Why do some people think that God lives in the sky?

Question

When children ask where God is, they are told "up there" with a finger pointed up to the sky. I have heard a lot of people on R&S refer to God as Sky Daddy, etc. as though they really do think that God lives somewhere up in the clouds or the atmosphere of earth.

Don't most people realize that God is much bigger than our entire universe or perhaps many universes and does not "live" anywhere inside of it?

His spirit is here- just as the spirit of a great artist rests inside his paintings, but the artist does not live in the painting.

Your thoughts?

Answer 1

A great question.

I would look to Fowler's Stages of Faith Development:

http://faculty.plts.edu/gpence/html/fowler.htm

You'll see that many people, even in their adulthood, do not get past stage 3, which is the Synthetic-Conventional stage. In this stage, it tends to conform to other beliefs, but has trouble identifying a faith all its own.

The stage just before it, Mythical-Literal, has a lot to do with the image you're asking about. The image of God is seen as a "man in the sky" throughout much of this stage.

My GUESS (and I'm sure it's different for everyone) is that as people describe the "man in the sky" imagery, they are using that conformity of stage 3 to describe something commonly held (but not yet fully assessed by themselves) but using it in light of how people in stage 2 think of God.

It is interesting that many people trying to reasonably disprove God will use the "man in the sky" imagery from stage 2, not quite realizing how far past that stage most people are by the time they start thinking about these questions.

Matt

Answer 2

The sky was previously off limits to man, dont forget. Us achieving flight is a comparatively recent development. The stars and planets held a lot of wonder to ancient people (and still do!), so it was only natural to assume that the creator would be among the perfect celestial bodies that they saw.

Nice imagery with the artist and the painting by the way.

Answer 3

This "up there" residence, is close to your opinion too. Because the Sky has no limit. No God can be reached up there. Doesn't matter if in a child's mind God lives third cloud to the left... He cannot be seen, heard or touched.... In a sense, he lives nowhere. This nowhere is inside us. There is a magic wonderland where each of us keeps his own God. And all these millions of little Gods, unite to One, which is the Universe and its laws. I see God's residence in every newborn child. In the colours of the flowers. In tree trunks. In exotic fishes. In the smell of the grass. Life is God. Nature is God. Our hearts and mind are God. His spirit is here. His presence is everywhere - whether in happiness or in sadness. My God, is mine.

Answer 4

GOD is every were my dear that's plsams 139 vs7to 13 you can tell the darkness to hide you but still the eye of GOD will be upon you,they think like that cause when praying we say our father who art in heaven that is Luke 11 vs 2 and where is heaven it is up there in the sky .

Answer 5

Certainly you are right.God doesnt live in sky.We need to step on earth or a base but God doesnt need.Because whole the universe is created by God and God doesnt need a basement to step on it.God occupied His own place.Out of our universe there is Arsheala (Prophet Mohammad said)much bigger than our universe.Mohammad compared it like
our universe is lost in desert as a ring only.Even there God doesnt stay.Because God created it too.Only there are angels there.But we Muslims know that God is everywhere.

Answer 6

There's a book called "Mr. God, This is Anna" - one of my fave lines from it goes like this:

"Where is God?"

"In my tummy!"

"Where are you?"

"In God's tummy!"

Sure, he's in the sky. He's aware, at every moment, of the BIG picture and the most infinitessimal detail. He's bigger than the universe, and knows how many hairs there are on my head. He knows how many children were conceived while I wrote this, because He was there giving each of them life.

Answer 7

All the scripture says either they ascended to or descended from Heaven when it talks about Angels etc. Elisha was "taken up into the sky". The Bible indicates that God is above us in Heaven thus little children say that he is in the sky.

Answer 8

The Supreme Personality of Godhead eternally existing in His own abode. Only in His own abode, in the spiritual sky, is there a total absence of misery. In that abode there is no need of light from sun, moon or fire, the planets are self-luminous, full of bliss and knowledge. Here, in this material universes, are all created by God but He does live within this material universes. He lives in His own abode, in the spiritual universe, in His own planet. And although God is situated in His own abode in the spiritual sky, His energy is distributed everywhere and He's not different from His energy, just as the sun and the sunshine are not different, in the sense that they are composed of the same illuminating substance. And although, He is always staying there, by His different manifestations of energy and by His plenary expansion He is present everywhere in all parts of the material and spiritual creation.
This confirmed in the Bhagavad gita 8.22
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is greater than all, is attainable by unalloyed devotion. Although He is present in His abode, He is all-pervading, and everything is situated within Him."

Answer 9

I think for children it is easier to say up there, however God is everywhere. Also with people saying hell is down there, then you want to go up to Heaven. I think it is just the way we tell our youth... I tell my child that God is everywhere, but most importantly in my heart!!!!!!

Answer 10

Not so fast mask man. He lives in me as the Holy Spirit. But I know what you mean. God Bless.