God is not one

[Beena]

Vivekanand says, "But then perfection is absolute, and the absolute cannot be two or three." But Truth is also absolute and truths are many. There is day and night, that's one truth. There is nature, that is another truth and so on. Therefore, since God is truth, He need not be one but could be many. Agree? Disagree?

 

[experimental-robot]

Vivekanand says, "But then perfection is absolute, and the absolute cannot be two or three." But Truth is also absolute and truths are many. There is day and night, that's one truth. There is nature, that is another truth and so on. Therefore, since God is truth, He need not be one but could be many. Agree? Disagree?

agree
i think god takes many forms or is expressed in many ways
whether or not god actively seeks out humans i dunno, but i think the parralells between world religions and spirituality all across the world is a sign that god can be seen in many ways
not that all religions are similar but i think that god is seen through people in different ways
i can't imagine god existing with the limits a lot of religions put on god
its far beyond anything i could think of i think
but then again i am a simple experimental robot

 

[DivineNames]

"Another elaboration on the theory of unanimity can be found in the works of Vivekenanda, a well-received spokesman for Advaita Vedanta Hinduism in the West. As a Vedanta Hindu, Vivekenanda refers to and conceptualizes Highest Reality as Brahman, the "personal" Absolute of Advaita Vedanta Hinduism. According to Vedanta cosmology, under Brahman fall relatively Lesser Realities which the other religions of the world confess as their God or gods. Since even these Lesser Realities are true emanations from the Highest Reality (Brahman), all religions may be said to, in essence, worship the same Object, Brahman. Thus Vivekenanda finds no obstacle in the fact that the many religious and mystical experiences conflict with each other, since all realities, from the very least to the very greatest are various aspects and emanations of Brahman. Whereas aspects differ so also experiences of those aspects would be expected to differ.

Vivekenanda's attempt to blanket all religious reality as emanations of Brahman undoubtedly creates incoherencies within the traditional Christian theistic perspective. Such a view reduces the Judeao-Christian God to the status of either a deceptive Being making claims as to there being "No other God before me" or a mis-guided deity unaware that He is in fact simply an illusory emanation of an even higher Being. In either scenario Judaeo-Christian theism is severely comprimised since the core of this theism is grounded in claims made by God as to His uniqueness and sovereignty. Vivekenanda would have the Judaeo-Christian theist believe that such apparent contradiction results from the Judaeo-Christian experience of a different emanation of Brahman than, for example, the Buddhist. This explanation, however raises many questions, not least of which involves the status of "truth statements". For if God spoke falsehood regarding Himself and God is an emanation of Brahman, does not Brahman participate in falsehood? Or if questions of "truth and non-truth" are proposed as simply human constructs not to be foisted upon Brahman, then how might anyone, including Vivekenanda, deem Brahman's words more accurate than a child's? Questions might also be raised regarding Vivekenanda's assurance that he is not also simply referring to an emanation of a Higher Reality when he talks of Brahman, since he implies such stellar religious figures as Jesus and Moses were unable to rightly discern what/who they were experiencing."



Scott David Foutz, Universal Mysticism and the Christian Theistic Paradigm

 

[Beena]

Vivekanand says, "But then perfection is absolute, and the absolute cannot be two or three." But Truth is also absolute and truths are many. There is day and night, that's one truth. There is nature, that is another truth and so on. Therefore, since God is truth, He need not be one but could be many. Agree? Disagree?

agree
i think god takes many forms or is expressed in many ways
whether or not god actively seeks out humans i dunno, but i think the parralells between world religions and spirituality all across the world is a sign that god can be seen in many ways
not that all religions are similar but i think that god is seen through people in different ways
i can't imagine god existing with the limits a lot of religions put on god
its far beyond anything i could think of i think
but then again i am a simple experimental robot

No, you didn't understand. I meant that there must be more than one God actually, not that people perceive one God in many ways. I read on some website that, 'If there can be one God, then why can't there be more Gods?' The person meant to say that, where we imagine to be one God, whichever way He came up, how come there couldn't be others as well? Don't forget that, 'It's lonely at the top' only in our world. In another world, reality could be different. Different laws and stuff that we simply cannot understand because the laws of our universe won't let us. But considering God/s is perfect, it would be safe to assume that in God's world there is no, "It's lonely at the top." Therefore, would you all not agree that, from our world we should either make the top disappear or put many there. Then it would be perfect. It's called EQUALITY!

 

[Blazin Bones]

Disagree.

The Bible is clear in the fact that there is one God. The Bible is also fairly clearon the fact that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are God. I don't need to entirely understand this to accept this. It's part of Faith.

 

[Free]

Disagree.

That's a great quote DivineNames and really says it all.

 

[Muhsen]

Vivekanand says, "But then perfection is absolute, and the absolute cannot be two or three." But Truth is also absolute and truths are many. There is day and night, that's one truth. There is nature, that is another truth and so on. Therefore, since God is truth, He need not be one but could be many. Agree? Disagree?

Disagree.
The biggest boon of Islam is the monotheism,( not associate partner with God almighty) he is one true God,
The trinity concept did not come about until hundreds of years later. The only reason the Trinitarian theology of Christianity lives today, is because the monotheistic Christians were murdered because they did not accept the polytheist.
Jesus (pbuh) was no more than a prophet, and the bible which associate partner with God had been corrupted by men.

Peace.

 

[DivineNames]

Disagree.

That's a great quote DivineNames and really says it all.

I have posted that quote on a Hindu forum. They didn't seem to like it. :D

 

[DivineNames]

No, you didn't understand. I meant that there must be more than one God actually, not that people perceive one God in many ways. I read on some website that, 'If there can be one God, then why can't there be more Gods?' The person meant to say that, where we imagine to be one God, whichever way He came up, how come there couldn't be others as well?

:o

 

[bibleberean]

There are many god's so called but only one God according to the Scriptures.

Isaiah 44:8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

Isaiah 44:9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

Isaiah 44:10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

Those who worship other gods worship devils...

1 Corinthians 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

There is no other God but the God of the bible. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The God of Israel and the God who built the Church.

Exodus 3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

Of the true church it is written.

Matthew 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The truth... :D

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

[Beena]

No one emphasized that we are not allowed living in our own little worlds, we are all free to believe what we like. For myself, if I see that the earth is round and not flat, I would not stick to the view that it is flat! ;-)

 

[bibleberean]

No one emphasized that we are not allowed living in our own little worlds, we are all free to believe what we like. For myself, if I see that the earth is round and not flat, I would not stick to the view that it is flat! ;-)

We are all free to believe what we like.

That is why God so clearly states:

"The fool hath said in his heart there is no God..."

Psalms 53:1

I don't want to live in my own little world. I want to be living in God's... :D

 

[Free]

Disagree.

That's a great quote DivineNames and really says it all.

I have posted that quote on a Hindu forum. They didn't seem to like it. :D

lol! I wonder why? Is Universal Mysticism and the Christian Theistic Paradigm a good book (assuming that it is a book)?

we are all free to believe what we like. For myself, if I see that the earth is round and not flat, I would not stick to the view that it is flat!

According to you then, on the one hand we are all free to believe what we like, but on the other, you imply that we should believe what is true. So really we are not free to believe what we like since we shouldn't believe things that aren't true.

Do you see the problem? We cannot both be free to believe what we like and at the same time only believe what is true, or what best corresponds with reality.

 

[Beena]

I said that we are free to believe what we like, but for myself I would choose to believe that the earth is round and no longer flat when I see that it is round and not flat. But if others still want to keep believing that the earth is flat, they are most welcome because they have that right to their belief.

 

[bibleberean]

I said that we are free to believe what we like, but for myself I would choose to believe that the earth is round and no longer flat when I see that it is round and not flat. But if others still want to keep believing that the earth is flat, they are most welcome because they have that right to their belief.

I personally don't know anyone who believes the earth is flat... :o

 

[Beena]

It was just an example. Of course no one will believe the earth is flat still because Truth stands above all.

 

[bibleberean]

It was just an example. Of course no one will believe the earth is flat still because Truth stands above all.

An example of what?

 

[Beena]

An example that, despite conflicting evidence or even in the face of what is Truth, we are all free to believe that, which we want to believe. No prophet can be above genius, common sense or logic or brilliance or intelligence because that's who God is. So, if your logic tells you to not believe a prophet or that he may be wrong or may have interpreted wrong, then if you believe in what you believe because your logic is sound, then you would be more right than the prophet. Remember, the prophet got chosen for a reason. And that reason would be, primarily because he cared for all humanity and secondly because he was intelligent enough. But if you are more intelligent than that prophet, then you can say, the prophet was wrong if he seems to have interpreted wrong! And others can still believe what the hell they like to believe because essentially we are all free or why would we all have a separate brain and mind!

 

[bibleberean]

An example that, despite conflicting evidence or even in the face of what is Truth, we are all free to believe that, which we want to believe. No prophet can be above genius, common sense or logic or brilliance or intelligence because that's who God is. So, if your logic tells you to not believe a prophet or that he may be wrong or may have interpreted wrong, then if you believe in what you believe because your logic is sound, then you would be more right than the prophet. Remember, the prophet got chosen for a reason. And that reason would be, primarily because he cared for all humanity and secondly because he was intelligent enough. But if you are more intelligent than that prophet, then you can say, the prophet was wrong if he seems to have interpreted wrong!

Oh... :o

 

[DivineNames]

Is Universal Mysticism and the Christian Theistic Paradigm a good book (assuming that it is a book)?

Its an article-

Universal Mysticism and the Christian Theistic Paradigm
Scott David Foutz

http://www.quodlibet.net/foutz-mystic.shtml