Well thats if one is not interested in biblical interpitations. In my view, the biblical God's Image is best defined by the bible. And to my best understanding, his image is a spirit, which in humans, is consciousness. Now in consciousness, we can imagine things to be anything. Human imagination is not limited as much as reality is. In that sense, its whatever you want and perceive it to be. Yet, we can only be conscious of- those things we are conscious of. One can be conscious of nonsense, and give their perception of it an endless reign or reach. That nonsense will pick up steam if it is not counteracted with sensical things. And the two could blend together with no discernable boundrys. Which creates the thin line between perception and reality. The two mixed together can be a nuclear addmix.

Thats why I think there has to be more to this theory of evolution which is so attractive to many; more than mere matter, chance and survival. Something must be added from outside of this closed system to account for something as different as consciousness. The intellectual life of man, his culture and history, religion and science, is different from anythingelse we know of in the universe. That is fact. I do not accept evolution, but even if I did, its as if all life evolved to a certain point, and then in ourselves turned at a dramatic right angle, and simply exploded in a different direction.

And I think God giving consciousness to humans, is what did it.

What is the point of believing something? You either know it or you don't. How do you know anything about heaven? What is the basis of how you are forming your beliefs? If the methods are not epistemically sound then your belief system is based more on wishful thinking.

How is it that a human being, who is -- according to himself -- intelligent, can say "I am not an animal. I am superior to animals."?

I must sleep. I defecate, urinate, sweat, spit. I am driven by sex. I am controlled by an innate need for the society of others of my kind. I must eat. I die, and am terrified of death. I kill others. I am filled with lust and greed. I cannot see past the end of my nose.

And yet I say "I am no animal."

For as long as man continues in this arrogance, he will never become one with God. Mohandas K. Gandhi said that "No man can attain to spiritual enlightenment until he has first become more humble than the dust beneath his sandals."

I form my beliefs mainly from my own consciousness; from the bible; and archaeology; and science; and history; and a dictionary. The bible is slap full of information on heaven. Listen, if many people here can key into whatever things they find spirituality in, and learn and grow from it, why is it such a strange thing that you wonder where I get mine from?

You then ask what is the point of believing something? Has it not been said that if you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything. We can live without food about a month, without water about a week. How long could humanity live without believing in something?

A fatal error in reasoning is to assume that just because you don't know something, well then no onelse knows it either. You cannot define the soundness of anothers belief, only your own. I understand that there are many things we simply do not know. Lightning strikes men 7 times more than it strikes women. Why, I don't know. How a black cow, can eat green grass and give white milk, I simply don't know.

But what I know, I know that I know. I know that unless our food is mixed with our saliva, we can't taste it. If someone wants to go on a crusade to prove that is wrong, well then fine. Those who understand and know it to be true, simply know it.

So it is with the things of God.

Well I certainly disagree with this. God made humans superior to animals, yet many still believe that we are continous with the idiot hierarchies of speechless apes. We are not animals, we hold consciousness. We are made in the image of God, animals are not. We can " See into the consciousness of others, animals cannot." Animals rely soley on instincts and physical chemistry, not in introspective psychology like humans do.

The chasm between animals and humans is awesome! The interiority of Consciousness in humans has led to civilization; there is no such thing as " Animal civilization." They are unable to be as such.Or there would have been a real planet of the apes.

We are all made up of tiny atoms. Astrophysicists are in agreement that an atom is a miniature universe.
If we were able to shrink ourselves to microscopic proportions, then we would be viewing each other as if we were looking at a multitude of star systems.
Imagine then, this same concept when we are viewing the stars in the night sky of the universe.
What does the universe really look like? We are looking at it as microscopic beings, but what shape or form would the universe take if we could view it in all its entirety? Could all the stars and planets form a massive image of one large living entity?
Might this be God? :hug3:

Interesting speculation; One I do not agree with . What the physical universe is in my view, is the unfolding creative ability of Jesus Christ, as " The Word who is with God." In John 1:1-3 God gives Jesus card blanche to endulge himself in creation. Christ then creates the physical universe, he is not " Creating parts of his Father God, who is a Spiritual being." The universe is an image of Christ creative mind. Expressed in a totally physical expression. In order for things to be a part of God, they must be spiritual.

Ok Mickiel, heres the thing.... you say things like this:



Ok, you say you arent christian, but then you say some things liek this:




and this...


and this....


Please understand, this is my biggest pet peeve, so im saying now, im being forward, and blunt, not angry, or disrespectful...

We

are

ANIMALS

No forward thinking, god, angels, secret spiritual buddy or anything can change this fact. That way of thinking, and let me be clear:

IS THE EXACT PROBLEM WITH OUR SPECIES, AND IS THE MAIN CAUSE FOR ALL OF THE HARM, HATE AND FEAR WE DO TO EACH OTHER AND THIS PLANET.

Saying we are better then animals didnt come around until judeism. Not to say there we didnt harm the environment, but we knew without it we wouldnt exsist. But as soon as we start taking the bibles teachings (once again, that is a christian way of thinking) literally, you get what we do today... and you can look up these facts if you like, im not exaggerating..

We have already used up 1/3 of the worlds topsoil. Almost 90% of that was in the last 100 years.

We use dead animals (oil/gas) to fuel everything we do, even grow our food in the way of fetilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides. Its also the principle ingredient in plastic, make up, shampoo, and beuty products.

We destroy an ontario sized chunk of forest (rainforest, temperate etc) every year, there fore millions of species of bacteria, insects, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, and lots more.

We evolved from apes over the span of 300 m,illion years, there is Evidence to support this, as well as more then enough fossil evidence to do forensic testing on. There is also carbon dating, in many ways and im sorry, you look at an ape, we are more similar then not. The only real genetic difference between us and chimps, is the gene that controls the type of thumb we have, which is capible of very fine touch that other apes dont have.

So what changed us?

Climate, and meat.

The climate changed us into expert situational herbavores, which caused us to start cooking meat, and eating more. This caused our digestive system to shrink. Our brains also grew, so our heads gor bigger, and our faces changes slightly to compensate.

Our specie of human, homo sapien left africa last, after its ancistors. When they got to europe/asia, they met up with the other species, cross bread, and you have the modern human, due to our out performance of the other species, as well as a cooling climate, caused by a hienrich event wiped out the neanderthol from europe.

We built giant stone structures around 15 000 and 11 000 years ago, like gobleki tepe. The climate changed again, the coast lines changed, and forced us to live in close knit settled comunities alone rivers, lakes and coastlines...

In other words, the flood myth of babylonia, north american indians, asian, greek, egyptian, and middle eastern civs. You also had a major transition of religion, and lived in general harmony with nature, until agriculture (different story), and christianity, where we go from a give take give reciprical reletionship with nature, to the forever overloads of our domain, and everything on it....

We didnot evolve from apes, we were created by a God. Fossil evidence does not prove evolution, it proves creation. The fossil record reveals a total absence of multicellular life forms in the lower two thirds of the earths crust. This is refered to as the " Precambrian Period." Then, advanced life appears in abundant numbers during the Cambrian period. This period contains the oldest rocks in which complex fossils are found. The Cambrian rock fossils cantain many millions of highly advanced and well developed life forms. This is refered to as " The Cambrian Explosion."

In the precambrian period, the fossil record only has sparse, unicellular fossils. In the Cambrian period, the fossil record indicates life appeared suddenly in tremendous complexity, great diversity and unbelievable abundance without evolving from any ancestors. There is no gradual evolution of the fossil record. If everything developed from the same primordal soup, certainly there would be some very basic creatures that would have existed between the soup and the creatures we are familiar with. Why aren't there any? Where is the connection between unicellular organisms and all other lifeforms? Again, stunning evidence of creation.

As far as our relation to chimps, I admit that humans are 99% simular chemically to apes and blood precipitation test do indicate that the Chimpanzee is our closest relative. Yet we must observe what other test have revealed as well; Milk chemistry test indicates that the Donkey is mans closest relative. Cholesterol level test indicate that the Garter Snake is mans closest relative. Tear enzyme chemistry test indicate that the Chicken is mans closest relative.

On the basis of yet another blood chemistry test; the Butter Bean is mans closest relative.

Mickiel, you asked the question what is the image of God, you say you're not religious yet you quote the bible a LOT. You don't believe anything other than God created man, who created the animals? the plant life? fish? .. who do you believe created the universe? I'm just really confused by your views, sorry to be so blunt but it's not making any sense. Maybe I'm missing something?