4 ms·

To be clear, it makes a ton of sense to ask such a question. The underlying assumption to the question is why only one thing is allowed to be uncreated .. ? A

To be clear, it makes a ton of sense to ask such a question. The underlying assumption to the question is why only one thing is allowed to be uncreated .. ? Are there others like them, much like here on Earth where we have many authors writing many books? The Bible doesn't answer those at all, it starts in media res (despite its first three words!) (I have other complaints about such a God but)

ARandomerDude 4y ago
The Bible very explicitly teaches that there are no other gods. Here is one passage among many. Isaiah 44:6-8 ESV Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. [7] Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. [8] Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any."
- hota_mazi 4y ago
  Yes but why should we care what the bible says, especially when what it says contradicts science?
  - tresqotheq 4y ago
    > it says contradicts science? contradicting science is no great flaw. "Science" contradicts itself from time to time.
    - craftsman 4y ago
      It would be more accurate to say that science corrects itself. At any given time there are ideas which appear to have been verified as much as possible, others which are near speculation, and others which are quite uncertain with evidence for and against. What I think the parent means by contradicting science is rather different: the Bible says things which go against ideas which we believe have been verified by evidence, but the Bible won’t be changed to reflect that understanding. On the other hand, science will change its idea of what it thinks to be true as more evidence becomes available. Nobody changes things in the Bible.
- tsimionescu 4y ago
  In other places, it says pretty explicitly that there are other gods: Pslams 95:3 ESV For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. Psalms 97:7 ESV All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods! Deuteronomy 32:8 NRSV (less henotheistic in other translatins) When the Most High apportioned the nations, when he divided humankind, he fixed the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the gods; And there are others. We know pretty clearly from historical sources that the early Jews were henotheistic (recognized the existence of other gods, but only worshipped YHWH), and that is preserved in the oldest parts of the Old Testament. Even Genesis often uses a plural when God talks about his works - today that is often explained as talking about himself and the angels or even the holy trinity, but it is very likely it originally referred to the god of Israel and the other (lesser) gods in the heavens.
missedthecue 4y ago
If God exists outside of time, it's not possible that he had a beginning. A common trap I see people fall into when thinking about God is that they struggle to think in any other terms but the ones they're familiar with. Because how can we even apprehend anything existing outside of time?

ARandomerDude 4y ago

The Bible very explicitly teaches that there are no other gods. Here is one passage among many. Isaiah 44:6-8 ESV Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. [7] Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. [8] Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any."

hota_mazi 4y ago
Yes but why should we care what the bible says, especially when what it says contradicts science?
- tresqotheq 4y ago
  > it says contradicts science? contradicting science is no great flaw. "Science" contradicts itself from time to time.
  - craftsman 4y ago
    It would be more accurate to say that science corrects itself. At any given time there are ideas which appear to have been verified as much as possible, others which are near speculation, and others which are quite uncertain with evidence for and against. What I think the parent means by contradicting science is rather different: the Bible says things which go against ideas which we believe have been verified by evidence, but the Bible won’t be changed to reflect that understanding. On the other hand, science will change its idea of what it thinks to be true as more evidence becomes available. Nobody changes things in the Bible.
tsimionescu 4y ago
In other places, it says pretty explicitly that there are other gods: Pslams 95:3 ESV For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. Psalms 97:7 ESV All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods! Deuteronomy 32:8 NRSV (less henotheistic in other translatins) When the Most High apportioned the nations, when he divided humankind, he fixed the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the gods; And there are others. We know pretty clearly from historical sources that the early Jews were henotheistic (recognized the existence of other gods, but only worshipped YHWH), and that is preserved in the oldest parts of the Old Testament. Even Genesis often uses a plural when God talks about his works - today that is often explained as talking about himself and the angels or even the holy trinity, but it is very likely it originally referred to the god of Israel and the other (lesser) gods in the heavens.

missedthecue 4y ago

If God exists outside of time, it's not possible that he had a beginning. A common trap I see people fall into when thinking about God is that they struggle to think in any other terms but the ones they're familiar with. Because how can we even apprehend anything existing outside of time?