Why does the Bible say God is the all knowing, almighty, all powerful creator, yet lessen Him by giving him bad human qualities? (Such as anger, jealousy, grudge-holding, needy of our worship, etc.)
If God is the almighty creator, he does not NEED anything, he does not waste time on being jealous, angry, and holding grudges. Does anyone else think religeon lessons the true God?
2006-09-19 18:10:55 · 19 answers · asked by AveGirl 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
the bible uses human descriptions of G-d in order for us to be able to relate to him better. but we know that words cannot begin to describe G-d. the bible goes to great pains to portray G-d as personal and accessible, and is written so that even the most common people could understand, because G-d is the G-d of the uneducated as well as the elite, and nobody should be denied knowing him simply because the holy book he gave is too ambiguous and overly philosophic for regular people to understand.
2006-09-19 18:15:43 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
AveGirl,
Well, you did say the God of the Bible.
I know a few things about Him. Not everything mind you.
The God that's in the Bible doesn't need anything. I agree with you on that.
"all knowing, almighty, all powerful creator,"
yup.
"anger"
There's a such thing as righteous anger, like when Jesus cleared the temple of those who were making big profit out of the sacrifices. Not that there wasn't a need of those with sacrifices to sell, but where they were doing it, it was a lack of respect.
"jealousy"
Yes He is. And if He's jealous of you, figure that a mixed blessing. He doesn't like false Gods taking up your valueable time. He doesn't share that with anyone. That's why the Ba'hai will never be something that God has any comfort in. And other multi-faith approaches either. The blessing is mixed because you pissed Him off, but also that He cares for you. Just don't try to piss Him off, that's all.
"grudge-holding"
I don't think I agree with that one. If you mean that someone that isn't saved won't get a chance after dying, then okay, maybe you have a point. But if you mean that He sits up there holding grudges against people, I don't believe He wastes His time. You either straighten up, or you'll either get chasteneed, or you get the shaft. He's straight up on that kind of stuff.
"needy of our worship"
If you like a perfume, do you really need it? Do you have to explain why you like it to everyone? It's kind of like that. It pleases Him. He needs no other justification, or any at all for the matter, to set that worship as primo. Besides that, it's an act of faith that we get kudos from Him for. Eternal kudos. So it's good to worship Him, it helps us to faith, but also the eternal reward.
I do think that most religions lessens God. Yes.
2006-09-19 18:41:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
God is the only one entitled to his anger, in that he has given us everything, and still there are many who do not acknowledge his gifts.
God is the only one entitled to jealousy, in that he created us and loves us--and so, yes, he is permitted to be jealous when we go and try to give something else the credit for all we are and all we have.
As for grudge holding, I haven't heard about God holding grudges.
He does not need our worship. He deserves it.
To say that God does not waste his time on being angry and jealous is to forget that he created us out of his love--and therefore "spent time" on us. He did not have to do that; he chose to. And because he chose to make us, he "spends time" on us now.
I don't think true religion lessens the true God.
I think that false religion creates a false god that is at its best but a dim reflection of the true God.
2006-09-19 18:16:54 · answer #3 · answered by Gestalt 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Think of God's anger in terms of a king whose subjects are rebelling against him and joining forces with an enemy kingdom's troops. Wouldn't this king be upset that these people left his kingdom and are now rebelling against him? Wouldn't he want to do all he could to draw them back to his kingdom before all-out war broke out and the subjects ended up on the losing side? God is patiently waiting for us, but He won't wait for us forever. He has every right to be angry at our rebellion, but He offers us inexplicable grace through Christ's sacrifice. His anger is not without reason or remedy.
As for God's jealousy, think about the instances in Scripture where the Israelites--God's chosen people--turned to idols or other gods. Who wouldn't be jealous if the one they loved rejected them for someone else while still carrying their lover's name? God's jealousy is more than just narcissism, though. He wants people to seek to know and love Him for their own good, and for the very reason He created them. He doesn't NEED our company. But He WANTS it. And the fact that He makes a relationship with Him possible through Christ's sacrifice is the ultimate love story from Him to us. Does it make sense? No. Is the the most wonderful thing we could ever have happen to us? No doubt about it.
2006-09-19 18:28:59 · answer #4 · answered by Pastor Chad from JesusFreak.com 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are made in God's own image, right? So we are all knowing, almighty, all powerful, jealous, angry, grudge-holding, and needy. Why do we waste our time being jealous, angry and holding grudges? As within, so without, as above, so below.
2006-09-19 18:38:16 · answer #5 · answered by slippped 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
These are not bad qualities. They are only bad in your eyes. Thank you for judging God. God made us in his image, with his emotions. Emotions are good, without them, our life would be boring and useless. If you want to see the true nature of God, look at Jesus. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God's Spirit enters our bodies and we become the temple of the Holy Ghost and He transforms us from the inside out. We become one with God so that we can have an eternal relationship with God as our Father now and in Heaven. You can't have a relationship without emotions. God is not some distant being, He is here and He wants to adopt you into His Family on His terms, through Jesus, His first born Son, who loved you and gave Himself for you. I am glad that He can become jealous for my love. Praise God! I am glad that He gets angry when other people hurt me.
2006-09-19 18:23:23 · answer #6 · answered by Apostle Jeff 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Huh?
What are you reading?
God in his very existence, and being, is perfect - and that is all that it is possible for him to be.
If he is angry it is righteous, justified anger - there is such a thing, even for us.
He is jealous because he kows the correct way and if we choose another he is jealous of that relationship
Grudge holding? Where do you see that?
He does NEED our worship - but is delighted by it because he desires relationship with us. And if we understand who he is he is worthy of our worship.
2006-09-19 18:17:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
God is our heavenly Father....when you worship another go He is jealous, if you dont do what He says after warning you many time, He gets angry, He is worthy to be worshipped so do not worship any other people, things or gods, He even chastens us out of love.....These qualities let you know He is not far, not a robot and that He cares....it shows God's love is real and it brings Him joy when we delight in Him and love others... God is just, He reigns, we can not tell Him what to be or do.... God bless you
2006-09-19 18:17:14 · answer #8 · answered by storge07 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is not a matter of God requiring to feel those emotions, it is more for humanities benefit so that we may understand our Creator in a manner in which we are accustomed.
You would not attempt to explain calculous to a 3 year old would you?..on that same basis God's way are so much higher than ours, so He uses simplistic language to help us to identify what He is attempting to communicate to us.
2006-09-19 18:17:45 · answer #9 · answered by maranatha132 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well in the OT God said He was a jealous God, and that He wanted us to worship Him, after all He was the one that created us. If He said that I don't think it lessens Him any.
2006-09-19 18:13:56 · answer #10 · answered by pooh bear 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋