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Can we see God? (abrahamic version)

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
Edit: In OP like this i do not speak as a Sufi who "only" think Allah in discussion of abrahamic faith, it is about the Torah, Bible, Quran or other scriptures found within Abrahamic teachings.

There has been many discussions and debates in RF about God, and many claim to know God, and non believers ask for physical proofs before they even think that God can exist (something i now understand why)

But the thing is Scripture either say God want us to see him or at least hinting that it can be possible.

The question then become, does this mean in physical form or is it seeing God through wisdom about what God is?

OP starter has of course his own thought of this, but i will try to remain open to look at all posabilities without biased pre-conseption.
 
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Hermit Philosopher

Selflessly here for you
.../and non believers ask for physical proofs before they even think that God can exist (something i now understand why)/...

I truly admire this, Conscious thoughts. It’s a perfect illustration of why humility is such a beautiful blessing to Man.

.../The question then become, does this mean in physical form or is it seeing God through wisdom about wat God is?

Some speak of seeing God in nature; in the perfection of its laws, etc. That’s one thing.

But as far as seeing God per se, I think “see” means understand. For God, to me, is not physically embodied and cannot be experienced through our five physical senses.

We have words for worldly things but we lack good words for spiritual experience. Where there are no words, we are forced to use metaphor and parable when attempting to share our experiences with others. It leads to miss interpretation, but the alternative is to stop trying to share.

When I experience God, it is an abstract encounter. There is nothing to see, hear, feel, taste, smell. And yet, it is all-consuming (in as the “self” ceases to be) and leaves one with new, deeper understanding of an aspect (whichever aspect one is praying on).

People ask how one knows that a new understanding is “true”. To me the “proof” is only in the pudding: if I act upon my new understanding and things improve, then my understanding is good; if I do so and things deteriorate, then I stop and go back.


Humbly
Hermit
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
I truly admire this, Conscious thoughts. It’s a perfect illustration of why humility is such a beautiful blessing to Man.



Some speak of seeing God in nature; in the perfection of its laws, etc. That’s one thing.

But as far as seeing God per se, I think “see” means understand. For God, to me, is not physically embodied and cannot be experienced through our five physical senses.

We have words for worldly things but we lack good words for spiritual experience. Where there are no words, we are forced to use metaphor and parable when attempting to share our experiences with others. It leads to miss interpretation, but the alternative is to stop trying to share.

When I experience God, it is an abstract encounter. There is nothing to see, hear, feel, taste, smell. And yet, it is all-consuming (in as the “self” ceases to be) and leaves one with new, deeper understanding of an aspect (whichever aspect one is praying on).

People ask how one knows that a new understanding is “true”. To me the “proof” is only in the pudding: if I act upon my new understanding and things improve, then my understanding is good; if I do so and things deteriorate, then I stop and go back.


Humbly
Hermit
You have a wise way to understand this topic @Hermit Philosopher
 

RestlessSoul

Well-Known Member
345F75B2-47D5-49DF-9EFF-E0F24BD8DF44.jpeg
 

RestlessSoul

Well-Known Member
Gods creation of beauty :)


And in the case of blossom, so perfect, so short lived, dying from the moment it is born. Mirroring our own fleeting, but infinitely beautiful lives.

‘Oh bewildered heart,
Though every branch have back what last year lost,
She, who moved here amid the cyclamen,
Moves only now, a clinging fragile ghost.’

- Ezra Pound
 

Teritos

Active Member
There has been many discussions and debates in RF about God, and many claim to know God, and non believers ask for physical proofs before they even think that God can exist (something i now understand why)

But the thing is Scripture either say God want us to see him or at least hinting that it can be possible.

The question then become, does this mean in physical form or is it seeing God through wisdom about what God is?

OP starter has of course his own thought of this, but i will try to remain open to look at all posabilities without biased pre-conseption.
You can see God in His Son Jesus Christ.

And we know: The Son of God came to us so that through Him we might see God who is the truth. Now we are closely connected to the true God because we are in His Son Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus Christ is the true God Himself. He is the eternal life. 1 John 5:20
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
You can see God in His Son Jesus Christ.

And we know: The Son of God came to us so that through Him we might see God who is the truth. Now we are closely connected to the true God because we are in His Son Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus Christ is the true God Himself. He is the eternal life. 1 John 5:20
I would say Christians are doing that yes :)
 

Native

Free Natural Philosopher & Comparative Mythologist
But the thing is Scripture either say God want us to see him or at least hinting that it can be possible.

The question then become, does this mean in physical form or is it seeing God through wisdom about what God is?
According to the biblical story of creation, "God" = the creation via Light and as such, we all can see the evidences of god everywhere.
In the center of the Milky Way galaxy we can observe such a light and it´s starry surroundings and in the Sun wich co-creates every life on the Earth.
IMO, "God" isn´t a personal entity, but an universal force of Light. (And once upon a time in the Abrahamic religion, "he" also had a "female" partner, called Ashera. Which is natural as everything is created by two electromagnetic polarities.
 

The_Fisher_King

Trying to bring myself ever closer to Allah
Premium Member
I added an edit in the OP. In discussion of abrahamic faith i do not only speak of Allah. the other people who are from different part of abrahamic faith can think their God if they wish

Okay, thanks. In this life, I do not believe anyone can see God. The Afterlife is a different matter - the believers in Paradise will see God.
 

MatthewA

Active Member
Can we see God?

Here is my answer thorough Christian Philosophy, ~ Question, think, ponder

According to the bible scriptures~

(John 1:18)
God no one hath ever seen; the only begotten Son, who is on the bosom of the Father -- he did declare.

The Father of the Lord Jesus Christ has never been seen. Jesus Christ's God was whom He called His Father. Jesus Christ was the Word of His Father, and had became flesh ~. So before Jesus Christ become formed in to the womb of Mary; He was known as the Word.

You have a scripture later on in John that explains : John 14:9

9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

The disciples is asking Jesus Christ to show them the Father ~ In verse 8. When Jesus Christ says to Him "Don't you know me, Philip? Even after I have been with you all this time? Anyone who has see me has see then Father.

Jesus Christ explains to the disciples that if you have seen Him; You have seen the Father ~ Which means you are seeing the Father in work before you when you are looking at the Lord Jesus Christ even though Jesus is a man ~ whom is the Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). ~ According to scriptures.

According to Christian Scriptures :

Has anyone seen the Father? God of Abraham, Issiac, and Jacob? The disciples saw the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ was the expressed image of the invisible God ~ (Hebrews 1:1-3) (Colossians 1:15)

No one has seen the Invisible God of Abraham, Issaic, and Jacob (Matthew 22:29-32; of the Bible (John 4:24, Hebrews 12:29, 1 John 4:7-21) except by and through the Lord Jesus Christ. ~ Which takes faith to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and God, and is a choice.
 
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Gargovic Malkav

Well-Known Member
Christian scripture, as far as the little i have read in the bible i recall seeing something like it anyway, but christiand know this better than i do.

I'm not a Christian, but am familiar with the Bible.
The Gospel of Matthew 5:8 a verse did indeed say something like that: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
 
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