God Created Man in His Own Image

[MasterAdnin]

Obviously the above statement is figurative and it pertains to morality, piousness, and justice. This is very big statement in Christianity and was wondering, if this is true, then can God be immoral, not pious, and unjust? I mean, if Jesus was indeed God and was tempted by Satan, then God could too have evil thoughts, correct?

My main mode of thinking is, men can be moral, pious, and just, yet they can also be immoral, not pious, and unjust, therefore if we are created in God's image, then he must also be capable of immoral behavior, not pious, and unjust, yet all these contradict the essence and meaning of God.

Is this a contradiction I see in Christianity?

Salaam,
Adnan

[Dayman]

Is this a contradiction I see in Christianity?

Eh, you worship the same god.

[MasterAdnin]

Eh, you worship the same god.

Don't follow the same book though.

Salaam,
Adnan

[Dayman]

Don't follow the same book though.

True enough, but you do derive your god from the same tradition, you should have to answer the very question put forth.

I am uneducated in Islam, do you not believe God created us in his image?

[MasterAdnin]

True enough, but you do derive your god from the same tradition, you should have to answer the very question put forth.

I am uneducated in Islam, do you not believe God created us in his image?

Pshshshsh...no.

Salaam,
Adnan

[yar0]

well I think God really does have the potential to sin, he just chooses not to because if he did he wouldn't be God. After Jesus was baptized he went into the desert and was tempted by Satan to kneel before him, so he does have choice to sin or not to. But then again, this doesn't man anything to more than half of our members.

[MasterAdnin]

well I think God really does have the potential to sin, he just chooses not to because if he did he wouldn't be God. After Jesus was baptized he went into the desert and was tempted by Satan to kneel before him, so he does have choice to sin or not to. But then again, this doesn't man anything to more than half of our members.

But then that means that God could very well be Satan, or a hypocrite. He could tell us not to sin, yet since He's God, He could sin all He wants.

No its not a contradiction. God created us in his image, we share the same temptations as he. All men wish for power, control, fame. Men however also have compassion, loyalty, duty, love, etc. I believe God has both the dark sides that we have, and the good side. He gave us free will to see which of us can resist the temptations that everyone has, including himself.

Again, if God did have temptations, would that make Him God? Not only that, God created all these things to test us, so wouldn't He be above it? After all, He's not a man.


Salaam,
Adnan

[Scar Face]

Again, if God did have temptations, would that make Him God? Not only that, God created all these things to test us, so wouldn't He be above it? After all, He's not a man.


Salaam,
Adnan

Life is but a path to enlightenment, to seek inner peace. To have this you must have struggle, you must have evil. If God didn't give us Free Will we would serve no purpose, we would essentially have no soul. Remember, there can be no kindness without cruelty, no happiness without sadness, no bravery without fear.

[MasterAdnin]

Life is but a path to enlightenment, to seek inner peace. To have this you must have struggle, you must have evil. If God didn't give us Free Will we would serve no purpose, we would essentially have no soul. Remember, there can be no kindness without cruelty, no happiness without sadness, no bravery without fear.

I'm not talking about us, I'm talking about the Christian view of God. If He has temptation, then He can sin, if He can sin, He is not perfect, if He is not perfect, He is not God.

Salaam,
Adnan

[Dayman]

I'm not talking about us, I'm talking about the Christian view of God. If He has temptation, then He can sin, if He can sin, He is not perfect, if He is not perfect, He is not God.

These are the things that make people renounce faith.

[Scar Face]

I'm not talking about us, I'm talking about the Christian view of God. If He has temptation, then He can sin, if He can sin, He is not perfect, if He is not perfect, He is not God.

Salaam,
Adnan

All religions are up to the individuals interpretation of them, regardless of what the bible said I could still be Christian and believe God was not perfect.

[yar0]

Some things God has done seem to fit into the category of sin.

Inform me

I'm not talking about us, I'm talking about the Christian view of God. If He has temptation, then He can sin, if He can sin, He is not perfect, if He is not perfect, He is not God.

Salaam,
Adnan

God doesn't have temptation to sin. He just has potential, different things there

[Dayman]

well I think God really does have the potential to sin, he just chooses not to because if he did he wouldn't be God.

Some things God has done seem to fit into the category of sin.

After Jesus was baptized he went into the desert and was tempted by Satan to kneel before him, so he does have choice to sin or not to. But then again, this doesn't man anything to more than half of our members.

No, it doesn't. Although this is a theological topic therefore it does mean something.

[Scar Face]

Obviously the above statement is figurative and it pertains to morality, piousness, and justice. This is very big statement in Christianity and was wondering, if this is true, then can God be immoral, not pious, and unjust? I mean, if Jesus was indeed God and was tempted by Satan, then God could too have evil thoughts, correct?

My main mode of thinking is, men can be moral, pious, and just, yet they can also be immoral, not pious, and unjust, therefore if we are created in God's image, then he must also be capable of immoral behavior, not pious, and unjust, yet all these contradict the essence and meaning of God.

Is this a contradiction I see in Christianity?

Salaam,
Adnan

No its not a contradiction. God created us in his image, we share the same temptations as he. All men wish for power, control, fame. Men however also have compassion, loyalty, duty, love, etc. I believe God has both the dark sides that we have, and the good side. He gave us free will to see which of us can resist the temptations that everyone has, including himself.

[Ummon]

Obviously the above statement is figurative and it pertains to morality, piousness, and justice. This is very big statement in Christianity and was wondering, if this is true, then can God be immoral, not pious, and unjust? I mean, if Jesus was indeed God and was tempted by Satan, then God could too have evil thoughts, correct?

My main mode of thinking is, men can be moral, pious, and just, yet they can also be immoral, not pious, and unjust, therefore if we are created in God's image, then he must also be capable of immoral behavior, not pious, and unjust, yet all these contradict the essence and meaning of God.

Is this a contradiction I see in Christianity?

Salaam,
Adnan

In Christian conception, the human part of Jesus was tempted by Satan. Satan offers Jesus power before it is time, and Jesus refuses. His answer is also quite instructive.

"In his image" doesn't mean human beings are perfect by the way. It means human beings have a divine spark, though.

[yar0]

If this is you question
"But the problem is God being truly just? Is that the best course to take?"
Then all I can tell you is that only God himself knows if he's just or not, and his idea of justice is beyond our comprehension. And if God isn't just he isn't God so each one of us has to make the choice of either believing in everything he does, says or shows and not believing.

[Dayman]

And if God isn't just he isn't God so each one of us has to make the choice of either believing in everything he does, says or shows and not believing.

But do you know God has truly revealed and what has been misguided people? Nope.

[sephodwyrm]

You mean that God's wrath is used as a backdrop on what would be defined as good?
I can totally see that. Anything that's not God's wrathful way is good.

only God himself knows if he's just or not

You can do better than that.
For example, giving superpowers to Mr Parker is definitely way better than giving it to an unshaved psychotic mass murderer.

[Sadreddine]

There is this problem in Christianity of humanizing God excessively, basically due to numerous pagan additions to the real essence of this religion.

By definition a perfect ruling creator God can't be unfair or unjust. Instead, it is the naturally subjective view of each individual to judge which is just or unjust. In my opinion, humans must be very cautious as to decide what is just and what is unjust. Specially if the individual believes in an afterlife, free of the suffering of this material world. You might find the death of your child unjust, but such event can be part of the test which is material life. For each event, good or bad, we acquire valuable experience. There is always something to learn, and you're continually being tested in your faith, moral and beliefs. Remember I'm taking the theist's (and muslim, more concretely) perspective.

There's also a logical confusion on the matter of human ability to commit injustice. Are humans responsible of their own injustices, given the fact that their ability to be unjust has been created by God? Yes, they are responsible, it is them who are being unjust, and not God. But, didn't God created injustice in the first place? How come they are responsible for something inherent on their nature, something they have been created with? There comes the confusion.

The proper answer is that they are responsible for their injustice, and not God, because God has created in them the ability to cause injustice although has not ordered them to actually exercise it, but has forbidden it. This makes perfect sense when considered along the fact that life is a test; you have the potential to be unjust, but can chose not to be, even if you're predestined to do one thing or the other. Therefore, the flaw of injustice in humanity does not mean God Himself is unjust.

Note that I'm not accepting the popular Christian idea that "God made humans in His image" in the theological sense it is usually associated with. The opinion I've found more reasonable is that of Ummon when he mentioned that humans have a "divine spark". In my view, this means that humans can find in their own righteousness the sublime Attributes of God, and can struggle to achieve supreme morality (even if unable to actually grasp it as finite, imperfect creations). In other words, if God it the essence of "light", each human is a "candle" in the darkness. Human conciousness is thus a pale reflect of the perfect universal conciousness, perfect intellect, which only has God, a "spark" of it. That is why Abrahamic religions consider man the "representative" of God in Earth.

[Spurius]

you have the potential to be unjust, but can chose not to be, even if you're predestined to do one thing or the other.

You cannot be both predestined to do an act, and choose not to do it. That would mean it's not really predestined in the usual sense, and maybe you mean another word or concept?