While Paul was proclaiming the gospel message, he utilized pagan poets and even pagan gods to emphasize his message. He says that to the weak, he became weak, to those outside the law, he became like one outside the law etc. 1 Corinthians 9. He, just like Jesus was able to relate to people on their level rather than talking down to them, or talking to them in such a way as to leave them either confused, or oblivious to what they were talking about.
Over and over, I have had Christian evangelists waltz up to me and ask, "Are you washed in the blood"? They might as well belong to some esoteric club that doesn't care what you believe or know as long as you just nod your head in agreement.
I would like to provide an example of what I'm talking about when it comes to spreading the gospel message to atheists. The atheist doesn't just need evidence, they need a logical argument that doesn't require much imagination. However, imagination is not an obstacle either. Plenty of old school atheists have used fiction, allegory etc. to drive their point home, e.g. Nietzsche's Madman, etc. One needn't belabor the point except to point out that eternal truths are eternal truths whether the context be history, mythology or fiction. Jesus claimed that the truth would set us free, not history. In other words, the atheist is free to believe the bible is a work of fiction, a collection of myths, etc. as none of this will change the essential truth of the gospel message.
Since we're using the bible, let's begin with God's name in the Old Testament. The name is revealed to Moses on Mt. Sinai, and is commonly translated as "I will be what I will be" The first thing that needs to be pointed out is that name indicates potential, and potential doesn't actually exist. Then we should note that this is not God, but God's name. God's name represents God, but a representation or representative is not who or what they represent. So while the representative exists, what or who they represent doesn't necessarily exist at all. This is especially the case with the biblical God.
The bible provides us with a commandment prohibiting one from worshipping whatever our imaginations can come up with to represent God. The biblical authors point out that our feeble imaginations could never come close to representing God. They also point out that God cannot exist in the objective created world. God is not a created object, and any and all objects that do exist can't be compared to God. Nothing can be compared to God. By definition, nothing doesn't exist. Just a coincidence?
In 1. Corinthians 8:6, Paul elaborates on the Shema (e.g. "Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is One"). He points out that God is the origin or all that is created while Christ is the means by which everything comes into existence. Existence is eternal. This is not just a given, and to object is to invite contradiction, e.g. "existence doesn't exist", "nothing exists". The latter example is not only a contradiction, but it can never be proven.
Christ points out that he is has his origin in the Father, and Paul affirms this in 1 Cor.8:6. The origin of existence logically cannot exist without creating an infinite regression. Conceptually, we can't have something without nothing as a counterweight. This is due to our dualistic thinking. Even so, by definition, nothing doesn't exist. Likewise, the origin of existence or being cannot exist either. There is just the term, or as John says, "The word". John never says, "in the beginning was god" because there is no beginning to existence or non-existence. He never says, "and God was the word" either because God isn't anything. Instead he points out that the word is God, or manifests God, or reveals God. What exactly is he revealing?
Paul continues along this line of reasoning when he refers to Christ as "the image (Greek "eikon") of the invisible god" Paul doesn't use the word "idol" because idols are worshipped as if they were gods. Icons are representations or representatives, and representatives are not who they represent. In this case, he represents an incomprehensible, unimaginable, transcendence.
Omniscience is commonly associated with God, and Paul affirms this when he points out or rather corrects himself, "we know God, or RATHER are known of him...etc." Omniscience, strictly speaking refers exclusively to the faculty without regard for a knower or whatever can be known. It is impossible for omniscience to be known, and it stands to reason that a knower of omniscience cannot be known either.
Like omniscience, omnipotence is also associated with this term. The word comes from omnia + potenze or all + potent, and what is potent is completely full, or all potential, and again potential doesn't actually exist. A synonym would be inexhaustible which some might think of an endless supply, but it can also mean a clogged tailpipe.
Jesus begins his message by pointing out the necessity to "deny yourself", and this is illustrated by the crucifixion. His self denial/self sacrifice is something he sees the father doing. We know this because we are told that he only does what he sees the father doing. The father empties himself into Christ, and Christ empties himself of his divinity (Philippians 2:6,7), his humanity, his dignity to the extent of being crucified on a cross. In the end, there isn't even a body to be found in the tomb. What's inside? Nothing, and nothing doesn't exist.
Is this the end of the story? Not by a long shot because Jesus says that "apart from me you can do nothing". Well his followers continued to do things. He pointed out that whatever you do to others, you do to him. How does that work? It works because when Jesus says that he is "The way, the truth and the life", he isn't saying that the person they are observing is all of those things, he's pointing that when one denies themselves as he has just done, there is nothing left, but Christ. There is nothing left but the way, which is the only true way, which is life (Itself). By conveying that message to his followers, he can then point out that they are the light of the world, and as soon as they begin to die to this world, they begin to see the risen Christ in their midst. They see him in the gardeners at the tomb. They see him in the stranger they have just made their companion on the way to Emmaus. They see him in each other in a room they have all locked themselves into.
He has denied himself, or his persona. He has cast aside his personal identity to reveal the image of God, an image whose origin is incomprehensible, ineffable, and transcends everything including existence itself.
Jesus says he is "the way', "the doorWAY", "the gateWAY", and he does this by making himself transparent. He then invites us to look through him rather than at him. If we look at him, we will assume that he is God, but we're still just looking at his persona which he denies and asks us to deny as well. A persona is defined as "a mask; what is presented to the world". Jesus is presented to the world, but he removes the mask to reveal God's image. Again, an image is not what it represents.
(306) Down by Law - window scene - YouTube
Over and over, I have had Christian evangelists waltz up to me and ask, "Are you washed in the blood"? They might as well belong to some esoteric club that doesn't care what you believe or know as long as you just nod your head in agreement.
I would like to provide an example of what I'm talking about when it comes to spreading the gospel message to atheists. The atheist doesn't just need evidence, they need a logical argument that doesn't require much imagination. However, imagination is not an obstacle either. Plenty of old school atheists have used fiction, allegory etc. to drive their point home, e.g. Nietzsche's Madman, etc. One needn't belabor the point except to point out that eternal truths are eternal truths whether the context be history, mythology or fiction. Jesus claimed that the truth would set us free, not history. In other words, the atheist is free to believe the bible is a work of fiction, a collection of myths, etc. as none of this will change the essential truth of the gospel message.
Since we're using the bible, let's begin with God's name in the Old Testament. The name is revealed to Moses on Mt. Sinai, and is commonly translated as "I will be what I will be" The first thing that needs to be pointed out is that name indicates potential, and potential doesn't actually exist. Then we should note that this is not God, but God's name. God's name represents God, but a representation or representative is not who or what they represent. So while the representative exists, what or who they represent doesn't necessarily exist at all. This is especially the case with the biblical God.
The bible provides us with a commandment prohibiting one from worshipping whatever our imaginations can come up with to represent God. The biblical authors point out that our feeble imaginations could never come close to representing God. They also point out that God cannot exist in the objective created world. God is not a created object, and any and all objects that do exist can't be compared to God. Nothing can be compared to God. By definition, nothing doesn't exist. Just a coincidence?
In 1. Corinthians 8:6, Paul elaborates on the Shema (e.g. "Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is One"). He points out that God is the origin or all that is created while Christ is the means by which everything comes into existence. Existence is eternal. This is not just a given, and to object is to invite contradiction, e.g. "existence doesn't exist", "nothing exists". The latter example is not only a contradiction, but it can never be proven.
Christ points out that he is has his origin in the Father, and Paul affirms this in 1 Cor.8:6. The origin of existence logically cannot exist without creating an infinite regression. Conceptually, we can't have something without nothing as a counterweight. This is due to our dualistic thinking. Even so, by definition, nothing doesn't exist. Likewise, the origin of existence or being cannot exist either. There is just the term, or as John says, "The word". John never says, "in the beginning was god" because there is no beginning to existence or non-existence. He never says, "and God was the word" either because God isn't anything. Instead he points out that the word is God, or manifests God, or reveals God. What exactly is he revealing?
Paul continues along this line of reasoning when he refers to Christ as "the image (Greek "eikon") of the invisible god" Paul doesn't use the word "idol" because idols are worshipped as if they were gods. Icons are representations or representatives, and representatives are not who they represent. In this case, he represents an incomprehensible, unimaginable, transcendence.
Omniscience is commonly associated with God, and Paul affirms this when he points out or rather corrects himself, "we know God, or RATHER are known of him...etc." Omniscience, strictly speaking refers exclusively to the faculty without regard for a knower or whatever can be known. It is impossible for omniscience to be known, and it stands to reason that a knower of omniscience cannot be known either.
Like omniscience, omnipotence is also associated with this term. The word comes from omnia + potenze or all + potent, and what is potent is completely full, or all potential, and again potential doesn't actually exist. A synonym would be inexhaustible which some might think of an endless supply, but it can also mean a clogged tailpipe.
Jesus begins his message by pointing out the necessity to "deny yourself", and this is illustrated by the crucifixion. His self denial/self sacrifice is something he sees the father doing. We know this because we are told that he only does what he sees the father doing. The father empties himself into Christ, and Christ empties himself of his divinity (Philippians 2:6,7), his humanity, his dignity to the extent of being crucified on a cross. In the end, there isn't even a body to be found in the tomb. What's inside? Nothing, and nothing doesn't exist.
Is this the end of the story? Not by a long shot because Jesus says that "apart from me you can do nothing". Well his followers continued to do things. He pointed out that whatever you do to others, you do to him. How does that work? It works because when Jesus says that he is "The way, the truth and the life", he isn't saying that the person they are observing is all of those things, he's pointing that when one denies themselves as he has just done, there is nothing left, but Christ. There is nothing left but the way, which is the only true way, which is life (Itself). By conveying that message to his followers, he can then point out that they are the light of the world, and as soon as they begin to die to this world, they begin to see the risen Christ in their midst. They see him in the gardeners at the tomb. They see him in the stranger they have just made their companion on the way to Emmaus. They see him in each other in a room they have all locked themselves into.
He has denied himself, or his persona. He has cast aside his personal identity to reveal the image of God, an image whose origin is incomprehensible, ineffable, and transcends everything including existence itself.
Jesus says he is "the way', "the doorWAY", "the gateWAY", and he does this by making himself transparent. He then invites us to look through him rather than at him. If we look at him, we will assume that he is God, but we're still just looking at his persona which he denies and asks us to deny as well. A persona is defined as "a mask; what is presented to the world". Jesus is presented to the world, but he removes the mask to reveal God's image. Again, an image is not what it represents.
(306) Down by Law - window scene - YouTube