How do you perceive God?

Question

I know Voltaire said: "God made man in His own image and man promptly returned the compliment". Seriously though.

The God of the O/T had human qualities, He said he felt jealousy , anger, bitterness at the ungratefulness of the Israelis : " How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of the signs I have wrought among them?

Many people, even now, see every calamity from the Holocaust to AIDS to the loss of a football game, as the expression of God's anger and disappointment.

Some say he is non physical and formless but they also admit to seeing him in more concrete forms, even, some, see him as an old man in the sky.

What is your image?

Answer 1

I believe that God is the source energy of life. The process of life itself. Not a being or an old guy in the sky with human qualities.

To give God human qualities makes God in our image, not us in God's.

God may have made us in God's image, but was it this human image, or something more profound? I like to think we are made in God's image at the soul or spiritual level, not the physical. God can be any form God chooses, so being made in God's physical image just doesn't make any sense to me.

Answer 2

Any image one has in the head of "God" is limited and incorrect. What people call "God" is an energy, a vibration that we can be aware of but it takes a takes work. The beginning is to know one's self; not theoretically but in organic fact. By turning to the sensation of myself in the body one can over a period of time begin to discern a finer energy that interpenetrates the body. Any imagining about this, any theorizing immediately puts an end to the experience. It is necessary to come to a state of quiet where there is no thought as we ordinarly know it but an awareness of the matter of which the higher is made. Ordinary chatter about what "God" is or is not is totaly useless and leads nowhere; especially not to understanding

Answer 3

I used to imagine God as an old man in the sky. Typical children's stereotype.

Then I imagined God as this invisible presence that was sometimes manifested in the world around me, if only to a fraction of a degree. I would picture his presence as light streaming from the sky, or rain thundering down to the ground.

Then I realized that while God is present all around me, he's most present in my heart. I perceive God now through my heart, though I continue to see him reflected in the beauty of nature around me. Where I used to look outward to find God, imagining him half-busy or too distanced from me to guarantee his attention or whatever, now I look inside and see that he never leaves me. I don't picture him any longer as a tangible being so much as a presence stronger than the strongest emotion I've ever experienced and more undeniable and unmovable as the fiercest pain I've yet felt.

Words fail me as I try to describe even my perception of God, and I'm sorry for such an inarticulate and ultimately lacking explanation of how I perceive him; I hope you got at least a gist of what I feel/see/think/understand of God.

Answer 4

I believe God is God, the creator of our spirits and our bodies. Him and Christ (note the difference- 2 beings, not one!) made the earth and everything on it. He is wise, all knowing and only wants what is best for his children, just like any parent would. He offered a way for us to return to him, through Christs attonement and resurection. He gave us a way to communicate with him- prayer. He gave us a way to learn about Him- the bible and other texts. He allowed Adam and Eve the right to choose to follow His commandments, or choose a different way- the fruit of knowledge of good and evil. He allows us to live on a planet that was made for the sole purpose of housing us.

I don't believe God is just spirit, without feelings or a body. He has a body of flesh and bones, just like Christ. Christ is said to say all the time that he does nothing save what he has learned from his Father, why then do people think that he doesn't have a body? It would stand to reason that God would have a body, resurrected and perfected- just like Christ.

He is the father of my spirit, and as such, knows me. He knows what my strengths and weaknesses are. He knows what mistakes I could make, and will help if all I do is ask for His help.

I'm sure He is angry, sad, full of love, and confused with why people would want to cast Him aside so easily. I'm sure that He watches us and wonders why we can't figure out that if we live as He has told us, there would be peace and love. He has told us many times, throughout history, what civilizations would be like if we just loved one another.

He sent His son, who had the choice to not die, not atone, for my sins. He loved us all enough to give us a chance to return to him. I can't imagine my life without God and His Son in it. He has been my guiding light, my solace in hard times, my greatest cheering section when things are right. He has answered my prayers, and taught me what I need to know. He is my Father and without knowing that, I don't know where I would be.

Answer 5

My favorite description of God is Ancient of Days. Neverending. Has always been. Never slumbers nor sleeps. Loves me completely. All knowing, all faithful, perfect in justice, mercy. Longsuffering, slow to anger. Compassionate. And yet He also convicts me when I do wrong. But His conviction is clean and perfect, loving, kind, rebuilding me and showing me the better way.

He is magnificent, all powerful. His creation speaks of His artistry. Looking at a full moon on a summer night, I feel close to Him. His power shows in absolute stillness. His hand formed all that there is, He gave His son for me, and I love Him with all my heart.

Answer 6

The god of the OT is based on the Anannaki, not any creative force of the universe. THey were in that region mining gold, and enslaved the humans around to work for them. That's where that evil, violent vengeful version of 'god' comes from.

The divine is all that you can see and all you cannot. We were not made in the image of god. We ARE the image.

Answer 7

God is in everything and everyone accept those that go against him with sin,he is still there but the sin clouds our sight of him because God can not look upon sin,and Satan goes too and fro to the father and us Like a tattle tale to try and control us as much as God will let him,when we sin it gives Satan a foot hold in our lives,God lets him talk us into doing more sins...We have free will to choose and with Jesus now we can all ways get forgiveness . But as far as God goes he is the word and the word is God He is All of Creation,the way the truth and the LIFE.....all that is good..and True....is God...

Answer 8

I see God as an old man with glasses. He has a great sense of humor, and likes children. That image of God has been mine since I was a child. I'd rather think of God as being loving and forgiving, not vengeful.

Answer 9

"INCOMPREHENSIBLE" with in the frame work of the mind
and yet we speak as if we truly know this God. We can only use a simplex sentence that contains only our own explanation and yet there is no containment with in words that can to perceive such a divine subject. My God is all things and more!

...and if you wish to see an image you must start with the mirror and work your way out ward. As the awareness develops so do the questions.

"it time now for us to start moving forward on this subject" times at hand for humanity sake................

Thank you for your question, I like to play here.....

Answer 10

in my opinion wich evary one has one there like bad days i do not feel that god gives us all the bad things in our lives we live on earth have earthly things like posessions illness we are only human our bodies are not indestructible , thats why god wants us to treat them good and well as for the holicaust adolf hitler was a mentaly ill man who gained controllof an army we are here to live and learn no matter what happens god gave us the basics and the knollege to acheive greatness among each other and scociety thats why we have doctors who help prevent and try to learn to cure our earthly illnesses but we make our own choices it is like parents and children you can give them the tools and guidence but they grow up some day and have to live with the conciquences of their actions , and as for seeing my creator i see him evary where in the ttrees the sun the flowers grass the minds of scollers and poets mothers and children there is a little of him in most of us my immage is one of infanate possibilitys , have an awsome day