tippet wrote: "Hold on there. That's begininning to sound a little like animism to me. God is not the "force." God is the creator of all, yet distinct from His creation, though He loves it and Jesus was the Son of Man."
If this is what you see, it is what you see, and may be more valid for you than what I see. However, if I look upon my brothers and see 'not God' or 'not' anything, how can I love them as Jesus instructed? If I have already decided with my rational mind what God is or is not, then I am not open to let him show me what he would. This is part of my view of what Jesus was trying to impart to us. God gave us the Kingdom. If we believe we do not have it, it is US who have stolen it, by putting belief into 'not'. About 'animism', God himself says "I AM the Alpha and the Omega". This is infinity. If God is infinite, how can there be 'not' within the All?
"As to who Jesus was addressing there -- it had to be God the Father, IMO. Why must the expression, if directed to God the Father be interpreted as a lack of faith? A lack of faith would have Jesus not adressing anyone, right?"
You make an excellent point here from that point of view. The Bible can be seen from many different perspectives, and from this perspective, you seem quite right.
A perspective I have been shown, arising from the Biblical concept of all that was, shall be again, is that the Bible can be read from a perspective of here and now. Just for a moment, assume that this is true. How many new meanings could we find if Moses, Abraham, and all the characters are aspects of YOU? Feel free to think me silly if you like. I do not offer this to be right, but because it has helped me immensely when I sorely needed it.
Peace
Darrin
|
