Divine Flaws

Type :

Term papers

Pages :

3 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

05/07/2007

Category :

Philosophy & literature

Sub category :

Humanities/philosophy

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Summary :

Introduction
Clear evidence that God feared the increasing power of ambitious men
God's vulnerability: Evident due to his fear of humans' worshipping a different deity
Tension in the assertion that God is vulnerable
Suggestions that God showed some concern for his potential vulnerability
A flawed God in a monotheistic religion
Conclusion

Abstract

The question of whether gods are capable of being flawed has long preoccupied theologists and philosophers alike. The mythological deities of the ancient Greek pantheon possessed a myriad of humanistic attributes, including a wide range of notable character flaws; Zeus, of course, was infamous for his sexual hedonism just as Helena was continually characterized in ancient myths by her jealousy and bitterness. But when a culture is based on a single deity that has control of absolutely everything in the universe, such as in modern days, it is common belief that God is both omnipotent and flawless-in fact, such monotheistic religions are largely predicated upon the notion that God must be flawless in order to maintain universal order and exert His sovereignty over man. But divine texts, in many cases, fail to substantiate this widely accepted claim. Analysis of Holy Scriptures such as the Bible yield evidence that God actually can be flawed; in fact, particular passages from Genesis and Exodus not only insinuate that God is not omnipotent, but that he is actually a entity characterized by vulnerability. This largely unacknowledged vulnerability shifts the religious paradigm significantly, suggesting the existence of a system not only in which man fears God, but in which God fears man as well.