How do we talk about God without resorting to religion?

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At some point, all great theologians find they have to leave scripture behind, and sooner or later they say something that is not compatible with the religion that are part of ... most of the time they end up at the same position: the unknowability of God, and the inability of any religion to 'own' God.

I feel strongly that we will never be able to talk about God until religion is accepted as vague approximations of deep, inarticulate intuitions that each culture shapes to its own needs.

There is an old saying 'You can't be in a religion of one'. But can you believe in God without sooner or later reverting to religious language, and align yourself for better or worse with one religion.

I'm not sure you can.

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Type: Question • Score: 11 • Views: 4,511 • Replies: 39

[+3] - ehBeth - 03/22/2015[quote="Neil Griffiths"] There is an old saying 'You can't be in a religion of one'. [/quote] I prefer this old saying. [quote]There are hundreds of paths up the mountain, all...

@Neil Griffiths,

I suggest you might start by considering "belief" at the psychological level and "religion" at the social level it terms of functionality (need satisfaction). The reason the two levels are compounded is that "to talk about" necessarily involves use of a socially acquired language even in the (psychological) mind of an individual.

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@fresco,

I agree, but it does mean that talk about God tends to either remain locked in religion language or unbounded in mystic writing / poetry. Whereas I'd like to be able to declare a belief in God without everyone assuming I'm either a normative Christian or new age mystic. I want a free use of all 'spiritual' language without assumptions of meaning, if that makes sense...

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@Neil Griffiths,

About 50 years ago (and before Star Wars, the movie) I heard of a small group of New Yorkers who philosophied about "the force". Though intrigued, I didn't pursue it. Imagine my surprise to hear of it espoused by Obi Wan.

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@Neil Griffiths,

Neil Griffiths wrote:

There is an old saying 'You can't be in a religion of one'.

Why not, exactly? I think two's a crowd.

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@Kolyo,

Good point well made.

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@Neil Griffiths,

Quote:

I'm not sure you can

Oh but yes we can

Neil the apodictical existential pantheist is unique in maintaining that She (It) is a perfectly natural phenom; the physical Universe Her body and all the activity therein Her thinking

So whether or not God exists depends entirely upon how you define Her

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@dalehileman,

I like that.

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@Neil Griffiths,

Bless you Neil, it's not everyday….

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@dalehileman,

But, of course, what you are refering to represents what those '60s folks were talking about when they made reference to the force, albeit the force seemed to me to be without gender.

On a lighter note, several of my college drinking buddies would, in our reveries, perform rituals to the god quantum, consecrating pizza and beer with appropriate pater nosters, and concluding with a reverent sign of the Q, including, of course a sacred flourish for the tail of the Q. Never caught on, though.

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@neologist,

Quote:

albeit the force seemed to me to be without gender

Of coursed Neo, He, She, It

Thanks for cluing me in---

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=the+quantum+god

1 Reply

@dalehileman,

Well fry my fritters, Dale.
I never knew that link existed.
And I thought I was so durned smart. Very Happy

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@neologist,

Yea, Neo, Google is indeed part of Her body

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@Neil Griffiths,

Quote:

How do we talk about God without resorting to religion?

Use your imagination.

Quote:

I feel strongly that we will never be able to talk about God until religion is accepted as vague approximations of deep, inarticulate intuitions

Your inarticulate intuition is superlative, just pretend that the subject isn't ineffable.

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@knaivete,

Quote:

Your inarticulate intuition is superlative, just pretend that the subject isn't ineffable.

Vet you've made my day

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Marking...just to follow...in case it eventually goes somewhere.

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@knaivete,

I've used my imagination and just finished a long novel that tries to do achieve that very thing.

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@Neil Griffiths,

if a god exists, and the god was the creator god, you'd need to conjure up a god theory that didn't involve purpose or interest in its creation. If you can separate the two, you'd have a god that needs no "religion".
Perhaps Stargate holds the answer?

1 Reply

@Smileyrius,

You're right - sort of. There are very persuasive theories about the impassability of God that still allows Him to love his creation. I tend to think of God as implanting our creative spirit and only in our acts does He exist.

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@Neil Griffiths,

Calling god by gender exposes the anthropomorphism that compels god belief.

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How do we talk about God without resorting to religion?

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