Good point! Psalm 139 seems to argue omniscience, but I was surprised that I could find nothing more explicit. I need to give this some more thought ...NetDoc said:Does the Bible make this claim for him? If so, I can't think of where.
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Good point! Psalm 139 seems to argue omniscience, but I was surprised that I could find nothing more explicit. I need to give this some more thought ...NetDoc said:Does the Bible make this claim for him? If so, I can't think of where.
A wise, if not paternalistic and irrelevant, piece of advice.NetDoc said:So much of what we ascribe God to be is based on assumptions or what was simply handed down from our parents. It's always best to discard such assumptions if you really want to find the truth.
This is highly displeasing to God: "I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven things." (16) For it must be known that the dignity of God consists in His omniscience, since the name of God (Deus) is from "seeing"; and this is one of the signs of divinity: "Show the things that are to come hereafter and we shall know that ye are gods." (17) "All things are naked and open to His eyes." (18) But this dignity of God is denied Him by practitioners of divination, and of them it is said: "Should not the people seek of their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?" (19)16. Isa. 42:8- God's Greatest Gifts by St. Thomas Aquinas
17. Isa. 41:23
18. Heb. 4:13
19. Isa. 8:19
That God is omniscient or possesses the most perfect knowledge of all things, follows from His infinite perfection. In the first place He knows and comprehends Himself fully and adequately, and in the next place He knows all created objects and comprehends their finite and contingent mode of being. Hence He knows them individually or singularly in their finite multiplicity, knows everything possible as well as actual; knows what is bad as well as what is good. Everything, in a word, which to our finite minds signifies perfection and completeness of knowledge may be predicated of Divine omniscience, and it is further to be observed that it is on Himself alone that God depends for His knowledge.
- Catholic Encyclopaedia
As for what was "simply handed down from our parents", my parents worked long and hard to get the Encyclopaedia Britannica Jr., the Encyclopaedia Britannica, and the Britannica Great Books of the Western World series into my hands.The divine omniscience is most important for the religious life. The very essence of religion as communion with God depends on His all-comprehensive cognizance of the life of man at every moment.
- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - OMNISCIENCE
For that they should be praised! But I don't accept my parent's beliefs as my own. My mom thought I looked great in red pants. Four years in a row she would give me a pair for my birthday, for Christmas or for both. Imagine her surprise when I went to college and she found half a dozen pair of red pants with the tags still on! I love my mom, but I have my own faith.my parents worked long and hard
I'd pay to see that picture.. :biglaugh:NetDoc said:For that they should be praised! But I don't accept my parent's beliefs as my own. My mom thought I looked great in red pants. Four years in a row she would give me a pair for my birthday, for Christmas or for both. Imagine her surprise when I went to college and she found half a dozen pair of red pants with the tags still on! I love my mom, but I have my own faith.
God appears to us as paradox. My point was that I would be careful about stating what God cannot do, even if it follows logically from one of God's recognized attributes. It's the equivalent of asking whether God can create a rock so heavy that God cannot lift it.No*s said:Either that or a weakness of human language .
lilithu said:I actually prefer the apophatic to the cataphatic, because ultimately it is still less limiting. Any positive statement limits more than a negative one. As Hinduism says when describing God, Neti, Neti. Not this. Not that.
lilithu said:addendum:
I should add that there is a difference between using apophatic statements to describe our perception of God's nature and making positive statements about what God cannot do.
I can live with that. I actually envy your revelation/tradition. But I can not believe in what I do not believe in. It's like trying to love a person that you know is a good person but you just don't love. if that makes sense.No*s said:So, at this point, we are in agreement. The difference that changes our perception of God so, is that holy book, revelation, Church, tradition, etc. . This seems to be becoming a pattern in many ways lol.
Hey, I've done it many times. How else would I recognize it?No*s said:Yes, I have been saying "God cannot..." and that terminology is inaccurate. Thank you for your correction. It's so easy to slip into something like that .
lilithu said:I can live with that. I actually envy your revelation/tradition. But I can not believe in what I do not believe in. It's like trying to love a person that you know is a good person but you just don't love. if that makes sense.
lilithu said:Hey, I've done it many times. How else would I recognize it?