"…If he is infinitely wise, why should we have doubts concerning our future? If he knows all, why warn him or our needs and fatigue him with our prayers? If he is everywhere, why erect temples to him?" - Percy Bysshe Shelley
well, i don’t know about you, but i have never ever heard so many devastating questions to religion in one quote…
i completely agree with shelley
what about you?
{ 14 comments }
lol god isnt real. Live your life by your own way
If man doesn’t fear god, then religious people have no power. So it is imperative that people fear god and put their trust in the hands of the religious class. That’s the point of religion.
The churches are not for god, but rather the people who worship him. Without the churches, there would be not evidence of an invisible deity anywhere. Churches provide that tangible place where you can touch god, perhaps.
i don’t think there is anything above us. we live on a spec. in hooville. FOR NARNIA
Who says He is infinitely good (loving)? Do you have a KJV bible? Are you ignoring Akedah, the plagues of Egypt, the chapter on Job, Psalm 5:5, Romans 9:13, I can go on and on really? All you’re really throwing here are kissy-poo preacher aka folk knowledge quotes, no substance, you hardly have an iota of Biblical knowledge in you. What a waste.
I respect God, I have no need to be afraid of Him, only what He can do.
I have no doubts about my future.
Talk to Him once in a while, you’ll see.
The body is our temple.
Are you kidding me? We should be scared out of our wits of him. I heard like one time he drowned the whole Earth, babies and all the animals too except for this one boat because he was pissed and stuff. He’s was moody that way years ago. I think now he might be on Valiums or something, because he’s keeping a real low profile.
one word "hell"
I believe she is ignorant and has no understanding of God. Many attack or say bad things about things they do not understand, yet in understanding and/or knowledge it would not be so.
We can have a personal relationship with the creator of all things, but some choose not to. How intelligent does that sound?
take care.
well..the world is da journey that everyone has to face it..everything has been created so tat we could learn sth n become a bettr person..n He is our creator..our deeds will show to HIM that we’re grateful!
=)
Because if God is infinitely good, then we must assume that He cannot bear evil, because good and evil will always clash. Since we as human beings are imperfect, and live lives that when examined, prove to be filled with all manner of evil. We lie, we steal, we are filled with hatred, unforgiveness, jealousy, anger, bitterness, strife, selfishness, greed, slander and many other undesirable traits. A God who is infinitely good would be a God of order. He could not have disorder and chaos in His presence. Since we are obviously not good, and our lives demonstrate all manner of disorder and chaos, God, being all powerful, would have no choice but to judge us, or bar us from His presence. A being of this kind of power should be feared, strictly for the fact that He IS good, and He is holy, and completely different from all of us.
We can never hope to measure up to His standards. He alone would have to become the perfect judge, since He is the only one who is truly good. Standing before a perfect judge, all of us should have great fear, knowing that we fall far short of perfection.
Many are afraid of their Free Will; the vastness of its potential possitive Destiny against the infinity of their stupidity they are trying to avoid being aware of, reflecting that with unhappiness, fear of God and theories relating God with interest. Some even despise God, not being aware that they actually despise themselves, despising their own ignorance. What a paradox of Wisdom.
I do not agree with Percy Bysshe Shelley. Perhaps Percy had some unsolved issues with mama when growing up.
First of all, the "He" gives the concept critical limitation to higher spiritual concepts of maturing. Second, our material future is in question within the realm of Rationality, not Spiritual whose destiny is much clearer. Third, the prayer is a way of relating in the monotheist male religion of Christianity. Meditating into Enlightenment and Prayer are on a qualitative difference in terms of relating to the Everything Existing. There are concepts beyond those, upon which Percy shows vast ignorance, but is bold enough allow being quoted. Four, he obviously does not understand the spiritual nature of temples. Fifth, God is not everywhere, the Holy Spirit is, within what God represents in own mythology. What an examplar stuck display of a neurotic ego.
Not everyone fears his father, like Percy does. Maybe Percy’s father feared his father, although Percy might have not feared his grandfather. Percy deserves to be flushed into mediocrity.
I am so sorry.
A. Believers shouldn’t have doubts concerning our future. We do because we are not infinitely wise. That’s not a reflection on God.
B. In the same way, the reason for telling Him our needs is that they have a way of occupying our minds. What kind of relationship would your parent/child/spouse/friend have with you if they never talked to you about what was on their minds? Do you imagine that our relationship with God (as opposed to His relationship with us) would not languish in the silence like human relationships do?
C. Why is your notion of God so anthropomorphic that you imagine our prayers fatigue him?
D. There is no good reason to erect temples to Him. That’s why Christians don’t do it. We build places where we can meet. Then again, these days an awful lot of churches are meeting in schools/strip malls/warehouses. I don’t have a problem with that. Do you?
E. If you ever draw near to the presence of God, you will gain a sense of what the Bible meant by the "fear of God." Lacking it, both you and Shelley are like blind people discussing the Sistine Chapel.
I have experienced things Shelley didn’t. Why would I care what he thought?
Mis translation of the words σέβας, σεβασμός, εκτίμηση,
חֲשָׁשׁ
בְּעָתָה
אֵימָה
מוֹרָא
אֵימָתָה
דְחִילָה
יִראָה
מְגוֹרָה
דְאָגָה
לִירוֹא
לָגוּר
When used in the correct context all these words mean honour, respect, reverence or concern , though they all translate directly as ‘fear’
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