| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 8:20:23 AM | I don't get it? I hear the term "I am a God-fearing Man/Woman" often.
I was taught not to fear God, He/She will not give me more than I can handle.
I was further taught that I really only needed to know one thing about God, that there was one and I was not it.
So my question is simple, what does the term mean to you and why would one have to live in fear? | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 9:30:46 AM | | I know you will get a varied amount of reactions to this question, drbinhb, but my take on it is this: It is just one of many mind numbing reiterations that runs through the Bible. It means one should 'show respect', like a contestant might to an opponent; be aware and take care. It sounds threatening and maybe it is, to some it also sounds like an ultimatum and yet to others a right nasty piece of literature... it all depends on the individuals perception... my own is that it can me a warning of dire consequences and yes, I agree, a absurd thing for a 'Loving God' to be associated with. One of the many reasons I feel the Bible was written by imperfect lawmakers, i.e. for the peoples of its time to live in fear under dictatorships. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 9:49:56 AM | I went looking to see where the term came from and apparently there are a lot of references in the Bible to fearing God.
I thought at first they were all OT. but then I found this one:
Luke
1:50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
8:24-25 He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."
12:4-5 "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
23:40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?
Which is obviously NT.
Source:http://www.feargod.net/verses.php | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 10:16:51 AM | | 'Fear of God' is a whole unique concept that shouldn't be related to the actual word for 'fear' all that much. Fear of God should basically be taken as an all-encompassing humbling awe that place God so far above yourself that you realize He has the power to do anything He pleases and that you are but a worm in comparison to the Good Lord, that although He would never do it He has the power to snuff out your individual life at a whim if He saw good reason to, and that He is a ruler, an omnipotent being, the highest power that is greater than anything in the universe (that should indeed inspire fear into the things that inspire fear into you), and that He isn't your friend or lover - He is your Lord, your creator and rules over the heavens and the earth. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 10:29:02 AM | | This is all well and fine if your perception is so inclined, but perception is nine tenths of the law and leaves the door open to many other understandings, does it not? Why would an all loving God want to make such a statement if not to insight terror into the hearts of those who would love Him... it doesn't make sense. Even to use the words 'crush', 'snuff out' and apply the term 'worm' to His creation... these are words that insight anger and hatred, NOT love. This argument is absurd! | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 10:34:58 AM | | let me rephrase then: the point of 'fearing God' is to make yourself humble before Him. If you see God as someone who loves you unconditionally you're not going to humble yourself because you'll know that whatever you do God loves you - which is true. But you have to keep in mind that, although God loves you, He is also omnipotent, and He is also in charge. Like going into a classroom - if the students see the teacher as too chummy, they're not gonna learn anything from the guy. The students need to respect the teacher and in order to do that a healthy amount of 'fear' must be present. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 10:37:33 AM | | I think the term was insinuated by the priesthood of the time to control the masses. Its organised religon at its best, they dont threaten you physically, just tell you that you have a soul and threaten that. Mmm isnt that extortion .. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 10:57:51 AM | frivolimous:
Personally I never had a teacher who found the need to use fear or threaten me so venomously. I was always taught that respect is a two-way thing and being a teacher myself respect for my students would never come from threats. Don't you think the 'all loving God' would know this?
With regards to perception, something you conveniently overlook, here's a taster of what I mean. Okay let’s have a look a little closer at an item, written by a correspondent, I read on the net:
“Recently I was telling my wife of a conversation with a good friend – an old Washington hand – and mentioned that we had spent some time discussing a statement one hears so often in this city: ‘In Washington, perception is reality.’ My friend and I agreed that it was something more than a Mark Russell quip; that it has substance. This led us in turn to think of some of the many examples of what we had in mind, and finally to conclude that the subject might make an interesting report for readers. But what to call it? That evening, describing the conversation to my wife, I said something to the effect that just as ‘possession is said to be nine-tenths of the law,’ so, too, perception in Washington is more important than is often realized. Her comment was that Washington, after all, is a place where laws are enacted and, therefore, why not make the title: 'Perception is Nine-Tenths of the Law.’ And I have.”
“Perception is generally understood to be what Webster's Unabridged says it is: ‘The act or faculty of apprehending by means of the senses or of the mind’ or, put in one word, ‘awareness.’”
If you take your time to digest this maybe you will see where I'm coming from. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 11:01:46 AM | nergal:
Some would say extortion... my term would be blackmail, same difference I guess! | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 11:15:23 AM | of course skypoet, I agree with you 100%! I think your perception of my words misconstrued its meaning by 9/10ths.
I will reitterate - the 'fear of God' is NOT FEAR. More of an all-encompassing humbling awe. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 11:20:46 AM | Someone who puts God first and foremost in their life.
Deb. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 11:34:13 AM | I don't think the interpretation of the words you used to identify God's creation as 'worms', 'snuff out' and 'crush' were misconstrued. They are words used by dictators to control the masses... so are you now saying that God is a dictator?
In my ‘book’ they are not words of The Creator at all. | |
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nergal
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Joined: 5/12/2005
Msg: 13 | |
| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 11:51:08 AM | | Nor in mine. Christianity to me is a religion based on hypocrisy mostly. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 12:44:11 PM | look, skypoet, God has the power to do so if He so chooses, does He not? God can move mountains, split seas in two, rain fire down on sinners, flood the entire planet, cause shrubbery to spontaniously combust. He has the power to do anything He wishes. Do you deny that He has such power?
Does He use the power? No! Because God is compassionate. But He still has the power to do so! That's what the Fear of God is, realizing the power that He has and understanding that if He wished to (even though He most likely will not) He COULD destroy everything in existance. Do you understand what I'm saying?
An analogy: The Elephant has the power to a human being in several different ways. But the elephant is a gentle creature. Just because it's gentle, would you go up to it and taunt it, throw rocks at it, generally be cruel to it? No, because it's really big and it can crush you in several different ways! It wouldn't use its bulk, but because it could it deserves a healthy amount of fear. | |
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nergal
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Joined: 5/12/2005
Msg: 15 | |
| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 1:01:43 PM | Go on then God do your worst ... mmm I am still here .... oh look no fear at all .. go on then Friv cower in your corner under your Bible ..
When I make something, I am pretty creative, I strive for the best I can do, I expect my creation to fulfil its potential. I'm certain that any God capable of creating would likewise expect similar from their creations. Instead the God you portray is some kind of sick twisted control freak. Unlike the god of Love depicted in the Bible, although he also does a lot of vengeful control freak things too. It worries me to find so much hypocrisy and anger in a relgion that preaches love for your fellow man. So believe and cower Friv .. I wont be .. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 2:40:11 PM | God has the power to do so if He so chooses, does He not? God can move mountains, split seas in two, rain fire down on sinners, flood the entire planet, cause shrubbery to spontaniously combust. He has the power to do anything He wishes. Do you deny that He has such power?
I don't deny that something so powerful could, but I do deny that it would, unfortunately the Bible convinces many that He already HAS: "He looked down to Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land and the plain, and he saw a dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace." (Genesis 19:28) So your gentle Elephant God is not so 'gentle' after all, hum? | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 3:50:39 PM | I have no problem with the idea of fearing God. Allow me to explain, anthromorphise, and share my perspectives.
I do not hate nature. In fact I love nature. However I fear the power of a hurricane, I respect the lethality of a polar bear, and I am keenly aware of the dangers in, and the unforgiveing hazards of the backcountry and high alpine. That nature is powerful and needs to be respected does not make it evil, it simply is powerful.
Likewise I fear the power of God, I fear the judgement of God, and therefore I fear God. However I trust in his infinite mercy, his wisdom and his justice. But my trusting in his mercy does not diminish my respect for, and fear of his power. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 4:05:57 PM | | well skypoet - that's exactly why you don't throw rocks at an elephant. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 4:14:40 PM | | It is no use trying to equate the power of nature or animals to that the Almighty, the Almighty is supposed to be above all of that. The Creator of the very things you are both using for your arguments! If I, in my meek and humble existence, can see that an 'all powerful being' could use His influence in a most loving and respectful way, without the threat of eternal damnation, i.e. trying to scare the shit out of creation itself, why can't you? | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 5:10:09 PM | [It is no use trying to equate the power of nature or animals to that the Almighty, the Almighty is supposed to be above all of that. The Creator of the very things you are both using for your arguments! If I, in my meek and humble existence, can see that an 'all powerful being' could use His influence in a most loving and respectful way, without the threat of eternal damnation, i.e. trying to scare the shit out of creation itself, why can't you? ]
Sky, I think the points being made here are both really good. The thing is that the one saying "fear God" were the priests, trying to get across the fact that, while he is/was loving and benign, he also had the power to be a pissed-off elephant. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 5:11:58 PM | it's like talking to a brick wall...
skypoet, I AGREE WITH YOU, The Lord DOES love us. The Lord IS good. BUT HE HAS THE POWER TO DESTROY! are you actually reading the words that I write?
The lord is good, but he CAN be bad. The lord is patient, but he can also be vengeful! If you piss The Lord off enough, He WILL smite you! It's not about being scared poopless, it's not about quivering in terror, it's not fear to that extreme that the Lord requires - it's a healthy amount. The tiniest bit of fear so that you're capable of RESPECTING the Lord, so that you can humble yourself before Him. You're not supposed to buddy-buddy God, He isn't your friend, He isn't your lover, He isn't your equal. He's your creator! | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 5:13:33 PM | | thank you feral it's good to know I'm making sense to someone... | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 5:19:14 PM | | Making sense, yes, but I still disagree. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/14/2005 5:35:38 PM | The brick wall hears very well but the voice falls on stony ground, like Feral says, "I disagree".
I do not subscribe to ancient priests’ ravings of so called 'God inspired' words.
Amen. | |
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| God-fearing
Posted: 9/15/2005 1:25:57 PM | | I have always queried the 'Fear' factor of the Biblical God and never once heard a solid mitigating explanation to date. If there is someone out here can give me something I haven't had already, then I'd like to have it. | |
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