However, I keep getting into these same sorts of debates where I need to use them to help clarify the concepts I am proposing.seeds wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:16 pmSeveral of the members of this forum have gotten on my case for over-using my illustrations.Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 5:56 pmWell, unless the universe is ours exclusively for the taking, then I would hope "God" hasn't set us up with competitors in other parts of it that might visit and either get in our way or push us out of the way. Otherwise, the probability that it won't be an even match is probably high and we humans don't have too great a history with respect to how we handle unfamiliar people or beings. If there's no other life in the universe, then sure, maybe we're made in God's image. If not, then maybe we're little more than pets in a divine goldfish bowl along with everything else.seeds wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 5:46 pm
First of all, to me, the fact that you find it odd that the Creator of the universe would be interested in a human is the metaphorical equivalent of finding it odd that a fully grown human woman would be interested in the embryo forming in her womb.
And secondly, try not to be overwhelmed by the size of the universe, because, in a certain sense, your own mind is just as "infinite" as you imagine the universe to be (neither of which are actually infinite).
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But some of the concepts, which you are proposing here, are just an empirical and logical IMPOSSIBILITY.
IF you started off with premise that COULD actually BE POSSIBLE, then this would help you somewhat. BUT, IF you started off with premises that were ACTUALLY True, Right, AND Correct and remained with those ones ONLY, then this would help you TREMENDOUSLY in CLARIFYING.seeds wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:16 pm So, here's the one I like to use to define what it means to be created in the image of God...
Here are a few of the captions:"...God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”Realize that God's "true image" is in a form that allowed him to create the universe."...I shall change your vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto my glorious body, according to the working whereby I am able even to subdue all things unto myself..."All of which implies that..."...it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is..."We and God are of the same "species" of being.Now of course I don't expect you to simply accept what the illustration implies, however, it does provide us with what I believe is a proper (more elevated) interpretation of Christian metaphysics.The true image of God is not that of our bodies, it is of our spirits [our eternal souls].
And lastly, just to quickly address the issue you raised about us being pitted against other "competitors" throughout the universe. If the true purpose of the universe is to function as a cosmic "womb" in which God is able to conceive her very own offspring (again, as is suggested in Christian metaphysics),...
...then as long as they have at least reached the human level of consciousness, then they too (their eternal "souls") would also be created in the image of God, regardless of the configuration of their outer (material) facades...
And like us, they also must experience a second and final birth (via death) in order to awaken into the higher (outer) context of reality where their true and eternal form (the same form as the Creator of this universe) will finally be revealed to them.
We're inside of a womb-like phenomenon, Gary, suspended in the cosmic "amnios" of our ultimate parent's spirit body. And just like it was when we were suspended in the amniotic water of our human mother's womb, we cannot see or comprehend what lies on the other side of God's "abdomen."
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you just, however, have to WAIT for those who are SEEKING ACTUAL CLARITY.
SEE, ALL of the ones you are DEBATING WITH here are just like you in that they ALREADY BELIEVE that they ALREADY KNOW what IS true, right, and correct here. And, just like you they are NOT OPEN to SEEKING ACTUAL CLARITY, FIRST