God of just the Earth?

[Priestley]

Given that Genesis tells the creation story from an outside, earth-centric perspective and continues on a homocentric level, what evidence is there of God being the god more than the Earth and everything that's on it? Is he even god of the Earth at this present time?

You may draw from religious, theological and philosophical sources outside of Christianity in your discussion.

Bonus points if you refer to logic problems, e.g. "Can God make [noun] so [adjective] that he cannot [verb] it?".  

[freelance lover]

Well, to begin with I take the creation stories more metaphorically than literally. Every culture has it's own creation myth, and that happens to be the one for the Jewish culture.

Though, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't God generally referred to as the Lord of Heaven and Earth. I'm not sure if that's a Biblical thing or a modern Christian thing, but to me, that would imply more than just earth- the rest of the universe. It's also mentioned he made the star in the sky, etc. I realize the Biblical concepts of the stars is different as they didn't understand what stars are exactly, but I think the understanding was that God made everything in existence.  

[promised_child]

He is also refered to as the Keeper of the Stars. i dont remember where, but it does imply the whole universe doesnt it.  

[Priestley]

Does this imply that he is inside the universe, outside or both? Is He subject to physical laws while in our universe or is He the exception?  

[`apple dumpling]

Priestley

Does this imply that he is inside the universe, outside or both? Is He subject to physical laws while in our universe or is He the exception?

My understanding has always been he is present everywhere. Everywhere inside the universe, and probably outside it, whatever may be other there.

Wow, that makes my brain hurt.

He also is not subject to natural laws. One of my professors explained it very nicely. Science is the study of the natural. God is supernatural, and therefore science and things pertaining to it cannot be applied to God.

I mean, Jesus walked on water, and that goes against what is physically possible given surface tension.  

[Priestley]

`apple dumpling

Priestley

Does this imply that he is inside the universe, outside or both? Is He subject to physical laws while in our universe or is He the exception?

He also is not subject to natural laws. One of my professors explained it very nicely. Science is the study of the natural. God is supernatural, and therefore science and things pertaining to it cannot be applied to God.

Is there anything that says God is never natural, or that being supernatural negates His being natural? Could He not choose to subject Himself to natural laws if he so chose? Would so choosing prevent Him from returning to the supernatural from the natural by sheer will?

`apple dumpling

I mean, Jesus walked on water, and that goes against what is physically possible given surface tension.

We have only witness testimony that such a miracle happened. Is it not possible that there is a physical explanation for what might have looked as though Jesus were walking on water? If there was nothing supporting his steps but water, could it be that it is physically possible but the knowledge of how to do it remains a mystery to us? What if what the laws of physics say is impossible is part of what prevents us from performing this miracle or others like it?

Most of my questions are to encourage thought. I've considered some of these questions myself in the past. I've not arrived at any solid answers.  

[Fushigi na Butterfly]

I'm pretty sure God did subject Himself to the natural when He stepped down into our world. He abided by all natural, physical laws except when it came to battling the Enemy and showing God's love.  

[Priestley]

Fushigi na Butterfly

I'm pretty sure God did subject Himself to the natural when He stepped down into our world. He abided by all natural, physical laws except when it came to battling the Enemy and showing God's love.

You know I don't believe that Jesus was God, right?  

[Kazydi]

Priestley

Fushigi na Butterfly

I'm pretty sure God did subject Himself to the natural when He stepped down into our world. He abided by all natural, physical laws except when it came to battling the Enemy and showing God's love.

You know I don't believe that Jesus was God, right?

Ok, now I'm confused. I don't mean to start an argument, and if I do, I apologize and will step down, but I really have to ask this. Why are you a moderator of a Christian guild if you don't believe that Jesus was God? That's a huge part of the Christian faith. I'm not knocking your moderator skills, I just wanted to know. neutral (It's hard to tell my tone over the internet, but I'm really not trying to be sarcastic in any way.  

[Galad Aglaron]

`apple dumpling

Priestley

Does this imply that he is inside the universe, outside or both? Is He subject to physical laws while in our universe or is He the exception?

He also is not subject to natural laws. One of my professors explained it very nicely. Science is the study of the natural. God is supernatural, and therefore science and things pertaining to it cannot be applied to God.

But God is the natural laws. His will is defined in every balanced equation and physical phenomenon. Atoms dance, the sun rises, people are born and live and die, and the whole process is defined and guaranteed by a single will. Everything happens because He makes it happen. Surely He could no sooner separate himself from the universe than I could separate myself from my skin.  

[Priestley]

Kazydi

Priestley

Fushigi na Butterfly

I'm pretty sure God did subject Himself to the natural when He stepped down into our world. He abided by all natural, physical laws except when it came to battling the Enemy and showing God's love.

You know I don't believe that Jesus was God, right?

Ok, now I'm confused. I don't mean to start an argument, and if I do, I apologize and will step down, but I really have to ask this. Why are you a moderator of a Christian guild if you don't believe that Jesus was God? That's a huge part of the Christian faith. I'm not knocking your moderator skills, I just wanted to know. neutral (It's hard to tell my tone over the internet, but I'm really not trying to be sarcastic in any way.

I'll be happy to answer your questions via PM if you're interested, since they're not relevant to the thread.  

[Priestley]

freelance lover

Though, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't God generally referred to as the Lord of Heaven and Earth.

What of Satan's domain? Doesn't the current system of things belong to him?  

[`apple dumpling]

Priestley

freelance lover

Though, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't God generally referred to as the Lord of Heaven and Earth.

What of Satan's domain? Doesn't the current system of things belong to him?

The thing here is, I don't really believe in Satan or his domain in the traditional Christian way. I see Satan more as a general personification of the evil in the world which is generally caused by people's abuse of free will.

As to where "hell" is for lack of a better term, I honestly haven't given it much thought. Maybe they really do live in the center of the earth like in the cartoons, maybe the wander the earth as spirits, maybe they cease to exist. I'm more concerned with this life than the next. Though, I will say I believe God is not present wherever "hell" is because I believe that hell is meant for people who reject God. They do not want him in their life, so he sends them somewhere where he will not be present. As to the logistics of that, don't ask me.

I do believe that if God so wished to subject himself to natural laws he could very well do so. As Fushigi said, he did so with Jesus, but then you said you don't see Jesus as God, so that point is kind of null and void. But that's basically how I view it.

As to the walking on water miracle, I believe Jesus truly did walk on water. Because he was divine, he was not subject to natural laws, even though he chose to fall in line with them most of the time. I believe this was simply a means of making God more familiar to the people Jesus preached to. I do take his miracles literally though.  

[Lazarus The Resurected]

Fushigi na Butterfly

I'm pretty sure God did subject Himself to the natural when He stepped down into our world.

you do realize that Jesus was more like the personification of God's will than the incarnation of God Himself right? I mean he actualy says that he is not God, but a teacher.

As for the question at hand. I'm not realy sure of the deffinition of "heavens" in Genesis. does it mean that God created outerspace and everything in it as well as the earth, or does it refer to the Kingdom of God? I think that since it makes a point of the difference between the planet and "the heavens" and since man didn't understand the concept of outer space until much later in history, this creation myth leaves God soley in control of heaven(the spiritual kingdom) and the planet earth.

altough he did actualy give control of the earth to humanity in Genesis 1:26. or at least he had intended to.  

[`apple dumpling]

Lazarus The Resurected

Fushigi na Butterfly

I'm pretty sure God did subject Himself to the natural when He stepped down into our world.

you do realize that Jesus was more like the personification of God's will than the incarnation of God Himself right? I mean he actualy says that he is not God, but a teacher.

Now I'm curious. May I have a verse?