I’m not asking where he came from but how did we as humans find out about him? I’m confused about it.
I think God revealed himself to humans. He initiated a relationship. Different cultures have different narratives. I claim the Judeo-Christian story found in the Bible.
Assuming God exists. Which is by no means a universal acceptance.
Why would God want to stay hidden? Perhaps because if He were obvious He would either have to rule, or be deemed impotent and therefore ignored. As long as God is a God of faith there can be interaction without compromising free will and liberty. Therefore God will respond to any attempt to “find” him, or align ourselves with His principles. So how do we discover God? First we must decide that He (She/It) exists, and then look for signs of His influence. Paul claims that God is visible in His creation so religions based on creation may well be acceptable to God
Christianity claims, as Christy suggested, that God introduced Himself to the Jews and ultimately, through Christ, to the rest of the world but there are many religions and cultures far removed from the Middle East, that seem to have found God through other means. I guess the ultimate proof would be in the resulting behavior and morality. Does it match our own understanding of God, without the back story? It would be a very strange God to isolate a minute section of His creation and then ignore, even condemn the rest, ignorant or not.
The psalmist suggested we “seek God where He can be found”. So, assuming that He wishes to be found, discovering God should be relatively easy. However, there is a human need for proof and certainty that will always cause a stumbling block to some.
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Christians believe he has revealed himself through scripture (that requires some humility on our part – we cannot tell him how he must do it) and through nature (our humility is required there, too).
This is relevant as well?:
People knew God before Jesus’ incarnation.
Still true, though.
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We found out about Him through the Jesus story. What’s confusing to you? It’s only, ever, all about Jesus.
Good points. But I think we may be over estimating our capacity to recognize God and that is made even tougher by our belief that we already know what we’re looking for. I tend to think whatever it is can be seen in more than one form and provide a more meaningful life in any number of those. I think it’s real enough, just not what we’re expecting and not restricted to just one appearance.
I do not think that God corresponds to any human construct. If you look at the ancient pantheons they are very human, while other early views of God were based on awe, wonder, and fear (of the unknown or misunderstood). Like I said, I think God responds when we get close, but, even now, our views of Him, are clouded by our own moralities, judgments, and feelings. God does not conform to human views and values. And we struggle with Divine amorality.
Jesus was a unique appearance to be sure, but I am sure God meets us, and communicates outside both Him and Scripture. Religions have certain dynamics that involve reinforcement, anti-rivalry, justification, and to a greater or lesser extent vanity (I am right). We cannot measure God by any religion, Christianity included. God is almost certainly more than we perceive, or understand. We certainly diminish Him by insisting on a single or even limited methods of approach or understanding.
Richard
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Pax Christi, CionO!
It’s kind of difficult to say when exactly it was that humans first became aware of God, but
if we take a look at archeological data, it would seem that He was known by Yahweh to the Midianites in ancient Midian as far back as the 14th century B.C, possibly earlier.
I believe God first revealed Himself to Adam and Eve, two homo sapiens whom God adopted as His children and communicated to them the ideas which brought the human mind to life. With this inheritance of the mind, we are God’s children even though our biological inheritance comes from the evolution of life.
For the rest of us God is revealed both in the scriptures (the Bible) and in what God created. While the Bible is bound by the limitations of the language of finite sinful human beings, God can modify our understanding by all the information He sends us from the earth and sky. And God is not a liar who seeks to deceive us with this information, thus we should understand the scriptures accordingly.
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Do you think that the human race could possibly arrive from a gene pool of 2 people?
Richard
Nope.
The genetic evidence shows the population of homo sapiens was never less than thousands of individuals. And that inheritance we have from God wasn’t a genetic one so genetic descent is irrelevant. Cain and Seth did not marry their sisters but the daughters of men and their children were “men of reknown,” i.e. leaders of human civilization (Genesis 6). Humanity spread around the globe with the speed of ideas (i.e. in a matter of centuries). The spread of the species around the globe, which happened much much earlier, is already well understood from science.
It is confusing because the most important part of our understanding of what is human is about our potential not our actual abilities. But homo sapiens can behave very much like animals and we see a lot of human potential wasted in human history. Its like using a violin as a club because you don’t even know what it is for. God’s communication thus unlocked the potential, which we had not realized or understood - still happening, in fact.
I am sorry but your understanding of the creation of the human race goes beyond my beliefs and faith, not that I dwell on it. I am happy for God to have created humanity, and leave it at that. I do not find the need for devilish details. However, I argue against those who insist that God was never involved at all. I accept that you are not one of those.
Richard
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Depends who you ask, i find the question as one that will receive subjective answers, i have heard people say that “God is made up from primitive superstition”, i have also heard that God has revealed himself to humans throughout time, my answer is i don’t know.
How did you hear?
As others mentioned I believe that God revealed himself to mankind. First through some couple other family that became the foundation for the creation mythology. Then later on through his prophets and spiritualists. From them we generated scriptures and histories and seek him out through those and prayer now as individuals and as a community.
My mother who made me attend church up until the age of 13, the last time i attended church was at her ‘celebration of life’ ceremony.
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