Atheists argue that if there IS a supreme God, such as the Christian God, every person in the world would know it, have some sort of...divine knowledge or something...
Christians claim that God is all around them...that God gave us life, and made the world and everything we know...
Well, combine the two, perhaps? I know I know, abominations all around, but just hear me out...
Nature is really the only "higher power" everyone can agree on. We see it every day with the sun rise, wind, trees, rain, etc. Well...what if, Nature WAS the god everyone was worshiping? From the Druids, Christians, Native Americans, etc. Even atheists usually are reverant to Nature (as in, when it rains, you're normally thankful for the water in a drought, right?) So wouldn't it make at least a tad more sense to believe that the "God" everyone was worshiping is really just Nature? Not saying Nature is a deity, just that people worshipped like it WAS a deity. Be kind, no mean stuff please. Thank you.
2007-11-09 00:15:32 · 45 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I never said to worship. and I never said I believe in such things, I was merely asking a question...yikes...
2007-11-09 00:24:38 · update #1
Your exposition sounds very reasonable to me.
I would only add one thing to the argument... the Nature we notice with our 5 senses is the "expressed value" of God and since God is generally accepted as being unseen (Spirit), the "Spiritual God" can only be known on that Spiritual level.
This resource explains how that holistic aspect of God which is unseen, can be perceived.
2007-11-09 00:33:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Nature...such a magnificent creation of God. Shows us His creativity and vitality. We ooo and ahhh over it so much, the majestic mountains, the breathtaking tropical views.. the quiet beauty of a sunset.. all these truly Testify of the Glory of God...some of us as believers in God even feel closer to God when we are out in Nature... its out there that everything stops.. that we can breathe fresh air and just relax. Its no wonder the Lord Jesus would wake up early and go to the mountains to seek a personal one on one time with the Father.
While I do not agree that Nature could possibly be God, and I know that you're not saying that, I'd have to say that if our hearts are open, nature is such a strong testimony of God's existence.
By being around things that do not fuss or worry like the birdies,little creatures that depend on God for their life and living..it can really make you realize that God is real and is probably the most interesting person to get to know on this earth.
I am just so thankful that today God is not just hidden but He can be so available and near to us if we'd just open our being to Him. Even bypassing Nature and hitting directly to the Source. Its like admiring a picture of someone when the real person is standing right next to you. I wish more of us would dig deeper and seek Him because He can be found... That would truly be worthwhile.
Interesting Question.
Sandy
2007-11-09 06:24:54 · answer #2 · answered by Broken Alabaster Flask 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, if I understand the quest-ion(s) correctly then you are asking first, the fundamental question what/who is God? And secondly is God really just nature and that is what people are worshiping instead of God?
The short answer is that God created nature as a law of physics by which life is controlled and to which life is subject. Nature, on the other hand is part of the mechanistic part of life and creation. Not the other way around. Life has mechanistic parts and personal parts.
Nature does not have a personality and is not a being with a mind. God is a personality with a mind; the greatest most perfect mind there is. People can know nature, they are a part of nature and nature is a part of people (as well as many other things) but nature does not know people it can't because it has no mind or personality. Nature is a phycial law of not only life but also of inanimate things in time and space. Nature takes its course regardless of what people do or do not do...
Through history mankind has worshiped everything from rocks, mountains and trees to nature to even himself.
Nature worship is something that people have and still sometimes really do. But nature is not a deity because deity implies personality; a being another personality can know. Personalities know other personalities.
God is Spirit. But spirit is not God. God is a personality you can know. And every person in the world has opportunity to find God and to know him, and he is all around us. We come to know God by way of our spirit within. This is described in relgions many ways, the indwelling spirit, a piece of God, The Thought Adjuster, Being Born Again of the Spirit, and so on. Spirit personalities can know spirit personalities.
I've included some source links below that I think you will find really interesting, so I hope enjoy the read!
:)
2007-11-09 01:39:28 · answer #3 · answered by Holly Carmichael 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's an interesting concept. Nature being not just the wind and rain and trees and stuff, but also physics and gravity and all those other laws; they're actually what govern the natural world. So are we actually "worshipping" a bunch of natural laws?
But if these are our "God," how exactly did they come into being? Who or what governs those? I guess you could say they always existed--but the world around us didn't always exist; science and the laws of nature itself refute that. Nature had a beginning point, I guess the question is, what caused it?
Very interesting idea, here's a site that explores those kinds of questions: http://www.everystudent.com/journeys/nothing.html
Hope it's helpful to anyone who's interested.
2007-11-09 01:05:11 · answer #4 · answered by Saved 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Interesting question, I believe 'proof' of God's existance can be seen in the perfect design of the things He created in 'nature'. His Wisdom and Beauty are displayed everyday. However, not everyone has eyes to see it. Truth is one can really only 'see' God with a desire and an open heart to do so. Because He is not visible to the natural human eye. He can however, be seen with the eyes of your heart. 'spiritual vision'. While His creation is breathtakingly magestic, it should be seen as nothing more than that, His creation. Something to thank and praise Him for. He is Lord of it all, seasons, elements, and all of nature,all the way down to the gnat! Though people in history did worship created things in spite of it being not permitted according to the ten commandments, like the sun for instance. They somehow believed that it was the sun that supplied their food etc. However, all of nature, is in suboordination to it's Creator , God.
Their thinking was limited to their teaching. As well as the attitude of their hearts. Not everyone will care about 'knowing' God personally. Even though everyone will be given the opportunity to do so. Unfortunately, there are some with hearts so hardened towards God, that may never see, do to their lack of desire. They prefer to scoff from a distance. This does not affect God's love 'for' them, only their ability to see and recieve it. He has extended out His Heart and Hands of Love, from the cross, to 'anyone' who would choose to accept and recieve it. It is from that decision to believe that the One true God is revealed to the 'faith leeper'. Sincerely, Rose
2007-11-09 12:09:35 · answer #5 · answered by God's Fountain Pen 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good question! Well thought out!
However, I don't believe that God is all around us because I see the wind blow through the trees... Yes I believe it's a piece of His glorious creation.
I believe in God because I've seen Him heal my husband, sister-in-law, when I pray about a situation and then I see Him all in it, when my phone was about to be turned off and a friend not knowing the situation gave me the money for the bill, when I've been upset and I've felt Him all over me... Those are a few of the reasons why I believe in God. Most importantly your theory wouldn't support the reason why God sent His Son to die for us.
I can even get into scientific reasons why and world events back to Bible from the beginning of time....
I can see why you think they way you think though.
2007-11-09 01:33:18 · answer #6 · answered by Kimbo 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't argue that everyone would know that a god existed if it did, however there would be evidence of its interactions with the world and there are none.
Not everyone worships the same sort of deity and many religions are exclusive of all others while others are open to there being other gods. This would be a strong indication that there is not a single source of inspiration for all religions.
I'm happy when it rains during a drought, but not thankful, as there is nothing to thank and if there was then there would be something to blame for the mismanagement of having a drought.
2007-11-09 00:24:27 · answer #7 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 2⤊ 4⤋
No, God is very clear on this. Created things are never bigger than Creator. We would not know so much about God if He did not give us His Word. The Bible is the record of things that has happened and we can learn from it. It is God's life manual for us. Everyone can find Him when you seek Him with all of your heart. It is His promise.
2007-11-09 06:36:00 · answer #8 · answered by Nina, BaC 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God created everything you mentioned - nature,sun, wind, trees, rain, animals, elements, life, ALL THINGS.
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
John 1:3
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Romans 1:25
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Acts 17:23
For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
2007-11-09 00:34:47 · answer #9 · answered by Old Hickory 6 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Sure in ancient times it was Ra, the sun god. They knew that all life on earth was dependent on the sun. therefore they had better keep the sun happy. so lets sacrafice some virgins to the sun god. My take is there is a life energy Chi, its the energy of life that is sacred. That energy flows in every living thing and should be respected. The force of life itself. Christians say "who created the force of life" its god therefore worship god. The ancients said its the sun wind water earth, etc lets worship all of them. The Judism monothesism religions simplified it all and say lets just worship the creator , the creator of the life force. We are all human and what we worship is generally the same if you connect the dots.
2007-11-09 00:34:02 · answer #10 · answered by Iwasthere 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Makes sense. People's vision of God, even Christians, is often the sun. Listen to worship music and you'll hear about the sun (not always the "Son") and they compare God to Lightning, Thunder, tornados, springtime; they look to the skies and think of God, clouds as his power, etc. It's natural to do this, even if you're not 'totally' worshipping nature. I believe God reveals His True presence in nature.
2007-11-09 00:24:14 · answer #11 · answered by . 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋