God Is Not Father

[hanif]

"Allah said :- I was a hidden treasure. I wished to be known, therefore I created the Universe."
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The purpose is, therefore, increasing consciousness. Evolution is regarded as a spiritual journey back to the source, Allah from whence all things came. The Universe was created in seven stages and levels (the 7 Heavens 65:12). It is also to be wound up. (21:104, 55:26-27). It emanates, as it were, from God from maximum Unity through 7 stages to maximum diversity, density and inertia, and then returns to God. There may be many such cycles, perhaps an infinite number, each having a time limit. But these cycles would be meaningless unless they had some goal. They are, perhaps spirals. The Causal force descends through these levels. Causation is, therefore, seen not as something that is prior in time, but prior in level.
​

 

[cardero]

Sojourner writes:That's why there is more than one model for God. Father is one.

The collective human experience for the figure called father is as varied as stars in the sky. For example:

• The daughter, who while growing up in a household, is sexually abused by her father does not want to relate to GOD in the same manner.
• The son who is constantly, physically abused by a man he calls father does not want GOD to support and exemplify these same qualities.
• The children who witness a father emotionally abusing a mother does not want the same traits demonstrated in their relationship with GOD.
• The Savior who is nailed to a piece of wood and is wondering why his father has forsaken him, has also fallen into the human mindset that this is not how a father (heavenly or otherwise) is supposed to act or behave.

The father who cheats, gambles, drinks, who is in jail, a father who never hugs their child or is never present at home. These may seem like harsh depictions of fathers throughout the ages but the point is that there is no definitive universal stability to the idea father figure and to apply any expectations on this concept to any entity is unreal and unfair. Since the idea of fatherhood is indeed a human made concept (and an incomplete concept at that) why would anyone want to depict GOD in such a manner?

If an entity who claims to be GOD is explaining to me that submitting to him/her in the term “Father” is incorrect, I think it is a very reasonable request to refrain from referring to him/her in that particular way, regardless of how many established prayers have traditionally incorporated the title into their service.

Sojourner writes: If that one doesn't work for you, then use another! Use Mother. Use Teacher. Use Aunty. Use Friend. Use whatever speaks to you the loving, gentle attributes of God.

The only concern I have with your list is that each example that you give does have the potential not to demonstrate “gentle” attributes. From your point of view it seems you were brought up in a very fortunate environment and have had loving, impressive mentors. You must always remember that some (if not many) people are not so fortunate.

A relationship with GOD is not a code to decipher or a straw to grasp at or even the undertaking of deciding which Hallmark to pick for the right occasion. One of the most interesting aspects about getting to K(NOW) GOD is that there is no human relationship that you can accredit or compare to this BEIng.

 

[cardero]

Common Misconceptions About GOD
15. GOD is not our Father, our babysitter or Superman. GOD is not holy or divine.
OF COURSE GOD IS HOLY AND DIVINE.

Though GOD has never officially denied these qualities, personally, through my relationship, these aspects were never impressed or imposed on me.

 

[sojourner]

The collective human experience for the figure called father is as varied as stars in the sky. For example:

• The daughter, who while growing up in a household, is sexually abused by her father does not want to relate to GOD in the same manner.
• The son who is constantly, physically abused by a man he calls father does not want GOD to support and exemplify these same qualities.
• The children who witness a father emotionally abusing a mother does not want the same traits demonstrated in their relationship with GOD.
• The Savior who is nailed to a piece of wood and is wondering why his father has forsaken him, has also fallen into the human mindset that this is not how a father (heavenly or otherwise) is supposed to act or behave.

The father who cheats, gambles, drinks, who is in jail, a father who never hugs their child or is never present at home. These may seem like harsh depictions of fathers throughout the ages but the point is that there is no definitive universal stability to the idea father figure and to apply any expectations on this concept to any entity is unreal and unfair. Since the idea of fatherhood is indeed a human made concept (and an incomplete concept at that) why would anyone want to depict GOD in such a manner?

If an entity who claims to be GOD is explaining to me that submitting to him/her in the term “Father” is incorrect, I think it is a very reasonable request to refrain from referring to him/her in that particular way, regardless of how many established prayers have traditionally incorporated the title into their service.



The only concern I have with your list is that each example that you give does have the potential not to demonstrate “gentle” attributes. From your point of view it seems you were brought up in a very fortunate environment and have had loving, impressive mentors. You must always remember that some (if not many) people are not so fortunate.

A relationship with GOD is not a code to decipher or a straw to grasp at or even the undertaking of deciding which Hallmark to pick for the right occasion. One of the most interesting aspects about getting to K(NOW) GOD is that there is no human relationship that you can accredit or compare to this BEIng.

Of course there is! We are human, and we are communal creatures. We deal in human relationships. Therefore, the best way we can conceptualize or talk about relationship is in human terms. While the terminology is not perfect, just as human relationships are not perfect, we can (and do) realize that many people do not have perfect human relationships, and so we ascribe to God an ideal human relationship -- the perfect Father, Mother, Friend, Mentor, Sister, Uncle.

In a system that seeks to personalize God, there is potential for that personalization to become tainted by the "humanness" of our relationships with each other. That's why we have to be careful not to limit how some people envision God. Some images work better for some people than for others. some people don't know what a gentle father is, for example. But, nearly everyone has some kind of relationship that they percieve as gentle, and that is the image that they should ascribe to God.

 

[sojourner]

IN REAL CHRISTIANITY JESUS IS ONLY PROPHET.

You really shouldn't assume what is "real" about Christianity -- even if you were a Christian! :tsk: The Orthodox Church is as real as it gets, and that is a Trinitarian body. The RC Church is as real as it gets -- also Trinitarian. I don't think you get to decide what's "real" Christianity and what's not. Just because a church disagrees with your perceptions does not mean that it's false.

 

[finalfrogo]

GOD IS NOT FATHER BECAUSE HE HAS NO CHILD.JESUS IS MESSENGER OF HIM ONLY.
29.But she pointed to the babe. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?" 30.He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah. He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; SURA OF MARIUM
91.No son did Allah beget, nor is there any god along with Him: (if there were many gods), behold, each god would have taken away what he had created, and some would have lorded it over others! Glory to Allah. (He is free) from the (sort of) things they attribute to Him!
SURA OF BELIEVERSAnd He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; 32."(He hath made me) kind to my mother, and not overbearing or unblest; 33."So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)"! 34.Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute. 35.It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! when He determines a matter, He only says to it, "Be", and it is. 36.Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: Him therefore serve ye: this is a Way that is straight.

God is not a Father or Mother because He (or She) created the concept of gender. Any classifications of Him (or Her) are produced by humanity for various reasons. I think people just tend to see God as masculine for simplicity's sake, or maybe they view God as more masculine than feminine.

 

[cardero]

Sojourner writes:Of course there is! We are human, and we are communal creatures.

But GOD is not human, never was human and never had any desire to be human. GOD does not relate to us as a boy, a girl, man or woman, father or mother, black or white, Christian or Islam, heterosexual or homosexual. I would think that we should and could return the same consideration to GOD

Sojourner writes: We deal in human relationships. Therefore, the best way we can conceptualize or talk about relationship is in human terms.

I understand because I too have exercised the same misunderstanding if only for the sake of understanding. For example, when I am referring to GOD, sometimes I will use the masculine “He or Him” because it is easier to convey my intentions about a BEing who does not sanction a gender but I will not be so bold as to ascribe GOD with any other inaccurate profession, vocation or occupation that is deemed unnecessary or undeserving. What we have here is the common religious malpractice of humanizing GOD or converting GOD to our image.

Sojourner writes: While the terminology is not perfect, just as human relationships are not perfect, we can (and do) realize that many people do not have perfect human relationships, and so we ascribe to God an ideal human relationship -- the perfect Father, Mother, Friend, Mentor, Sister, Uncle.

This cannot be done because in order to ascribe the perfect attribute to a perfect BEIng you would have to know or have some type of reference to the meaning of what a perfect Father, Mother, Friend, Mentor, Sister or Uncle is and from what I am to understand there aren’t any examples to be found in this physical existence that everyone can universally agree upon.

Sojourner writes: In a system that seeks to personalize God, there is potential for that personalization to become tainted by the "humanness" of our relationships with each other.
That's why we have to be careful not to limit how some people envision God. Some images work better for some people than for others. some people don't know what a gentle father is, for example. But, nearly everyone has some kind of relationship that they percieve as gentle, and that is the image that they should ascribe to God.

The best image that you can ascribe to GOD is the one that GOD individually, directly gives you. Any other attempts will only lead you further into misunderstanding.

 

[hanif]

I Am Not Christian.i Am Hanif Muslim.i Worship Only To God Not To Jesus Not To Muhammad.because I Know Both Of Them Are Only Slave.
The Real Christianity Is Christianity Of Arius.and Now There Is Unitarian Christian.

 

[michel]

Common Misconceptions About GOD
15. GOD is not our Father, our babysitter or Superman. GOD is not holy or divine.

OF COURSE GOD IS HOLY AND DIVINE.BUT HE IS NOT FATHER.BECAUSE NOONE CAN EQUAL TO HİM.BUT SON IS PART OF HIS FATHER.BUT GOD HAS NO PART.
THE BELIEF OF SON OF GOD IN CHRISTIANITY CAME FROM MITRAIZM AND OTHER ANTIC RELIGION.
IN REAL CHRISTIANITY JESUS IS ONLY PROPHET.

Hanif,

You will have to learn to accept that Miuslims and Christians see Jesus in different ways; you simply cannot force upon Christianity what you, as a Muslim, believe. Just as we would have no right to expect you to change your beliefs to fit in with those of Christianity.

Jesus, in Christianity, is the Son of God, and is part of the Trinity.

 

[hanif]

I Know This.but We Can Sp,eak About Facts.i Cant Understand.jesus Is Different From God.if He Is God There Must Be Two God.
And Arius And Unitarian Christs Dont Believe In Trinity.

 

[sojourner]

But GOD is not human, never was human and never had any desire to be human. GOD does not relate to us as a boy, a girl, man or woman, father or mother, black or white, Christian or Islam, heterosexual or homosexual.

Read Philippians 2:5ff:

"[Jesus] who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. and being found in human form..."

God became human, God desired to become human.

Further, God relates to us as we are, and from the standpoint of who we understand ourselves to be.

 

[blueman]

According to Scripture, God is The Father and His Only Begotten Son is Jesus Christ. This much is confirmed in New Testament Gospels written some 600-700 years prior to the Quron. Jesus was much more than a messenger and teacher, but He was God The Son in the flesh, imcarnated to bring salvation to a lost world and mend the relationship between God and man. We should not shortchange His signifigance or authority in Heaven and here on earth. :bounce

 

[Popeyesays]

According to Scripture, God is The Father and His Only Begotten Son is Jesus Christ. This much is confirmed in New Testament Gospels written some 600-700 years prior to the Quron. Jesus was much more than a messenger and teacher, but He was God The Son in the flesh, imcarnated to bring salvation to a lost world and mend the relationship between God and man. We should not shortchange His signifigance or authority in Heaven and here on earth. :bounce

Of course, the original Greek is "monogenes" which does not mean only begotten.

Regards,
Scott

 

[hanif]

accıording to bible david was son of god too.look at your book carefully.
yes bible is previous from koran but koran didnt changed.