[MOW]

The inspiration for this thread is an old X files episode. Muldur encounters a genie who will grant anyone three wishes. Not wanting to appear selfish Muldur wishes for "Peace on Earth". The genie says "sure". Muldur rushes outside to see. He then realizes that the genie has removed all people from the planet. He then has to waste another wish to get things back to the way they were.

There is a gospel song called "People Need the Lord" . I was wondering , is it possilble , that God "needs" people too . Lifeless planets like Neptune or Uranus may be free of "sin" and "peacful" but that hardly seems to be what God needs.

MOW

[minsocal]

I believe that God desires the companionship of living conscious beings. That is my belief and I find it evident in the Bible. As I understand Whitehead, this is what he calls the consequent nature of God. If the consequent nature of God be that of Love, then that love reaches its highest level in mutuality and companionship. This is the model for adult relationships. In this model, the other does not have to be perfect, only that intentions have to be positive and genuine.

MOW,

I would simply replace "need" with "desire". The difference being one of choice. Desires are those states we are free to choose whereas needs compell.

minsocal

This post has been edited by minsocal: 22 March 2009 - 08:27 AM

[minsocal]

A vexing problem for Christians has to to with unintended consequences as exemplified in post #1. IMO, solving this problem is key to moving into the domain of adult relationships. In this domain terms such as trust, love, intimacy, autonomy and mutuality take on new and very important definitions.

Mulder had to use a second wish because he did not think through the consequences of his first wish. Would a God of Love do the same as the genie? I do not think this was implied by the example. Quite the opposite in fact.

My opinion.

[MOW]

minsocal, on Mar 22 2009, 08:26 AM, said:

I believe that God desires the companionship of living conscious beings. That is my belief and I find it evident in the Bible. As I understand Whitehead, this is what he calls the consequent nature of God. If the consequent nature of God be that of Love, then that love reaches its highest level in mutuality and companionship. This is the model for adult relationships. In this model, the other does not have to be perfect, only that intentions have to be positive and genuine.

MOW,

I would simply replace "need" with "desire". The difference being one of choice. Desires are those states we are free to choose whereas needs compell.

minsocal

Yes, that's a good point minsocal. I used the word"need" because that was the word used in the title of the song .

I've heard in some God theory that God is actually changing and growing and evolving. This contrasts with the standard brlief that God is the same forever.Some think that the creation of humans was an essential part of this process.

MOW

[JosephM]

Does God "need Humans" ?

It seems to me that the question is a connundrum. It seems to me that God is complete and in need of nothing. Also that God has no desires as God is perfect peace and without want or longing or wishing. Man on the other hand, is full of need and desire. That is the nature of of the created creature known as man yet is not the nature of God.

Yes, the question is a connundrum.
Just a view to consider.

Love Joseph

[fatherman]

Here's a story that it fun to play with.

God created the physical universe out of herself in order to experience herself in relative terms. We're all made from God-stuff and a part of the way God experiences God's own self.

Given this story, God needs humans in order to know himself in human terms.

[minsocal]

fatherman, on May 6 2009, 09:07 AM, said:

Here's a story that it fun to play with.

God created the physical universe out of herself in order to experience herself in relative terms. We're all made from God-stuff and a part of the way God experiences God's own self.

Given this story, God needs humans in order to know himself in human terms.

Sounds a lot like A. N. Whitehead. In the last day or so, I have come to the view that we define each other. It was a big change for me.

[sonoman]

I guess this is where I should step out and begin my job of Christian heresy spreading on this forum. After all, I've been here a whole day now and haven't been banned yet. Well, I did say that I do receive spiritual visions, have been getting them for decades and I got one about God and humanity in the year 2000, right on popular Age of Aquarius schedule although I didn't do much but record it then. Last year I got the spiritual confirmation revelations about the meaning of the Son of Man tradition that confirmed my 2000 vision, God's Cosmic Plan. I see by the Guidelines posted above that I might be "challenging, debating, or provoking" Progressive Christianity or related ideas so I'll post this in the other forums where my traditionally-challenged Christian visions may be more appropriate.

[MOW]

fatherman, on May 6 2009, 11:07 AM, said:

Here's a story that it fun to play with.

God created the physical universe out of herself in order to experience herself in relative terms. We're all made from God-stuff and a part of the way God experiences God's own self.

Given this story, God needs humans in order to know himself in human terms.

This does sound similar to a God theory that I read about. God is essentially all alone. In order to experience him/herself, he/she divided into an uncountable number and then caused itself to "forget" being God .

I can't remember what book I read that in.

MOW