Where was God...

[shunyadragon]

Where? indicates a place or position

and the question cannot be applied

but still we have nothing but words to work with
so.....

God dwelt in the dark

that's right.....the God we believe in

dwelt in the dark

no light

The God I believe is by nature eternal light.

 

[dybmh]

time is a byproduct OF creation.

That's interesting. Why do u think It's a by product and not intentional?

 

[Windwalker]

I personally feel that is all dependent upon WHOM is reading it.

It makes no sense to me, as someone who ponders these questions beyond a "God is a guy in the sky" thinking about the divine.

As I said previously, I really am not comfortable in "assuming" anything. However, it is only logical as well as rational to PREsume, that since there was "nothing" before God created everything", that God, being 'eternal' and all, HAD to have been SOMEWHERE, before God did (His) creation thing, right?

No. Not right, nor logical. If everything is created by God, then that would include "locations", which are part of space and time, which are supposedly created by God. It's like asking "Which mountain does God live on?"

If you believe God is a created being, then that question might make some sense as it is comparable to trying to find an elusive Yeti in the Himalayas. It makes no sense when you view God as beyond creation. "Where" is "No where, and everywhere".

"Where" is a moot question. It does not pertain. Unless you believe God is a creature, like a Yeti.

Not if God is "eternal". Remember, I ASSume nothing.

But you are assuming when you ask "where". You assume God is an "eternal Yeti", sort of creature which has location. Creatures are created and not eternal. Creatures have location. God transcends location, or shape, or size, or hairiness.

 

[Thief]

The God I believe is by nature eternal light.

and it is written.....
go to your closet and close the door
and the Spirit that knows you will hear your prayer

dark in there......right?

 

[Windwalker]

"God" makes no sense, so how could questions
or answers about it make sense?

"God" is paradoxical. Paradoxes make no sense. How can something be both everything and nothing? However, paradoxes do communicate truth and meaning, even while our rational minds fail us. The rational mind, is not the end all be all divining rod of truth.

 

[Audie]

"God" is paradoxical. Paradoxes make no sense. How can something be both everything and nothing? However, paradoxes do communicate truth and meaning, even while our rational minds fail us. The rational mind, is not the end all be all divining rod of truth.

You are aware of how "rationalizing" works? Look it up.
It is about attempting to explain something, somehow,
with what looks rational, logical, plausible, no matter how
phony.

"God" is no paradox. It is imaginary. It has exactly all the
same characteristic as anything else that does not exist.
People make up stories about gods, and of freaking
course they do not make sense,

Of course rational mind is not be-all. Nothing is,

Yours sure failed you, going straight to self-deception!
(See "rationalize" and your explanation of the "paradox"!)

So, faulty tools is quest of "truth"- which is itself
just an abstract notion.

Is anything more pointless?

 

[Windwalker]

You are aware of how "rationalizing" works? Look it up.

Seriously, Audie? Look it up? That's the best you can come up with?

It is about attempting to explain something, somehow,
with what looks rational, logical, plausible, no matter how
phony.

Rationality is overrated as to its reach. To help you, I'll share a few links for you to start to rationally understand the limits of rationality. You can start with this one here: https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/4/25/18291925/human-rationality-science-justin-smith

A great, but rather dense read in small fonts that gets into this is this book I recently started reading: https://www.amazon.com/Master-His-Emissary-Divided-Western/dp/0300188374

There are quite a lot of highly rational players out there who are saying this. "Look it up..."

"God" is no paradox. It is imaginary.

I'm hearing imagination in that comment.

It has exactly all the same characteristic as anything else that does not exist.

You seem to have a concrete idea of what God is, in order to decisively conclude that idea isn't real. That's the problem here. You might also imagine that infinity isn't real too. Afterall, the rational mind cannot comprehend that either.

People make up stories about gods, and of freaking
course they do not make sense,

I'm not talking about Santa God. You should know that by now. I have far too rational a mind to think in such clearly concrete-literal terms, like you might find in a Sunday School picture bible. That's the God that Richard Dawkins is proud to have concluded doesn't exist. Much like my six year old sister told me Santa isn't a real person when I was four, feeling so proud of herself for her superior knowledge.

Yours sure failed you, going straight to self-deception!

You don't even know what I actually believe. Yet, somehow you think it is a rational thing on your part to call it a self-deception? How does that work? I can't rationally follow that.

When you can demonstrate you understand my views, to the point your criticism of it actually has an actual target in mind, it sounds to me like you're arguing with your own Sunday School image of Ultimate Reality. The failure of rationality isn't on my end.

 

[Etritonakin]

It is said that God is eternal and created everything. That being the case.....where was God BEFORE God 'created' a place for (Himself) to be?

Whether considering a creator or "nature", something logically cannot come from "absolute" nothing.
Therefore, there was never nothing -and that which exists is "eternal". The same "problem" exists -and the same answer would apply (but with "God" you have a perfectly natural -and most likely, given that it happens in microcosm all around us -explanation for how things became so specifically purposeful.)
Even that of which we are made is eternal -though our human configuration is not.

The God of the bible does not actually claim to have initially created himself or that which allows for his existence.
He states such things as "I AM THAT AM", that he is that which was, is and will be -the first and last -alpha and omega, etc.

It would not be contrary to scripture for God to essentially be "everything" -having self-created to the point of developing self-awareness, creativity, etc.

In other words, he may now be able to say "I AM THAT AM", but may not have "always" been in a configuration which allowed him to say that.

It would be similar to our selves being able to say "I am a human" -even though we could also correctly say "I was a zygote" -but could not say anything AS a zygote.
The difference being that he would be the sum of everything -and we are only a portion of everything.

Being only a portion, we exist and create within an environment. Being everything, God would create within and of himself -everything being logically separated into that which can affect and that which can be affected -mind/body/environment. That would also mean that we as individuals are a portion of "God" which he has logically separated.

 

[Kenny]

It is said that God is eternal and created everything. That being the case.....where was God BEFORE God 'created' a place for (Himself) to be?

We will never know. Everywhere, I guess.

 

[Quintessence]

My tradition does not teach about this "God" that is eternal and created everything, so I do not ask the question. From what I understand of classical monotheism - the probable god-concept the OP references - the question doesn't make sense to ask from them either, for the reasons others have already brought up.

 

[wandering peacefully]

Sheesh, it is NOT that difficult.......ok, in response to your comment......where exactly was "right here", before "right here" was created?
I am NOT questioning whether God has always been...I just want to understand WHERE God was BEFORE (he) created everything, including a "place", for (Himself) to actually BE.
NOT when, but WHERE!

In another universe before (he) created our universe? On and on for infinity? How about there is no "God" except in human imagination?

 

[Polymath257]

Oh, but on the contrary, yes it can. If this God is eternal, it HAD to actually BE somewhere. Would you care to venture a 'guess' as to just what or where that "somewhere" WAS, before anything was created?

Why would God have to be somewhere in order to exist?

For example, mathematical objects (numbers, for example) are typically said to exist and to be eternal, but they don't exist in any location.

 

[nPeace]

God has no place, eternal and infinite therefore there is no 'before' God.

I think this is the first time I ever agreed with anything you said.
The scriptures says this
(1 Kings 8:27) . . .The heavens, yes, the heaven of the heavens, cannot contain you. . .
(Isaiah 66:1) . . .This is what Jehovah says: “The heavens are my throne, and the earth is my footstool.. . .
(Psalm 115:15, 16) 15 May you be blessed by Jehovah, The Maker of heaven and earth. 16 As for the heavens, they belong to Jehovah, But the earth he has given to the sons of men.

God created the heavens and earth. The former represents his dwelling, but it does not contain him. He cannot be contained by anything he creates. Scriptures say this.

;

 

[nPeace]

Why would God have to be somewhere in order to exist?

For example, mathematical objects (numbers, for example) are typically said to exist and to be eternal, but they don't exist in any location.

Of course, you are using "somewhere" relative to our understanding, I believe...

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Does anyone really know "what" God is?

Hmm...if I said 'No' doesn't Scripture get largely reduced to guesswork?
Makes sense to me, but....

 

[exchemist]

I doubt it is meaningless to speak of a before time. How would things get started in the first place without active motion before time began?

Existence is the flow of events. Time may not exist, but the flow of events does. An ultimate beginning to the universe does not imply that there is nothing else but the universe.

Why close the door on a reality outside our own?

Existence might imply endlessness. If endless then endless things. There is no rule that our universe is all there is.

If you take a 1 and a totally different 1 it does not make 2. If all of infinite existence were 1 of same substances how much activity would there be that produced such a universe as ours before everything everywhere died out? Once it dies out then what, an infinite wasteland.

There must be a perpetuating energy to existence, a place where endless things happen. Or are we a one time only event, a single domino with one chance to play out and then die out. Highly unlikely!

Couple existence with the existence of life and perhaps there is a whole other dynamic to reality. The hand is intended to grasp, the eye intended to see where you are going. And a conscious awareness to conceive of whatsoever existence is.

Life has tools of intention and we are apart of something trying to understand its own existence. So a source of this life is not out of the question. Otherwise you would have to consider life a fluke. Exhibiting intention life is not a fluke.

So it would be natural to consider that somewhere out there is a life reality that is perpetual.

Is a God that life reality? What would God's limitations be? Why is the universe vast and void of life predominately? Why does dust and rock take precedence over life? Why would God need so much of void useless real estate? And why is Earth such a dangerous place where life eats other life to live? Dogs feel love, and are loyal! Humans strive for various kinds of love! Yet in the blink of an eye it could all be taken away! Death, or its illusion of ceasing to be!

What do you think "before" means?

 

[ACEofALLaces]

God has no place, eternal and infinite therefore there is no 'before' God.

That is just astounding! In the sentence I provided, the word 'before' came before the word 'God', and you chose to actually jump on that so you could declare that there "is no "before" God.
Brilliant!

 

[ACEofALLaces]

The God I believe is by nature eternal light.

That's nice, but how is it relevant to the initial question?

 

[ACEofALLaces]

In another universe before (he) created our universe? On and on for infinity? How about there is no "God" except in human imagination?

Makes sense to me,

 

[George-ananda]

Ahhhhh, ONCE AGAIN, it is not about WHEN God was, but WHERE God was, before having creating everything.

I would say the question of 'WHERE' does not apply to non-physical things.