Is it better to know and understand everything, or to have incomplete understanding and knowledge?

[Crazy Professor]

sorry that was ment for another discussion

 

[ChristineES]

I get great joy from learning, so knowing everyhting would be hell for me.

 

[Beaudreaux]

I think that if one understood and knew everything, that its possible that the being would want to go back to a state in which mystery was a part of reality. Perhaps too much fun, too much adventure, too much excitement, is taken out of life if a being were to come to a complete understanding and knowledge of reality. There would be nothing left to explore... Nothing to wonder about... Perhaps it is more unsatisfying to know and understand everything, than to have incomplete knowledge and understanding...

You think God is sad to be God?

 

[Beaudreaux]

If a sacred text could be fully understood this could indicate that it is of human origin. However, if a sacred text is not able to be understood it could also mean that the author was crazy. But then it would just be the mad ravings of someone and not classed as a sacred text. I think that my earlier statement is valid and a type of acid test if you like. I guess it also gives one hope in that not having a full understanding does not mean that God has in some way divorced himself from the individual.

Indeed! A text cannot be deemed sacred unless it is nonsensical, like the Bible.

 

[Madhuri]

To give my own answer. It's better not to have all the answers for now, in this existence. If we did, who knows what some would do with such knowledge?

I think that if a persn is fully Realised, they cannot help but live every moment in Bliss (love). I wouldn't be worried.

 

[Delta]

Fantastic evidence that the Bible is of divine origin is that we are not able to understand it completely. It just proves that God is so much bigger than us!

It funny because You don't know or understand something, that it must be of divine order or purpose. NO...... it means YOU don't understand and YOU don't know or YOU can't prove.

 

[Delta]

just because it can't be proven doesn't mean its from some divine order

 

[michel]

I think Alexander Pope's poem is one that answers your question best.............

ng.hhttp://www.poetsgraves.co.uk/Classic%20Poems/Pope/a_little_learnitm

A Little Learning

by Alexander Pope

A little learning is a dangerous thing ;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring :
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again.
Fired at first sight with what the Muse imparts,
In fearless youth we tempt the heights of Arts ;
While from the bounded level of our mindShort views we take,
nor see the lengths behind,
But, more advanced, behold with strange surprise
New distant scenes of endless science rise
!So pleased at first the towering Alps we try,
Mount o’er the vales, and seem to tread the sky ;
The eternal snows appear already past,
And the first clouds and mountains seem the last ;
But those attained, we tremble to survey
The growing labours of the lengthened way ;
The increasing prospect tires our wandering eyes,
Hill peep o’er hills, and Alps on Alps arise !
Alexander Pope | Classic Poems

 

[839311]

You think God is sad to be God?

No. Mystery is something that even God would have to deal with if he exists. It is impossible to know and understand everything. Even for God, how could he be sure that there aren't layers of reality to which he has no access to, and couldn't possibly know and understand? What we cannot know and understand is as infinite as mystery is deep.

 

[Beaudreaux]

No. Mystery is something that even God would have to deal with if he exists. It is impossible to know and understand everything. Even for God, how could he be sure that there aren't layers of reality to which he has no access to, and couldn't possibly know and understand? What we cannot know and understand is as infinite as mystery is deep.

So, I take it you do not believe there is a such thing as an omnipotent, omniscient God, correct?

 

[839311]

So, I take it you do not believe there is a such thing as an omnipotent, omniscient God, correct?

Its possible that a being could exist that could have power, knowledge and understanding over all of reality, but this being could never be sure he actually does. He would have to accept that there is a possibility that there could be far more to reality that is not possible for him to infuence, know, and understand.

 

[Madhuri]

Its possible that a being could exist that could have power, knowledge and understanding over all of reality, but this being could never be sure he actually does. He would have to accept that there is a possibility that there could be far more to reality that is not possible for him to infuence, know, and understand.

As a human with limited knowledge, how can you make this conclusion? Doesn't it contradict every religious concept of God?

 

[839311]

As a human with limited knowledge, how can you make this conclusion?

That we have limited knowledge does not necessarily mean that we cannot come to an understanding of what is possible and impossible, or what is true. One can never be sure that there isn't more to reality than they can observe, detect, influence, know and understand. It may simply be impossible for there to be any kind of interaction between two parts of reality, even for beings of great power such as gods.

Doesn't it contradict every religious concept of God?

I don't have knowledge of every religious concept of god(s), so I can't say. I do know that it doesn't contradict my own concept of god(s).

 

[Madhuri]

I don't have knowledge of every religious concept of god(s), so I can't say. I do know that it doesn't contradict my own concept of god(s).

I respect that. What is you religion or spiritual influence/s?

 

[839311]

I respect that. What is you religion or spiritual influence/s?

I just listened to the bhagavad gita yesterday on youtube, very beautifully presented. Here is the link, incase you havn't listened to it. I think you would especially like this since it is a part of your religion.

[youtube]zFch0BnCARE[/youtube]
YouTube - Bhagavad Gita / Chapter 1 (English)

I used to be Christian, and that has had an important influence on my religion. I've read the bible and the koran. I've studied buddhism, hinduism, and a wide variety of other faiths. What I believe in has mostly been shaped by my own journey, the questions that I have asked and the answers I have found. Ofcourse, perhaps the knowledge I have gained may have been simply given to me by greater powers.

Here is a quick overview of important concepts that have shaped my beliefs, some that I accept as true or right, others as possibilities.

Eternity. Infinity. Destiny. Mystery. The nature of existence.

Acceptance. Immortality. Life. The value of life. Perfection.


My faith is very general. When I pray, I address God, Gods, Jesus, all beings of the light, and all beings to whom it is good to pray. I keep it general because I don’t know what really exists, and so I try to consider a lot of different beings, eventually getting general to the point that I pray to all beings to whom it is good to pray, which covers all the ones I want to pray to. I also accept the possibility that God or Gods may not exist, and that Jesus may not exist. I pray to Jesus because I was Christian for a long time, and the Jesus of the new testament is my greatest teacher and so is an important part of my life - whether or not he really did live, and if he did live (which I think is likely), whether or not what is attributed to him and about him in the new testament is actually accurate and true, or mostly accurate, or even slightly accurate and true.

I do this because I don’t know who or what it is I’m praying to, but hope that there is some good power(s) out there that hear(s) my prayers.

 

[Madhuri]

Thank you for explaining and for the link. I think it is great that you have a wide knowledge of religions.

 

[RiverSeed]

Perhaps we can be perfect now, and not need the knowledge of infinity to make us whole.

 

[839311]

Perhaps we can be perfect now

I hope so. The human condition, unfortunately, makes attaining perfection very difficult, if not impossible for us in these forms. I would certainly welcome the help of greater powers to make me perfect.

 

[joea]

Too have much knowledge is the very enemy. The best word is one's realization and knowing. The mystery of life cannot be told through knowledge ( the mind ), once told. it becomes a liar. The truth can only be realized through one's own inner experience.

 

[Madhuri]

Too have much knowledge is the very enemy. The best word is one's realization and knowing. The mystery of life cannot be told through knowledge ( the mind ), once told. it becomes a liar. The truth can only be realized through one's own inner experience.

Does 'knowledge' always mean intellectual? There are different types of knowledge and these have not been specified by the OP. So too much knowledge many not be the enemy, if you are refering to realised knowledge (knowing comes from knowledge, btw).