Immaterial Substance - Oxymoron?
- Kurieuo
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Immaterial Substance - Oxymoron?
This is just a question I'd like to ask others to see how they respond.
What do people mean when they say God is an "immaterial substance"?
How does this square with a Social Trinitarian concept of God is three persons in one substance?
What do people mean when they say God is an "immaterial substance"?
How does this square with a Social Trinitarian concept of God is three persons in one substance?
"Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)
- B. W.
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Re: Immaterial Substance - Oxymoron?
Questions: Do atheist consider God as an "immaterial substance"?Kurieuo wrote:This is just a question I'd like to ask others to see how they respond.
What do people mean when they say God is an "immaterial substance"?
How does this square with a Social Trinitarian concept of God is three persons in one substance?
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Science is man's invention - creation is God's
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- Silvertusk
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Re: Immaterial Substance - Oxymoron?
I guess I mean he is spirit.
- RickD
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Re: Immaterial Substance - Oxymoron?
I can't speak for anyone, but I will anyways.Kurieuo wrote:This is just a question I'd like to ask others to see how they respond.
What do people mean when they say God is an "immaterial substance"?
How does this square with a Social Trinitarian concept of God is three persons in one substance?
My guess, is that it's another way of saying God is spirit. He's not physical/material.
John 5:24
24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.”
-Edward R Murrow
St. Richard the Sarcastic--The Patron Saint of Irony
24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.”
-Edward R Murrow
St. Richard the Sarcastic--The Patron Saint of Irony
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Re: Immaterial Substance - Oxymoron?
I have no problem with God is an "immaterial substance" and/or squaring with a Social Trinitarian concept of God is three persons in one substance? ... immaterial is only one attribute of His substance. If, by substance, we mean "a particular kind of matter with uniform properties". then the immaterial substance for God would apply, obviously to all 3 persons within that immaterial realm. IMO, the "immaterial" to "substance" oxymoron is best explained, as Silvertusk and RickD says, through the term spirit. What is that "immaterial" substance and can it even be called "substance". Most importantly the conversion of that unique immaterial substance , John 1:14 .
Paradoxical, Oxymoronic claims rush from the bible ... Phil. 3:7-8 ... John 12:24 ... Matt. 10:39 ... Jas. 4:10 ... II Cor. 12:10 ... Acts 20:35 ... Rom. 6:18. It's who we are and what we believe and what is required for salvation, belief in the unbelievably true God.
Paradoxical, Oxymoronic claims rush from the bible ... Phil. 3:7-8 ... John 12:24 ... Matt. 10:39 ... Jas. 4:10 ... II Cor. 12:10 ... Acts 20:35 ... Rom. 6:18. It's who we are and what we believe and what is required for salvation, belief in the unbelievably true God.
Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence. -St Augustine
- Kurieuo
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Re: Immaterial Substance - Oxymoron?
Don't they think God's made of spaghetti?B. W. wrote:Questions: Do atheist consider God as an "immaterial substance"?Kurieuo wrote:This is just a question I'd like to ask others to see how they respond.
What do people mean when they say God is an "immaterial substance"?
How does this square with a Social Trinitarian concept of God is three persons in one substance?
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"Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)
- Kurieuo
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Re: Immaterial Substance - Oxymoron?
Saying "God is spirit" is too simple.
That is, it just seems to push the question to another: What is meant by "spirit"?
Take our "physical" bodies that are made of physical material.
If "immaterial substance" means "spirit", then ignoring the contradiction with "immaterial" for a moment, do you/we actually picture a spiritual material of sorts? (like an ethereal ghostly substance)
That is, it just seems to push the question to another: What is meant by "spirit"?
Take our "physical" bodies that are made of physical material.
If "immaterial substance" means "spirit", then ignoring the contradiction with "immaterial" for a moment, do you/we actually picture a spiritual material of sorts? (like an ethereal ghostly substance)
"Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)
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Re: Immaterial Substance - Oxymoron?
Do atheists consider God at all.Questions: Do atheist consider God as an "immaterial substance"?
Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence. -St Augustine
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Re: Immaterial Substance - Oxymoron?
I agree with this... it's another example of paradoxical comparison. God the all powerful is also the most simple. His spirit, (substance) if it may be called such, is actually quite unknown to us and can be described only in terms our limited brains can ingest. So spirit becomes a "substance" that, although unknowable, is still definable for us to attempt comprehension. Is energy a substance, is light ? Yes, but both are made of physical particles and we know God isn't ...Saying "God is spirit" is too simple.
That is, it just seems to push the question to another: What is meant by "spirit"?
so, God is spirit is too simple, but I struggle to arrive at a more comprehensive definition that is both substantive and immaterial at it's conclusion.
Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence. -St Augustine
- Nessa
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Re: Immaterial Substance - Oxymoron?
So, when I read in my bible that 'God is everywhere', I guess to some that can make him seem like air in an immaterial way e.g his spirit is not contained but is everywhere.
But I don't think that..
Psalm 139 goes 'Where can I flee from your spirit?' so that can sound like an uncontained thing too maybe? But not in the sense that everything is a part of God.
But I don't think that..
Psalm 139 goes 'Where can I flee from your spirit?' so that can sound like an uncontained thing too maybe? But not in the sense that everything is a part of God.
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Re: Immaterial Substance - Oxymoron?
I agree God is Spirit however Christ is the physical part of God which is why we were created in the image of God.
Hebrews 12:2-3 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,despising the shame,and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
2nd Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,lest the light of this glorious gospel of Christ,who is the image of God,should shine unto them.
2nd Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,lest the light of this glorious gospel of Christ,who is the image of God,should shine unto them.
- B. W.
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Re: Immaterial Substance - Oxymoron?
Sump tin liake dat...Kurieuo wrote:Don't they think God's made of spaghetti?B. W. wrote:Questions: Do atheist consider God as an "immaterial substance"?Kurieuo wrote:This is just a question I'd like to ask others to see how they respond.
What do people mean when they say God is an "immaterial substance"?
How does this square with a Social Trinitarian concept of God is three persons in one substance?
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Science is man's invention - creation is God's
(by B. W. Melvin)
Old Polish Proverb:
Not my Circus....not my monkeys
(by B. W. Melvin)
Old Polish Proverb:
Not my Circus....not my monkeys