On Tue, 1 Oct 2002, Reggie Bautista wrote: > One of the biggest problem I have with current organized Christianity and > many of it's supporters is that they say God is omniscient, omnipotent, and > just sort of generally infinite or trans-finite, and but then they start > putting in limits. > > I say, if S/He/It is infinite in any form, then there is no possible human, > finite description that can encompass all of God. > > In other words, you are correct in saying that projecting a limited > definition would be a theistic fallacy, but I personally don't buy into > those limited definitions, and neither do many others.
Speaking for myself, I find it impossible to use the word "God" without also buying into or implying the kinds of moral, religious, and metaphysical assumptions - limited definitions - about which I want to ask questions. I know that the range of possible interpretations of the word are hugely broad, but I find that to inquire about the nature of God - as opposed to the nature of human beings and religion and of how they relate to one another and to the universe at large - is to automatically assume that talking about God is the correct approach to understanding life, the universe, and everything . . . and it's that assumption itself which I find I don't wish to take for granted. And which, IMO, erodes quickly the more one looks and similarities and differences between peoples and belief systems. YMMV, of course. > There is an old Celtic belief quoted frequently in modern stories that are > set in ancient Celtic times; "Never mock the face by which someone finds > God." It's a recognition that there are many names, many aspects, of God > (or The Goddess or the gods or however you wish to refer to that which is > divine), but they are all just aspects of an underlying whole. Modern > ecumenicism of the type Dan describes seems to embrace this ethos to some > degree. The basics of many religions are the same, they just vary in the > details. The important thing is not the specific history of the religion, > it's the spirituality of the individual. Well, I have no desire to mock anybody - I certainly don't think less of family and friends because of their religious beliefs - but neither am I prepared to work on the assumption that the ancient Celts had the best possible perspective on life, the universe, and everything. :-) Marvin Long Austin, Texas Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, & Ashcroft, LLP (Formerly the USA) "Two bits, four bits, six bits, a peso. If you're for Zorro, stand up and say so!" _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
