I was reading a news article on the BBC that says somthing about
so my question is what is a personal god? what does that mean?"It shows that two thirds of the UK population 'have no connection' with the church and that only a quarter 'believe in a personal god', just one of the several minimum requirements to qualify as a Christian," he said.
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Here are definitions from Wiki:
Personal God:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_GodDefinitions
The broadest definition of this term is a God who is a personal being, i.e. a being with a personality, including the capacity to reason and feel love, as in the cases of Zeus, Apollo and Athena and other deities common to European Pagan polytheism. In the case of the Christian belief in the Trinity, God is an impersonal 'ousia' or substance, manifested in three 'hypostasis' or persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These views are intended to challenge the concept of deity which is merely a guiding principle, a blind creative force or a philosophical ideal.
A narrower interpretation of a personal God is a deity who takes a personal interest in the world in general and worshippers in particular. This view is intended to challenge a deistic outlook.
A still narrower definition would be a God whose personal interest in His worshippers is so great that the deity communicates directly with them and actively intervenes in their lives through miracles.
The most restrictive interpretation of a personal God is a deity that is solely concerned with his worshippers, having pity at best and animosity at worst towards non-believers. Jehovah, the jealous God of the Torah, was the personal God of the Jews. Most modern denominations believe that they have the clearest understanding of what God wants, but some modern fundamentalists suggest that those who are not members of their church will experience damnation.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
"Love follows knowledge." – St. Catherine of Siena
My literature blog: http://ashesfromburntroses.blogspot.com/
Does this also include following some spiritual leaders? Like Osho or Sai Baba ( I dont know, if many are aware of these personalities), as they fall under this category
They all are personal being. And some people do consider them God like.The broadest definition of this term is a God who is a personal being, i.e. a being with a personality, including the capacity to reason and feel love.
I'm not familiar of Osho and Sai Baba. Are they leaders or dieties?Originally Posted by Madhuri
LET THERE BE LIGHT
"Love follows knowledge." – St. Catherine of Siena
My literature blog: http://ashesfromburntroses.blogspot.com/
Leaders, not deities.
Osho (now deceased) and Sai Baba are spiritual leaders
Osho --
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OshoRajneesh Chandra Mohan Jain (December 11, 1931 – January 19, 1990), better known during the 1970s and 1980s as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and later taking the name Osho, was an Indian spiritual teacher. He lived in India and in other countries including, for a period, the United States, and inspired the Osho movement, a controversial spiritual and philosophical movement.
Sai baba --
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sathya_Sai_BabaSathya Sai Baba (born Sathyanarayana Raju on November 23, 1926, or later than 1927 — with the family name of "Ratnakara") is a South Indian guru, religious leader, orator and philosopher often described as a godman and a miracle worker. According to the Sathya Sai Organization, there are an estimated 1,200 Sathya Sai Baba Centers in 130 countries world-wide. The number of Sathya Sai Baba adherents is estimated sometimes as around 6 million, and followers cite "50 to 100 million".
Lets say, leaders like the Pope (I mean he is a Christian, follower of a religion), but some people may start considering him their personal god. Similarly, like Osho and Sai Baba have followers.
I understand that this definiton is from believers point of view. Who they consider their personal god, and that can be anybody. Is that so?
PS:- I am not refering to their teachings, but more to their God like status.
Last edited by Madhuri; 04-03-2007 at 08:55 AM.
To me, a personal God simply means that God is real to you personally, and nothing will shake your belief in God. I have always said that until the words of any Holy Writ become meaningful to you personally, they might as well just be words on paper, because to you they mean nothing. But when they do mean something to you, then God becomes personal, you know Him for yourself, and not because others said that it is so. You become convinced in your own heart and mind.
God Bless.
Last edited by Pendragon; 04-03-2007 at 10:56 PM.
Some of us laugh
Some of us cry
Some of us smoke
Some of us lie
But it's all just the way
that we cope with our lives...
I might also add that I think the term "personal" could also be applied to God as a person - that He has a character, a personality - that He is not a "force" or a being that is untouched by our experiences, but rather that He emotionally engages with us, and feels like we do.
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C.S. Lewis
of all the beings in the universe, god chose us to match his personality to. says who? we sure can't figure out and completely understand the behavior of other species from our perpsective. so if god's perspective (his personality and emotional schema) is just like ours, then how does he do it?
Last edited by billyjack; 04-03-2007 at 10:45 AM.
No, I don't think so but I think Dr Robert Atkins is considered one of the most eminent 'dieties' of modern times!
~
"It is not that I am mad; it is only that my head is different from yours.”
~
Is this a spelling joke ??No, I don't think so but I think Dr Robert Atkins is considered one of the most eminent 'dieties' of modern times!
My mission in life is to make YOU smile
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The time has come," the Walrus said,"To talk of many things:
Forum Rules- You know you want to read 'em
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|currently reading
Not so much a deity (or diety) as someone who didn't have his head up his arse regarding diet. I'm pretty sure the facts are in now - dietary fat per se is not the problem, sugar and refined starches are.No, I don't think so but I think Dr Robert Atkins is considered one of the most eminent 'dieties' of modern times!
Why don't you start a thread on this? Man cannot live on god alone.
Last edited by JGL57; 04-03-2007 at 10:48 AM.
Revision: man cannot live at all without God.Man cannot live on god alone.
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C.S. Lewis
Second that. "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every Word of God."
For me, personal God means that God isn't some far off, stern being who tells you to be good. God is a Friend. You can talk to Him without having to worry about being on His level (we'll never get there.) And He loves to hear you pray and speak with Him.
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
Oh, thanks. But then they couldn't be personal Gods. I think you get the drift of what a personal God is by the discussion here, and the definitions.
Certainly not Dr. Atkins.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
"Love follows knowledge." – St. Catherine of Siena
My literature blog: http://ashesfromburntroses.blogspot.com/
I am following the discussions hereOh, thanks. But then they couldn't be personal Gods. I think you get the drift of what a personal God is by the discussion here, and the definitions.
Certainly not Dr. Atkins.
I am thinking does God have these attributes?
If yes, then won't it make Him like a human being, given God like status?personal being, i.e. a being with a personality, including the capacity to reason and feel love
Well, i'll wait and see how the discussions unfold.
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