Who is God?

[Zardoz]

Can someone please explain to me why the God of most Abrahamic religions is just called "God" instead of calling Him by a name? To me that is kind of like naming your child "Child."

Simple question. No debating about who's God is real. No fighting about who has the cooler name. No religion disrespect. Just, why? Why is there no name?

I can only speak for myself. I use the word 'G-d' in forums. There is a name for G-d, but I do not speak it. This name was uttered only by the High Priest, in the Holy of Holies of the Temple, once a year, at the holiest moment. When this occurred, miracles occurred. It was a supernatural event of unbelievable power.

Not something that should be uttered casually, even if one does not know the correct pronunciation. I think I have a close idea, but I will not say it, nor write it, even as a Priest. We Jews use other substitutions such as Adonai. And substitutions for the substitutions such as Adoshem. There are more, but I'm reluctant to write them. I trust you get my point, there is power in a name and unimaginable power in The Name.

 

[Thief]

This is interesting.
To know His name, but refuse to pronounce it, for respect of the power it wields.

I like that. I've held the notion in a similar way.

It coincides nicely with that incident on the mount when Moses did ask for His name.
Instead of a pronounceable, personal expression, a simple statement of existence was given.
"I am"....and they who understand will know whose law this is.

But I do think there is a bit more to it, than simply reciting His name to manipulate physical reality.
Even if you know the name and how to pronounce it, you would also need the intellect and constraints to use it discreetly.

 

[bayezid3]

My brother in humanity do not be surprised a lot
Moses is a prophet has limited powers of the Lord in order to do something in order to show the sincerity of prophecy
Even if he knew the real name of the Lord
But Moses asked the Lord thing, which is the largest sites include that he wants to see the face of the Lord
But the Lord said to him, not be able to look at me

I would like to give you something of the true God

Is not nothing like Him

What do you think the format of this Lord

 

[gb00842]

Thanks to share this information

 

[Zardoz]

...But I do think there is a bit more to it, than simply reciting His name to manipulate physical reality.
Even if you know the name and how to pronounce it, you would also need the intellect and constraints to use it discreetly.

Yes indeed! The High Priest (Kohen Gadol) would prepare for seven days and when he did go into the Holy of Holies a rope was tied to his ankle, so that if he became incapacitated for some unimaginable reason when he pronounced The Name, he could be safely retrieved. Many other precautions were taken as well. Not something to be taken lightly, speaking The Name.

 

[Thief]

I've read the Old Testament, and the rewrites have enough variations, I might ask...which type of edition you prefer.

 

[maze]

Assuming that life originated from a single source, we call God; one can only wonder, why would the Creator keep "his" identity mysterious. To answer this question, we have to consider the purpose for our creation (if that is the theory you are more inclined to absorb). Of course, going by this assumption,for God to design life; He would have to be a great Intellectual Being with a great purpose to undergo such a task. To believe that God created life out of boredom or coincidence simply contradicts the notion of God being a Great Intellect.
So you ask yourself Why ? or more importantly, why so inferior to Him ? after all, we could have been much more superior in terms of design. Could life be a mere experiment ?
Don't try to answer all these questions yet, its easy to assume anything when your mind is bound by the limits The Creator has set. Think of that for a minute...
So Who is God you ask ? well, think of the size of the universe with all its complexity and think of how remote is your existence. The answer to such a question is clearly beyond the realm of our understanding. No matter how much you try to put a face to a name, it will only be a "theory" that will satisfy your curiosity for a while.

 

[Zardoz]

I've read the Old Testament, and the rewrites have enough variations, I might ask...which type of edition you prefer.

Excellent question!

I point to two discussions in the Judaism DIR about just that subject:

http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/judaism/87191-there-lot-errors-kjv-old-testament.html

http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/judaism/85536-goodtorah.html

Shalom! (I may not be able to post again for a couple days, until after Shabbat)

 

[Mystique]

Why does "God" have to be a who? And if It is a who, why "he?" Just asking.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Mystique,

Why does "God" have to be a who? And if It is a who, why "he?" Just asking.

Good question.
As had stated God is not *who* but *what*.
Awaiting someone to respond to that.

Love & rgds

 

[godnotgod]

That which we call "God" is, paradoxically, the un-nameable, the un-knowable. the un-fathomable. The moment you name God, God becomes dead, because a name is an attempt to encapsulate not just the reality of the phenomenal world, but of the Absolute, and that simply cannot be done. The grasping, rational mind wants to turn the Absolute into a comfortable conceptual entity in order to alleviate one's metaphysical anxiety about the mystery of existence. By conceptualizing the Absolute, one can, in effect, control and predict it. In order to truly gain union with the Absolute, man should be doing exactly the opposite: emptying oneself [kenosis] of all names, all concepts, all beliefs, about the nature of the Absolute. In other words, instead of grasping via of concept and identification, one should let go. As Alan Watts tells us: "Belief clings; Faith lets go".

Once the rational, grasping mind is relaxed and quieted, another kind of conscious presence comes into play. Zen people refer to this "other mind" as Big Mind. It is Universal Mind, and it is with this view of Big Mind that there is no need to conceptualize the idea of self and other. It is in this conceptual duality that the ordinary mind concieves of an otherness it calls "God". When this conceptualizing is absent, there is no distinction between one's own mind to that of any other mind. The problem lies within the self-created concept of the self. When one comes to the realization, via of accurate seeing, that no such "self" actually exists, then no such "other" exists either.

By transforming the Absolute into a familiar human face in the figure of Jesus, Christians can feel more secure in a world they do not understand, Jesus being a symbol for a divine parent figure. In this sense, Christianity is in the child stage of development. It clings to God, while other religions let God go in order to gain divine union. That is the paradox that the Christian fails to understand. Not only does he cling to a concept of God, he clings to the flesh, even after death, wherein the flesh is resurrected on Judgment Day to be assigned to everlasting ecstasy or everlasting agony. Heaven and Hell are merely extremes of Earthly pleasure and pain.

"God is a circle whose circumference is endless
and whose center is everywhere"
Unknown source

 

[zenzero]

godnotgod,

frubals!!!!!!!!!!!!


Love & rgds

 

[Breathe]

That's a fantastic post godnotgod, frubals due.

 

[Thief]

Yeah...but I'm not buying it.

There are several threads banging back and forth the existence of God.
The title of this one...'who is God' is not so generalized.

The posting recently frubaled actually goes the wrong direction.

I might go as far as rewriting the premise...exchanging 'what' for 'who'.

But either way, God is spirit, and as such.... a personage is implied.
We might then proceed with 'who', and introduce name calling.
We might then proceed with 'what' and introduce labels of attribute.

For example....Yahweh...is a name, and indicates a person of thought and feeling.
'Almighty' is an attribute. But does not negate the ability to think or feel.

Stripping away thought and feeling, would reduce the Almighty to a rendering such as the 'Force' in Star Wars fame.

But again, whether you think of God as 'who' or 'what'....
He will be a 'force' to be reckoned with.
Your ability to think and feel....and the manner in which you do so....will make all the difference when your 'day of reckoning' comes to you.

 

[godnotgod]

The posting recently frubaled actually goes the wrong direction.

Can you be more explicit about which "wrong direction" you are referring to?

But either way, God is spirit, and as such.... a personage is implied.
We might then proceed with 'who', and introduce name calling.
We might then proceed with 'what' and introduce labels of attribute.

In either case, the problem is twofold: one, that it is the mind which first conceives of the entity called "God", and two, "God" is an otherness apart from "self". In addition, by stating that "a personage is implied", an anthropomorphic image of what God is has been created "in the image and likeness of man".

My point is that the distinction between what we see as man apart from God is illusory, in that the concepts of "self and other" do not actually exist in reality. The Hindus have been telling us that no such distinction exists for centuries:

"Tas atvam asi": "Thou Art That"

"God" is none other than you, but existing simultaneously in a cosmic game of hide and seek.

For example....Yahweh...is a name, and indicates a person of thought and feeling.
'Almighty' is an attribute. But does not negate the ability to think or feel.

So you are suggesting that the nature of God is either one or the other, a duality. But the very idea of what God is is not dual, God being all things, and therefore, One. So God would necessarily have to be both personal and impersonal at the same time. What happens when you blend persona with attribute?

Stripping away thought and feeling, would reduce the Almighty to a rendering such as the 'Force' in Star Wars fame.

Does that mean that "God" is an entity of will and purpose, then, with leanings toward The Good, while opposed toward The Bad?

But again, whether you think of God as 'who' or 'what'....
He will be a 'force' to be reckoned with.

Ha! We already reckon with God every single moment.

Your ability to think and feel....and the manner in which you do so....will make all the difference when your 'day of reckoning' comes to you.

Just relax and enjoy it!

"Think neither God, nor not-God"
Buddha

 

[Dirty Penguin]

Can someone please explain to me why the God of most Abrahamic religions is just called "God" instead of calling Him by a name? To me that is kind of like naming your child "Child."

Simple question. No debating about who's God is real. No fighting about who has the cooler name. No religion disrespect. Just, why? Why is there no name?

I thought the Jews called "God"...YHWH....but saying his name was forbidden in their religion. They have other names (titles) for God such as (Eloah, Elohim, El Shaddai, El and a few others). Muslims have Allah. They also say God (Allah) has 99 other attributes...similar to how the Jews describe (call God). Christians as well.

 

[zenzero]

Friend godnotgod,

"Tas atvam asi": "Thou Art That"

"God" is none other than you, but existing simultaneously in a cosmic game of hide and seek.

Well said!

However, personally am not in favour of debates and arguments cause nothing has to be proved as there is nothing to be proved.
IT simply IS!
Those who have eyes see it those who do not will when their time comes when their season comes; all happens in its due course.

Love & rgds

 

[Thief]

Post #34 was a brief list of possibilities.
You can think of God as human, and converse with Him as such.
You can think of Him as beyond human and a bit more distant.
Or non-human, devoid of thought and feeling, responding to you, only if the 'force' is with you.

Take your pick.

In the mean time you will indeed make your life what you will of it.
And suffer accordingly at the hour of your last breath.

 

[Dirty Penguin]

And suffer accordingly at the hour of your last breath.

??????????.....

 

[Thief]

???????????what? you don't understand consequence?

Treat God as a person, and His response is predictable as much as your actions are predictable.
You would expect to be treated as human....if your God is human.

Treat God as a God...and you should expect some detachment of human traits, and His response to you may seem a bit cold. His will over yours may prove more important than your life.

Treat God as an unthinking, unfeeling energy, and it will be up to you to deal with something that will not heed your presence.

Of course, which is greater...you or God?
Choose as you please, how to deal with Him...and suffer how He deals with you.
Doesn't that sound fair?