Does God feel?

[Tranquil Servant]

IDK if this seems like an irrelevant question but I ask this because I've seen and heard ppl say (paraphrasing) God doesn't need this or that but we all know God doesn't need anything, he wants and wanting is an emotion or part of feeling; isn't it? And if feeling and having emotion makes us human, does being emotionless make us God- like? If God does feel and have emotion, could it be like the way we humans feel and have emotions?

 

[Quintessence]

As a general rule, I do not anthropomorphize the gods I worship. For example, honoring the cycles of the seasons is part of my tradition and one could say each season has its associated god or spirit. There's just no reason to suppose that the Spirit of Winter "feels" anything given it isn't a biological entity, much less possesses any sort of neurological system. If it does "feel" things it would be in such a dramatically different way than that of a biological organism that it makes more sense to use a different word entirely.

 

[Jumi]

I think feelings, at least the type we can understand are mostly us humans and some animals. I wouldn't put any human qualities on God (or god).

 

[nPeace]

IDK if this seems like an irrelevant question but I ask this because I've seen and heard ppl say (paraphrasing) God doesn't need this or that but we all know God doesn't need anything, he wants and wanting is an emotion or part of feeling; isn't it? And if feeling and having emotion makes us human, does being emotionless make us God- like? If God does feel and have emotion, could it be like the way we humans feel and have emotions?

This is my view and understanding from scripture.
We all know from experience, that anything we design is based on some "prototype". We don't come up with things out of thin air.
So, the fact we have emotions at all, tells me there is a "prototype" somewhere.
The Bible tells us that we are God's progeny.
Acts 17:28, 29
28 For by him we have life and move and exist, even as certain ones of the poets among YOU have said, ‘For we are also his progeny.’ 29 “Seeing, therefore, that we are the progeny of God, we ought not to imagine that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, like something sculptured by the art and contrivance of man.

Here the scriptures show that we have no good reason to imagine that God is like stone, or wood, because we are his progeny - made in his image. Genesis 1:27

So based on this, I can only come to the conclusion that God has feelings. In fact, if he did not, he would not be as the Bible describes him - a God merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loyal love. just and upright, compassionate... Neither would Jesus be that way. In order to be empathetic, and pity someone, one must feel, and Jesus surely felt pain. He wept tears wen he felt the pain of others.

If Jesus, then how much more so God, who created Jesus, and who is greater?
So, Yes, God feels. He is happy, and he feels hurt.

 

[Regiomontanus]

IDK if this seems like an irrelevant question but I ask this because I've seen and heard ppl say (paraphrasing) God doesn't need this or that but we all know God doesn't need anything, he wants and wanting is an emotion or part of feeling; isn't it? And if feeling and having emotion makes us human, does being emotionless make us God- like? If God does feel and have emotion, could it be like the way we humans feel and have emotions?

Hello.

God = Love

Peace

 

[Nakosis]

IDK if this seems like an irrelevant question but I ask this because I've seen and heard ppl say (paraphrasing) God doesn't need this or that but we all know God doesn't need anything, he wants and wanting is an emotion or part of feeling; isn't it? And if feeling and having emotion makes us human, does being emotionless make us God- like? If God does feel and have emotion, could it be like the way we humans feel and have emotions?

My generally view is that when folks start talking about what God wants or needs, they have no idea what they are talking about. A person can apply any aspect they want to God and who's going to be able to verify whether they are right or wrong about it?

So as far as your fellow human beings go, just assume they know nothing about any actual God.

 

[Windwalker]

IDK if this seems like an irrelevant question but I ask this because I've seen and heard ppl say (paraphrasing) God doesn't need this or that but we all know God doesn't need anything, he wants and wanting is an emotion or part of feeling; isn't it? And if feeling and having emotion makes us human, does being emotionless make us God- like? If God does feel and have emotion, could it be like the way we humans feel and have emotions?

These are subtly profound questions you ask, whether you're aware of this or not. I appreciate the spirit in which you ask these things.

Emotions of the physical body, driven by chemical responses to situations and whatnot, are different from the spiritual body. At a spiritual level, there is a calmness like a still lake under a silvery moon at night. There is awareness of emotions, but there is not the upheavals and confusions one may experience being caught in the waves of them. There is a certain "detachment", but not an indifference. Rather than a detachment, it's really more a compassionate non-attachment, like a loving and wise observer, like great grandmother who nods her head knowingly at the goings on of her great grandchildren learning how to navigate themselves in the world.

So to say God is "emotionless", does not mean without compassion. On the contrary, it is endless Compassion, which when we rest in this, we too become undistracted by emotions. That infinite Love, can embrace all emotions, good and bad, because it is still and calm, not bound to the upheavals of the emotional body. It embraces all of it, like the Wise great grandmother.

 

[Remté]

Yes. He loves us and wants us to do right. He dislikes evil and punishes. He offers comfort - clearly he feels.

 

[Twilight Hue]

IDK if this seems like an irrelevant question but I ask this because I've seen and heard ppl say (paraphrasing) God doesn't need this or that but we all know God doesn't need anything, he wants and wanting is an emotion or part of feeling; isn't it? And if feeling and having emotion makes us human, does being emotionless make us God- like? If God does feel and have emotion, could it be like the way we humans feel and have emotions?

I would say definitely. Humans are the puppeteers of God by which its emotions and feelings come from.

 

[Tranquil Servant]

These are subtly profound questions you ask, whether you're aware of this or not. I appreciate the spirit in which you ask these things.

I appreciate your appreciation!
Sometimes I get too deep, even for myself

Emotions of the physical body, driven by chemical responses to situations and whatnot, are different from the spiritual body. At a spiritual level, there is a calmness like a still lake under a silvery moon at night. There is awareness of emotions, but there is not the upheavals and confusions one may experience being caught in the waves of them. There is a certain "detachment", but not an indifference. Rather than a detachment, it's really more a compassionate non-attachment, like a loving and wise observer, like great grandmother who nods her head knowingly at the goings on of her great grandchildren learning how to navigate themselves in the world.

So to say God is "emotionless", does not mean without compassion. On the contrary, it is endless Compassion, which when we rest in this, we too become undistracted by emotions. That infinite Love, can embrace all emotions, good and bad, because it is still and calm, not bound to the upheavals of the emotional body. It embraces all of it, like the Wise great grandmother.

I agree with the fact that scientifically, emotion is a response to an experience or a situation of a conscious mind. This is why animals can feel sad, happy, depressed etc.....and how a conscious mind feels is based on the emotion one is experiencing so what does this tell us about God? Does God not have a conscious mind?(the most conscious mind?)

 

[Windwalker]

I agree with the fact that scientifically, emotion is a response to an experience or a situation of a conscious mind. This is why animals can feel sad, happy, depressed etc.....and how a conscious mind feels is based on the emotion one is experiencing so what does this tell us about God? Does God not have a conscious mind?(the most conscious mind?)

It's hard to conceive of this. It wouldn't be right to say God "has a conscious mind". That would be to think of God in the same terms we do of other humans. Try thinking of God in terms of the foundation or the Source of all consciousness itself. Think of God as Consciousness itself. There would be no "has" this or that. Rather God is.

You're familiar with Jn. 4:24 where Jesus says God is Spirit? He doesn't say "has a spirit". Rather God is Spirit. Also, "God is Love", not God has love. And again from John, "God is Light", not God has a light. You see the difference? Consciousness is the nature of God. It's not something God possesses.It's what God is. And that Consciousness is Light. It's the Light that lights or illuminates all of us.

 

[Tranquil Servant]

It's hard to conceive of this. It wouldn't be right to say God "has a conscious mind". That would be to think of God in the same terms we do of other humans. Try thinking of God in terms of the foundation or the Source of all consciousness itself. Think of God as Consciousness itself. There would be no "has" this or that. Rather God is.

You're familiar with Jn. 4:24 where Jesus says God is Spirit? He doesn't say "has a spirit". Rather God is Spirit. Also, "God is Love", not God has love. And again from John, "God is Light", not God has a light. You see the difference? Consciousness is the nature of God. It's not something God possesses.It's what God is. And that Consciousness is Light. It's the Light that lights or illuminates all of us.

Yes....I like this and I agree
My husband is Muslim and he says if we're compassionate then God is the most compassionate, if we love then God is the most loving and so on and so forth but he says Muslims believe God has 99 attributes; I think that's a subject for another discussion.
Anyways, I understand what you mean and I agree. We cannot fathom how or what God is or feels but I do agree that God is the source
I'll tell you one thing tho..... if we get angry and God is the source, I don't wanna see God's anger.....Let's pray we never see or experience God's anger

 

[Windwalker]

I'll tell you one thing tho..... if we get angry and God is the source, I don't wanna see God's anger.....Let's pray we never see or experience God's anger

Hah, yes. Personally though, I don't see anger being an actual reality with God. "God is Love" pretty much makes that impossible. Anger is what we express when we feel disconnected from Love. It's a negative response. God isn't negative.

 

[Tranquil Servant]

Hah, yes. Personally though, I don't see anger being an actual reality with God. "God is Love" pretty much makes that impossible. Anger is what we express when we feel disconnected from Love. It's a negative response. God isn't negative.

I think maybe it is a reality with God because there are plenty of verses in the Bible that talk about God's anger..... just look up anger in an online bible or bible app (preferably the NIV) and you'll see.......
Also, one can feel anger because of love.