There is one thing I don't understand. Some of you keep saying that we are in time. But God is outside of time. I can't understand exactly what that means. Can someone explain it to me? Are we living in some sort of science fiction world here? Love Betty.
2006-12-14 13:51:27 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Thank you Lao Pu for your excellent intelligent answer from a religious point of view. I love all the humorous answer to. Some of them have me crying with laughter. I love you to Dr Atheist. I love you all. Thank you.
2006-12-14 14:08:42 · update #1
Imagine the history of the universe is written down in a book, and includes everything that has happened and is going to happen. The book is time. We are all in the book. God is reading or has read the book. He can flip to any page at will. Not being subject to the course of events in the book, he is "outside" of it, thus "outside" of time. Our concept of time is utterly meaningless to God, because the infinity of our time is all one moment which can be infinitely divided and explored by God.
2006-12-14 13:59:08 · answer #1 · answered by Lao Pu 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Time is a tough concept even without god. I am an atheist, but I get it. It is sort of like what Hawking says about the Big Bang. When everything started, it started time too. So when you ask what happend before it, there isn't an answer that is understandable. He says it is like saying go "north of the north pole." You just can't do it because time started then, so before doesn't even make sense.
It is really hard to picture time not existing, but that is what Einstein's theory hinted at. Current physicists are saying that is how it is. The math is a little over my head, but I sort of get the concept. And the math has checked out to the point that we have the technology to test it.
Since it is illogical that God waited around an eternity and then created a universe that will end finitely with another eternity after, the Christians like to say that God is outside time. I personally think the Universe and time are the same, and that adding god for no reason just mucks it up.
2006-12-14 14:06:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is probably one of those things that is just beyond our human capacity to understand. In our 'world' everything has a beginning and an end. So it is most likely impossible for our brains to comprehend that according to God he has always been. According to God he had no beginning and will have no end. I believe that when people say that God is outside of time what they mean is that God had no beginning and will have no end. God does not function according to time. I believe that time was created for people.
2006-12-14 14:28:18 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Time is something God made when he created the universe. He is not himself dictated by it. Think of it like a parade. Depending on where you are you see things differently. If you are on the side lines you see it march by with varying views. In the parade you see it as a blur and with little change in view. But, God sees it as from a helicopter beginning middle and end. It is a flawed analogy but I hope it helps.
And yes Betty it is confusing and marvelous as well.
2006-12-14 14:02:28 · answer #4 · answered by crimthann69 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I like this explanation. Time is like a river. People get into and out of the river at different points. God, who created the river, is above the river looking down at the whole thing.
It's more complex than that, but this simplifies the concept.
2006-12-14 14:00:27 · answer #5 · answered by Sun and Sand 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
John Kirwan. A former All Black, yet now he remains interior the established public spotlight because the face of melancholy in New Zealand. He freely admitted he had melancholy and sought help and now he looks in an promotion campaign urging those in a similar position to get the help they favor too.
2016-11-30 19:18:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think I understand you. God is both with (enjoying time with us) and outside of (seeing everything that ever was, is, and will be) time. The first, our free will, and the second, our predestination.
EDIT
Or should I say, Jesus, with God, in the perfect unity of the Holy Spirit.
2006-12-14 13:55:08 · answer #7 · answered by BigPappa 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A day is but a thousand years and a thousand years is but a day to are God , We are in a time that God has set before us ,When we die there will be no time
2006-12-14 13:59:03 · answer #8 · answered by Terry S 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They're trying to say that they don't really understand the full nature of God. Being God, He isn't tied to OUR physical concepts of time and space.
2006-12-14 13:53:51 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It means God knows everything past, present, and future, but humans are temporal. God is at once everywhere in history, now, and future. (Hope someone can explain this better than I can!). Good question.
2006-12-14 13:55:01 · answer #10 · answered by Tiffany 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋