Is The Physical Realm Analogous To A Simulated Reality?

VladtheDestroyer

Well-known member
Hello Derf. I look at how people, things and events which happen here on earth are often used of God as allegories rather than being simulations. They weave truths about God for us to discover. They mirror and may even predict future events or give clues as to the promised Messiah.

I think that is a very good way to see it.

If I remember correctly, God had one of the prophets to live out a scenario in his own life which depicted the behavior of a rebellious nation which had turned from the LORD.

I believe you are probably thinking about Jerehmiah.
 

Derf

Well-known member
Hello Derf. I look at how people, things and events which happen here on earth are often used of God as allegories rather than being simulations. They weave truths about God for us to discover. They mirror and may even predict future events or give clues as to the promised Messiah. The actual life of Samson paints such an allegory of the work of the future Christ. He was chosen but not obedient to God at all. Yet, in his death he did do the will of God in that he destroyed or at least curbed the overbearing Philistines. If I remember correctly, God had one of the prophets to live out a scenario in his own life which depicted the behavior of a rebellious nation which had turned from the LORD. AI can do a simulation of real things ... but I feel God uses allegories/parables to reveal truths. Here is another example. Eve and Adam partook of the Tree and ate the fruit. In scripture a tree represents a kingdom and its king. Fruit represents the works one produces. I believe there was a literal tree in the Garden with fruits. When Eve and Adam partook of the fruit it symbolized their choice to partake of the works of another kingdom. To me that kingdom was Satan's. Therefore the story is played out in reality but revealed what they had done spiritually. Partook of the knowledge of good and evil - causing bad fruits.
Ok. How do you contrast symbology with sumulation?
 

Ps82

Well-known member
Written words don't match audible words ... but funny. Yet, I prefer a song more like this: No body likes me. Everybody hates me. Think I'll go eat worms. Big fat juicy ones. Little tiny tiny ones. Oh, how they wiggly and squirm. Bite their heads off. Suck their juice out. Throw their skins away. Nobody knows how a girl can live on worms three times a day. Wonder if they will sing that in the place where worms never die????
 

ttruscott

Well-known member
I would say our physical bodies and our brains are more or less the interface that our spirits are sorta forced to experience the physical realm through.

I'm assuming God didn't necessarily have to do it that way. That he could have created Adam just as a spirit, without tying his spirit to a physical body and a physical universe.
Careful here - you have just wandered into that pre-earth existence theology garbage... the theology that takes so many verses at face value because it solves the doublethink conundrums of ordinary orthodoxy, :)
 

ttruscott

Well-known member
So what do you mean?
I mean:
Reality is what is in our lives. A play on a stage uses real things yet is only a simulacrum of our lives. In the same way our lives here can be using real things and people but is only a stage for the morality play that is designed to bring HIS lost sheep back to HIMself as His heavenly Bride. We as players live the play to learn what HE wants us to learn, then we leave the play.

When you walk off the stage at death, you wait the wings until your resurrection when you return to real life in the spirit realm.
 

ttruscott

Well-known member
Do only-spiritual parties like angels and demons, with no physicality, have the ability to observe the physical realm? Or do you need a physical brain, in order to experience this World?
I don't think the angels singing at Christ's birth had physical brains, not the angels by the thousands on the hills above Elisha although the angels with God talking to Abraham at Sodom may have had brains. <biiiiig shrug>
 

Ps82

Well-known member
Ok. How do you contrast symbology with sumulation?
You have asked for my thinking/opinion so here goes.

Siri says the definition of symbology is the use of symbols. a method used often for the unschooled. Well, I would consider that to be a close synonym for what I call symbolic figurative language such as personification, metaphors, similes and hyperbole as you might find in poetry. I would pair the use of these with the use of a parable - a story which can be told to extend one's depth of understanding and/or, as scripture insinuates, to delay the revelation of something until God wants it revealed. Scripture is full of this figurative language and the parables. They are told verbally as by Christ or in the OT told through the lives of real people. Personification is used to say a tree is a kingdom and it's king. The Rock is our Savior. fruits are our works. Example, I'm standing on the ROCK of salvation. Which means I'm putting my trust in the Savior. To me these parables and analogies are what you say is symbology.

Simulation? Well, I believe God can bring about/orchestrate a simulation when he wishes. It can even be lived out in one's life. Take the prophet Hosea for example. God directed him to take a wife and instructed him in the ways to treat her even when she had done wrong. Then God named each of their children. Each name told a truth [for example: Loammi means - not my people I will not be your God] ...... I think this act of orchestrating a real life example in one's life might fit my idea of a simulation.
 

VladtheDestroyer

Well-known member
Ezekiel had go around naked for awhile, didn't he?

I'm thinking that Jeremiah was the prophet whom God told to marry a prostitute, because that is how God said He felt in his relationship with rebellious Israel. But I have a fever of 104 right now, so I might be thinking clearly. It could be that both prophets fit the bill.

Jerehmiah was the prophet who was thrown into a well and Ezekiel was the one who laid on his side for 72 days. That much I can remember for certain! :LOL:🤒
 

Ps82

Well-known member
@Right Divider After posting this, I did a search at kgov and found the following quote:

For emotional pain is felt directly whereas physical pain first must be translated into the non-physical realm of awareness before being "felt". For in the human brain, the soul and the spirit are interfaced to the body, and it is in the soul and spirit where awareness (thought, creativity, etc.) occurs. -
Now this particular quote seems to be from July, 2020

But the actual quote I had in mind was from a show more than 20 years ago, before I got married!

So for at least 20 years, I can say that this quote has been foundational to my understanding of how death relates to the body and the spirit, and in our relationship with God. In accordance not only to our understanding of science and the mind, but in accordance with the Bible itself! And not once in my life have found a single conflict that would cause me to dump that specific idea.

Now that isn't to say the way I model these thing in my above post is perfect. But the core idea I base this model on, has held true for more than 20 years. And I have studied the Bible every day for those 20 years.

So I can't be that far off? Can I?

I would love to know exactly how far off I am compared with what Bob teaches in his Bible studies on Paul!
Well, this [post 76] seemed to have wandered from the topic a bit but I have read all the posts. Maybe it has not. But it is a favorite topic of mine; so, I'm going give my rendition of what I see in scripture regarding God's design for spiritual mankind and his original body. I will tell you now I happen to believe that Gen. one and two are two different phases of creation. Just saying. Genesis one reveals the creation of spiritual humanity (characteristics / male female). At this point God the Spirit gives humanity commands which establish their purpose, the purpose of their bodies, and even their abilities and functions. Be fruitful and multiply .... have dominion ... eat herbs which bear seeds and fruit found on trees ... Then the time came when God the Spirit stopped his works of creation. Gen. 1:2-3

AND THEN in Gen. 2:4 this was said - These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heaven. Did you notice the name change for God? It went from Elohiym to The LORD God. Well, I won't go into that but it is a mystery to many. Yet, it was The LORD who formed man's body. Lots of symbolism is used within chapter two and three. The LORD used the elements of creation called the ground and/or dust. He added a measure of life to that body he was preparing. It was described as a mist over the land. At that time every part of mankind's destined body was designed for a specific function so that when spiritual man entered it then it would be ready to function and experience the world. Example eyes that could see ... so forth. It was not until spiritual male female was added to that one body that humanity was called a soul. Gen. 2:7 To me that means not only eyes, but kidneys, nerve ending and the brain were all ready to be the conduit for man experiencing the world.

Yes, humanity experiences the world through our senses ... but it also is a way for us to have sentient contact with our Creator. Dreams, visions, opened eyed manifestations. It might be compared to an open window between a heavenly realm and our earthly realm.
 

Derf

Well-known member
I'm thinking that Jeremiah was the prophet whom God told to marry a prostitute, because that is how God said He felt in his relationship with rebellious Israel. But I have a fever of 104 right now, so I might be thinking clearly. It could be that both prophets fit the bill.

Jerehmiah was the prophet who was thrown into a well and Ezekiel was the one who laid on his side for 72 days. That much I can remember for certain! :LOL:🤒
Sorry about the fever. Take care of yourself.
 
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