Personification

Originally posted by Omega Vision
There's a theory that's held by some Christian historians that during the twenty year gap in Jesus's life that the Bible leaves out Jesus visited India and learned from the Buddhists and Hindus.

I know of that theory, there are also claims he was buried there.

Other than similarities in doctrine, the theory isn't that strong. I think it requires a lot more investigation. I'd love to know for sure. If he did learn, he learned from the Buddhists and was a Buddhist monk, in my opinion (but maybe my opinion is bias here).

While I was in China, one of the monks said to us:
''If you follow the deeds of Jesus, you're already following Buddha. If you're following the deeds of Buddha, you're already following Jesus.''

I am torn between - Jesus attained enlightenment when he was here OR he attained enlightenment before and willingly came back to aid others.
I'm more inclined to believe the latter, although...both are possible.

Originally posted by lil bitchiness
I know of that theory, there are also claims he was buried there.

Other than similarities in doctrine, the theory isn't that strong. I think it requires a lot more investigation. I'd love to know for sure. If he did learn, he learned from the Buddhists and was a Buddhist monk, in my opinion (but maybe my opinion is bias here).

While I was in China, one of the monks said to us:
''If you follow the deeds of Jesus, you're already following Buddha. If you're following the deeds of Buddha, you're already following Jesus.''

I am torn between - Jesus attained enlightenment when he was here OR he attained enlightenment before and willingly came back to aid others.
I'm more inclined to believe the latter, although...both are possible.

lol, for me, that's what I think all positive religions are about, anyway: attaining enlightenment. For me, it is just different flavors of the same message.

Originally posted by lil bitchiness
While I was in China, one of the monks said to us:
''If you follow the deeds of Jesus, you're already following Buddha. If you're following the deeds of Buddha, you're already following Jesus.''

Originally posted by dadudemon
lol, for me, that's what I think all positive religions are about, anyway: attaining enlightenment. For me, it is just different flavors of the same message.

While this is emotionally satisfying for many, it does tend to gloss over the myriad difference in the religions/practices, and the many ways in which they aren't compatible.

Frankly, most of the myths and religions ever can be boiled down to a few common tenets if we're willing to overlook the other stuff. I think it probably speaks to commonalities in the way humans relate to ideas like death and the divine than it does to tangible links between religions.

Indeed, that's why syncretism is ever so popular. I hope it continues to be.

Originally posted by lil bitchiness
Indeed, that's why syncretism is ever so popular. I hope it continues to be.

This has always been going on; both combining and diverging.

Originally posted by ADarksideJedi
If you read the bible God has always been a man he was born into this world I dont thnk it would make any sence if he was not one.

God was not a man in the beginning, but a spirit. Jesus is, was and always will be an office that God took in order to accomplish several things according to the Bible. One thing is certain. While God knew what being human was, he did not know what being human felt like. Loneliness, hunger, striving to make a statement in life... etc.. These are all things that are born of the flesh.

I must warn everyone here of the harsh implications of blasphemy. This, or more to the point, the OP of this thread borders on the blasphemous, and it is the one unpardonable sin. If, and I mean this with all sincerity. If God truly exists, and Jesus was the Word, and always will be the Word of God who was with God from the beginning, and is God, to choose your words carefully.

Originally posted by Stoic
...While God knew what being human was, he did not know what being human felt like...

How can an all knowing, omnipotent god not know something?

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
How can an all knowing, omnipotent god not know something?

God is a spirit. Carefully re-read what I posted, because my explanation is there.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
There's a theory that's held by some Christian historians that during the twenty year gap in Jesus's life that the Bible leaves out Jesus visited India and learned from the Buddhists and Hindus.

This is confirmed in the Bible when Jesus sent his Apostles to Asia, and it was said that they were hard pressed by the Asians system of honor, or code of honor. This is likely where the parable that says "Good works are like filthy rags before God". That we are not justified by our works, but by faith.

Originally posted by Stoic
God is a spirit. Carefully re-read what I posted, because my explanation is there...

I reread your post and did not see an answer to my question.

How can an all knowing god not know something?

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
I reread your post and did not see an answer to my question.

How can an all knowing god not know something?

God is a spirit, not flesh. The Spirit of God having a lack of flesh did not know what it felt like to feel hungry or other things that are felt in the flesh, because the Spirit of God is not flesh, therefore the only way to know what it truly felt like to be of the flesh, was to become flesh, and dwell among us.

Originally posted by Stoic
God is a spirit, not flesh. The Spirit of God having a lack of flesh did not know what it felt like to feel hungry or other things that are felt in the flesh, because the Spirit of God is not flesh, therefore the only way to know what it truly felt like to be of the flesh, was to become flesh, and dwell among us.

Then, before Jesus, god was not all knowing.

There was no before Jesus. It clearly states in the Bible, that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, but we knew him not. Did you know that the Bible describes God as being lawful and benevolent? That God is fair all the way down the line? Which is why the Bible says that God gave all of mankind free will.

Did you know that a spirit (Angel, Demon, or God itself) is not allowed to live within a human, unless that human opens doorways or becomes equally yolked or unequally yolked to that Spirit. There is a legalism within the spiritual realm. This is why Baptism exists. It states in the Bible that for a person to be saved that they must submit to a certain criteria. This is what is meant as bringing forth the fruits of repentance. The Bible states, that in order for a person to find salvation, that they must accept Christ into their hearts and lives as their personal savior, then they must repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and only at that point would the Holy Ghost be able to dwell within them. For by no other name can a person be saved.

However there are other spirits out there, and a person by free will can open doorways into their lives, which is also a way for that spirit to also dwell within a person. This could be a Demon, or the Angel Moronai. As long as the person follows the criteria that this spirit asks of them, they can be filled with that spirit. God as I said is stated in the Bible as being a fair and just God.

Why did I write all of that? Because I wanted to break it down to you why God up until Christ did not know what it felt like to feel hunger, strife, sin, or any of the other things that we as people feel in the flesh. God does not know what it feels like to sin, but this does not mean that the Spirit of God does not know the consequences of sin.

If you seeking an answer for a particular question that pertains to the Bible, you can always read it.

Originally posted by Stoic
There was no before Jesus. It clearly states in the Bible, that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, but we knew him not. Did you know that the Bible describes God as being lawful and benevolent? That God is fair all the way down the line? Which is why the Bible says that God gave all of mankind free will.

That is an interpretation. The bible does not say the name Jesus, in the OT.

Originally posted by Stoic
Did you know that a spirit (Angel, Demon, or God itself) is not allowed to live within a human, unless that human opens doorways or becomes equally yolked or unequally yolked to that Spirit. There is a legalism within the spiritual realm. This is why Baptism exists. It states in the Bible that for a person to be saved that they must submit to a certain criteria. This is what is meant as bringing forth the fruits of repentance. The Bible states, that in order for a person to find salvation, that they must accept Christ into their hearts and lives as their personal savior, then they must repent, and be baptized in the [b]name of Jesus, and only at that point would the Holy Ghost be able to dwell within them. For by no other name can a person be saved.[/B]

I do not believe in spirits. They are a product of human imagination. People would see someone get sick, then other people would get sick. They didn't know about infection, but they could tell that something was there. They then concluded there must be a spirit that is making everyone sick.

Originally posted by Stoic
However there are other spirits out there, and a person by free will can open doorways into their lives, which is also a way for that spirit to also dwell within a person. This could be a Demon, or the Angel Moronai. As long as the person follows the criteria that this spirit asks of them, they can be filled with that spirit. God as I said is stated in the Bible as being a fair and just God.

Like I said, the belief in spirits is just a product of the lack of information.

Originally posted by Stoic
Why did I write all of that? Because I wanted to break it down to you why God up until Christ did not know what it [b]felt like to feel hunger, strife, sin, or any of the other things that we as people feel in the flesh. God does not know what it feels like to sin, but this does not mean that the Spirit of God does not know the consequences of sin.[/B]

So, we agree that before Jesus was born and walked on the Earth, his father, the all knowing god, did not know what it was like to be human in the flesh. That means god is not all knowing.

Originally posted by Stoic
If you seeking an answer for a particular question that pertains to the Bible, you can always read it.

I did that long ago. I have no questions.

This tread has nothing to do with the bible, but is about the Personification of gods. We could be talking about the Christian god or Zeus. It all has to do with the Personification, and not the religion.

Jesus spoke to the Apostles one day, and did not leave them until he finished this sentence.

Jesus said. "I will pray to the Father, and he will send a comforter in my name". So let's break this down. This would be like any one of us sitting with a friend, and saying "hey Jeff, hows it going tonight? i know that we have to travel 350 miles so what I'm going to do, is ask my dad for his car to take us that distance. So then one of us blinks for a second or two, and turns back to Jeff, and says, hey Jeff, guess what, my pops will lend us the car to take us the full distance of 350 miles.

/blink blink.

The Comforter that Jesus was speaking of is the Holy Ghost, which is the Spirit of God, that was sent in the name of Jesus. Who was Jesus again? Hmmm. Does this mean that the Holy Ghost is named Jesus? it seems pretty clear to me. Yes the Spirit of God, according to the Bible, is named Jesus.

The Catholics step outside of this legalism, and are not true Christians because they did not follow the proper steps to reach salvation according to the very same bible that they read, and preach in sermons. What? I said What???

The one thing that many Catholics do wrong, is their ways of conducting the Baptism. They baptize people in the titles of God, but not in the name of God. They say and I quote. " I now baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit". But very rarely do they baptize in the name of Jesus.

In the time of John the Baptist, many people professing to have been baptized were urged to be baptized again, because they weren't baptized properly. Legalism, is very big in the spiritual realm.

Originally posted by Stoic
Jesus spoke to the Apostles one day, and did not leave them until he finished this sentence.

Jesus said. "I will pray to the Father, and he will send a comforter in my name". So let's break this down. This would be like any one of of sitting with a friend, and saying "hey Jeff, hows it going tonight? i know that we have to travel 350 miles so what I'm going to do, is ask my dad for his car to take us that distance. So then one of us blinks for a second or two, and turns back to Jeff, and says, hey Jeff, guess what, my pops will lend us the car to take us the full distance of 350 miles.

/blink blink.

The Comforter that Jesus was speaking of is the Holy Ghost, which is the Spirit of God, that was sent in the name of Jesus. Who was Jesus again? Hmmm. Does this mean that the Holy Ghost is named Jesus? it seems pretty clear to me. Yes the Spirit of God, according to the Bible, is named Jesus.

The Catholics step outside of this legalism, and are not true Christians because they did not follow the proper steps to reach salvation according to the very same bible that they read, and preach in sermons. What? I said What???

The one thing that many Catholics do wrong, is their ways of conducting the Baptism. They baptize people in the titles of God, but not in the name of God. They say and I quote. " I now baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit". But very rarely do they baptize in the name of Jesus.

In the time of John the Baptist, many people professing to have been baptized were urged to be baptized again, because they weren't baptized properly. Legalism, is very big in the spiritual realm.

What does this have to do with topic of Personification?

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
What does this have to do with topic of Personification?

Jesus is the personification of God. The true God of the Christians. My God.

Originally posted by Stoic
Jesus is the personification of God. The true God of the Christians. My God.

Why would an omnipotent god be in the form of a human?

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Why would an omnipotent god be in the form of a human?

If you read the Bible you would know the answer to this. It's just like the question of why would the King of Kings be destitute, instead of ruling the world with an iron fist.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Why would an omnipotent god be in the form of a human?

To atone for our sins.

It says in the Bible:

"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission." (Hebrews 9:22)

Without the shedding of blood, there can be no remission of sins. That's why the Hebrews used to sacrifice animals to God. That's also why many sins in the Bible resulted in the death penalty (such as witchcraft, adultery, sodomy, etc.)

Jesus died on the cross and His blood was shed to atone for our sins. That was His mission here on earth: to atone for our sins... ALL of them. FOREVER. All it takes is faith.