I came across a book and ordered it - thought it was very interesting - goes with what we where speaking about last year.

http://www.jcnot4me.com/Items/theology/ ... masked.htm



Here are some of the comments from Amazon


5.0 out of 5 stars All Christians Should Read This Book, January 7, 2006
By Bonnie Hercules "Here's To Health!" (Michigan) - See all my reviews

I highly recommend reading Jehovah Unmasked. I have long struggled with the split personality of the Bible god Jehovah. On the one hand he is supposed to be a god of love who is very forgiving. On the other, he seems awfully quick to judge and smite, often in a violent, bloody way. Trying to make sense of the stark contrast can tie your brain and heart into knots.

Jehovah Unmasked offers a very good explanation for why Jehovah seems so split in his personality. Is Jehovah who we've been taught he is?

Jehovah Unmasked also tells us the source of the modern day Bible book collection & whether there were other books that were left out and why.

This book has helped me to have a more healthful view of Jehovah and the Bible God of love. My life has a better quality to it, since reading Jehovah Unmasked. As a child I did not fear God. I became involved in a religion that ingrained an unhealthy fear of God that was very hard to shake. That is, as long as I was not educated as to the real nature and origin of Jehovah. I realize now that when something sounds to be the complete opposite of love, it probably is not love, no matter what religionist claims it is love.

Jehovah Unmasked, is informative & well written so it is easy to understand and entertaining as well. The author is quite witty and deftly uses humor where it's most needed. If you are searching for a better understanding of the dark side of Jehovah, this is a must read.
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27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars and an Amen!, February 4, 2006
By Rickety Rick "The 'IN' Man!" (Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews
Five stars and an amen! I always suspected the Bible taught reincarnation and Jehovah Unmasked proved it. I always suspected the catholic church had more than just a little something to do with bringing the world the New Testament and this book proved it. I always tried to show the Jehovah Witnesses that Jehovah is the one who lied in the Garden of Eden and Jehovah Unmasked laid it all out plain as day. I always thought the god in the Old Testament was just that. A god. Not The God. Jehovah Unmasked proved it. The god most Christians and Jews worship is none other than Old Scratch! The author of this book proves it, right from the pages of the King James Bible! If you think this is some wild kind of book, it isn't. It very calm and direct, very sober minded and easy to read and understand. The scholarship is deep but not hard to understand at all. It isn't some wild eyed rant. It's very interesting and fun. I couldnt put it down until I had read it all. I loved this book and I have it ready and waiitng for the next Jehovah Witness or Mormon that comes to my door.
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34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Mask Is OFF!, January 7, 2006
By Heather Lovely "Hugs!" (USA) - See all my reviews

The Mask is off, and who would have thought Satan would be smirking under there? Sound outrageous? When you read this important book and sort things out, it really makes sense. Why would a loving father play mind games, setting traps and making threats in a "Garden of Eden?" It never made sense. I can clearly remember learning the story at a young age and being dubious about this "God." If he didn't want them to eat of the tree, then why was it there? If God was all powerful and loving, why would he not have just concealed the tree altogether so as to avert harm to his children, whom he loves? My own father wouldn't have played such psychological games with me, so why would I trust an invisible, frightening, violent, judgemental Daddy-in-the sky, who would? A Father does not loom and spy, waiting for his child to err.

This book is well researched and clearly illustrates the farce of mistranslation and lies the Old Testament really is. Those who seek the truth, who want the facts, and who hold these efforts as more important than blind faith, will find in the pages of Jehovah Unmasked compelling evidence that God isn't who we thought he was. Those who think for themselves can't help resonate with what the author is pointing out in the pages of this important work.

Does Jesus' message, and the suppressed teachings of his closest disciples, his mother, and of his spiritual wife, Mary Magdalene, have anything in the world to do with the crazed killing machine of the Old Testament? I think not. Read the book, Christians, and come to the ultimate conclusion that it might be far wiser to conduct yourself as a christian than to simply claim you are one. If you really beleive that Jesus' "father" is the dark force of hatred and war in the Old Testament, there is absolutely no hope for us. If you read this book, maybe you'll change your mind, and your heart.
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24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars MAGIC!, February 4, 2006
By James Paul "JP" (FLA) - See all my reviews
I bought Jehovah Unmasked in November of 2005. I've been a student of the Bible and of Religion for my entire adult life, and this is by far the most unique, interesting, and revolutionary interpretation of the Bible I've ever read. A lot like the movie The Matrix, this one will leave your head spinning (in a good way) if (like me) you're a Bible believer.

The problem of evil had been a huge obstacle in my ability to fully and completely surrender to the Heavenly Father of Jesus Christ. Until I read Jehovah Unmasked. After reading Jehovah Unmasked the obstacle was completely gone, and I was at last able to completely surrender to my Abba, the Heavenly Father. I have never known such JOY in my whole LIFE!

I have met a lot of Christians who were equally disturbed by the actions of the Old testament god 'Jehovah' but unlike me they were able to turn their brain off and just submit to the fiend. I wasn't. I'm glad I didn't submit because now I Know who I would have been submitting to. I have submitted to the Heavenly Father of Jesus Christ, the Father descibed in First Corinthians 13:4-8. 'Jehova' is NOT the Heavenly Father! If you're looking for inner peace and the Love of God, this is the book you need.

The author, Nathaniel Merritt, has been very helpful to me. He put his email address on the inside cover of the book, and we've been emailing since November. I've learned even more through his help, and have grown even more spiritually. Thank you again Dr. Merritt, for leading me to the Truth. I now love God because of your efforts.

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36 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars THIS BOOK IS THE KEY!, January 8, 2006
By Bombardier (USA) - See all my reviews

Jehovah Unmasked answered all the questions I'd had about the Bibles depiction of God, questions that had really bothered me. I always wondered why the God of the Old Testament lost his temper and murdered millions of people. Why was he so full of rage that he engaged in genocidal wars and even commanded the execution of helpless babies and children and elderly people? Why did the OT God command countless helpless pregnant women to be raped and their unborn children ripped out of their wombs and dashed against stones? How could I reconcile such savagery with the Sermon on the Mount, or with the statement in 1 John that 'God is Love.' Especially with the clear definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. If you look up those verses in 1 Corinthians and substitute the word "God" for "Love" you'll see what I mean.

It seemed to me the OT God is completely different from the loving Heavenly Father that Jesus knew and revealed to his followers. Now I know I was correct. Jehovah Unmasked proves from the Bible they are in fact two utterly different Gods. One is the Almighty Heavenly Father that Jesus knew and loved. The other is the jealous, vengeful, wrathful, mercurial, despotic, arbitrary, raging god of the OT. They are two very different beings, and one of them is a fake. The other is the True God, the Abba of Jesus Christ. This book opened my eyes to all the ugly, monstrous, and terrifying behavior of the OT deity, and set me finally free of that being so that I could fully embrace the wonderful Heavenly Father of Jesus.

Most Christians who think seriously about these matters are as bothered as I was. Instead of trying to ignore your questions and problems with these matters read this book and have those questions answered and the matter setlled in your mind and heart once and for all. Jehovah Unmasked is the single most important book about the Bible I have ever read. It contains a Key to understanding the Bible no other book contains! No one ever shared it with me until this book. I have the testimony of the Holy Spirit on this matter, and I know it's true, and now no one can rob me of my faith in the Heavenyl Father of Jesus Christ!

I wish I could get every Christian woman and man in the world to read it. So buy and read this book. The Holy Spirit will bless you tremendously, just as I was blessed and set free. God bless you! :)
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31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars and Two Thumbs Way Up!, January 8, 2006
By Jebediah Thunder - See all my reviews

After five years of research and writing, Rev. Nathaniel J. Merritt has crafted a hard-hitting expose of the dark underbelly of the Bible and the Christian religion. He follows the trail of blood and exposes the actual origins of the New Testament. He follows the money trail and exposes the origins of 'Christianity' as we know it.

Again Rev. Merritt follows the trail of blood and reveals the shocking hidden identity of the God of the Old Testament. He leads the reader back to the dawn of Christianity and reveals what early Christianity was really like. The reader is in for an awakening.

What is the connection between Adolph Hitler and the God of the Old Testament? Rev. Merritt shows you. What is the REAL Matrix? Rev. Merritt gives you the facts. Does the Bible teach Reincarnation? Find out. Did the early Christian church teach Reincarnation? It's all here. Who created evil? The Bible answer will shock you. Did the earliest Christians worship God the Mother? Find out for yourself. Is there really a hell, or is hell a lie told to 'the sheep' to fill them with fear and thereby gain control from the sheep as well as their money? Rev. Merritt lays out the facts.

Although I am an atheist and Rev. Merritt is not I highly recommend this book. This book is a must-read for all intelligent adults whether they are Atheists, Agnostics, Theists, Pantheists, or whatever. I give it five stars and two thumbs way up.
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26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A new perspective on the Bible !, January 23, 2006
By DY Quesco "DYQ" (Deep Freeze, MN) - See all my reviews
This book is disturbing and fun on a lot of levels. For the lapsed Christian -- it provides a compendium of alternate views on the Bible. Points out some "lovely inconsistencies" in the Old Testament and gives a window into a very different point of view. I enjoyed the book, and it was nicely laid out and the cover was a hoot.

Faith alone cannot bridge some of the inconsistencies pointed out by Rev. Merritt. His point of view is refreshing and his scholarship -- pretty impressive.

Either God has evolved from the Old Testament to the New, or we are looking at Christ being an even greater revolutionary than anyone ever believed.

Rev. Merritt is hoping fundamentalists read this book... and that it may change their unquestioning perspective on their blind faith. For that bit of naive hope, I am giving this book a 4. That is unrealistic.. fundies never question or listen.. .. my bias.

Keep hoping Rev. Nate, but the people who NEED to read this book.. will never be brave enough to do so.

Thought provoking! Page turning, and different.
Worth a look and a read!
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25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Open your mind to truth, is the old testament God really God?, November 22, 2006
By Steve Burns "Life long learner" (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)
This book for me is what I have been looking for. A definitive Gnostic Christian book laying out the facts of what Gnosticism really was in its Christian form.Rev. Merritt has more than succeeded in a shocking book. Here are the key points:

The Devil of the new testament is the God of the old. Does it make more sense that Satan was behind all the genocide and killings of the old testament than the loving Father God of Jesus? Why is Satan barely mentioned in old testament? (Except for Job where he is reporting to a "God")In one of the only other places Satan is mentioned is in a parallel story in 1 Chronicles 21:1 and 2 Samuel 24:1 Satan and God are both given credit for getting David to number Israel. They are used interchangeable because they are the same person. outside of Job, Satan is absent from the old testament because he is Jehovah.

Jesus came to free the Jews from the "God of this world" 2 Corinthians 4:4
and that "The whole world lies in the power of the evil one" 1 John 5:19. Even with the strained mental gymnastics performed by fundamentalists, how are these verses explained? Who made Satan a God? How does he have power over the whole world? All of the mythology to explain this is outside the bible.

Jesus told the Jews of his time "Ye are of your Father, the Devil, and ye do his works" Were the Jews Satanists? No, they worshipped Jehovah.

These are just a few points he brings up, I have to say I held the same beliefs as to the character of the Old Testament God Jehovah after reading through the Bible 10 times as a Christian. The evil perpetrated in the old testament are as bad as Hitler and far exceeds the biblical devil in evil. How people are blind to this and think that he is the same God Jesus spoke of is very ignorant indeed. In the 21st century lets hope we can lay the tribal warrior God Jehovah to rest, and seek after a God that transcends the physical realm.

Bravo to Nathaniel Merritt for having the courage to write this book. I can only imagine the e-mails he has received from fundamentalists defending their mental formation of God created from church and hopefully, in reading their bibles.

The truth will set you free.
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars He's god with a small "g" for "genocide", February 10, 2006
By Sophie's Voice (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews
I just finished reading the book Jehovah Unmasked, and I have to say, the pieces of the puzzle are now all in place, and as I survey this picture, my concern for the future of humanity deepens. It is bone chilling to see how the masses have been duped to support the aspirations of pure evil. The hoax that has been perpetrated here leaves me with conflicted feelings. On the one hand, I feel sorry for those who have been tricked into thinking their way is right, and on the other, I'm furious at the brazen arrogance of the followers who've marched into the rest of the world, as missionaries, the word of this maniac god on their lips. Thanks to them, the poison has spread, uncontained, for centuries now, and the killing, brainwashing, and culture robbing in the name of Jehovah knows no limit.
Nothing in this book surprised me, though I did have goosebumps most of the time I was reading it. The scholarship and questions raised by the author did impress me, however. In a clear and logical process, the author poses many important questions about the inconsistencies in the voices of God from both the Old and New Testaments, showing that they are not the same Father. This I knew. Baby brains on the wall was never what Jesus was about, and some people can't be fooled, I suppose. One is the Father of Infinite Love, and one is an insidious trickster, building an empire. Sad to say, but looking at most of today's adherents of christianity, looks like evil might be winning. Seems people prefer the drama of war and justified genocide to the true teachings of our True Father. <sigh>
I am recommending this book to everyone I know. It should be disseminated by the millions. It should also be noted that whether the author intended it or not, the material will be widely appreciated by the feminist commnunity and used as a source for many a college paper in this capacity!
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Thanks for info, hope they sell that book in bookstores here.

Faith

Thanks for posting. This is very tough on bible literalists though. Yikes!!!

I cant wait to get it!!!!

Hi Christine:

The book you suggest should be interesting for sure, but Marcion’s Antithesis pointed out the same problems between the OT and NT “gods”, some 2000 years ago. It was a problem then and remains a severe problem for many to this day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcionism

Marcion believed that following Jesus was diametrically opposed to Judaism. He rejected the entire Hebrew Bible and ultimately concluded that the Hebrew OT “god” was the source of evil. I agree with Marcion on both points.

Strangely (to me) however, Marcion did not seem to reject the pagan idea of Blood Sacrifice nor much of Paul’s writings which clearly established the death of Jesus as a required atonement. Paul was obviously a Jew and, as such, was completely sold on the idea that “god” required appeasement of some kind, Jesus being the ultimate solution.

Also the Documentary Hypothesis http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_tora1.htm provides a very believable and rational insight into how the OT was written and generally helps explain why – fear, control and the perpetuation of the Priesthood/Religious Beaurococy.

The old testament “god” has been perplexing humans and toxifying the Big Three Abrahamic Faiths for Millennia. Unfortunately, it seems we like it that way.

In His Love, John

I think the deal is that we identify with what is written on a supernatural level because of the inspiration on king David and his frank dealings with the dynamics between self vs. God's perfection. I still maintain that the bible is a purposeful mystery shrouded in parable and Myth (Myth as in 'allegory' as opposed to myth as in 'all made up'). WE see God through our flawed lens and I do know it's a big mistake to take OT or NT literally. The NT is actually worse for humans in many ways as we are not just guilty of rejecting a carnal commandment but guilty of trodding underfoot the blood of the New Covenant

Maybe it's just hard for me to let go as God spoke to me in scripture so clearly even though I always knew that all is forgiven and God is not angry with humans and that He is actually experiencing this life in and through us. I saw the mystery and allegory from day one and have always been a Panentheist.

Hey Byron:



I agree.



Over time, I evolved to this position as well. I also didn’t mean to imply that I have learned nothing useful nor life changing from Bible study or even classical Christian thoughts and/or ideas. I have indeed and I am most grateful for these!

It’s been hard for me to learn that I can follow Jesus and attempt to practice His love for The Father in my life without being a Bible Literalist nor what the world recognizes as a “Christian”.

Your insights are a blessing to me, Bro! Thanks!

Anyway, I hope Christine will give us her take on the subject book when she receives it and has time to read and digest it’s contents!

In His Love, John

I had written out a long post but I guess it just wasnt meant to be cause when I hit sent without copying it first , off into a cyber black hole it went! Oh well.

I agree with you John

blessings

Hey Juli:

Can’t tell you how many times THAT has happened to me (I secretly hates computers!).

You were the first to introduce me to the Documentary Hypothesis and I must say that it and your understanding of this idea gave me an incredible peace about all the conflict I had buried deep inside my spirit when reading and studying the Bible, especially the OT.

I appreciate your love of people and your willingness to move outside “the box” in search of answers and how the results of your quest has helped me personally!

In His Love, John

TY John, so you read Freidmans book. I have all of them but have only finished one and part of another. They have blessed me immensly!

That priestly tribal spirit is a doozy eh? lol

First let me say HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYY to all my friends appearing Does it take a topic of the OT God to bring everyone out of hiding?

John - I TOTALLY agree with you on all your beliefs!! Thanks for the links - its great to see your face!

Hi Byron and GodisLove!!!!!
WoooooHoooooo!
It like old times

Where is seeker?

Yes, the hellfire, angry, wrathful god does seem to be a topic that gets most of us worked up.

Thanks, Christine, for the website written by the Athiest. He has a lot of good articles and he brings up many of the same thoughts we all have had about the OT hate filled god. It's embarrasing to hear Christians try to defend this wrathful god and at the same time tell us we need to obey Gods laws. What laws? The ones God obeys? Anyway off my soap box. Let me know if you find anything new in the book Jehovah Unmasked.

Juli, who is Friedman, is that Milton Friedman or someone else?

I hope Seeker is okay. I know I didn't post for awhile and just thought he was taking a break.

Howdy All!

Hey Shib, don’t mean to be answering for Juli, but the author of the “Documentary Hypothesis” is Richard Elliot Friedman.

Switching subjects, I too have not heard from Bernie (Seeker) in a month or so. The last thing that I have is a Facebook friend acknowledgement . His BD was the 15th of March methinks. It’s Fall in SA, so he might be off on Holiday or something. I hope everything is alright. (Now I’m worried a trifle.)

You guys remain in my prayers!

In His Love, John

Hi John, and thanks for the information about the book. I'll look it up on Amazon and maybe order it next month. It sure sounds like a good one, though.

Hi Shib

Basically in a small nutshell the dh is called the jedp theory

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/2/Judaism/jepd.html

The first five books are actually pasted together most likely by a priest and as Freidman thinks, most likely Ezra.

The interesting thing is the priestly portions are the ones that never have words like mercy or Grace, and are centered on ritual and law. Very unforgiving - Unless you do......fill in the blanks.

GodisLove

Got the book!!! WooooooooHoooooooooooo!!!

I'm sorry I'm totally not staying on subject here... but that sparked a question.

Panentheism. I see that.
And it's so beautiful.
but...

sometimes out of the blue, I get a little... freaked out-ish.
And have this thought:

Are we real?
Or are we going to morph into a blob of God?
And just melt into God when we die?
Sometimes, everything I believe get's all shaken up and mixed around and spilled out on the floor.
It's a slightly (just slightly) frightening feeling for a moment.

We ARE real, aren't we?

or are we just a blob of God that will get morphed back INTO God?
(like little blobs of mercury that meet up.)

I know you all think I'm insane.

I can't help it.
My brain just goes off into weird places.
My desire is to remain "me" and have God take on some physical form so I can go up and hug Him.
I hate when that picture in my mind get's taken off of the wall. (know what I mean?)

Thank you all for putting up with me.

hmmm.

I think we ARE real.
and we ARE like little blobs of God.
I think pretty much everything is an extension of Himself.
so, "God blobs" is probably fairly accurate.
Plants and animals and stars and planets and humans... all God blobs.

I think we DO remain who we are...we retain our identity...what we are may change, however our identity remains intact. (and we will GET BACK the rest of our identity possibly.... we are not who we appear to be afterall, correct?)



Yes. I think God created all of these things (and us) for His pleasure. He created a wonderful, perfect masterpiece and He desires to be amongst His creation forever. I think His masterpiece of creation (way more stuff we can't even imagine even) is just that... His masterpiece and it is absolutely PERFECT.

I don't think the blobs will melt into God...
God is in everything and everything is IN God.
Everything kind of "sparkles" with His unique sort of fairy dust so to speak.
But we are also unique identities as well.
And I think that is the way He loves it to be.
All created to live in harmony and in love forever.

We really are all "one". EVERYTHING.
hmmm.
It's becoming clearer.
It's like I felt like I had a split second little flash of something....
Grand and amazing and wow... just a split second little *flash*.

Yeah.
I think I'm stumbling upon the answer I've been seeking for quite some time.
It's all starting to form a clearer picture.

Sorry guys..
had to talk this out while it was fresh in my mind.

love you guys.

Why would we go thru all of this and not get to be individual as well as collective?

Ive thought those things too, its not insane. At least Ihope not lol

I dont believe in nirvana if you will where we just disappear into God and there is no individual knowing at all any longer.

I at this time believe we will be both collectively knwoing and individually knowing

GIL

I read about a quarter of it. Some stuff my spirit is saying YES YES and other stuff its not....

Seeker popped up on City-data a few days ago just long enough to give some fundies hell. I think he's fine.

There's a doctor (MD) on another forum who has come to believe in UR but he is pretty freaked out about the violence/wrath/bloodshed attributed to God not to mention the fact that God would even 'allow' all this to happen. I was really confusing him because I believe in the absolute sovereignty of God AND in the fact that God's core nature toward us is that of a loving Father who would never cause harm or injury to any human.

I was finally forced to try and articulate my understanding of the 'big picture'. Since at the end it does touch on the appearance of an angry violent God I thought it may be relevant here. Especially since this is the ONLY active topic on the forum!!!

What I laid out in my post is that if God is 'God' as we generally define the term (omniscient/omnipotent/omnipresent) and God 'allows' something (anything/everything) then it is not and cannot be outside of His will (in a general sense) for anything that happens to happen. This is just a blanket concept that (AISI) is inescapable.

Then we have something called "the will of God in Christ Jesus". Through Jesus we understand the core nature of our Father who is perfect light, in whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning in whom is no darkness at all and who is incapable of doing anything deceptive or evil or unjust.

I submit to you that we are here to experience the fruit of the tree OTKOGAE and that there is a purpose for it. The idea that God put the tree there and just hoped (prayed :?: :shock: ) that we wouldn't eat of it is absurd. It was an obvious set up (AISI) and even if someone thinks it could have gone either way then we still have perfect foreknowledge to deal with.

I think the phrase "Levels of Ontological Abstraction" is the key to understanding the whole thing. Not that I have a completed key in place
Ontology:
1 : a branch of metaphysics concerned with the nature and relations of being
2 : a particular theory about the nature of being or the kinds of things that have existence
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ontology
Abstraction:
DEFINITION - Abstraction (from the Latin abs, meaning away from and trahere, meaning to draw) is the process of taking away or removing characteristics from something in order to reduce it to a set of essential characteristics.

"In the same way that abstraction sometimes works in art, the object that remains is a representation of the original, with unwanted detail omitted. The resulting object itself can be referred to as an abstraction, meaning a named entity made up of selected attributes and behavior specific to a particular usage of the originating entity".
http://searchcio-midmarket.techtarget.c ... 38,00.html

When I 'abstract' everything but the absolute essentials from my understanding of the term "Most High God" AKA "The Self Existent One" I come up with two things:

Omniscient/Omnipotent.

Take away either ingredient and we have a recipe for chaos and the potential for everything in existence to spiral out of control. Keep these two characteristics intact and we have zero potential for chaos and zero potential for anything in existence to spiral out of control.

So on this level of ontological abstraction everything in existence, seen and unseen - in all known and unknown dimensions (or non-dimensions :!: ) is in perfect order. Absolutely flawless in every respect. All in God's perfect 'will'.

Then we hit our first roadblock in Genesis 1:2 "The earth was 'without form' (Tohuw)"
Definition
1. formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness
1. formlessness (of primeval earth)
1. nothingness, empty space
2. that which is empty or unreal (of idols) (fig)
3. wasteland, wilderness (of solitary places)
4. place of chaos
5. vanity

"and 'void' (Bohuw)"
Definition
1. emptiness, void, waste

"and 'darkness' (Choshek)
Definition
1. darkness, obscurity
2. secret place

"was upon the face of the deep".

So, by Genesis 1:2 everything which is the OPPOSITE of what I supposed to be true about God is in full bloom. We have 'secret places', 'confusion' (perfect knowledge leaves no room for secrets or darkness) we have emptiness and chaos (God fills all things by His omnipotence) so we have a virtual opposite - an antithesis of all that God is.

Immediately God's essence (core nature) goes to work on that state and begins to change it back into what I first described God Himself as being (Omniscient/Omnipotent). God begins to bring order and light out of chaos and darkness.

Ultimately this will all end in God being "All in All" once again.

I Cor. 15:23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For "He has put all things under His feet." But when He says "all things are put under Him," it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.


So this is where the breakdown is between what you KNOW God and His will to be and the reality you see happening around you. This is why I referred to it as the "will of God in Christ Jesus".

Eph. 1:9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

So in one sense it IS (was?) God's will for the chaos and lack of knowledge and darkness and all of it's byproducts (violence, cruelty, death, suffering etc etc etc) to exist - but - the will of His heart (core nature) is to bring all things into order and harmony once again. That's why your conscience (and mine) vehemently rejects the idea of a violent/destructive/vengeful/punishing God. It's the opposite of His core nature.

What we see in the OT as God lashing out against all the imperfect and evil people is actually that system of chaos destroying itself - being broken down by God's perfection (core nature). When the time was right Jesus added a big dose of the next component we needed and that is to understand that we, humans, are made in God's image and are not (at our core) a part of the darkness and chaos either - but we are 'lost sheep' to be 'found' and set free from the darkness and chaos we were born into. The secret hidden for generations is "Christ in you - the hope of glory".

Comments?

I have one:


Great post, Byron.

My views are similar, and you really explained that well.
Far better than what was inside my brain.

Me too!

Maybe this time my God blobs thought (my original God blobs about melting into Him, etc.) will go away for good.
Stuff like this creeps up in my mind every so often. This is the first time, though, I think where it got knocked out of my mind so quickly and efficiently!