god=the universe

Originally posted by EcstremeVenom
if god is omnipresent, could one not make a literal interpretation of the bible and say that god is just the universe? it would also explain how he is "eternal" since for all we know, the universe may very well be eternal (or the w/e it was before the big bang; if there was anything).

This sort of argument is merely an exercise in semantics. If 'god' and the 'universe' are exactly the same in every way then what is the point of calling the universe god? Can this god/universe amalgamation do anything that the the plain old universe can't do? If not, then it really is just the universe. If so, then god and the universe are not the same thing. You're making the definition of 'god' so broad as to make the term meaningless. If no new information is being conveyed upon the universe by calling it god, then it is a completely superfluous exercise.

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Yes, agreed. Christian theology--which requires a leap of faith in rational beings if it is to be believed--does indeed teach this.
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I have heard a lot about "leap of faith". The question really is once the "leap" is made is there anyone there to catch you? I say yes. That is the difference.

Man's faith is only one side of the issue. God's faithfulness is the other side. The leap, if you insist on calling it that, is not into oblivion. It is a leap into a real Person's hand who is there faithfully to catch you.

I prefer to say a "step" rather than a "leap". It may be like stepping off of the curb rather than leaping off of a cliff.

Anyway, we can see throughout the history told in the Bible that many times the seekers for God took a step or a leap. But was faithfully there to catch them.

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Whether it is taught and whether one may believe such teachings, however, are separate issues from each other and from the point I made in my post.
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Maybe so. I don't remember the point.

Anyway the entire matter of grasping the truth is not man's faith alone. It is man's faith on one side and God's faithfulness on the other side. The two meet.

It is not using one's strong will to will something into belief though it is not real. It is breaking away from unbelief and meeting the trustworthy and faithful God.

Originally posted by ivanhoe
There is no Christian mythology.

Whats the bible then?