue water. Where are you going to put the angry red water? Wherever you put it, will create a boundary for the blue water impinging on its infinity. Wherever you can say, this is happy and that's angry, you've detracted from the infinite nature of G-d.
Besides for that, your explanation would mean that G-d is simultaneously angry, sad, loving, happy, etc. just as water always maintains its properties (with its various effects being a result of different external stimuli not changing properties). You'll have to clarify how this is a more logical explanation.

Your last paragraph is exactly what I am getting to. God always hates sin. He always loves his children. He always loves righteousness. These properties are always in him. Therefore, God will always be angry when someone promotes sin or seeks to hurt his children. He will always be pleased when someone keeps his commandments and seeks to help his fellow man. There is no variableness in God. You could actually say he is predictable.

This reminds me of the Mormon explanation for the concept of eternal punishment. The punishment is eternal not because the person who is being punished will suffer forever. The punishment is eternal because it is fixed - it will always be there as a consequence for evil.

God does not make things up as he goes. His character is constant, perfect, complete. It requires no changing or improvement. But the expressions of God's character is as vast as the universe itself and the complexity in it. God will always do what is required. But since what is required changes, he also changes how he deals with with different situations.

"Made G-d angry" is a change of state from "happy" to "angry".

Not necessarily. A happily married man can still be angry with his boss. The things which make God happy and which make God angry are different.

No we can't because time didn't exist before G-d created it. There is no reference point with which to place G-d's "decision" to create the earth.

Ok, I'll grant you this.

No, G-d is always giving the same bounty. Its the lenses that changes the bounty. Sometimes the lenses turn it into 10 commandments and sometimes into food, but the bounty remains the same. How the lenses change according to an infinitely Simple Will, is - so far - mostly beyond me. But I don't expect to understand the process since the starting point is beyond my imagination.

Which is exactly what I am saying. How God's manifests his unchanging character differences from situation to situation.
 

Tumah

Veteran Member
Your last paragraph is exactly what I am getting to. God always hates sin. He always loves his children. He always loves righteousness. These properties are always in him. Therefore, God will always be angry when someone promotes sin or seeks to hurt his children. He will always be pleased when someone keeps his commandments and seeks to help his fellow man. There is no variableness in God. You could actually say he is predictable.

This reminds me of the Mormon explanation for the concept of eternal punishment. The punishment is eternal not because the person who is being punished will suffer forever. The punishment is eternal because it is fixed - it will always be there as a consequence for evil.

God does not make things up as he goes. His character is constant, perfect, complete. It requires no changing or improvement. But the expressions of God's character is as vast as the universe itself and the complexity in it. God will always do what is required. But since what is required changes, he also changes how he deals with with different situations.

Not necessarily. A happily married man can still be angry with his boss. The things which make God happy and which make God angry are different.
You are conflating the motivator with the state here. The things that motivate G-d to anger remain constant. Becoming the state of angry would be a change from His previous state of being happy. That's what you're describing. This is changing.

Which is exactly what I am saying. How God's manifests his unchanging character differences from situation to situation.
There is a huge difference between what you're saying and what I'm saying. By me, G-d doesn't Himself become angry or happy and so His state never changes. The motivators (ie. the things that seem to change G-d's mood), don't affect G-d Himself, but the lenses through which we perceive Him.
 

meghanwaterlillies

Well-Known Member
What? Who's numb? State what?
State what. Well you said that you had some bad news for me. Who's? But I'm basically stating that ( this is too sad really I don't like it) that God is numb that he's ALWAYS that way. That He never changes and he put a lenses but he is basically numb. By the way I cried last night for even thinking about this. This isn't even uncommon knowledge.
If you state that it particular to Judaism or portions of it in study its not new really. I've seen in many places actually many not just Judaism and other sorts even if the claim is Abrahamic or not; some had and some still have this view many cultures.. I've seen it cause a lot of pain. And I mean no harm towards you.
You know some of WW2 conspiracies were based on those ideas. I don't really want to go into what about Zion of P. ideas.
As far as the person above; God can act (not testing) and he's not a robot absolutely as the person above stated.
 

Tumah

Veteran Member
State what. Well you said that you had some bad news for me. Who's? But I'm basically stating that ( this is too sad really I don't like it) that God is numb that he's ALWAYS that way. That He never changes and he put a lenses but he is basically numb. By the way I cried last night for even thinking about this. This isn't even uncommon knowledge.
If you state that it particular to Judaism or portions of it in study its not new really. I've seen in many places actually many not just Judaism and other sorts even if the claim is Abrahamic or not; some had and some still have this view many cultures.. I've seen it cause a lot of pain. And I mean no harm towards you.
You know some of WW2 conspiracies were based on those ideas. I don't really want to go into what about Zion of P. ideas.
As far as the person above; God can act (not testing) and he's not a robot absolutely as the person above stated.
Ok...
 

Akivah

Well-Known Member
Okay what color is numb?

Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd
Hello?
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home?
Come on, now,
I hear you're feeling down.
Well I can ease your pain
Get you on your feet again.
Relax.
I'll need some information first.
Just the basic facts.
Can you show me where it hurts?

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.
When I was a child I had a fever
My hands felt just like two balloons.
Now I've got that feeling once again
I can't explain you would not understand
This is not how I am.
I have become comfortably numb.

O.K.
Just a little pinprick.
There'll be no more aaaaaaaaah!
But you may feel a little sick.
Can you stand up?
I do believe it's working, good.
That'll keep you going through the show
Come on it's time to go.

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye.
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown,
The dream is gone.
I have become comfortably numb.

I would guess that numb is pink.
 

meghanwaterlillies

Well-Known Member
Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd
Hello?
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home?
Come on, now,
I hear you're feeling down.
Well I can ease your pain
Get you on your feet again.
Relax.
I'll need some information first.
Just the basic facts.
Can you show me where it hurts?

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.
When I was a child I had a fever
My hands felt just like two balloons.
Now I've got that feeling once again
I can't explain you would not understand
This is not how I am.
I have become comfortably numb.

O.K.
Just a little pinprick.
There'll be no more aaaaaaaaah!
But you may feel a little sick.
Can you stand up?
I do believe it's working, good.
That'll keep you going through the show
Come on it's time to go.

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye.
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown,
The dream is gone.
I have become comfortably numb.

I would guess that numb is pink.
lol No. But it is a very Hellenistic approach. That they really accused everyone else of. Or even the Dusk till dawn approach...
Oh it's more of the picture not really so much the song.
It's not for any purpose but His promise and not in regards to death of that or to be applied like an occult, for death ...The Promise of the Holy Spirit
16In a little while you will see Me no longer, and then after a little while you will see Me.”
 
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arthra

Baha'i
Emotions are biochemicals, we humans have them, Why does God?
Where did emotions originate, especially anger? Was God ever angry before all of creation? Was is the common belief amongst Christians, Muslims, Jews, Bahi?
I read the bible, and quran and I immediately see a person filled with emotions ? Have emotions always existed? Why would an all powerful person make itself have these feelings as if they have no control?
I don't understand the humanizing, and common belief behind it?

Well a couple of things come to mind... We're humans with emotions. Our language is a human language with verbs that express our feelings and emotions... When God sends His Messengers They are human and communicate with us. Now the true nature of God is unknown to us and beyond our experience but nonetheless God manifests Himself to us according to our ability to understand Him hence the Divine Will communicates to us through our human language and the Messengers and Prophets.
 

muhammad_isa

Veteran Member
Well a couple of things come to mind... We're humans with emotions. Our language is a human language with verbs that express our feelings and emotions... When God sends His Messengers They are human and communicate with us. Now the true nature of God is unknown to us and beyond our experience but nonetheless God manifests Himself to us according to our ability to understand Him hence the Divine Will communicates to us through our human language and the Messengers and Prophets.
Well said
 

DawudTalut

Peace be upon you.
.....I read the bible, and quran and I immediately see a person filled with emotions ? .......
Peace be on you.
God created human at His image. It means we have imprints of our Maker.
God has numerous noble attributes, and we need to imbibe them on human level (not the ones which are exclusive for God).
Since we cannot understand God fully so God used metaphors for us to understand.
 

arthra

Baha'i
n

nicely put but I do get tried of endless false prophets, and endless prophets. You can only even listen to so much especially mush.

The imperative for us I think is to investigate the claims and in prayer make a personal decision/choice to follow the Prophet that "speaks" to us..in our situation. The challenges each age faces will be addressed by the Message of God..the Word of God through His Prophets.
 

meghanwaterlillies

Well-Known Member
The imperative for us I think is to investigate the claims and in prayer make a personal decision/choice to follow the Prophet that "speaks" to us..in our situation. The challenges each age faces will be addressed by the Message of God..the Word of God through His Prophets.
NO; I'm gone tell you something, I'm screwed. Everyone's got the truth serum when some don't even believe their own prophets but they have to do so for whatever reason (I could list them).. I don't even get to play this game with any one pronounce the truth with the idea of truth serum. I don't even get have fun like you guys with all of this, although I desperately want to make crop circles right now lol. Because I didn't cause my own belief. I'm screwed because I know. I don't get to take credit for my faith. You guys can play truth serum all day. It must be nice to get many truths all the time and get to learn learn learn. Maybe a little laughter.
I believe in Jesus Christ and it's through Him as God.
 
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