Greetings
Ed,
Re: >Re: What does ID mean?
Brian D Harper (bharper@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu)
Fri, 17 Apr 1998 21:16:51 -0400
Ed's:
>Brian is repulsed by "God the Designer", "God the Engineer", etc.
>
>But Brian, does He call himself "God the Maker", "God the Creator",
>"God the Judge" (Yech!)?
>
>Of course, I would also hate "God the Judge" if by that I liken God to
>human judges ..................
>
Well, if the only thing we knew about God was that he
was righteous and just then I'm afraid this would
not be a pretty picture. Speaking for myself only,
of course, I would say there would be no hope with
such a God.
[Don't follow you here (?)]
Anyway, apparently you were offended by what I
wrote. For this I apologize. I thought I had made
it clear enough that I was giving my own opinions.
You are welcome to yours, hopefully you will grant
me the same priveledge.
But please be careful when you quote me. I did not
say I was offended by God the Designer but rather
by the image that comes to my mind from the God
of the argument from design. It all depends on
what is meant by design, as has been discussed in
great detail lately.
[You said you were repulsed if I remember correctly, but, at any rate,
the point is that "King" and "Judge" and many others would also be
repulsing if what we picture is a God with human attributes.]
Now to your assertion above. I'm not a bible
scholar or a theologian, but it was my impression
that while many names may be used to describe
God in the Bible, the name that God uses to
describe himself is YAHWEH, "I AM". When Moses
asked God who he should tell the Israelites sent
him, God did not say "God the Pyramid Engineer"
or "God the Canal Architect" but rather
"I AM THAT I AM". How would you interpret
this name? My interpretation is that God is
not reducible to the names that we might use
to describe him. He is who he is. In modern
lingo we might say he's irreducibly complex.
[You're right, "I AM" is His name "original" but He was called many
other names.........]
IMHO when we say "God the Engineer" we describe
him in terms of things made by human hands.
[The bible is replete with anthophormisms.......]
Maybe only a small step from idolatry. Again,
no offense intended. These are my opinions, but
I like to be direct.
[I can only say that it is ok. to say, biblical, that God guard us
"with His wings", even though we know He is a Spirit and has no
wings....]
This reminds of something Pascal wrote in his
"Memorial":
"'God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob,'
not of philosophers and scholars"
Again, speaking of my humble opinions, the God
of the design argument is the God of philosophers
and scholars.
[Whatever you mean to say with that, I don't have a clear clue, but I
would be interested in knowing what Van Till et al. think of it]
Brian Harper
Next in thread: William B. Provine: "Re: What does ID mean?"
No offense taken Brian,
Greetings
Ed,
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