Posted by Cygnus [Cygnus] on March 26, 1999 at 23:17:34 {L4bdfUTIaI22j.gCSXQsMWndFQNCHpWZ.}:
In Reply to: The Nature of the Divine posted by AveMaria on March 26, 1999 at 20:55:14:
Hi Chris,
Tough subject, many opinions exist I'm sure, but probably not too many will be voiced. This forum doesn't necessarily lend itself to discussions of that particular nature (awfully general and not very focused to JW organizational reform).
The "JW definition of God" necessitates, I believe, an understanding of what JWs understand the "divine nature" to be. Immortality to JWs means that a being has life within itself, it is not merely undying, but it has no need for any outside assistance whatsoever to continue its existence. God is like that, the resurrected Jesus is like that, and the 144,000 will be like that. "God is a Spirit" and "he (Jesus) was made a life-giving spirit" so JWs believe that God, Christ, and the Elect will have "bodies of spirit." JWs believe the Bible speaks of such immaterial "bodies." God of course being unique in that only he is indefinite, timeless (which of course raises questions about any sort of "beginnings" or just what constitutes God's substance).
JWs have a fuzzy notion about God being transcendent, but usually speak of him existing "somewhere." It helps takes the mystery out of him (what can be
omnipresent/everywhere all the time?). Of course we know that God is not "up there" or even "out there," but I think JWs generally don't allow themselves to get too confused over the logistics of locating God; rather, they are satisfied
that the Bible asserts he exists.