God Is Love

[Aloysius]

For those maniac muslims that seem to be in a bit of a forum-exchange program with us...

Christian theology operates on the basis that God is love. Not that it is merely an attribute of His, but that it is what He is. would Muslims agree or disagree with this?

(I'm going somewhere with this, just want to ask this question first and see if I get any takers)

[Resurrexi]

ὁ Θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν

[Apotheoun]

Muslims believe that love is one of allah's attributes, for he is described in the Quran as: "full of mercy and loving-kindness" (Quran 11:90, see also 85:14). But - although they hold that all of allah's attributes are real - they do not normally identify his attributes with his being itself.

[OraProMe]

God is love, except in the Old Testament where he's into drowning people and having them stoned.

[OraProMe]

God is love, except in the Old Testament where he's into drowning people and having them stoned.

[Apotheoun]

Clearly you had nothing constructive to contribute to this thread, so you said something stupid, and you said it twice.

[Pomak]

[quote]
Christian theology operates on the basis that God is love. Not that itis merely an attribute of His, but that it is what He is. would Muslimsagree or disagree with this?[/quote]

I am not going to speak for everyone, but I would not agree. Saying that God is love and nothing else means that you are constricting him to a man made term. Case and point that there are several Arabic words for love.

[Apotheoun]

Al-Ghazali, who was an Attributist, in his treatise [i]On the Divine Predicates[/i] speaks of allah's attributes as being - for lack of a better word - [i]superadded[/i] to his essence.

[Varg]

[quote name='Apotheoun' date='11 December 2009 - 09:03 AM' timestamp='1260540226' post='2018337']
Clearly you had nothing constructive to contribute to this thread, so you said something stupid, and you said it twice.
[/quote]
1. Why is it stupid?
2. Posting something twice wasn't his fault, taking advantage of it and using it against him instead of giving an actual arguement is puerile.

[HisChildForever]

[Guest Suleiman]

I believe that His Being is His very essence. The names or attributes are relations to the universe and not true existents.

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='Suleiman' date='11 December 2009 - 09:59 AM' timestamp='1260550744' post='2018432']
I believe that His Being is His very essence. The names or attributes are relations to the universe and not true existents.
[/quote]
The Mu'tazilites would agree.

[OraProMe]

[quote name='Apotheoun' date='11 December 2009 - 09:03 AM' timestamp='1260540226' post='2018337']
Clearly you had nothing constructive to contribute to this thread, so you said something stupid, and you said it twice.
[/quote]

Does God not call for the execution of people in the Old Testament? The psalm from a recent LOTH reading describes him as "God of Terror". Is the bible not divinely inspired? Does God not reveal himself through scripture which says "I, your God, am a vengeful God"? Did not the Holy Spirit inspire the biblical authors to write about a God that drowns all humanity in a flood for their sins? I'm being honest, these are things found in a book you believe to be free from error and the method through which God reveals himself to his creation. I am wondering how what God has revealed of himself through the Old Testament can be squared with John writing "God is love". Not being able to understand these two polar opposite notions of God found in the bible is a key problem I have with Catholic Doctrine.

It's okay though, Apo. I know it's much easier to turn to petty insults than address someone's valid point. Putting that degree of yours to good use I see.

Edited December 12, 2009 by OraProMe

[Mark of the Cross]

[quote name='Apotheoun' date='12 December 2009 - 01:03 AM' timestamp='1260540226' post='2018337']
Clearly you had nothing constructive to contribute to this thread, so you said something stupid, and you said it twice.
[/quote]
Why only make yourself look half stupid when you can do it fully?

[Pomak]

[quote name='Suleiman' date='12 December 2009 - 03:59 AM' timestamp='1260550744' post='2018432']
I believe that His Being is His very essence. The names or attributes are relations to the universe and not true existents.
[/quote]
Can you explain this a bit more, preferably with technical terms because I am not getting you.

[Aloysius]

ahh, well then. last conversation I had with a Muslim accepted this premise, my whole point was contingent upon that premise haha. ah well, we disagree here then; for Christians, God is Love and Love is God.

[Era Might]

The phrase "God is Love" is a Trinitarian expression. God is an eternal communion of love between three divine persons.

[Aloysius]

, and had they accepted that expression I would have pushed the Trinitarian point, as I did once when Ayed was on phatmass which produced a very interesting discussion IMHO.