A Rose by Any Other Name

A number of you were interested in this question.

What do we mean when we say “God”? Who is God?

Here are some possibilities:

1.

a. The Merciful,

b. The Source of Peace

c. The Protector

d. The King, The One with the complete Dominion

e. The Great Forgiver

2.

a. Defender against Evil

b. Fate, Destiny

c. Seasons, Law, Good Order, Peace

d. Beauty, Adornment, Dancing

3.

a. Master

b. Creator

c. Resurrection and Life

d. Judge of the Living and the Dead

The groups above are from different religious traditions. Maybe you guessed that already. Maybe not.

The links below show where I got these names of God from. A challenge: maybe seeing the names of the links, you’ll be able to tell which tradition each group (above) comes from. Maybe not. Maybe you can learn something about God from these names-for-God. Maybe you can’t.

Are these different faith traditions talking about the same divine spirit? About something completely different from each other?

Pantheon of Greek Gods

100 Biblical Names for Jesus / Names_and_titles_of_Jesus_in_the_New_Testament

99 Attributes of Allah

A Procedure for Love

In our culture, we might start to think we can find a rule for every situation. The way we approach our legal system (are we a "litigious culture"?) and the way Quakers habitually approach problems of "process" have something in common.

But there are situations we can't cover with a pre-set plan and procedure. Rules come with loopholes to exploit, and there are always ways to break rules in secret.

There are people who seem to approach every problem with the question, "how can we make a procedure that permanently solves this problem?"

Among Quakers, we try to connect our souls and hearts with the divine... with Love, with God.

Do we let procedure take over the role of human care, human connection, as a way to solve problems? Do we think we can make a pre-planned process that'll accomplish what love can accomplish?

We can make habits that bring us closer to God, but there isn't a rule that'll make people have love in their hearts.

Deep Life in our Hearts

deep life in our hearts

the things that go beyond words

friendship and community

being who we are

sticking to our word

the things that are forever

is that what the spirit of love is?