christianity

[timothy]

I would like to know when you guys think of god what or who do you see just asking cause i can only see white light

[Lynna]

You see white light...? When? when you're Praying? because Everything I see is in my head.

[FllMtl Novelist]

If you're asking about a mental image of God, I do have one. When I was maybe six I went to a wedding in this beautifully decorated church, and on the wall (or ceiling? I forget) was a painting of (for lack of better words) a regal man with gray hair and robes, holding... something, I forget what (long time ago XD) in his right hand.

It's kind of hard to describe well, but I think that's been my little mental image of God ever since, at least when I want to think of Him with a particular appearance.

Also, like Lynna I'm curious about you seeing white light. Could you elaborate?

[Beau Soir]

When I think of God, I picture a few different things, each one at a different time depending on the situation and prayer.

I picture the common artist's interpretation of Jesus (sometimes with a Mediterranean complexion as He would have had according to history) and that I'm actually talking to Him as I would to a friend beside me.

Sometimes I think of myself clothed in white in an endless white room, and that God is in all of that space.

And most recently, thanks to my best friend reminding me that I need to guard my heart, I think of this: I am like/my heart is a garden, and God is the gardener. "There are walls and a gate to get into you/your heart. Jesus is the only one that should be allowed into your garden." And Jesus should be the only one with a key to let any man in, in His time.
So in saying with that above, I picture Jesus always at work planting seeds and flowers of hope and of my future, and I'm a little child watching Him and talking to Him.

I am also curious about the white light... And that's neat, Fu. ^__^

[Lynna]

If you're asking about a mental image of God, I do have one. When I was maybe six I went to a wedding in this beautifully decorated church, and on the wall (or ceiling? I forget) was a painting of (for lack of better words) a regal man with gray hair and robes, holding... something, I forget what (long time ago XD) in his right hand.

It's kind of hard to describe well, but I think that's been my little mental image of God ever since, at least when I want to think of Him with a particular appearance.

Also, like Lynna I'm curious about you seeing white light. Could you elaborate?

Oh no, I don't see a white light. It was just that timothy said "all I see is white light" so I was interested.

I also picture myself in a beatiful garden. It has this lovely Cherry Tree in the middle and all the sakura are in full bloom. There's a really lovely deep blue stream flowing nearby. To get to our garden, I go through these golden gates that I stole from "The Magicians Nefew" by CSS Lewis. I always picture Jesus as just being an ordinairy guy, kind of young-ish (he was only 33 when he died) and with brown skin and hair. I can hear his voice inside my head...It's like that "Still small voice" that Elijah heard

[FllMtl Novelist]

Oh no, I don't see a white light. It was just that timothy said "all I see is white light" so I was interested.

I was addressing Timothy. I meant that you were curious, and I was, too.

[TopazRaven]

I feel like such a bad Christian. I wish I could see and hear the things you all do. When I talk to God I basically speak to him randomly like he's sitting next to me or something without imagining anything at all. Sometimes I think he must think me insane and become tired of my ramblings.

[Midori]

I feel like such a bad Christian. I wish I could see and hear the things you all do. When I talk to God I basically speak to him randomly like he's sitting next to me or something without imagining anything at all. Sometimes I think he must think me insane and become tired of my ramblings.

I doubt that's the case. What God wants is you yourself, not some formal front you put up when you're praying. Remember Jesus' parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector praying at the temple.

As for what I see when I imagine God, I have a lot of different pictures that symbolize God to me. One of them is indeed a bright white light, just like timothy imagines. Another is a deep darkness; not the dark of nothing, but a darkness containing all the intricacies of the universe invisible to the eye. It's hard to describe. Another image I have is of Jesus on the cross, experiencing intense pain even though he is God himself. Certain anime characters also come to mind who represent Jesus in some way to me.

None of these of course is really what God looks like because his appearance is unimaginable. But they are useful mental images that represent various things I feel about God.

[Lynna]

I feel like such a bad Christian. I wish I could see and hear the things you all do. When I talk to God I basically speak to him randomly like he's sitting next to me or something without imagining anything at all. Sometimes I think he must think me insane and become tired of my ramblings.

You're not bad! It doesn't matter what you see in your head, or if you see anything at all, as long as you're talking to him

[TopazRaven]

I doubt that's the case. What God wants is you yourself, not some formal front you put up when you're praying. Remember Jesus' parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector praying at the temple.

Well, that is definitly comforting then. Thank you.

Meanwhile, I guess I imagine God as a white light or looking something like Jesus when I do think about it. We shall never know until we die and go to meet him in heaven if he allows us to enter his kingdom, right?

[TopazRaven]

You're not bad! It doesn't matter what you see in your head, or if you see anything at all, as long as you're talking to him

That's what I thought. Thanks.

[FllMtl Novelist]

I feel like such a bad Christian. I wish I could see and hear the things you all do. When I talk to God I basically speak to him randomly like he's sitting next to me or something without imagining anything at all. Sometimes I think he must think me insane and become tired of my ramblings.

Actually, I think your mind wandering during prayer isn't that unusual.

Also, I tend to think I'm really bad at praying because my mind wanders, and like you, I often think God gets tired of my ramblings.

[Beau Soir]

Actually, I think your mind wandering during prayer isn't that unusual.

Also, I tend to think I'm really bad at praying because my mind wanders, and like you, I often think God gets tired of my ramblings.

I'm with you two also.


TopazRaven, every person's relationship with God is different. We all need Him for different reasons... So don't feel bad if the way you view God doesn't mirror other people's. ^__^ I think it's quite neat that we have several different answers in this thread. It would be boring if God was a "stock" God that's the same to everyone, what do you think? Also, Midori's response was absolutely right.

[Shao Feng-Li]

I dunno. Unfortunately, I often imagine the white guy with long brown hair. I try not to have an image of Him at all.

[Nate]

I'll be the first to admit that my idea of God is pretty different. I believe in a God with a long white beard, a gold crown, and a long robe with lots of shiny jewels on it. He sits on a big throne in the clouds, and He's about five hundred feet tall. He talks in a real deep voice like "I...AM...GOD!" He can blow up stuff just by looking at it.

This is my own, personal idea of God.

[Yuki-Anne]

I feel like such a bad Christian. I wish I could see and hear the things you all do. When I talk to God I basically speak to him randomly like he's sitting next to me or something without imagining anything at all. Sometimes I think he must think me insane and become tired of my ramblings.

I don't associate God with images so much as with feelings. For example, sometimes praying feels like getting a bear hug from Dad. Sometimes praying feels like going home. Sometimes praying feels like that sick feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you know you have to tell the truth about something you did, and you don't want to. And sometimes praying feels like nothing at all.

Kind of like heaven; I don't really have an image for heaven, but I really think heaven will feel like going home after being away for a very long time, and finding everything exactly the way you always remembered it. I like this idea more and more the more my family and home change from the way they were when I was growing up.

[rocklobster]

My favorite image of God comes from the psalms. I forget which one it is, but one of them says that being in God's presence is like that of a weaned child with its mother.

[Kunoichi]

I have to say for me, it depends. I am a little afraid that by "picturing" him, I may be idolizing? (I don't know). I do tend to imagine a woman holding me when I need to be comforted, a father being angry on my behalf. A friend sitting with me and laughing. Kind of a thought provoking question though.

[Beau Soir]

I'm not entirely understanding the fear of picturing God in one's mind... Could someone please elaborate?

[Midori]

I'm not entirely understanding the fear of picturing God in one's mind... Could someone please elaborate?

Part of it is the fear of beginning to treat the image of God as though it itself is God. If I recall, there are plenty of stories like this in the old testament, where some prophet or king makes a symbol of God and the Isrealites begin worshipping it instead of God. It's a real danger, but if you remain honest to yourself about who God really is, I think you should be safe.

Another aspect, I suppose, is the feeling like you're constricting God to fit in your own image of him, since God is infinite, and your mind is finite. I can understand this too. I still think that if you remain honest that God is indeed infinite and unimaginable, you should be safe. Opinions on this differ though, so I don't want to push anyone to believe something they don't want to.

[Furen]

Recently, while talking with my friends and leaders, I see this in a different way. When I think about God and heaven, I stop trying to picture God as I know he's too great for our minds to even slightly comprehend, so I end up trying to picture heaven (which I know again is unfathomable, but I don't see anything wrong with it)

[armeck]

I feel like such a bad Christian. I wish I could see and hear the things you all do. When I talk to God I basically speak to him randomly like he's sitting next to me or something without imagining anything at all. Sometimes I think he must think me insane and become tired of my ramblings.

that's a beautiful way to pray. God should be your friend. talking to him like He is your friend, is a great way to pray, that is how i pray, i don't have a mental image of God but i talk to Him all the time. God doesn't think your crazy... He made you the way you are and he loves it that way

[Mr. SmartyPants]

God is beyond all of my mental capabilities. Once I try to think of God, I've reduced God to my own constructs of my mind.

But regardless, I see God as personal for some reason.

[ABlipinTime]

I echo what timothy and Midori said (except that I don't think of anime characters as representing God):
There is white light, whether all around or from a point source, though it doesn't necessarily have to be coming from any particular direction.
Since I don't know what God would sound like if He spoke English, I mentally audibly hear Him (imagine; does that make sense?) as a whisper. Granted, the whisper is my own construct, but that doesn't mean the message is.

Visualizing Jesus, or some vague image of Him, on the cross is another way I think of God. It also is helpful in fighting temptation (only of course when it is accompanied by viewing Jesus as my beloved rather than some historical or distant figure).

God is always with us and present in a degree that perhaps Kunoichi feels. I don't know exactly what's going on there (I highly doubt it's idolatry). I don't actually think of God as an individual, invisible human standing beside me, but He is nevertheless looking over my shoulder so-to-speak, even as I type these words. Hopefully, you all feel the same way.

[Cardiche007]

The picture of God I have is that of Jesus enthroned upon a great throne in a many-columned hall; the pillars to the left and right like skyscrapers. The roof lost in dim obscurity above. Angels and saints bowing before Him. And above the throne, a mighty cloud that once shrouded the Tabernacle of the Israelites. I don't know where this throne is. Either Heaven or the New Jerusalem-to-come, I suppose.

[timothy]

i am very thankful for all your posts thanks to you all so much

[Sheol777]

I'll be the first to admit that my idea of God is pretty different. I believe in a God with a long white beard, a gold crown, and a long robe with lots of shiny jewels on it. He sits on a big throne in the clouds, and He's about five hundred feet tall. He talks in a real deep voice like "I...AM...GOD!" He can blow up stuff just by looking at it.

This is my own, personal idea of God.

You and Monty Python's.




My image of God is more like the Chick tracts...




...which upon reflection is actually pretty creepy.

[Paul]

Hi Timothy- I just wanted to throw in a note for you. I don't really see God when I pray. I'm like you, I just believe that he is there. Call me crazy, but many times I will sit down at the kitchen table and make two cups of coffee, one for him and one for me. I make sure there's a chair for Him and it is there that I often speak to Him and when I'm done, I really feel like I was in his presence. My wife often tells me that one day I'm going to do that and all the coffee in God's cup will dissapear. I told her if it does, I'm going to take it as a sign from God.

You keep right on praying the way you are. It's ok. So long as you are talking to him, that's the important part. I ramble too sometimes. The key is to pray, read His word, and seek His will for your life. I promise you, you will see God move on your behalf.

Paul.

[timothy]

Thank you i will and when that coffee does disapear let me know

[fermy6]

To me he has the image of a beautiful human...but he is sooo much larger and is wearing a white robe and just looks to me in compassion