Ehyeh
New member
Well, I came to this forum hoping to find an open discussion forum about theology:
During the registration process I noticed that, as I expect, many options could be chosen in response to the question of what my religion was.
However, having looked at the forums, I have been disappointed to discover that the topics seem to be centered entirely around the Christian faith.
Now, am I to understand that this forum is dedicated to the discussion of [modern] Christian dogma specifically? I was hoping to find a forum dedicated to the discussion of the nature of God and of man's various relations with God.
Please do not misunderstand me as I do not mean to offend; my intent is not to berate the Christian faith. I personally find [orthodox] Christian mythology and ritualism to represent the most beautiful, well-organized, and intriguing spiritual paradigm, but I was hoping to find an avenue for discussing theology at the comparative and contrastive level in order to illuminate meaningful truths for the sake of awakening actual God-consciousness.
Perhaps a bit of background would be helpful. My interest in theology began as a result of my professional studies in formal linguistics and the philosophy of language. Etymology is one of my favorite branches of linguistics- figuring out how a given culture in a given historical context related to a particular symbol based on that symbol's relation to a presently used symbol and the way that cultures relate to it- which means, of course, that I am also interested in semantics.
Ehyeh (Hebrew: I am) wondering if it is possible to discuss topics like this: "What is the semantic difference between the Hebrew 'Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh' and the Sanskrit 'So ham'?" Would I be better off on a forum about linguistics?
Finally I would like to leave you with this poem by Symeon the New Theologian.
Theology is the systematic and rational study of concepts of God and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university, seminary or school of divinity.
During the registration process I noticed that, as I expect, many options could be chosen in response to the question of what my religion was.
However, having looked at the forums, I have been disappointed to discover that the topics seem to be centered entirely around the Christian faith.
Now, am I to understand that this forum is dedicated to the discussion of [modern] Christian dogma specifically? I was hoping to find a forum dedicated to the discussion of the nature of God and of man's various relations with God.
Please do not misunderstand me as I do not mean to offend; my intent is not to berate the Christian faith. I personally find [orthodox] Christian mythology and ritualism to represent the most beautiful, well-organized, and intriguing spiritual paradigm, but I was hoping to find an avenue for discussing theology at the comparative and contrastive level in order to illuminate meaningful truths for the sake of awakening actual God-consciousness.
Perhaps a bit of background would be helpful. My interest in theology began as a result of my professional studies in formal linguistics and the philosophy of language. Etymology is one of my favorite branches of linguistics- figuring out how a given culture in a given historical context related to a particular symbol based on that symbol's relation to a presently used symbol and the way that cultures relate to it- which means, of course, that I am also interested in semantics.
Ehyeh (Hebrew: I am) wondering if it is possible to discuss topics like this: "What is the semantic difference between the Hebrew 'Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh' and the Sanskrit 'So ham'?" Would I be better off on a forum about linguistics?
Finally I would like to leave you with this poem by Symeon the New Theologian.
We awaken in Christ’s body
as Christ awakens our bodies,
and my poor hand is Christ, He enters
my foot, and is infinitely me.
I move my hand, and wonderfully
my hand becomes Christ, becomes all of Him
(for God is indivisibly
whole, seamless in His Godhood).
I move my foot, and at once
He appears like a flash of lightning.
Do my words seem blasphemous? — Then
open your heart to Him
and let yourself receive the one
who is opening to you so deeply.
For if we genuinely love Him,
we wake up inside Christ’s body
where all our body, all over,
every most hidden part of it,
is realized in joy as Him,
and He makes us, utterly, real,
and everything that is hurt, everything
that seemed to us dark, harsh, shameful,
maimed, ugly, irreparably
damaged, is in Him transformed
and recognized as whole, as lovely,
and radiant in His light
he awakens as the Beloved
in every last part of our body.