If a god wrote a book ...

[Quintessence]

Fair point. LOL

Okay, revised. Like the Elder Scrolls, without the cost of reading.

But then... would they still be the elder scrolls?

(honestly, being able to read the direct word of some omnimax god would necessarily have to drive any small-minded hominid insane, I think)

 

[Acim]

.... what would we expect to see in that book? What would we expect to not see?

As "a God", I'm speaking of a being most commonly associated with god: Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omni-benevolent.

IF such a being truly wrote a book .... what would it look like?

It would still be being written. It would never stop being written for as long as there is a desire (by anyone) to read books for greater understanding, greater enjoyment.

It would have started being written a short while just before existence of the physical universe.

The first line would give very strong indication to how the book was going to end.

I would expect not to see a movie do any justice to the book.

 

[Riverwolf]

But then... would they still be the elder scrolls?

(honestly, being able to read the direct word of some omnimax god would necessarily have to drive any small-minded hominid insane, I think)

Then again, if they were also an omnipotent god, they'd be able to write a book that wouldn't.

Omnimax God seriously makes no sense...

And no, it wouldn't still be the Elder Scrolls. Hence the use of the word "like".

 

[Quintessence]

Omnimax God seriously makes no sense...

I have to think that it isn't supposed to. It's supposed to be numinous, nonsensical, paradoxical, and mysterious.

 

[Riverwolf]

I have to think that it isn't supposed to. It's supposed to be numinous, nonsensical, paradoxical, and mysterious.

I guess... which would be all well and good, except that the religions that worship this deity tend to also believe in eternal salvation for believing/worshiping said deity correctly, and eternal punishment for those who don't.

Nah, I'll stick to riddles and fairy tales for my numinous, nonsensical, paradoxical, and mysterious fix. The stakes aren't quite so high.

 

[Demonslayer]

It would still be being written. It would never stop being written

Sounds like the Game of Thrones books.

 

[NewGuyOnTheBlock]

"The Neverending Story"?

 

[Demonslayer]

"The Neverending Story"?

Running time 93 minutes.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

An all-knowing god would probably know that bats aren't birds.

Leviticus 11:13-19

Here is where it's good to have a thorough grasp of what the words used, can mean in the language it was written, in this case, Hebrew.

The word translated "birds" here is "hā·‘ō·wp̄". This actually means a winged animal, something that can fly. So the description fits bats. I'm sure you wouldn't argue with that!

Take care.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

"Ephesians 6:5; the book of Phileomon (Paul sends Onasis back to his master); Numbers 31:8; Matthew 18:25; Colossians 4:1 actually gives instructions to owners of slaves and how they should treat them ...".


[/QUOTE]

When these words were written, slavery was a part of many cultures back then....it was an issue that many lived with. How is that saying its "hunky dory", using your words? And, BTW, how does it say to treat slaves? Fairly. Same can apply to an employer/employee relationship!

I'm not willing to go that far. What we have taxonomically classified as "bird" or "fowl" is a sematic construct. There is plenty wrong with "the Bible being the word of God" without picking at sematics, imo. Things like slavery, genocide, mysogeny, choosing one "race" to favor above all others, etc.

We covered slavery (somewhat). As far as the others....read Acts of the Apostles 10:34-35.

Regarding God's ancient people the Israelites, too bad many of those other nations had to attack the Israelites! (They should have meditated on the outcome of the Egyptians, in defying Jehovah and His people. Even many Egyptians left with the Israelites.) If only these other nations had acted like the Gibeonites, they would have experienced Jehovah's mercy and survived, as Acts says!

 

[Riverwolf]

If only these other nations had acted like the Gibeonites, they would have experienced Jehovah's mercy and survived, as Acts says!

Try applying that to other instances of imperialist mass genocide throughout history.

I can never get behind such an evil God as one that excuses mass genocide with "if only they'd have submitted and allowed themselves to be enslaved by me, they'd have lived".

 

[Nietzsche]

Try applying that to other instances of imperialist mass genocide throughout history.

I can never get behind such an evil God as one that excuses mass genocide with "if only they'd have submitted and allowed themselves to be enslaved by me, they'd have lived".

The Ghengis Khan method of world conquest!

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

I have to think that it isn't supposed to. It's supposed to be numinous, nonsensical, paradoxical, and mysterious.

But then he doesn't have the power to make sense - so he's not omnipotent!

 

[Hockeycowboy]

Try applying that to other instances of imperialist mass genocide throughout history.

I can never get behind such an evil God as one that excuses mass genocide with "if only they'd have submitted and allowed themselves to be enslaved by me, they'd have lived".

You don't seem to understand....or maybe you don't want to. These people just didn't like the Israelites, they were wanting to kill them! They fought, they lost. If your children were targets to be killed, what would you do to protect them? (2 Thessalonians 1:6) And yet, we have examples of individuals who were members of these avowed enemy nations, who became proselytes and were accepted. And they weren't made slaves, LOL.

And if Jehovah, the Creator of life, decides to take that life away at the time, since He can read hearts, (and death is only sleep -- no torment) and He can give life back to (resurrect) those whom He wants.... I'll leave it with Him, even my life.

 

[Sand Dancer]

It would have a big impressive black leather cover.

Hope it's good leather, because that might be the only impressive thing about it.

 

[Riverwolf]

You don't seem to understand....or maybe you don't want to. These people just didn't like the Israelites, they were wanting to kill them! They fought, they lost. If your children were targets to be killed, what would you do to protect them?

Not with genocide; i.e., killing their kids! That would make me no different than them.

Of course, history is written by the victors, so I wonder as to the validity of these accounts.

(2 Thessalonians 1:6) And yet, we have examples of individuals who were members of these avowed enemy nations, who became proselytes and were accepted. And they weren't made slaves, LOL.

Because conversion at gun point is SOOOOO much better.

Come to think of it, isn't that exactly how anti-Christian Romans tried to destroy Christianity?

And if Jehovah, the Creator of life, decides to take that life away at the time, since He can read hearts, (and death is only sleep -- no torment) and He can give life back to (resurrect) those whom He wants.... I'll leave it with Him, even my life.

Good for you, but I have no interest in such a childish, self-absorbed deity.

 

[Neo Deist]

None of this man made drivel that we have in any of our current world religions...

 

[Palehorse]

Maybe GOD would make a book in braille first, and then we would have to see it and write it.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

Not with genocide; i.e., killing their kids! That would make me no different than them.

Here's something about those Canaanites:

"Immorality, pagan worship, and child sacrifice were widespread in Canaan. Bible historian Henry H. Halley notes that archaeologists excavating the area “found great numbers of jars containing the remains of children who had been sacrificed to Baal [a prominent god of the Canaanites].” He adds: “The whole area proved to be a cemetery for new-born babes. . . . Canaanites worshipped, by immoral indulgence, as a religious rite, in the presence of their gods; and then, by murdering their first-born children, as a sacrifice to these same gods. It seems that, in large measure, the land of Canaan had become a sort of Sodom and Gomorrah on a national scale. . . . Archaeologists who dig in the ruins of Canaanite cities wonder that God did not destroy them sooner than he did.” "

Excerpt taken from http://m.wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2010006#h=8

Of course, history is written by the victors, so I wonder as to the validity of these accounts.

But many times, these Bible writers highlight the errors of their nation of Israel...even their own errors! This candid nature of the Bible strengthens it's credibility.

Because conversion at gun point is SOOOOO much better.

No...they just came to realize, who the more powerful God was. (You wouldn't?!)

Come to think of it, isn't that exactly how anti-Christian Romans tried to destroy Christianity?

Key word: "tried". And the first-century (and later?) Christians didn't even fight back!

Good for you, but I have no interest in such a childish, self-absorbed deity.

That might be to your detriment, my friend. I hope not!

Here, please read some of these articles, the ones that may appeal to you, and learn about this God Jehovah, about whom the Bible says "God is love" (1 John 4:8; John 3:16):

http://m.wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1203469

Take care, cousin.

 

[Riverwolf]

Here's something about those Canaanites:

"Immorality, pagan worship, and child sacrifice were widespread in Canaan. Bible historian Henry H. Halley notes that archaeologists excavating the area “found great numbers of jars containing the remains of children who had been sacrificed to Baal [a prominent god of the Canaanites].” He adds: “The whole area proved to be a cemetery for new-born babes. . . . Canaanites worshipped, by immoral indulgence, as a religious rite, in the presence of their gods; and then, by murdering their first-born children, as a sacrifice to these same gods. It seems that, in large measure, the land of Canaan had become a sort of Sodom and Gomorrah on a national scale. . . . Archaeologists who dig in the ruins of Canaanite cities wonder that God did not destroy them sooner than he did.” "

Excerpt taken from http://m.wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2010006#h=8

Not a trustworthy source of historical information. What have you got from actual historians?

To be frank, this stuff reeks far more of propaganda than actual truth.

But many times, these Bible writers highlight the errors of their nation of Israel...even their own errors! This candid nature of the Bible strengthens it's credibility.

Not really. Since it was written by multiple people across many different eras, I expect to find a variety of opinions, not all of them self-flattering.

No...they just came to realize, who the more powerful God was. (You wouldn't?!)

No, because I don't choose which Gods to worship based on how "powerful" they are.

I worship the Gods whom I deem to be worthy of my worth-ship. The deity of the Christian Bible does not make the cut.

Key word: "tried". And the first-century (and later?) Christians didn't even fight back!

I find that hard to believe. As I understand it, plenty of people (including priests) did de-convert under pressure, and then tried to re-convert once the hostilities became less frequent. And that this was one of the conflicts that fractured the early Church.

That might be to your detriment, my friend. I hope not!

If so, bring it on. If that God acts against me in any way, it just proves me right about him.

Here, please read some of these articles

No. Those are clearly from the same source as the above link, therefore I'm not interested.

Take care, cousin.

In Grith.