Now, what I mean is, did we always exist in the sense that; did we always exist in the mind of God? Before the universe began, wasn’t God already loving us, and so in a sense, we have always existed, perhaps just as an idea, but nevertheless existed?
My understanding is that we were in the mind of God (he planned to create us). We have a beginning and we will have no end.
Depends on what you mean by existence. Does a bridge exist before you build it? It may “exist” in your imagination, down to the last detail, but I would say it does not exist until it is built. Same with us, I imagine.
I agree. Anything else is just word games. we did not exist until we were created.
What has a beginning has a middle and end. No we didn’t always exist. If you exist you must’ve at some point been non-existant. Both the existing and non-existant are suffering. In the end God’s plan for us is to be just like him. Immovable and first mover.
Id. Theologia Germanica,
Dionysius and Nagarjuna