Hello. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Well, I came to this forum hoping to find an open discussion forum about theology:

Theology is the systematic and rational study of concepts of God and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university, seminary or school of divinity.

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During the registration process I noticed that, as I expect, many options could be chosen in response to the question of what my religion was.

However, having looked at the forums, I have been disappointed to discover that the topics seem to be centered entirely around the Christian faith.

Now, am I to understand that this forum is dedicated to the discussion of [modern] Christian dogma specifically? I was hoping to find a forum dedicated to the discussion of the nature of God and of man's various relations with God.

Please do not misunderstand me as I do not mean to offend; my intent is not to berate the Christian faith. I personally find [orthodox] Christian mythology and ritualism to represent the most beautiful, well-organized, and intriguing spiritual paradigm, but I was hoping to find an avenue for discussing theology at the comparative and contrastive level in order to illuminate meaningful truths for the sake of awakening actual God-consciousness.

Perhaps a bit of background would be helpful. My interest in theology began as a result of my professional studies in formal linguistics and the philosophy of language. Etymology is one of my favorite branches of linguistics- figuring out how a given culture in a given historical context related to a particular symbol based on that symbol's relation to a presently used symbol and the way that cultures relate to it- which means, of course, that I am also interested in semantics.

Ehyeh (Hebrew: I am) wondering if it is possible to discuss topics like this: "What is the semantic difference between the Hebrew 'Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh' and the Sanskrit 'So ham'?" Would I be better off on a forum about linguistics?

Finally I would like to leave you with this poem by Symeon the New Theologian.

We awaken in Christ’s body

as Christ awakens our bodies,

and my poor hand is Christ, He enters

my foot, and is infinitely me.



I move my hand, and wonderfully

my hand becomes Christ, becomes all of Him

(for God is indivisibly

whole, seamless in His Godhood).



I move my foot, and at once

He appears like a flash of lightning.

Do my words seem blasphemous? — Then

open your heart to Him



and let yourself receive the one

who is opening to you so deeply.

For if we genuinely love Him,

we wake up inside Christ’s body



where all our body, all over,

every most hidden part of it,

is realized in joy as Him,

and He makes us, utterly, real,



and everything that is hurt, everything

that seemed to us dark, harsh, shameful,

maimed, ugly, irreparably

damaged, is in Him transformed



and recognized as whole, as lovely,

and radiant in His light

he awakens as the Beloved

in every last part of our body.

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Ehyeh said:

I have been disappointed to discover that the topics seem to be centered entirely around the Christian faith.

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This site is certainly bias toward the Christian faith. Heavily biased.

But other religions are discussed.

What does "other" mean?

musterion said:

What does "other" mean?

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It means "made up".

Ah.

Tam...do you smell socks?

musterion said:

Ah.

Tam...do you smell socks?

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I am noticing some peculiarities.

musterion said:

What does "other" mean?

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My only religion is that of truth-seeking and truth-creating. I try to avoid labels that do not facilitate shared understanding, such as Agnostic. You might say that my epistemological orientation- that is my position concerning knowledge claims- is unshakeably agnostic but that I still have an open mind about seeking truth. For example, some would say that an agnostic believes that it is impossible to demonstrate the existence or nonexistence of a God or gods. I am not agnostic in this sense. I simply have not arrived at the truth yet.

I am not sure what this discussion of peculiarities and socks means.

Socks means sock puppets...new posters who sound just like posters who were banned but just can't stay away from TOL, so they register again under a new handle...a sock puppet.

Besides, to say you are "unshakably agnostic" but still open to truth is nonsense.

Ehyeh said:

My only religion is that of truth-seeking

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Romans 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Ehyeh said:

I try to avoid labels that do not facilitate shared understanding, such as Agnostic.

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Then you need to get saved so you can gain understanding

1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Nice to have you here newbie.

Ehyeh said:

My only religion is that of truth-seeking and truth-creating.

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Good, then you will consider the claims of Christ (Jn 14:6).

Ehyeh said:

I try to avoid labels that do not facilitate shared understanding, such as Agnostic.

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Lit. without knowledge

Ehyeh said:

You might say that my epistemological orientation- that is my position concerning knowledge claims- is unshakeably agnostic but that I still have an open mind about seeking truth.

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Lit. liberal without knowledge

Ehyeh said:

For example, some would say that an agnostic believes that it is impossible to demonstrate the existence or nonexistence of a God or gods.

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We can't prove God exists. You can't prove he does not exist.

"Faith is believing whatever the evidence points to. It's a rational thing to do ." Ge 1:1, Mt 18:6 ~ Daryl Ferguson

Ehyeh said:

I am not agnostic in this sense. I simply have not arrived at the truth yet.

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If you can believe Ge 1:1, then you can believe the rest of the bible. :jump:

Be careful that you do not fall into category of ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth! Welcome anyway

Pete

We don't "arrive at" truth so much as we develop it for ourselves. The truth is simply what is. It's everywhere. What we choose to make of this, however, is up to us.

Understanding this, I believe it more reasonable to pursue self-honesty, rather than some big hidden truth. Because it's through rigorous self-honesty that we will see the truth of ourselves. Which is the only truth that really matters.

PureX said:

We don't "arrive at" truth so much as we develop it for ourselves.

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Christ said He is THE truth. Do you believe that?

Ehyeh said:

Hello. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Well, I came to this forum hoping to find an open discussion forum about theology:

My only religion is that of truth-seeking and truth-creating.

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Seems that you do not want to embrace the prevailing tenants of traditional Christianity. That is O.K. for those tenants are 'iffy' to say the least. Those guys went about their own righteousness and made up their own scriptures, which are contrary to KJV N.T. revelations.

Here is a good place to start:

Romans: 3 KJV N.T.

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God [size=+1]without[/size] the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Are you interested in righteousness of God that is without the law?

Seeing that you are a Jew, whose only religion is that of truth-seeking and truth-creating, an answer to the above question is appropriate.

musterion said:

Christ said He is THE truth. Do you believe that?

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Christ is the realization of God's spirit of love, forgiveness, kindness and generosity within us. To realize that truth we must be able look within ourselves. And that requires rigorous honesty. Then, having seen our true nature as reflections of a Divine Creator, we then must learn to develop that nature, by allowing it to shine through our thoughts and actions instead of succumbing to our self-centered fear and egotism.

PureX said:

Christ is the realization of God's spirit of love, forgiveness, kindness and generosity within us. To realize that truth we must be able look within ourselves. And that requires rigorous honesty. Then, having seen our true nature as reflections of a Divine Creator, we then must learn to develop that nature, by allowing it to shine through our thoughts and actions instead of succumbing to our self-centered fear and egotism.

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We 'realize' [make real] the truth that is Christ by looking within ourselves?