In recent times I discovered that I have problems with regular religious thinkers and everyday 'Christians' because there's a dearth of philosophical enlightenment in Christianity. Even a mention of the term 'philosophy' gets some Churchgoers easily apprehensive and paranoid. That word is like a curse word. Little wonder they do not understand or grasp 'what' God is.
They don't understand the philosophy of religion and religious language.
In the wake of the #Olowogbogboro controversy, I have found that many Christians actually believe that God has a LITERAL hand. How did I know this? They were quoting Scriptures about God's "outstretched hands".
If I may ask these Christians;
* What is the length of God's hand? 6 feet? 10? 20? 100? 1000? 33,000? 1,000,000? If God is an #Olowogbogboro (The One with the Long Hand), surely you must have your mathematical PREMISE for saying such. So, how long is long?
Yeah, yeah I know. That was kinda petty but I'm getting at something here.
Another question (and I seriously hope this wouldn't be as petty);
* If God literally has a hand, can He be amputated? That is, can God's hand be surgically reduced or removed!!!?
Christians may not like this question, but it is a VALID question!
This is why Christian Philosophers will NEVER argue that God has a LITERAL HAND! Such arguments are for unenlightened Churchgoers. Religious lightweights.
We've now come to the Indivisibility of God. Yes, God is indivisible. This means that God has no parts. GOD HAS NO BODY PARTS? Church folks, I repeat;
GOD HAS NO BODY PARTS!
If He had, then He can be chopped into parts and pieces the same way you divide a chicken's laps and its body. God is NOT divisible. But if you posit that God has parts, then you are scientifically and philosophically committed to accept that God can be amputated or paralyzed or surgically operated upon. You cannot escape that.
God is also Formless. He has no particular form. Why not? Simple. Because He is not in Space and Time. Only entities within Space and Time have particular forms; hence Matter. If you however posit that God must have a form, then you are scientifically and philosophically committed to accept that God is made of Matter and that He is imprisoned in Time. There's no escaping this.
Important note: God is the only Uncreated Entity by definition (He exists 'ase'). He can give forms to other created things/beings (e.g angels) but He Himself in a Class all by Himself cannot be the subject of any form.
So, why does our religious texts e.g Bible always talk about God hearing, carrying, walking, tasting etc? Valid question.
This is what great Christian Thinkers call the Doctrine of Analogy.
God doesn't have literal hands, but those who execute His words do.
God doesn't have literal eyes and sockets, but those who read His words do.
God doesn't have literal ears and eardrums, but those who listen to His words do.
So, what does God do? He speaks to humans in the language of imagery or form which they understand!!!!!!!!!
Therefore, when Prophet Isaiah speaks of God having an "outstretched hand", God allowed him to speak and write using the Language of Analogy. God understands that communication is useless if humans do not understand the imagery or form being used. But will I be correct to say that God has a 'hand'? Yes and No.
He can snatch out of danger like a hand does, but He doesn't have a literal hand!
God is not a Being of Anatomy.
Christians must do some reading and stop making illogical arguments. Well, why should I be surprised? One 'Christian' once argued that God is illogical. Smh!
Yeah, yeah I know. That was kinda petty but I'm getting at something here.
Another question (and I seriously hope this wouldn't be as petty);
* If God literally has a hand, can He be amputated? That is, can God's hand be surgically reduced or removed!!!?
Christians may not like this question, but it is a VALID question!
This is why Christian Philosophers will NEVER argue that God has a LITERAL HAND! Such arguments are for unenlightened Churchgoers. Religious lightweights.
We've now come to the Indivisibility of God. Yes, God is indivisible. This means that God has no parts. GOD HAS NO BODY PARTS? Church folks, I repeat;
GOD HAS NO BODY PARTS!
If He had, then He can be chopped into parts and pieces the same way you divide a chicken's laps and its body. God is NOT divisible. But if you posit that God has parts, then you are scientifically and philosophically committed to accept that God can be amputated or paralyzed or surgically operated upon. You cannot escape that.
God is also Formless. He has no particular form. Why not? Simple. Because He is not in Space and Time. Only entities within Space and Time have particular forms; hence Matter. If you however posit that God must have a form, then you are scientifically and philosophically committed to accept that God is made of Matter and that He is imprisoned in Time. There's no escaping this.
Important note: God is the only Uncreated Entity by definition (He exists 'ase'). He can give forms to other created things/beings (e.g angels) but He Himself in a Class all by Himself cannot be the subject of any form.
So, why does our religious texts e.g Bible always talk about God hearing, carrying, walking, tasting etc? Valid question.
This is what great Christian Thinkers call the Doctrine of Analogy.
God doesn't have literal hands, but those who execute His words do.
God doesn't have literal eyes and sockets, but those who read His words do.
God doesn't have literal ears and eardrums, but those who listen to His words do.
So, what does God do? He speaks to humans in the language of imagery or form which they understand!!!!!!!!!
Therefore, when Prophet Isaiah speaks of God having an "outstretched hand", God allowed him to speak and write using the Language of Analogy. God understands that communication is useless if humans do not understand the imagery or form being used. But will I be correct to say that God has a 'hand'? Yes and No.
He can snatch out of danger like a hand does, but He doesn't have a literal hand!
God is not a Being of Anatomy.
Christians must do some reading and stop making illogical arguments. Well, why should I be surprised? One 'Christian' once argued that God is illogical. Smh!
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