God is the principle of a whole, the creator of the universe, the supreme being, the superior, an omnipresent deity who is everywhere omniscient and who knows everything. It is characterized by being an entity that possesses the supreme power of the entire universe. It is a deity that is not natural, this is due to its spiritual characteristics. He possesses infinite love, but he also acts as a blazing fire that consumes the gift of all praise.
What is God
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This term comes from the Latin Deus, which means brilliance, radiance, perfection and, in turn, this refers to the fact that the Father God is an eternal existence without beginning or end. It is a divine and perfect entity. The meaning of this term also refers to an entity of an incorporeal nature, that is, it does not have a body and, therefore, neither a face. Most images of God have been created by man according to his imagination, so there is no way to check that they have faces.
According to theology, the term refers to a deity who has supreme power, who does not belong to the earthly plane and who possesses a series of gifts or powers that make him highly superior to humanity. According to the different religions that exist throughout the world, he is considered the maker of the universe and God the father of everything.
Characteristics of God
In some religions, he is the creator of the universe. Some traditions maintain that he is conservative, while others believe that he is the sole creator. Some philosophers claim that it is the unconditional principle that explains the existence of everything. As for the monotheistic religions (Lowism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Krishnaism and Sikhism), it refers to the idea of a supreme, infinite, perfect being, creator of the universe, which would be the beginning and the end of all things.
It is defined as a non-personal supreme being. The idea is often mixed with the definition of truth, in which it is the sum of all truths. From this perspective, science is only one way to find it.
However, there are divergences in definition, either as a person or, rather, as an impersonal force or impulse. There are different ways in which it is understood that it would relate to the human being and the appearance it would have. Some argue that there is only one valid definition, while for others, it is possible that several definitions are possible at the same time.
An explanation can also be built from psychology, trying to establish what external reality corresponds to your mental recreation.
The Bible describes his appearance similar to that of a man. These cases should not be understood as exact descriptions of his appearance, but rather, the way in which he reveals himself to us, in order that it can be understood.
When talking about him, one can think of an old man with a beard, although it is not known for sure, many associate him with wisdom, and wisdom is reached at an advanced age, just as when observing Jesus his son, as he had a beard and most of the men of that time also, since possibly the father also had a beard.
On the other hand, emphasis is placed on his creations, which are very clear, the first was the creation of undifferentiated light; darkness and light separated into night and day, their order (before morning) meant that this was the liturgical day; and then the sun, moon and stars were created to mark the proper times for the festivals of the week and the year. Only when this is done does it create man and woman and the means to support them; plants and animals.
At the end of day six, when creation is completed, the world is a cosmic temple in which the role of humanity is completed, and emphasis is placed on phrases of God such as: "God's times are perfect", since from there the world begins to be world.
On the other hand, there are phrases of God such as the following: "GOD is love", the same Bible teaches this, and that "GOD is a consuming fire and exhorts us to take into account his goodness and severity" (Romans 11: 22). Love and anger are not contradictory attitudes. You love your children yourself, but you also get angry with them and punish them for their disobedience because of your love for them.
There are infinities of phrases and reflections of God and one of the greatest is the knowledge that blesses us every moment, and just by saying "God bless you", you are telling a world of things, because wanting the blessing to come is what Greater than a person can wish for another person, is to wish that the heavens open over his head and that from the throne where he is sitting, all kinds of good luck, rewards and gifts will be poured out on the person.
When blessing, you want peace, joy, and good health. Prosperity, well-being and happiness are desired. All the best is desired for the house, the family, the marriage, the home. When you choose to bless, it is done for the love of the Lord, and the greatest desire is that you also feel his love. It does not hurt to bless, on the contrary, it is a great joy to do so.
Attributes
The attributes of the gods can vary greatly depending on the religious tradition, but some are usually common (although not "universal"):
Works of god
Works of mercy are the actions that bring us closer to him by helping others. The church classifies works of mercy as corporal and spiritual.
Corporal works of mercy occur when the physical well-being of the other is sought:
- To feed the hungry.
- Give drink to the thirsty.
- Give inn to the pilgrim.
- Dress the naked.
- Visit the sick.
- Bury the deceased.
These are the spiritual works of mercy:
- Teach those who do not know.
- Give good advice to those who need it.
- Correct the one who is wrong.
- Forgive the one who offends us.
- Comfort the sad.
- Patiently suffer the defects of others.
- Pray for the living and the dead.
Works of mercy invite you to lead by example, and to identify with others.
Description of God
The idea presented by monotheistic religions has a series of peculiarities of considerable relevance, apart from the belief in the armor of God, which is a spiritual weapon of light. It is presented as a spiritual garment, not material, to prepare for battle and obtain victory against the traps of satan, so it is infinite, it has no limits.
It is omnipresent, that is, it is present everywhere; it is perfect, that is, it has everything that is valuable, good and desirable to an unlimited degree; it is eternal, that is to say, oblivious to the vicissitudes of time, it is outside it; he is omniscient, which means that he has knowledge of everything that has been, is and will pass; and, finally, it is immutable, that is, it never changes.
On the other hand, in other religions such as Hinduism and Greek mythology, the representation of more than one deity is taken into consideration. In Hinduism there are thousands of gods and each one has a particular description, however, three main divinities are taken: Brahma, Visnu and Siva, which are associated with the creation, conservation and destruction of the world.
Meanwhile, in Greek mythology, these possess different abilities (controlling the oceans, summoning the clouds, protecting the fields, etc.) and characteristics, the main one being Zeus. The Greeks attributed human traits and feelings to him.
Servant of God
This is that person who is willing to:
- Do what is asked.
- When you request it.
- Where you request it.
- It doesn't matter what you order.
This word is used in the different existing religions throughout history, to refer to the person considered especially devout in their faith or belief. In some religions of Protestant Christianity it is used to describe the main leader of a certain congregation. It is that individual who believes, practices and follows a particular religious order or entity, becoming the glory of God, who has honor, splendor, good reputation, in short it is a grace God.
By using this term to describe themselves, the apostles are expressing their absolute devotion and subjection to Christ, they are expressing their attitude of absolute obedience towards the child God, Jesus or Christ, whatever you want to name. It is this unconditional obedience that allows us to be effective servants.
Commandments of god
The Catholic religion emphasizes the ten commandments of God's law as a series of religious imperatives, and they are as follows:
- You will love God above all things.
- You will not take God's name in vain.
- You will sanctify the holidays.
- You will honor your father and mother.
- Thou shalt not kill.
- Thou shalt not commit impure acts.
- You will not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness or lie.
- He will not indulge impure thoughts or desires.
- You will not covet.
The Ten Commandments of God's law are based on the Old and New Testaments.
God according to the main religions
It is represented in a great variety of deities that, through the ages, have evolved depending on the religion that is followed, since each one perceives it differently. Here are some of them:
Judaism
The traditional or oral Jewish law, the interpretation of the law of the Torah, is called halacha. The spiritual leaders are called rabbis. The Jews rely on the praises of God in the synagogues. The most important book for Judaism is the Judaic Bible, also called the Tanakh.
Christianity
It began more than 2,000 years ago and currently has more than 2,200 million faithful throughout the world. Their faith is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, whom they believe the glory of God began when he sent his son to save humanity from hell. His faithful believe that his sacrifice on the cross, his death and his resurrection happened to give him eternal life and grant forgiveness to those who accept Jesus Christ as their savior.
Islamism
It has more than 1,600 million faithful and is a religion that began in Mecca in the 7th century. His followers believe that Allah is the only one and that his words were written in the holy book of the Quran. The Prophet Muhammad is one of the most important figures in the Muslim tradition, and the faithful of Islam believe that he was the supreme prophet.
Buddhism
It is another of the largest religions in the world, founded about 2,500 years ago in India and currently has more than 480 million faithful throughout the world. It is based on the teachings of the Buddha and its beliefs include non-violence, moral purity and ethical behavior. Meditation and karma are fundamental in the daily life of Buddhists.
Hinduism
It has more than 1,050 million faithful, the majority residing in South Asian countries such as India, Indonesia or Nepal. Many of its practices have also become very popular in the West in recent years, such as yoga. There are three Hindu divinities (Brahma, Visnu and Siva) associated with the preservation, destruction of the world and creation.
Other deities
A deity is a being to whom the conditions of a divinity of a religion are attributed, here are some:
Greek gods
The Greek civilization was one of the most important in ancient times. It is noteworthy that Greek mythology is formed and has endless myths and legends.
Greek mythology is quite complex, full of curious gods, monsters, wars, and gods. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, and Artemis are always considered Olympian gods. Hestia, Demeter, Dionysus, Hades, Persephone, Hebe, Asclepius, Eros, Pan and Heracles, after being deified, are the gods to complete the dozen.
Contact with the great myths of classical antiquity is as essential to the culture of a modern person as is knowledge of history or the physical sciences. This mythology bears a close similarity to the Roman one, in terms of the names of various gods and important personalities.
Egyptian gods
The Egyptian gods are so many and adopt so many representations that it is difficult to identify which one it is.
- Amun "The Hidden One": Amun was the most versatile and well-known deity, the king of the gods. It was said that it could not be seen by anyone, mortals or gods.
- Ra: he was one of the most important gods for the Egyptians as he is the one who gives light every day.
- Isis: she was the Queen of the goddesses, the great recovering mother goddess and embalmer of the body of Osiris.
- Osiris: husband of Isis, he was considered a direct ancestor of royalty.
- Horus: When the cult of Osiris became important, Horus became the son of Osiris. Osiris, Isis, and Horus were the most important triad of gods.
Aztec gods
They were supreme entities that governed the worldview of the Mexican world and were in charge of maintaining balance. There is a dominant cult over the other Aztec gods, that of their god the sun and war, the Aztec god of death Huitzilopochtli, people chosen by the Sun, in charge of guaranteeing his journey through the sky, feeding him. The myth of the creation of the Aztec world expands this idea.
Mayan gods
Many of the other gods and goddesses of the Mayan pantheon govern aspects of nature and human life that are easily identifiable, which they worshiped through the God songs of death, fertility, rain and electrical storms, the electrical outlets and creation.
Some of them:
- Chaac: God of lightning and rain
- Pawahtún: Charger of the Cosmos
- Ixchel: goddess of love
- Kauil: god of fire
- Ek Chuah: god of cocoa
In the Yucatan Peninsula, an area plagued by droughts, is where this god is most venerated.
Mayan mythology illustrates this deity in two ways. Within the Mayan culture, the tortoise shell is a symbol of strength and protection, since it was in one of them that the Sun and the Moon hid during the destruction of the world.
This deity is the wife of the God of wisdom and is associated with multiple actions in addition to love.
The rituals to this god continue today based on bonfires in which the participants, after having interacted with the fire of these, come out renewed.
A God provided with two specific capacities by the Mayan culture.
Nordic gods
These were deadly, and only through the apples of Iðunn could they hope to live until Ragnarök.
The Nordic peoples worshiped two kinds of gods, one of them and the main one is that of the Æsir. Among these, we can highlight Thor, of thunder, with iron gloves, his famous hammer, Mjolnir, and owner of a magic belt; also that of strength and very close to Odin in hierarchy. Balder, son of Odin, the one of beauty and intelligence. Tyr, the one with courage; he sacrificed his hand so that the rest could bind the great wolf Fenrir.
Bragi, the one of wisdom and eloquence. Heimdall, son of nine maidens and guardian of the gods; it sleeps less than a bird, and the sound of its horn can be heard anywhere in the sky or on earth.
Höðr, known as the mysterious blind God who murdered his brother Balder with a mistletoe dart, the only plant that could hurt him, like his mother when Balder was born, he made every living or inert being promise not to harm his son, but he forgot about a small plant, the mistletoe.
Loki, tired of Balder's ego and invulnerability, gave his blind brother a dart made of mistletoe that would assassinate his brother. Odin punished Loki by tying him to three stones and causing a snake to spit poison on his face from time to time, inflicting terrible pain on him and disfiguring his face.
