Merged A God of Love / The Living God

[fuelair]

Brothers and sisters and children

Is there something like that . . . .and if there is . . .what is His Love to the human beings.

Just to leave them in their misery . . .an earth dying or is there more to Love?

Maybe a Love that we do not understand because we never ventured far enough?

Do we need it or are we complete without it?

Was what we are really the best that He could accomplish?

Love Johan

No god, could not do anything (nothing that has no existence can do anything!!! I hope this helps!!!!
You have an interesting sign off I see!!!

 

[Porpoise of Life]

I've changed my mind, I'm baking brownies. Still no deities to be found anywhere though.

 

[The Norseman]

I've changed my mind, I'm baking brownies. Still no deities to be found anywhere though.

Sure there are!

Just like the theists when they try and "define" their deity as being equivalent to another thing or concept, you can too! Call the pan of freshly baked brownies 'god' and voilà!

[insert joke about brownies being heavenly tasting here]

 

[Shalamar]

I've changed my mind, I'm baking brownies. Still no deities to be found anywhere though.

A God of Love? if such a being existed, it might be worth following. I find, however, that those who preach about a deity of love, talk down to others, act smug and condescending, and mock those who ask questions.

Doesn't seem like love to me. Examples in this thread abound about someone speaking of a god of love, and acting as if they follow a god of hate or intolerance.

 

[abaddon]

Brothers and sisters and children

Is there something like that . . . .and if there is . . .what is His Love to the human beings.

Just to leave them in their misery . . .an earth dying or is there more to Love?

Maybe a Love that we do not understand because we never ventured far enough?

Do we need it or are we complete without it?

Was what we are really the best that He could accomplish?

Love Johan

Which of the thousands of gods did you have in mind?

 

[abaddon]

You left out the next verse that mentions love:

"6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments."

Quite lovely, indeed

Except for the Amalekites.

 

[The Big Dog]

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3;16

Now that is love!

 

[MikeG]

.......Now that is make believe.

FTFY

 

[Toontown]

He loves us so much that he arranged to have his beloved Son tortured to death, just to show us how much He loves us. And how He treats those He loves.

And also because we're dirty little sinners, and somebody had to pay for that. And now He can forgive us and not condemn us to eternal torture. Because He had His Son tortured to death so He wouldn't have to do that to us. Because He has to do what He has to do. Unless somebody gets tortured to death, which changes everything.

His mercy is exceeded only by His mighty reasoning. It all makes perfect sense once you understand how He thinks.

 

[The Big Dog]

Maybe a Love that we do not understand because we never ventured far enough?

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

John 3:1

 

[Shalamar]

God is love. Apparently, his/her/its followers do not have to.

 

[MikeG]

......The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. we do not exist......

FTFY, again.

 

[Hokulele]

You left out the next verse that mentions love:

"6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments."

Quite lovely, indeed

Well, that doesn't negate the inherent contradiction regarding the jealousy. Gotta love that emotional insecurity and psychological blackmail. "Love me! Love me, damn it!"

lol

 

[Brainache]

...
There certainly is a God of Love, for as the saints wrote:

If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

That was St Paul, obviously, lets see what else he wrote:

... 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed...

So, he's patient and kind except if you preach a different version of the Jesus story to Paul's.

...19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me...

Not self-seeking or puffing himself up at all...

...10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach[c] circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offence of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!...

Charming "saint" you have there... What was that he said?

...it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth...

Unless of course you happen to be one of the original followers of Jesus who emphasised keeping the whole of the law. In that case, according to Saint Paul, you are cursed and he wants you to castrate yourself.

That is just in Galatians of course, maybe his famous lines about love only apply to people from Corinth...

 

[The Big Dog]

Well, that doesn't negate the inherent contradiction regarding the jealousy.

While I feel that you see a contradiction, I do not see one at all in that sentence that you quoted, which, of course does not even mention love

We are speaking of course of god's love for us and our love for god.

You will note that the sentence i quoted does refer to love.

I think we all can see this better when one realizes that indifference is the opposite of love.

 

[The Big Dog]

That was St Paul, obviously, lets see what else he wrote:

So, he's patient and kind except if you preach a different version of the Jesus story to Paul's.


Not self-seeking or puffing himself up at all...


Charming "saint" you have there... What was that he said?

Unless of course you happen to be one of the original followers of Jesus who emphasised keeping the whole of the law. In that case, according to Saint Paul, you are cursed and he wants you to castrate yourself.

That is just in Galatians of course, maybe his famous lines about love only apply to people from Corinth...

St. Paul is speaking of Love, St Paul is not Love: God is love.

 

[abaddon]

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3;16

Now that is love!

Except he didn't give anything.

 

[Resume]

And god so loved the world, he just forgave his creations for acting in the manner he knew they would anyway.

Then, he got another hobby.

 

[Hokulele]

While I feel that you see a contradiction, I do not see one at all in that sentence that you quoted, which, of course does not even mention love

We are speaking of course of god's love for us and our love for god.

You will note that the sentence i quoted does refer to love.

I think we all can see this better when one realizes that indifference is the opposite of love.

"Love is not jealous"
"God is love."
"I am a jealous god! Rawr!"

And yes, indifference is the opposite of love. I have said that myself on these forums in the past. It is also the opposite of hate. It would interesting to see a religion based on an indifferent god, that would have some neat potential.

 

[Brainache]

St. Paul is speaking of Love, St Paul is not Love: God is love.

Does that mean that love is God?

Either way I'd have to say that Paul falls somewhere short of sainthood. Just where did Paul get his authority to make such pronouncements about God? As I understand it he had a "vision".

Does it bother you at all that he could have just been telling fibs about this vision of his? No one else saw it, it contradicted what the original Jesus followers were saying and before he started preaching it Paul was apparently a sworn enemy of the whole Jesus movement.

Isn't it possible that Paul's whole "gospel" was just an attempt to destabilise that Jesus movement at a time when it was becoming a threat to the existing Roman/Herodian power structures in Judea and surrounding areas?