Atheists seem to direct their attacks at a straw man (or straw God) this is based upon the concept of a big man in the sky. Man of them literally have no concept of liberal theology and don't know that there are serious models of God that are proposed by theologians which are impersonal concepts. One of them major such ideas is called "process theology."
Process theology was invented by Alfred North Whitehead, the collaborator with Bertrand Russell for the work Principia Mathematicus which is probably the most intellectual and difficult to understand book ever written. There may be less than twelve people in the world who have read that book. It is a demonstration of the logical foundations of math. After the huge tome the reader is logically in a position to understand how it is that 1+1 = 2 is logically justified. Process theology has its roots in the Greek Pre Socrates, especially Platinus, also Hegel is a major forerunner. For process theologians God is di polar: consisting of the potential realm and the concresent realm. For process thought God is changing with creation, in the concrete pole. Here is the result of a Google search that shows the God of process is impersonal.
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God Personal, Impersonal, or None of the Above?" a sermon by ...
A popular theology amongst us is process theology, which expresses a c reative and ... The title of the sermon asks whether God is personal, impersonal, ...
www.uufairhaven.org/2005/Ser2005Feb6.htm - 16k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
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Survey of Theology 1. The Doctrine of God
First, we can say God is not the “impersonal” God of Aristotle or Spinoza: .... hard to find the God of the Old Testament in the God of Process Theology ...
www.stjohnadulted.org/The_01.htm - 94k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
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What Is Process Theology?
What Is Process Theology? by Robert B. Mellert .... It is the impersonal and unknowable side of God, the side not engaged in particulars. ...
www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=3040&C=2591 - 22k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
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Nature, Human Nature, and God - Google Books Result
by Ian G. Barbour - 2002 - Religion - 170 pages
Christianity and Process Theology Some features of God's relation to the world in process thought seem to represent the operation of an impersonal principle ...
books.google.com/books?isbn=0800634772...
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Mother God Goes to Children's Church: Feminist Theology for the ...
Thus, it is a sad trajectory to watch as feminist theologians continue in their respective journeys, speaking of God ultimately in impersonal terms such as ...
www.jesus-is-savior.com/Evils%20in%20America/Feminism/feminist_theology-mother_god.htm - 9k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
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ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY, WESLEYANISM, AND PROCESS THEOLOGY
For process theology, God simply makes the best out of every free ... First, the process stereotype of classical philosophy as static and impersonal ignores ...
wesley.nnu.edu/wesleyan_theology/theojrnl/11-15/15-09.htm - 65k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
by ML Peterson - Cited by 3 - Related articles
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Theology In Global Context: Essays In Honor Of Robert Cummings Neville - Google Books Result
by Robert C. Neville, Amos Yong, Peter Heltzel - 2004 - Religion - 408 pages
... naturalistic theism of Whitehead's process theology: Creativity and God. ... while Creativity, the formless impersonal ultimate is to be equated with ...
books.google.com/books?isbn=0567026906...
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JSTOR: Process Theology and the Public Square
A long-standing criticism of Whitehead's process theology has been that it is too aloof, impersonal, and speculative for it to be genuinely Chris- tian. ...
links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0034-6705(198921)51%3A2%3C305%3APTATPS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-G - Similar pages - Note this
by JF Burke - 1989
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NABT and Unsupervised Evolution - a story of Theology in Education
and Biology-Theology in our Public Schools. by Craig Rusbult, Ph.D. Is natural process unsupervised? Does "natural" mean "without God"? ...
www.asa3.org/asa/education/origins/nabt.htm - 17k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
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The Encyclopedia of Christianity - Google Books Result
by Erwin Fahlbusch, Geoffrey William Bromiley ... - 1999 - Christianity
Process theologians speak, instead, of God as the personal ultimate and of creativity as the impersonal ultimate. This more pluralistic view of ideas about ...
books.google.com/books?isbn=0802824161...
On a completely unrelated note, why is it that a google search for "venus ulcer disease" only turns up your webpages? And why doesn't WebMD.com have an entry for this alleged disease?
ReplyDeleteInteresting stuff. The Wikipedia entry looks good too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Process_theology
ReplyDeleteI've never read up on Process Theology, but I will.
If atheists are attempting to argue against all theism by attacking the "big man in the sky" concept, then I would agree that they are using it as a straw man, but not necessarily intentionally, this may be the only god they know.
Having not read anything yet, my first question, which I'm sure will be answered once I start reading about Process Theology is: how is an impersonal god discernible from a non-existent god?
Feel free to tell me to read up on process theology and shut up. ;-)
Anon I told the reader what hospital I went to for my legs. If you think I'm making it up you can call them and ask them.
ReplyDeletewound care center, Plano Presbyterian Hospital, Plano Texas, You could have seen that in the original blog spot. the guy's name is Dr. Scott.
Here's their phone number:
(972) 981-8658
Just as with my Ph.D. you wont call. all the loudmouths who claimed I was lying about being in graduate school, when I presented the phone number not one of them called.
Dr. Scott as him if Venus ulcer disease exits, and ak him to tell you all about it.
Make sure you are not spelling it wrong, as I probably am. it's the venus circulatory system not the mythological goddess.
Hey Mike, I hope you do read up on it. that would be great.
ReplyDeleteVenous Skin Ulcer - Topic Overview
ReplyDeleteThanks Mike. that's a good article. As you see I did misspell it. One thing the article left out is the weeping legs. The ouk that seeps out from the sores and the need to bandage the legs daily.
ReplyDeleteThe oder it mentioned is a problem sometimes. I have been asked to go home form work more than once becasue I stank, even when I took a shower just a couple of hours before.
"Hey Mike, I hope you do read up on it. that would be great."
ReplyDeleteI ordered Process Theology: A Basic Introduction by C. Robert Mesle
I probably have a hundred books lying around the house waiting for me to read them. I need to get cracking!
I'm a Google fiend, I can find something even if you misspell it. ;)
ReplyDeleteI have not read that book but it sounds like a good choice.
ReplyDeletewell hopefully by this time next year you will have one more book lying around with my name on the cover. WEll in a couple of years. Publishing is pretty slow.
Looking forward to it! That gives me time to catch up on the books I have. Plus, I'm looking at buying a house which means my mortgage payment would be 2.73 times what I pay for rent now. Ouch!
ReplyDeletethink twice man. My house was stolen by a mortgage company. Whatever you do do not let them slip in an escrow clause that allows them to pay the taxes. that's how they stole mine.
ReplyDeleteI can agree with panentheism, but this "process theology" seems to me to make God too much just a product of the universe rather than the Mind behind it. God as observer/comforter only, changed by human interaction rather than immutable, and unable to intervene or help, goes against what I have experienced of God personally and the nature of God as taught by Jesus (who most people will at least admit was a great teacher).
ReplyDeleteI have made all those criticisms myself Kristen. I am not into process theology, and that sort of concern is why. But don't judge it too quickly just from that one little thing. There are different types and different views within it. It's very complex.
ReplyDeleteI put that up because those moron Rasmussen who posted on the Alice Rose piece put up a big thing on his blog mocking me and saying how stupid I am. He said that becasue I said not all Christians beileve God is a big man in the sky. He said they do. I said process theology doesn't he said they do and that I don't know anything about it. I was going to psot that stuff on his site to show how idiotic he is, then I decided that's giving him the attention he wants.He's too stupid know when he's been disproved so why bother? I decided to take out of the picture and put the stuff up anyway.
That's interesting, Joe. Actually, I would say that the Christians who believe God is a "big man in the sky" are in the minority. As I said in earlier comments, Christians do relate to God as to a Father-- but that doesn't mean they don't also believe "God is Spirit," that God is "eternal, immortal, invisible," and "dwelling in unapproachable light." How we, in our limited natures, relate to God, is only a fraction of Who God is. I don't know any Christian personally, who would say God is a big man in the sky.
ReplyDeleteA big man in the sky is how Michaelangelo painted him-- but even Christians in his day, I believe, understood that this was a metaphor.
However, many Christians don't think deeply about their faith, and they certainly don't know how to answer the mockery of those who would turn their ideas of God into a "big straw man in the sky"! Your website and blogs are very helpful here-- and I'm sure process theology has interesting insights that can enrich my faith. I'm just going to do as I always try to do-- "test everything; hold fast to what is good."
I just read the post at Rasmussen's blog, and I don't think there is much hope for the two of you communicating. He's too caught up in his yelling Courtier's Reply, which I don't feel applies to faith and spirituality as it relates to religion. Some people experience something they call God, some people don't. As long as they aren't dogmatic and trying to force their beliefs on me, then I don't care what they believe.
ReplyDeleteI was, however, concerned, as I always am, by your ad hominem attacks, Joe. Yes, he made them too, and perhaps first, but, as the old saying goes, "two wrongs don't make a right". I was most concerned by this statement from you: "Atheism is the stupid man's response to religion. It's for non thinkers." I know you don't include me in that, but it's another awful generalization.
You might want to read my latest post: Christians are not stupid
I did respond on his post just now too.
Boy, Brent's an angry one. He ripped right into me. Maybe I should have shown my atheist badge at the door. ;-)
ReplyDeleteBoy, Brent's an angry one. He ripped right into me. Maybe I should have shown my atheist badge at the door. ;-)
ReplyDeleteahahah I thought about warning yuo that you are too nice. You gotta be mean with some of these guys.
he has all the ear marks of a clavnist bible college drop out.
Well, he responded to my response, and he's being cool now. He's frustrated with being nice, since it can backfire so often. I can relate. I'm sure you can too. :-)
ReplyDeletethat guy is a peice of shit. He can burn in hell. and you his stupip little couriers reply (always hear that with mocking whiney tone) is not an informaal fallacy. It means nothing more then the fact that he will not allow religoius people to have knowledge. the very thing itself was made up by a know nothing atheist who got tired to hearing theists say Dawkins knows nothing bout theology.
ReplyDeletewell he doesn't. but they cant' have that because they cannot allow religious people to know anything. so they just find a way to forbid religious people to have knowledge.
so the stuff I have in my head has turned to dung because he can entone this faggy little label that is not even recognized by logicians.
I agree that the Courtier's Reply is weak in that everyone could clearly see that the emperor did not have clothes. Everyone, on the other hand, has no idea what someone else perceives as God.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, Joe, you do yourself and Christ a discredit when you respond with such vitriol.
This is the Jews and Nazis. They are demanding that the knowledge I have worked a lifetime to achieve is just dung in my head and they don't even wnat to work for the privilege of saying it. they want to stipulate it without even knowing what it is they are comdeming to the ash heap.
ReplyDeleteI paid a dear price for the knowledge worked to earn. I have sacrificed and worked hard to learn what I have from theology. I will be mother fucking damned to hell if I let some know nothing anti-intellectual fart head take it away by just merely refusing acknowledge that it's worth anything!
All my life I have fought the nay sayers! those who would not allow me to know, those who would not allow the intellectuals to exist. those who would burn the books, I have been fighting since I was a small child. at church, at school, growing up in Texas I will not allow a bunch of fascists to make my knowledge away form me just because they have little scientific bull shit gimmick along with their fascism!
Every angry attack just gives the world more reason to say "See? Christians don't have any more will power than non-Christians" "See? Christians don't show any greater love than on-Christians."
ReplyDeleteyou can't reason with people who hate and despise you. MLK did not sit down with the KKK and try to achieve understanding. know why? they wanted to kill him.
ReplyDeleteDawkins and that kind of angry "new atheist" is nothing more than he KKK. I know there are those who are not like that. But that group is out to destroy religion and destroy religious people literally and utterly. they filled with hate they are nazis.
And yet Dawkins and Hitchens are civil in their debates, and so are those they debate with.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet Dawkins and Hitchens are civil in their debates, and so are those they debate with.
ReplyDeletewell get them over here to my blog. If I could debate them I would be nice to them too.
I'll see what I can do. ;-)
ReplyDelete