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God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit?

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
Last Sunday, our priest asked the congregation which of the three do you tend to more relate to, and why? This is not about the Trinitarian concept, so please don't bring this into the discussion. Also, no fudging by saying two or all three of them-- one only.

I had never heard that question asked of me before, so it did catch me off guard, and I ended up changing my mind after thinking about it.

So, what do you think and why?
 

The Reverend Bob

Fart Machine and Beastmaster
Jesus, because he should be central as well as his Cross. I don't believe God exists, so God isn't important to me. And I believe that the Holy Spirit is symbolic of the church as an emancipatory community of believers, so that does have importance to me but not has much as Jesus does.
 

Deeje

Avid Bible Student
Premium Member
Jesus, because he should be central as well as his Cross. I don't believe God exists, so God isn't important to me. And I believe that the Holy Spirit is symbolic of the church as an emancipatory community of believers, so that does have importance to me but not has much as Jesus does.

Do we have to choose?

If Jesus was real and he constantly spoke about his God and Father, even referring to him as such after his death and resurrection, so what does it matter what we individually think?

Jesus taught us to pray...not to himself, but to his Father in heaven.
He spoke about the Holy Spirit as a "helper" (Paraclete) so it is something that assists God's worshippers in their spiritual journey.
So, isn't it the power that God uses to accomplish his will through his servants?....the power behind creation?.....the power behind the Bible's miracles from a Creator who has no limits?

The truth is the truth, whether we believe it or not. Do we think that God must somehow conform to what we, as individuals believe? :shrug:

Does he make his truth known? If so, how can we tell which ones are correct in a bottomless pit of belief systems?

IMO, it's the old story of 'how do you hide a 40ft tree out in the middle of a cleared field'? The fact is, you can't unless you have time up your sleeve. Then you could plant a whole forest of similar looking trees all around it and in time, finding the original tree will be almost impossible. The thing is....who planted the forest?....and who can guide us back to the original tree? I think I know the answer to both of those questions. :D
 

Shiranui117

Pronounced Shee-ra-noo-ee
Premium Member
Last Sunday, our priest asked the congregation which of the three do you tend to more relate to, and why? This is not about the Trinitarian concept, so please don't bring this into the discussion. Also, no fudging by saying two or all three of them-- one only.

I had never heard that question asked of me before, so it did catch me off guard, and I ended up changing my mind after thinking about it.

So, what do you think and why?
Hmm, this is a really good question. For me it's probably the Son, just because I view Him as Master and Teacher and Savior. But on the other hand I think my normal way of thinking about God is more in accordance with the Father. Not so much with the Spirit; He's more of a behind-the-scenes sort of Person.
 

Shiranui117

Pronounced Shee-ra-noo-ee
Premium Member
Do we have to choose?

If Jesus was real and he constantly spoke about his God and Father, even referring to him as such after his death and resurrection, so what does it matter what we individually think?

Jesus taught us to pray...not to himself, but to his Father in heaven.
He spoke about the Holy Spirit as a "helper" (Paraclete) so it is something that assists God's worshippers in their spiritual journey.
So, isn't it the power that God uses to accomplish his will through his servants?....the power behind creation?.....the power behind the Bible's miracles from a Creator who has no limits?

The truth is the truth, whether we believe it or not. Do we think that God must somehow conform to what we, as individuals believe? :shrug:

Does he make his truth known? If so, how can we tell which ones are correct in a bottomless pit of belief systems?

IMO, it's the old story of 'how do you hide a 40ft tree out in the middle of a cleared field'? The fact is, you can't unless you have time up your sleeve. Then you could plant a whole forest of similar looking trees all around it and in time, finding the original tree will be almost impossible. The thing is....who planted the forest?....and who can guide us back to the original tree? I think I know the answer to both of those questions. :D
It's just supposed to be a fun question as food for thought about our relationship to God. No need to turn it into a stump sermon. You're free to take the question as you like, but there's nothing wrong with having fun and entertaining the question.
 

The Reverend Bob

Fart Machine and Beastmaster
Do we have to choose?

If Jesus was real and he constantly spoke about his God and Father, even referring to him as such after his death and resurrection, so what does it matter what we individually think?

Jesus taught us to pray...not to himself, but to his Father in heaven.
He spoke about the Holy Spirit as a "helper" (Paraclete) so it is something that assists God's worshippers in their spiritual journey.
So, isn't it the power that God uses to accomplish his will through his servants?....the power behind creation?.....the power behind the Bible's miracles from a Creator who has no limits?

The truth is the truth, whether we believe it or not. Do we think that God must somehow conform to what we, as individuals believe? :shrug:

Does he make his truth known? If so, how can we tell which ones are correct in a bottomless pit of belief systems?

IMO, it's the old story of 'how do you hide a 40ft tree out in the middle of a cleared field'? The fact is, you can't unless you have time up your sleeve. Then you could plant a whole forest of similar looking trees all around it and in time, finding the original tree will be almost impossible. The thing is....who planted the forest?....and who can guide us back to the original tree? I think I know the answer to both of those questions. :D
Deeje, you know I am a non-realistic Christian, God is just not in the equation. So I concentrate solely on Christ
 

The Reverend Bob

Fart Machine and Beastmaster
In your belief system...where did Jesus come from? Does the Bible figure in your estimations at all?
1. His parents
2. Yes, it does. Just not all the supernatural material in the stories. That which is mythological I take as figurative.
 

Deeje

Avid Bible Student
Premium Member
Hmm, this is a really good question. For me it's probably the Son, just because I view Him as Master and Teacher and Savior. But on the other hand I think my normal way of thinking about God is more in accordance with the Father. Not so much with the Spirit; He's more of a behind-the-scenes sort of Person.

Was just responding to the Rev.....are we being a little sensitive....?
confused0060.gif
 

TransmutingSoul

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Last Sunday, our priest asked the congregation which of the three do you tend to more relate to, and why? This is not about the Trinitarian concept, so please don't bring this into the discussion. Also, no fudging by saying two or all three of them-- one only.

I had never heard that question asked of me before, so it did catch me off guard, and I ended up changing my mind after thinking about it.

So, what do you think and why?

It is the Holy Spirit that I see we can connect with. It is the light we can choose to let shine from our soul.

Regards Tony
 

Deeje

Avid Bible Student
Premium Member
1. His parents
2. Yes, it does. Just not all the supernatural material in the stories. That which is mythological I take as figurative.

OK, so all that stuff about Jesus being sent from heaven is just myth?

Can Jesus make "supernatural" events happen? Was he who he claimed to be? And if not, what was his purpose here? Since we would know nothing about Jesus without the Bible, how do you know what to believe and what to dismiss? Who told you that the supernatural stuff is mythical or figurative?
 

The Reverend Bob

Fart Machine and Beastmaster
OK, so all that stuff about Jesus being sent from heaven is just myth?

Can Jesus make "supernatural" events happen? Was he who he claimed to be? And if not, what was his purpose here? Since we would know nothing about Jesus without the Bible, how do you know what to believe and what to dismiss? Who told you that the supernatural stuff is mythical or figurative?
1. Yes, heaven is a myth and Jesus isn't a god or God.
2. No, Jesus didn't do miracles. The miracle stories are mythology that is meant to tell a moral or spiritual lesson, for instance I take the stories about Jesus healing people as an object lesson that people are loved and cared for when they enter the healing community of the church and are restored
3. Yes, he is the Christ.
4. I apply reason and rational thought in my interpretation of the Bible
5. Reason. There is no evidence of the supernatural, so I have to dismiss all the supernatural parts as myth or just dismiss them if they have no value as myths
 

Deeje

Avid Bible Student
Premium Member
1. Yes, heaven is a myth and Jesus isn't a god or God.
2. No, Jesus didn't do miracles. The miracle stories are mythology that is meant to tell a moral or spiritual lesson, for instance I take the stories about Jesus healing people as an object lesson that people are loved and cared for when they enter the healing community of the church and are restored
3. Yes, he is the Christ.
4. I apply reason and rational thought in my interpretation of the Bible
5. Reason. There is no evidence of the supernatural, so I have to dismiss all the supernatural parts as myth or just dismiss them if they have no value as myths

How do you know that your reasoning ability is sound? Is there no Creator at all? Did the universe just pop into existence out of nowhere? Does that sound reasonable and rational to you? Nothing comes from nothing.....all life must come from pre-existing life.....science knows this.....and yet.....here we are still wondering how it all happened when God has already told us in his word.

What does it mean when you say he is the Christ? How do you understand this designation when applied to Jesus?
 

David1967

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Last Sunday, our priest asked the congregation which of the three do you tend to more relate to, and why? This is not about the Trinitarian concept, so please don't bring this into the discussion. Also, no fudging by saying two or all three of them-- one only.

I had never heard that question asked of me before, so it did catch me off guard, and I ended up changing my mind after thinking about it.

So, what do you think and why?

Jesus. Because he walked among humanity in the same flesh and felt the same emotions as well as pain that any human could. So I feel Jesus can relate to me personally in this sense more so than the Father. I confess that I do not understand the concept of the Holy Spirit as a separate being.
 

The Reverend Bob

Fart Machine and Beastmaster
How do you know that your reasoning ability is sound? Is there no Creator at all? Did the universe just pop into existence out of nowhere? Does that sound reasonable and rational to you? Nothing comes from nothing.....all life must come from pre-existing life.....science knows this.....and yet.....here we are still wondering how it all happened when God has already told us in his word.

What does it mean when you say he is the Christ? How do you understand this designation when applied to Jesus?
I test my reasoning to see if it is rational and logical, if it doesn't fit that criteria then it isn't reasonable. No creator god. The universe is a result of an event we call the big bang. There was always something, like the quantum vacuum or the singularity that resulted in the Big Bang. I mean he is the Anointed One, a Greek term meaning he was set apart to accomplish a certain task such as emancipating us from imperfection. As Lord and Savior.
 

Deeje

Avid Bible Student
Premium Member
I test my reasoning to see if it is rational and logical, if it doesn't fit that criteria then it isn't reasonable. No creator god. The universe is a result of an event we call the big bang. There was always something, like the quantum vacuum or the singularity that resulted in the Big Bang.

Can science really explain the big bang? The power behind such an event is almost incomprehensible. What if the Creator was the power? Is that impossible in your worldview?

I mean he is the Anointed One, a Greek term meaning he was set apart to accomplish a certain task such as emancipating us from imperfection. As Lord and Savior.

The next logical question is...who anointed him? Who assigned him this task? Who wrote all those prophesies about him hundreds of years before his birth? Why was there a need for this task in the first place? :shrug:
 

The Reverend Bob

Fart Machine and Beastmaster
Can science really explain the big bang? The power behind such an event is almost incomprehensible. What if the Creator was the power? Is that impossible in your worldview?



The next logical question is...who anointed him? Who assigned him this task? Who wrote all those prophesies about him hundreds of years before his birth? Why was there a need for this task in the first place? :shrug:
I think science is doing a pretty good job of explaining the Big Bang and providing plenty of evidence. A creator isn't necessary. Yes it is impossible, because I see no evidence of God. The people anointed and assigned him to his task which was his sacrificial death ( Matthew 26:6-13 Mark 14:3-9 Luke 7:36-50 John 12-1-8 ). To save from imperfection , to administer restorative justice and so that we may all participate in the life and death of Christ as an example to all.
 

Deeje

Avid Bible Student
Premium Member
I think science is doing a pretty good job of explaining the Big Bang and providing plenty of evidence. A creator isn't necessary.

Or this is what God's adversary might want people to believe.....how accurate is science when it comes to things outside of their knowledge base? Its all guesswork. They have no "real" evidence that does not depend on conjecture, assumptions and wishful thinking IMO.

Yes it is impossible, because I see no evidence of God. The people anointed and assigned him to his task which was his sacrificial death ( Matthew 26:6-13 Mark 14:3-9 Luke 7:36-50 John 12-1-8 ).

Since Jews did not believe in human sacrifice, how does this work? How was Jesus' life a "sacrifice" if this was not in accord with their own law? Why did Jesus have to die? Why didn't they just follow a continuation of the animals sacrifices that they had always done to atone for their sin?

To save from imperfection , to administer restorative justice and so that we may all participate in the life and death of Christ as an example to all.

This doesn't explain the prophesies about Jesus....too many to be coincidental. Who wrote about him centuries before he even made his appearance on earth? Why was his death necessary?

Jesus said..."For even the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.” (Mark 10:45)

How is Jesus life a "ransom"? That is the price paid to release a captive....so who receives the payment of the ransom? And who kidnapped the human race and held them to ransom in the first place?
Your logic is fighting with my logic in this.....
 

The Reverend Bob

Fart Machine and Beastmaster
Or this is what God's adversary might want people to believe.....how accurate is science when it comes to things outside of their knowledge base? Its all guesswork. They have no "real" evidence that does not depend on conjecture, assumptions and wishful thinking IMO.



Since Jews did not believe in human sacrifice, how does this work? How was Jesus' life a "sacrifice" if this was not in accord with their own law? Why did Jesus have to die? Why didn't they just follow a continuation of the animals sacrifices that they had always done to atone for their sin?



This doesn't explain the prophesies about Jesus....too many to be coincidental. Who wrote about him centuries before he even made his appearance on earth? Why was his death necessary?

Jesus said..."For even the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.” (Mark 10:45)

How is Jesus life a "ransom"? That is the price paid to release a captive....so who receives the payment of the ransom? And who kidnapped the human race and held them to ransom in the first place?
Your logic is fighting with my logic in this.....

I am going to answer your questions but I want you to also understand how I view theistic Christians, essentially I view you all as idolaters. All theistic Christians and sects have created there theologies of God, doctrines and ideas about what they call God and they just about all believe that their doctrine, beliefs and theologies are accurately describe what they believe is God. What they worship is their doctrine of God, their beliefs about God and their various theologies and then point to them and tell us that the things that men have created, the doctrines, the beliefs and theologies are God. That is idolatry. When we worship something we have made we have fallen into the pit of worshipping a false idol.So I reject all man-made theologies, belief systems and doctrines about God, because I believe it is better to worship no God at all then to worship a false picture of God, a Golden Calf.

Part of the reason I am an atheist is because I reject all forms of idolatry.
 
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