God as a metaphor?

Question

Do you think the Bible perhaps actually speaks of God as a metaphor - as the very nature of the universe and therefore responsible for everything?

Is it just the game of chinese whispers we've been playing for the last 4000 years that has changed this anthropomorphised this metaphor and made it the 'being' it is today?

As an agnostic and free thinker, I believe God as a metaphor is a lot easier to accept and take to heart than God as a person or father or anything human. What do you think?

"What possible reason would anyone have for designating nature as a deity?"

The same reason people call nature "Mother Nature". People can relate more with an anthropomorphic deity than something as vague as 'nature'.

Pagan Rebirth: How exactly am I sounding like a Satanist? By removing the human aspect of a deity? If God is omnipresent then he cannot be of a human form anyway.

Answer 1

If god is nature, why call it god? What possible reason would anyone have for designating nature as a deity? Why not call it what it is and leave it at that?

Pantheism - the identification of "god" with nature - is a well known instance of naturalistic theism. But the pantheist (or any alleged theist who wishes to describe his god solely in naturalistic terms) is open to the charge or reducing his god to triviality. If god is taken to be synonymous with nature or some aspect of the natural universe, we may then ask why the term "god" is used at all. It is superfluous and highly misleading. The label of "god" serves no function (except, perhaps, to create confusion).

If one declared a belief in god, while stipulating that the term "god" was used as a synonym for the continent of North America, one's assertion would understandably be ignored or rejected as irrational. To expand this concept of god to include Europe, Asia, the planet Earth, the solar system - or the entire universe - is equally absurd.

Answer 2

Yes, I agree. I tend to believe God to be impersonal and more in terms of universal principle than a big guy in the sky.f But I have to admit, sometimes I connect with God personally. When I am really hurting for whatever reason, connecting to a personal God is far more experiential and present than intellectualizing God as metaphor.

Answer 3

That certainly is a good working viewpoint until one has a greater experience of GOD, I have no problem with calling God,"nature".or "mother nature". there are two philosophies. vedanta and kasmir shavism,one says everything is God the other says,God is above all manifestation. I believe that when you can balance the two and see both are correct,just the positive and negative view of humanity. Ying & yang, At some point it seems they merge an you have God or Mother nature if you prefer.

Answer 4

I think the bronze-age people living in the middle east actually believed that God lived on the mountain and struck people down with fire. And as an atheist I believe it is time to put ancient superstition behind us and continue a scientific investigation of the universe.

Answer 5

Try reading God as "Good" or supply your own word depending on the results you desire. "Life" is another positive substitute. I have used this to get past my own prejudice and brainwashing from society. Life really is what you make it. Why not make it "Good"? Yes is always the answer, so be aware what you ask for!

Answer 6

Actually, you're thinking somewhat along the lines of a LaVeyan Satanist. I'd recommend doing some research along those lines, you might find it to be quite interesting.

Answer 7

Of course, god is a metphor of the nature of the universe and the self-organizing property of matter.