Why must God be a personal one? - No need

[nnmartin]

Why do so many people have the belief that God must be personal?

To me this really sounds too optomistic - I believe that a God exists but we can't commune with it - I've no issues with that. Maybe we can get a spiritual connection with some of its manifestations and that is surely enough?

 

[sandandfoam]

Why do so many people have the belief that God must be personal?

To me this really sounds too optomistic - I believe that a God exists but we can't commune with it - I've no issues with that. Maybe we can get a spiritual connection with some of its manifestations and that is surely enough?

I think that none of us see reality as reality is. We see it as we are. It makes sense to me that God is above my imaginings - but my imaginings mediate my view of the world and I experience God as personal.
What is or isn't enough doesn't come into it for me.

 

[elmarna]

I wish I had a way for you to see differently.
To me a personal relation ship with god is indeed able to connect to him.
To open your mind & your heart, all your feelings to the greatness of him all around you.
Listen : once your mind is open to it & you may indeed realize something much more than the university inside your head or the rush od feelings flooding you.
God is there for everyone.
no 1 is excluded if they find the path & connection to him.
let your avenues open up & the road you take to him be well lighted!
to share in the grace of god is a wonderful thing!

 

[tumbleweed41]

Why do so many people have the belief that God must be personal?

Good question. I think it is the tendency of many to anthropomorphize their deity by giving it numerous human traits, such as emotions, desires, and even physicality so that that deity is understandable and definable in human terms.

 

[PolyHedral]

I think that none of us see reality as reality is.

It is very, very hard to imagine all the crazy things that things really are like, but it's not impossible.

 

[sandandfoam]

I think it is the tendency of many to anthropomorphize their deity by giving it numerous human traits, such as emotions, desires, and even physicality so that that deity is understandable and definable in human terms.

How do you determine 'many' ?

 

[sandandfoam]

It is very, very hard to imagine all the crazy things that things really are like, but it's not impossible.

So one can imagine something that's hard to imagine. That's still imagining.

 

[Charity]

Why do so many people have the belief that God must be personal?

To me this really sounds too optomistic - I believe that a God exists but we can't commune with it - I've no issues with that. Maybe we can get a spiritual connection with some of its manifestations and that is surely enough?

Sorry but if you don't have a personal relationship with God then you can't commune with Him. If you met my earthly father you would have to be able to meet Him and know him in order to have a personal relationship of any kind with him, and if you don't meet him then, sorry you will never know him....Speaking of God doesn't constitute a relationship but speaking to God does. And don't wait for that clap of thunder, a bolt of lightning but listen to that still voice in your heart and your spirit that gives you peace and joy that passes all human understanding.
Then big thing is you have to shut up and learn to listen, God doesn't commune with those who are constantly rambling about things they don't understand.

 

[PolyHedral]

So one can imagine something that's hard to imagine. That's still imagining.

Yes, and it works; we end up seeing reality as it actually behaves. (i.e. very strangely and counter-intuitively) See the research into a physical theory of everything.

 

[sandandfoam]

Yes, and it works; we end up seeing reality as it actually behaves. (i.e. very strangely and counter-intuitively) See the research into a physical theory of everything.

I do not accept that any embodied being can 'see' objective reality. For any given human being there is only subjectivity.

 

[tumbleweed41]

How do you determine 'many' ?

The multitude of anthropomorphized deities defined throughout history, and currently worshiped.

 

[sojourner]

Why do so many people have the belief that God must be personal?

To me this really sounds too optomistic - I believe that a God exists but we can't commune with it - I've no issues with that. Maybe we can get a spiritual connection with some of its manifestations and that is surely enough?

Because we are personal.

 

[sandandfoam]

The multitude of anthropomorphized deities defined throughout history, and currently worshiped.

Being a 'believer' myself I don't see this. I see as many Gods as there are believers. The bearded cloud guy seems to me to be the god that people who are not believers tell me that I believe in . If you know what I mean.

 

[Madhuri]

Why do so many people have the belief that God must be personal?

To me this really sounds too optomistic - I believe that a God exists but we can't commune with it - I've no issues with that. Maybe we can get a spiritual connection with some of its manifestations and that is surely enough?

Really, how is this any more or less speculative than another God concept?

And what kind of manifestations are you speaking of?

As for why so many people believe in a personal God, it's pretty obvious. Most of the world's religions are rooted in the concept of a personal divinity. Millions or billions of people have felt spiritually nourished by this belief and spiritual practice aimed at a personal divinity.

Now if you are asking why so many people may have a problem with the concept of an impersonal God, that is entirely different. But otherwise the answer to your question is really very obvious and your own belief seems no more legitimate than any other.

 

[tumbleweed41]

Being a 'believer' myself I don't see this. I see as many Gods as there are believers.

Agreed.

The bearded cloud guy seems to me to be the god that people who are not believers tell me that I believe in . If you know what I mean.

Yep, don't you love it when other attempt to define your God for you.

 

[Madhuri]

Good question. I think it is the tendency of many to anthropomorphize their deity by giving it numerous human traits, such as emotions, desires, and even physicality so that that deity is understandable and definable in human terms.

From an atheistic or impersonal point of view this would make sense. From the perspective of one who believes that God is personal, it is just as easily concluded that a personal God would make him/her/itself relateable to the created creatures either by taking such a relateable form where appropriate (manifestations) or by creating life that somehow resembles itself in appearance and/or consciousness/spirit (etc.).

 

[sandandfoam]

Yep, don't you love it when other attempt to define your God for you.

That is something I sincerely hope that I do not do.

 

[Jainarayan]

"For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied [us, our souls in these bodies]." - Bhagavad Gita 12.5

What Krishna is telling Arjuna is that man sees and perceives with his senses, and needs to anthropomorphize.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada ​

... Therefore, the bhakti-yogi [person in full devotion to God] accepts the Deity of Krishna as worshipable because there is some bodily conception fixed in the mind, which can thus be applied. ...

 

[sandy whitelinger]

Why do so many people have the belief that God must be personal?

I suppose I need to know what you mean by personal.

 

[waitasec]

Why do so many people have the belief that God must be personal?

to make them feel special...