What are the attributes of a worthy God?

[rational experiences]

The unconditional loving eternal memory I learnt was a recorded history only. Allowed me to realise no spirit was worthy of worship.

As it had released its own spirit into destructive burning. And our living life came into being also released from it.

As gods spirit heavens changed from being non burning immaculate. Pressures changed in a space pressure of forced mass holding.

So the memory taught heavens gas caused our release out of eternal.

I loved the thought of natural light returning to support bio health. I used to pray that it would happen.

And it was all about the human mans bad science choice. So I certainly didn't worship his God either. Unnatural light.

As then I would have to worship a mans causes.

I learnt that trying to be as good as our origin creator was as good as it gets. Which isn't worship it's sensible.

 

[Clara Tea]

You sacrifice when you give something of yourself. Jesus sacrificed when He gave His life, and He is God, in the Christian understanding.

Jesus sacrificed nothing. Jesus was murdered. Jesus asked God "why hath thou foresaken me?" So, it wasn't Jesus's idea to die for our sins.

Jesus must have had his power stripped away by God, otherwise he could have used his great power to harm or stop his murderers.

Is God the all-powerful creator of the universe? Or, is God a powerless creature who can't stop a simple crucifixion? I think that any good father would protect his son.

Jesus isn't God in the Christian understanding. He is God in the Catholic (a type of Christian) understanding. That is, He is part of the trinity (father, son, and holy spirit). There are many parts of the bible that make it very clear that only God is God and that there will be no other. There are also parts of the bible that make it very clear that Jesus is the son of God and should, rightfully, be called Lord (but Lord is not God).

Those who worship symbols of Jesus are worshipping a graven image, unless they feel that Jesus is God.

 

[Clara Tea]

All descriptions go astray regarding God, but they are still helpful, in getting us towards him. These are thousand and one shields or weapons, against dark magic. It's a prayer that protects the soul with armor of lights.

That's very similar to the Ronald Raygun SDI (Starwars) project. It protects against nuclear missiles by shooting them down with either lasers or particle weapons (assuming, of course, they they don't have a way of shielding or reflecting the beams).

 

[Mock Turtle]

What makes God worthy of admiration and praise?

What makes God worthy of worship?

And if you have no God, or many Gods feel free to answer.

I have nothing to debate myself, but I thought a debate forum would be the best way to explore the reasons people find a God worthy, or unworthy.

Putting in an obvious appearance now and then might be useful, if such a God truly expects to be worshipped, and plenty of religious beliefs apparently see this as a requirement. Lacking such, why would anyone take one religious belief over another? Given that the 'with God on our side' and 'it was God's will' is rather open to interpretation, and where the non-believers are as likely to be correct as to no God influencing or affecting human lives than any particular religion claiming such for themselves.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Here are some from the Baha’i Writings.

https://bahaiwritings.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/attributes-and-names-of-god.pdf

 

[Brian2]

A person doesn't choose to believe. He either does or doesn't. To say you choose to believe means you actually don't, but have decided to hedge your bets against a nasty afterlife.

I just believe and I have come to see that I was not forced to believe but chose to believe rather than not believe. If you do not believe then you have chosen not to believe, for whatever reason.

 

[joe1776]

I just believe and I have come to so that I was not forced to believe but chose to believe rather than not believe. If you do not believe then you have chosen not to believe, for whatever reason.

I don't think your experience is typical. At age seven, a Catholic priest told me about God, Heaven and Hell. He told me that if I didn't believe as a Catholic, I'd go Hell. So, I wanted to believe.

But I was born with a mind that is naturally skeptical. On hearing any important factual claim, my attitude is: "Well, maybe that's true and maybe it isn't. I'll have to think about it." No amount of WANTING TO BELIEVE will break down the skeptical barrier.

Considering the evidence, I allow the possibility that a Creator might exist. But if it does, IMO, the founders of the world's most popular Western religions knew no more about it than I do.

 

[Wildswanderer]

What makes God worthy of admiration and praise?

What makes God worthy of worship?

And if you have no God, or many Gods feel free to answer.

I have nothing to debate myself, but I thought a debate forum would be the best way to explore the reasons people find a God worthy, or unworthy.

I can only answer for the one I worship. He is worthy because he is all powerful but good. And because he doesn't give us what we deserve but extended mercy by sending his son to die for each and every one of us. And because he makes life worth living. Everything good on this earth comes from him.

 

[Bathos Logos]

It is possible that a creature could have created everything, but why does that creature have to be good and self-sacrificing?

It doesn't... but the question posed was what it would take for me to admire or praise such a thing. So I am not really sure why you are trying to make it my idea that such a being must be good and self-sacrificing. I didn't say anything even remotely like that.

What I have basically also said or implied is that if it weren't good (and by my, personal definition of good at that!) then there it would be hard for me to find reason to admire or praise it. This only makes sense. I didn't say anything about such a thing being good by default. I would never expect such. But if it expected my praise, admiration or (especially) worship, then you had better believe that it has got to be the one of the best things out there. As in, really, really over-the-top good and benevolent, and kind and peaceful. If it weren't those things... then forget it. I'd be neutral toward it at best, and antagonistic toward it at worst. Again... I feel this only makes sense.

 

[pearl]

I have nothing to debate myself, but I thought a debate forum would be the best way to explore the reasons people find a God worthy, or unworthy.

Much depends on one's concept of God. And that concept is predominately formed through the anthropomorphism of Scripture.

 

[Clara Tea]

That's one way of looking at it, but I see it more as (and Christianity teaches it as) self-sacrificial love, selfless love (i.e. without selfish motivation) and sharing of self in a community. The Trinity is a very mystical concept.

Then why does God allow suffering? Is He powerless to stop it?

 

[Clara Tea]

Justice and Mercy...

The ten sephirot in general?

Latter Day Saints (known disparagingly as Mormons--an insult, later accepted as their moniker) are Christian, since they believe in Christ. Yet, shunned by Christians everywhere because they have their own bible, based on prophecy, and they believe that Europeans were the first Native Americans. The Solutrean Hypothesis (preclovis) bears out that assertion, if it is right. Thus, other Christians claim that Latter Day Saints are not Christian.

LDS opposed wars. . . they took God at His word, that killing was wrong. Throughout most of their history, LDS sought peace (though they had an incident shortly after being driven out of society into Utah, in which they murdered a wagon train).

Why, now, would Mormons support Mitt Romney? Romney's company promises to rescue failing companies, but they commit bank fraud by manufacturing a large inventory, firing most of the employees, then duping banks into making big loans (fooling them into believing that they manufacture a lot with very few employees). Their paperwork gives them the right to invest in the companies (so they make a huge profit in addition to their fees), and, as the companies declare bankruptcy, and fire all of their employees, Romney forces the US government to bail out the bank (and Romney keeps the bail out money), which defrauds the banks and robs taxpayers, while closing the companies that he is supposed to rescue. Romney's relatives are highly placed in Utah, and shield him from prosecution for defrauding banks and corporations. According to the US senate's website: "Senator from Utah. He serves on the Foreign Relations; Health, Education, Labor & Pensions; Homeland Security; and Budget committees."

One cannot be pious in almost all ways, and allow evil in just one way, without being evil. For example, some murderers murdered only once. . . but that is enough to make them murderers.

How can one form opinions of the attributes of a God when they don't follow the teachings of that God?

 

[Brian2]

I don't think your experience is typical. At age seven, a Catholic priest told me about God, Heaven and Hell. He told me that if I didn't believe as a Catholic, I'd go Hell. So, I wanted to believe.

But I was born with a mind that is naturally skeptical. On hearing any important factual claim, my attitude is: "Well, maybe that's true and maybe it isn't. I'll have to think about it." No amount of WANTING TO BELIEVE will break down the skeptical barrier.

Considering the evidence, I allow the possibility that a Creator might exist. But if it does, IMO, the founders of the world's most popular Western religions knew no more about it than I do.

Belief however is not knowing. It sounds like you withheld belief until you know for sure.

 

[Clara Tea]

Putting in an obvious appearance now and then might be useful, if such a God truly expects to be worshipped, and plenty of religious beliefs apparently see this as a requirement. Lacking such, why would anyone take one religious belief over another? Given that the 'with God on our side' and 'it was God's will' is rather open to interpretation, and where the non-believers are as likely to be correct as to no God influencing or affecting human lives than any particular religion claiming such for themselves.

Even if God didn't appear, or make his influence known, shouldn't God at least save cancer victims from pain, stop wars, etc?

 

[Colt]

What makes God worthy of admiration and praise?

What makes God worthy of worship?

And if you have no God, or many Gods feel free to answer.

I have nothing to debate myself, but I thought a debate forum would be the best way to explore the reasons people find a God worthy, or unworthy.

From my favorite book which reflects my opinion.

The Attributes of God

1. God's Everywhereness
2. God's Infinite Power
3. God's Universal Knowledge
4. God's Limitlessness
5. The Father's Supreme Rule
6. The Father's Primacy

 

[Brian2]

Jesus sacrificed nothing. Jesus was murdered. Jesus asked God "why hath thou foresaken me?" So, it wasn't Jesus's idea to die for our sins.

Jesus must have had his power stripped away by God, otherwise he could have used his great power to harm or stop his murderers.

The Bible tells us that Jesus chose to come to earth and to die. Jesus of course as a man did not want to die but could have stopped it as any time and messed up God's redemptive sacrifice for all of humanity, but He did not.

Is God the all-powerful creator of the universe? Or, is God a powerless creature who can't stop a simple crucifixion? I think that any good father would protect his son.

God knew what was going to happen but would have suffered while it was happening. That is the love of God for us, that He sent His only Son to die for us.

Jesus isn't God in the Christian understanding

. He is God in the Catholic (a type of Christian) understanding. That is, He is part of the trinity (father, son, and holy spirit). There are many parts of the bible that make it very clear that only God is God and that there will be no other. There are also parts of the bible that make it very clear that Jesus is the son of God and should, rightfully, be called Lord (but Lord is not God).

Those who worship symbols of Jesus are worshipping a graven image, unless they feel that Jesus is God.

No Christian should worship symbols of Jesus, that would be idolatry.
The OT tells us that Yahweh is Lord. The New Testament tells us that Jesus is our only Lord. That is a contradiction unless Jesus is Yahweh along with His Father.

 

[Brian2]

From my favorite book which reflects my opinion.

The Attributes of God

1. God's Everywhereness
2. God's Infinite Power
3. God's Universal Knowledge
4. God's Limitlessness
5. The Father's Supreme Rule
6. The Father's Primacy

From the Bible, which reflects my opinion:
John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:18No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I don't think your experience is typical. At age seven, a Catholic priest told me about God, Heaven and Hell. He told me that if I didn't believe as a Catholic, I'd go Hell. So, I wanted to believe.

But I was born with a mind that is naturally skeptical. On hearing any important factual claim, my attitude is: "Well, maybe that's true and maybe it isn't. I'll have to think about it." No amount of WANTING TO BELIEVE will break down the skeptical barrier.

I stopped believing in God after I was finally honest with myself and accepted the painful truth that my faith in a loving, merciful God wasn't compatible with the reality that I had suffered abuse while I was growing up, and I've had to deal with the traumatic emotional effects of that abuse ever since. I believed in God when I was growing up because that's what I was indoctrinated to believe, despite being abused by my adopted mother, who's a Christian. My adopted father and my adopted extended family, who are also Christians, always looked the other way. And in spite of being abused and bullied, I became a Christian myself when I was 17, and I was a devout Christian for thirty years. I can honestly say that being a Christian was an absolutely miserable and depressing experience for me.

There was no peace and joy in my life, as was promised in the Bible to those who accepted Jesus as their lord and savior. Despite my faith in God and my sincere devotion to him, I was an empty shell, going through the motions. Long story short, I no longer believe in God, and I've renounced my Christian faith. I chose to share my story of being abused as a child (click here) in the hopes that my story will help other survivors of childhood abuse, and my story of childhood abuse is intertwined with my decision to renounce my faith (click here). I share my story of leaving Christianity in the hopes that it might inspire others who are thinking of leaving Christianity, or perhaps inspire people who have already left and need reassurance. I can honestly say that letting go of my belief and faith in God is the best decision that I've ever made for myself and for my mental health. My only regret is that I should have done this years ago.

 

[joe1776]

Belief however is not knowing. It sounds like you withheld belief until you know for sure.

I know next to nothing with certainty. My beliefs are based on the probability of truth based on the evidence.

 

[stevecanuck]

I just believe and I have come to see that I was not forced to believe but chose to believe rather than not believe. If you do not believe then you have chosen not to believe, for whatever reason.

As I said before, when you hear things like, "And God said unto .......", you either believe it or you don't. Choice simply doesn't come into it.