Thursday, February 21, 2013

Unknown

As I sit here in my dorm room, I see things and "know" them.  They have recognizable shapes, measurable in three dimensions.  Their functions are predictable because of the design, and even if they were to malfunction, they would do so in ways that I or someone else could explain using human logic or reason based upon the way our world works.  Take my microwave, for example.  I can recognize it, based on its physical characteristics.  If I were to put a piece of metal inside it and turn it on, I would expect it to malfunction in a predictable way (Sparks and fire, it wouldn't turn into a vacuum cleaner).  Ultimately, the function of my microwave is not beyond my grasp.  If I decide that I want to know anything and everything about how a microwave works, I can learn.  I am limited only by time and personal dedication.

Then, there are other people.  They too are easily recognizable, in both form and function.  From a purely biological standpoint, I can learn how the human body functions because I have full access to it. Even if all the processes aren't fully understood, we have the ability to study them because we have full access to them.  The mind is a bit tricker, but still not incomprehensible.  Through psychology and sociology, we can understand how people tend to function.  Sure, no two people are the same, but they are still limited by this three-dimensional world, by life one moment at a time.  Even if we can't predict what choices will be made by each individual, we can understand human function, both socially and biologically.  Furthermore, even though we may not know another persons thoughts or predict their exact actions, we can connect with other people on an emotional level.

God can't be classified or analyzed in this way.  It is so hard to describe God apart from his creation because he is beyond the realm of our understanding.  We can't fully comprehend things outside of the limitations of our world.  We understand physical things in three dimensions, and we understand time as a constant continuation of moments.  We understand good and bad based on how we feel, and justice based on what we know.  To think that we, as limited and minuscule as we are, could even begin to really understand the almighty power, the intelligence, the magnitude of God, is laughable.  He has shown Himself to us in ways that we can understand, though His Creation and His Word.  He has allowed us to have relationships with Him.  And we should grow closer to God in every way possible.  God should be our only desire.  But humanity will get in the way.  We do have to eat, we have to breath, etc.  We are limited.  To say that we could even come close to understanding or praising God just for who he is outside of what he has done for us really doesn't make sense to me.  Because outside of His creation and the things we have experienced personally, we simply cannot as humans begin to comprehend who God is.


Commented on Meghan's "knowing the Creator"

2 comments:

  1. You remind me of Socrates and st. Augustine combined. Great insight

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  2. Jamie I agree with you! God is so complexed we cannot even begin to think we know how to understand him. That there are ways to which he can fully know Him. We can't even start to think of Him as God unless we first think of Him as to what He is to us!

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