Dear Friends,
In exploring how belief effects behavior I came across an article
which resonated deeply with me. With the author's permission I
distilled it to the following, on which I invite your feedback.
(Billy, I am especially interested in your thoughts as you think so
deeply about such matters.)
Does Our View of God Matter?
Adapted from What do Muslims and Christians believe differently about God?
<http://oprev.org/2013/01/what-do-muslims-and-christians-believe-differently-about-god>
The original article is part of a seven-part series by Bruce Sidebotham on
Social Implications of Different Christian and Muslim Beliefs
<http://oprev.org/2013/02/social-implications-of-differences-between-christian-and-muslim-beliefs>
Nowhere do we find Christians protesting violently when God is
insulted. Yet Muslims around the world violently protest any
criticism of God, his prophet or the Qur'an. Why?
People become like what they worship, and relate to one another based
on how they relate to God. So consider the ramifications of these two
views: The qur'anic God is a single entity while the biblical God is
three persons in one essence which Christians call "trinity."
Honor, glory, love, integrity, morality, and truth require
relationships. Thus within a trinity these moral qualities can exist
in eternity past as the persons of the trinity glorify, honor, and
love each other, and hold each other accountable to integrity,
morality and truth. Such a God's glory derives from himself rather
than his creation. Where societies are shaped by the Bible, personal
integrity outweighs the desire for praise from others. And since
nothing outside God can diminish the glory inherent in himself, he
can become a man and die a humiliating death on a cross to share his
glory with his creation.
However the qur'anic God has no interpersonal relationships-so honor,
glory, love, integrity, morality, and truth cannot be eternal. This
God is free to lie, cheat, and steal without defiling his character,
and according to the Qur'an, "Allah is the best deceiver." This God
only finds glory in how his creation treats him, so "Allahu
Akhbar"-Arabic for "God is Great"-is constantly on Muslims lips.
Similarly in societies shaped by the Qur'an, people gain honor not
from their integrity but by how others view them, and are expected to
deceive as necessary to avoid embarrassment. And since God depends on
his creation to give him honor, the idea that he would become a man
and suffer at the hands of men is an incomprehensibly offensive
blasphemy.
Other belief systems have other implications:
* In animism nature is God: man's master rather than his servant.
This yields fatalism that undermines man's motivation to improve his
surroundings.
* In atheism, man is just a part of nature with no basis for morality
and no external accountability. This leads to exploiting nature and
others.
What is your view of God, and how would that influence society if
widely embraced?
--
May you bask and rest in the fullness of Christ living in and through you!
For His Kingdom,
--Robby
Beloved son of the King of Kings,
Privileged to be married to Jackie,
Grateful father of Joelle (1996), Dana (1998), and Wesley (2001).
Looking forward to the day of God, and speeding its coming (2 Pet 3:12).
(360) 420-5634 * Skype: RobbyButler
17110 Brook Ct, Mount Vernon WA 98274
Family: <http://RJButler.MissionsPlace.com>
Ministry: <http://theMissionNetwork.org>
--
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Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community
<[email protected]>
Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism
Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org
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