Could Jesus have been an alien?

[trini_gsr]

The very nature of God in his transcendent state would have to be such that it is not that HE is changing as much as our understanding of who He is changes as he is revealed to us. This is also demonstrated in the part of God's character that is able to function outside of time.

i agree that our understanding of God changes as we grow as a species. i'm with you here...

It is a very far stretch to say that because the universe is changing or is in motion that God has to also be dynamic in the same sense. This is a false correlation. Also, to say that God is dynamic that would also mean the he is subject to change based on responses and a developing understanding of our universe as these are the things that develop change in all things that we know of now. So basically how could you explain that view of God, where he is changing and responsive to the universe, even though his character is timeless, all knowing and all powerful. I just can't see where there is room for a "developing" God.

As a matter of fact I believe this characteristic of God also lends validity to his existence. We cannot argue a transcendent God as the originator of all things if we also believe that he is constantly learning, changing, and that he may be different tomorrow. If this is the character of God then we would have problems because even the very Bible or our very world that we use to define him would be subject to being outdated and unreliable.

now you're putting words in my mouth i never said God was constantly learning or even that he might be 'different'. and i certainly don't think that God changes as our understanding of him evolves. i think you're misunderstanding what i mean when i say God is dynamic.

consider this. even though our universe is constantly changing, the laws that govern it remain the same. we can reliably predict the behavior of bodies in motion, know how fast light travels, etc. as we discover more about our universe, we might revise our understanding, but those laws remain timeless. you could say the CHARACTER of the universe remains the same despite the constant changes.

i look at God in the same manner. His CHARACTER remains the same, even as more and more of it is revealed to us as we continue to grow and learn as a species. So in that sense God is static and the rules He has put forth to define morality, etc are timeless. His character is definitely unchanging.

but that doesn't preclude God from being dynamic, because the universe and everything in it is an expression of, a part of who and what God is. the divine (but finite) "breath of life" that exists in all of us and connects us to God changes and grows as we trod through the journey we call life. so as we experience, in a sense, God "experiences" too. it doesn't change WHO God is at all, but i believe He finds joy in this. much like we find joy in watching our children grow into adults, but that doesn't mean it has to change the nature of who WE are individually.

this explains (to me at least) why the Bible says God finds joy in faithful beings, and why sin makes God sad, etc. it may even give us insight into one of the grand purposes of creation in general. i have more opinions on this but i don't want to go off too far on a tangent.

i appreciate that everyone might not see it the way i do, so we'll may have to agree to disagree on this one . i hope that by sharing you can come away with something positive, i know i have from your posts. some reps are coming your way...

[sport_122]

i agree that our understanding of God changes as we grow as a species. i'm with you here...




now you're putting words in my mouth i never said God was constantly learning or even that he might be 'different'. and i certainly don't think that God changes as our understanding of him evolves. i think you're misunderstanding what i mean when i say God is dynamic.

consider this. even though our universe is constantly changing, the laws that govern it remain the same. we can reliably predict the behavior of bodies in motion, know how fast light travels, etc. as we discover more about our universe, we might revise our understanding, but those laws remain timeless. you could say the CHARACTER of the universe remains the same despite the constant changes.

i look at God in the same manner. His CHARACTER remains the same, even as more and more of it is revealed to us as we continue to grow and learn as a species. So in that sense God is static and the rules He has put forth to define morality, etc are timeless. His character is definitely unchanging.

but that doesn't preclude God from being dynamic, because the universe and everything in it is an expression of, a part of who and what God is. the divine (but finite) "breath of life" that exists in all of us and connects us to God changes and grows as we trod through the journey we call life. so as we experience, in a sense, God "experiences" too. it doesn't change WHO God is at all, but i believe He finds joy in this. much like we find joy in watching our children grow into adults, but that doesn't mean it has to change the nature of who WE are individually.

this explains (to me at least) why the Bible says God finds joy in faithful beings, and why sin makes God sad, etc. it may even give us insight into one of the grand purposes of creation in general. i have more opinions on this but i don't want to go off too far on a tangent.

i appreciate that everyone might not see it the way i do, so we'll may have to agree to disagree on this one . i hope that by sharing you can come away with something positive, i know i have from your posts. some reps are coming your way...

Okay, I can see your perspective now. I just didnt understand it before because I view the term dynamic in a much different way. Thanks for elaborating. I don't think we are that different, maybe just the way we understand the words.

I guess for me I would describe it more as the side of God that is intimate with us on our level with the understanding of where we are as we go through our own growth in developing our understanding of who He is as it has been revealed. For instance, God knows that we don't know everything about Him and everything about our universe which is why he does not always command us to respond to those things that are beyond what he has given us the ability to understand.