Religion & Spirituality - 25 September 2006

If there is a Truth, shouldn't it be self-evident,to everybody, everywhere, without arguement, all the time...How can the Truth have so many conflicting definitions...this makes me think that perhaps if we can argue the subject, at all, it probably isn't a truth to begin with...

2006-09-25 16:12:03 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous

WHY DON'T WE START PAINTING HIM AS DARK COMPLEXION IN ALL CHURCHES not WHITE?

2006-09-25 16:11:48 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous

Negative theology - also known as the Via Negativa (Latin for "Negative Way") and Apophatic theology - is a theology that attempts to describe God by negation, to speak of God only in terms of what may not be said about God.

In brief, the attempt is to gain and express knowledge of God by describing what God is not (apophasis), rather than by describing what God is. The apophatic tradition is often allied with or expressed in tandem with the approach of mysticism, which focuses on a spontaneous or cultivated individual experience of the divine reality beyond the realm of ordinary perception, an experience often unmediated by the structures of traditional organized religion.

In negative theology, it is recognized that we can never truly define God in words. All that can be done is to say, it isn't this, but also, it isn't that either. In the end, the student must transcend words to understand the nature of the Divine. In this sense, negative theology is not a denial. Rather, it is an assertion that whatever the Divine may be, when we attempt to capture it in human words, we must inevitably fall short.

Contents [show]
1 Apophatic description of God
2 In the Christian tradition
3 In the Jewish tradition
4 In Hinduism
5 In Buddhism
6 In other Eastern traditions
7 See also
8 External links and resources



[edit]
Apophatic description of God
In Negative theology, it is accepted that the Divine is ineffable - that is, humans cannot describe the essence of God - and therefore most descriptions if attempted will be false:

Neither existence nor nonexistence as we understand it applies to God, i.e., God is beyond existing or not existing. (One cannot say that God exists in the usual sense of the term; nor can we say that God is nonexistent.)
God is divinely simple. (One should not claim that god is one, or three, or any type of being. All that can be said is, whatever God is, is not multiple independent beings)
God is not ignorant. (One should not say that God is wise since that word arrogantly implies we know what wise means on a divine scale, whereas we only know what wise means to a human.)
Likewise, God is not evil. (To say that He can be described by the human word 'good' limits Him to what good means to humans.)
God is not a creation (but beyond this we do not know how God comes to be)
God is not conceptually definable in terms of space and location.
God is not conceptually confinable to assumptions based on time.
Even though the via negativa essentially rejects theological understanding as a path to God, some have sought to make it into an intellectual exercise, by describing God only in terms of what he is not. One problem noted with this approach, is that there seems to be no fixed basis on deciding what God is not.

2006-09-25 16:11:41 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous

Is anyone familiar with the document called the Donation of Constantine? Did you know this was a forged letter by Constantine that "donated" all the land that the Vatican is now on? Vatican City used to be larger, but it had to be reduced do to this.

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/donatconst.html

2006-09-25 16:11:18 · 7 answers · asked by BABY 3

i am supposed to coretta scott king and i just found out that my husband was shot and i have to write a prayer and i dont know how to begin it

2006-09-25 16:10:00 · 9 answers · asked by *ME* 2

2006-09-25 16:08:01 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous

He asked to preach the gospel until the 2nd coming. and what about Enoch? He and his city were translated.

2006-09-25 16:06:40 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-09-25 16:05:24 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous

For the past 2 nights, we've been singing, just a little tonic for the soul. Don't laugh. I know how it sounds.

Anyway, this was sent to me today, and I've cried through it twice. The third time I watched it, I smiled, and remembered a special person I met under similar circumstances.

Take 5 minutes out of your busy night to enjoy. Goodnight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-5bkCkQ3V0

2006-09-25 16:05:23 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-09-25 16:04:16 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous

www.churchofsatan.com

2006-09-25 16:03:21 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous

“This path is clearly defined and quite simple to follow, yet most lose themselves in ideological fogs of their own making”
- Lao Tzu -

We overcomplicate things and lose our religions' real meaning in the process...

What do you think? If you disagree please use logic...

2006-09-25 16:03:06 · 16 answers · asked by Shinkirou Hasukage 6

2006-09-25 16:01:13 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous

It doesn't seem fair, efficient, logical or right for God to have choosen just one group of people, and just a hand-full of individuals, to work directly through. Is this fair? And if there is some supernatural way of seeing the future, how could such a disasterous choice be made by a wise and loving god?

2006-09-25 15:58:04 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous

Do you think a 13 y/o girl can decide if God´s will for her is to be a nun??

2006-09-25 15:57:28 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous

Please provide BIBLICAL EVIDENCES that GOD requires this change. Prophechies or whatsoever.

2006-09-25 15:57:16 · 23 answers · asked by srjione 3

... then how can the 5th richest country in the world be a place where less than 8% of people go to a church or other place of worship regularly?

2006-09-25 15:56:15 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous

Christians: Other faiths are ok by me as long as they live a just life why have you codemned them to hell? This is not my teaching and you know that.

Athiests is faith not a good enough answer? Should I have came down in science class and reminded you everyday I was here once?

Jews was I not a god enough son of God? What were you expecting of the "true" messiah?

Islam whats going on guys? Did I miss something about war and killing being pro in any holy book?

Buddhists you guys seem cool and laid back I love that lucky cat you guys have.

Republicans: What about love your neighbor..all of them!?

Democrats: Clinton is a cool cat but come on he was married.

YahooAnswers members: You have spent more time in the last month on here than your thoughts combined of anything spiritual. Whats up with that?

2006-09-25 15:54:59 · 19 answers · asked by Labatt113 4

RRRRRaAAAAAAAA!!!
RRRRRaAAAAAAAA!!!
RRRRRaAAAAAAAA!!!

2006-09-25 15:54:52 · 9 answers · asked by AAAHH!! A MONSTER!!! 1

66% Of the world is NOT Christian. Does that mean 66% of the world is going to hell?

Currently, 33% of the worlds population are Christian, 21% practice Islam, 14% practice Hinduism, 6% Practice buddhism, and less than 1% practice Judaism. There are 22 recognized religions with over 500,000 members.

16% of the worlds population practice "No" formal religion.

So I ask, which religion has it right? Which "God" is the real god?

2006-09-25 15:53:27 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-09-25 15:51:35 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous

The reasoning on this site is not good. Spilling blood on the battle field or hating others is getting worse by so called Christians. One clergy wrote me to say he believes in the sword and the cross....must have his own version of the scriptures...bloodguilt is very serious and should not be taken lightly. Why would anyone profess love with a sword in the hand? Fight for faith not blood...wow what is happenning to these professed believers

2006-09-25 15:51:22 · 23 answers · asked by kdwcnliz2 2

People talk about and argue over these very subjects but I am not sure that everyone agrees on a definition...this could be a problem.

2006-09-25 15:50:44 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous

Let's face it, if he was as rich as Osama, he'd being flying planes into the Taj Mahal.

2006-09-25 15:50:42 · 9 answers · asked by Tofu Jesus 5

Has anyone else noticed a correlation between being religious and looking good? It seems like the religious on average are more attractive than those who aren't religious. I have some theories on this, but I'd like to hear what others think. I'm not going to say if I am religious or not because that gives biased answers.

2006-09-25 15:50:12 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous

Can someone tell me about the Christian angels and what we know about their heirarchy. I know that Michael is an archangel and there's Gabriel. I'd like to know a little more please. Thanks.

2006-09-25 15:49:47 · 5 answers · asked by CK 5

As stated.

=)

2006-09-25 15:48:57 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-09-25 15:46:39 · 19 answers · asked by echolily 3

does anyone else here attend see you at the pole?

2006-09-25 15:45:03 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous

What are the benefits to fasting?

2006-09-25 15:44:10 · 14 answers · asked by Victoria W 3