Some things are unique and not at all like other things:
Take for instance the European Union: there is nothing else like it in the world; it is a one-off
We can only say that it resembles certain other things – such as say a trade bloc, or a federation, a single market, a customs union, an area of free movement, an alliance etc. etc.
Such terms apply to it but do not satisfactorily cover it as there is more to it than what any one characteristic can cover
They cannot convey its true nature
The same is true with God
There are certain things he resembles:
King, Lord, Lawgiver, Judge, Creator, Designer, Administrator, Father
Some can be stressed more than others, for instance I believe he is more like a Father than a Lord, I don’t like the term “Lord” applied to God as it comes with feudal baggage…
(I believe God is a genteel liberal)
But none of these alone adequately covers him…
So what is God like?
I'd say: Basically, God is God
But we can say he’s like stuff, but only in some respects
In many ways it’s like the old tale of the blind men feeling the elephant and each perceiving only one dimension of the elephant’s true nature:
Blind men and an elephant - Wikipedia
Discuss.
Take for instance the European Union: there is nothing else like it in the world; it is a one-off
We can only say that it resembles certain other things – such as say a trade bloc, or a federation, a single market, a customs union, an area of free movement, an alliance etc. etc.
Such terms apply to it but do not satisfactorily cover it as there is more to it than what any one characteristic can cover
They cannot convey its true nature
The same is true with God
There are certain things he resembles:
King, Lord, Lawgiver, Judge, Creator, Designer, Administrator, Father
Some can be stressed more than others, for instance I believe he is more like a Father than a Lord, I don’t like the term “Lord” applied to God as it comes with feudal baggage…
(I believe God is a genteel liberal)
But none of these alone adequately covers him…
So what is God like?
I'd say: Basically, God is God
But we can say he’s like stuff, but only in some respects
In many ways it’s like the old tale of the blind men feeling the elephant and each perceiving only one dimension of the elephant’s true nature:
Blind men and an elephant - Wikipedia
Discuss.