Nature of God - Jealous or Loving?

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JackieMom

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So I’m confused. I’m in a place where I love the Catholic tradition for the sensory experience, but I have a very difficult time believing in God as Christians portray him. I want to believe, I want to have faith - but it’s hard for me as my “reasonable” and scientific side keeps popping up. I question too much.

Here is my current issue - I’ve heard God described two ways…

The first way is:
-Jealous
-Harsh
-Wants to be worshiped with splendor and extravagance (i.e. multi-million dollar cathedrals, gold chalices, finery, etc.)
-Expects people to make sacrifices and suffer to prove their devotion to him
-Has set up a particular church that has exacting belief guidelines, rules and expectations that must be followed.
-Only grants certain graces through “sacraments” that are administered by certain men (priests)
-The concept of sin is extremely complex and detailed. Most people unable to live up to his demands and still lead a normal life.
-God does not care if we are happy in this life - only that we follow the rules of the Church to the best of our ability.
-Getting into Heaven is difficult.

The second way is:
-God is loving and forgives us our human foibles
-God has a sense of humor
-God is like a loving parent - warm, kind, inviting blended with some guidance and limits.
-God just wants us to love him and be good to one another, the rest is not critical to our salvation.
-God wants us to be happy.
-Salvation is not dependent on following a large book of rules to the “T.”
-God’s arms are wrapped around each child of his on earth, regardless of their religion.
-It is easy to get to Heaven if we love God and try to be good.

I guess I feel like there is the “Snuggle Bear Father” type of God that we turn to when we are in pain or crisis - and then there is the harsh, judgmental God that has set up parameters that make it hard for people to get to Heaven. I’m confused.
 
God is spirit.

I have the same concerns that you do. My “rational” mind will say this is too much to accept while the spirit in me wants to embrace the unseen. I think we can only be human and come to understand God in a way that our minds can comprehend. We can take the teachings and traditions of the church to build on our limited view of God.

I remain conflicted but proceed foward with faith the size of a mustard seed.
 
Hi JackieMom:
Your two ways of describing God are like looking at God through two of his attributes, i.e., his justice and his mercy both of which are infinite. Scripture says that God is a jealous God and I think this can refer both to his justice and mercy. According to God’s justice, we should believe that everything that we have we have received from God as St Paul says “What hast thou that thou has not received? And if you have received it, why do you boast?” This is just simple truth and since God is Truth itself he cannot contradict himself. But God did not create the world or us for his own benefit but for our benefit. Creation does not add anything to God’s beatitude. God created us simply out of his love and goodness for us.

St Thomas Aquinas says that God is more inclined to show mercy than justice. St Therese of Lisieux said that she saw everything through God’s mercy and love. Consider also the devotion to the Divine Mercy that Jesus revealed to St Faustina Kowalska. Mother Teresa of Calcutta saw everything through God’s love and mercy too. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the example par excellent of God’s mercy and love. God made us for himself alone, that is why he is jealous for our love. For our happiness and beatitude lies in God alone.
 
Faith of course is a gift of God. It comes as a grace ( enligntenment if you will ) through the Holy Spirit. Both of you appear to have that at least. In the Gospels Jesus describes what happens to the graces of faith that the Holy Spirit distributes. This grace usually comes through the preaching of the Good News. Although it may have began incipiantly through a reasonable conclusion from observation of the things of nature or through some rational argument or perhaps just meeting someone whose Holiness and goodness impressed you.

But the seed of the Gospel falls on different ground, some on rich soil, some on rocky ground, some amongst weeds, etc. The point is, once we have Faith, we have to do something to make it grow. First we have to reform our lives - and that is not easy. This is really a life long process. Secondly, we have to study to learn all we can about the Faith ( e.g. reading the Scriptures each day, at least the readings for the daily Mass, the lives of the Saints, the Catechism of the Catholic Church). Thirdly, we have to take part in the life of the Church ( weekly Mass at least and the Sacraments). Fourthly, we must separate ourselves from everything that can harm us spiritually.

Of couse, this is just a beginning. Our aim is to be Saints, not bench warmers. Once we have these things under way, we will begin to see God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit and the Church in the true light. Your doubts will clear up and you will be on your way. 👍
 
JackieMom said:
So I’m confused. I’m in a place where I love the Catholic tradition for the sensory experience, but I have a very difficult time believing in God as Christians portray him. I want to believe, I want to have faith - but it’s hard for me as my “reasonable” and scientific side keeps popping up. I question too much.

Here is my current issue - I’ve heard God described two ways…

The first way is:
-Jealous
-Harsh
-Wants to be worshiped with splendor and extravagance (i.e. multi-million dollar cathedrals, gold chalices, finery, etc.)
-Expects people to make sacrifices and suffer to prove their devotion to him
-Has set up a particular church that has exacting belief guidelines, rules and expectations that must be followed.
-Only grants certain graces through “sacraments” that are administered by certain men (priests)
-The concept of sin is extremely complex and detailed. Most people unable to live up to his demands and still lead a normal life.
-God does not care if we are happy in this life - only that we follow the rules of the Church to the best of our ability.
-Getting into Heaven is difficult.

The second way is:
-God is loving and forgives us our human foibles
-God has a sense of humor
-God is like a loving parent - warm, kind, inviting blended with some guidance and limits.
-God just wants us to love him and be good to one another, the rest is not critical to our salvation.
-God wants us to be happy.
-Salvation is not dependent on following a large book of rules to the “T.”
-God’s arms are wrapped around each child of his on earth, regardless of their religion.
-It is easy to get to Heaven if we love God and try to be good.

I guess I feel like there is the “Snuggle Bear Father” type of God that we turn to when we are in pain or crisis - and then there is the harsh, judgmental God that has set up parameters that make it hard for people to get to Heaven. I’m confused.
Click to expand...
I would take the middle ground, the first way you mentioned sounds that the strict old uncle judge, the guy who has a coal house at the back, he will keep you there the whole day if you misbehave. it is a false image mixed with some truth.
The other is the feel good mama version, it is beautiful and portrays the character of God well it just seems to miss the part were God is really just. It is a lightly coloured version of the truth.
Try and blend both versions and you may be closer to the truth. Go to a bookshop near you and get the popes encyclical “GOD IS LOVE”. It is more balanced. Jelousy can be a part of love.
Peace
 
“He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:8…

The word used in the Greek is Agape…brotherly love, fraternal love, love that places the good of the other above our own…the idea of “spousal love” is often used in the writings of the saints.

Now start digging onto what that means…
Love is not always cuddly…Sometimes it is tough
Love - spousal love - is exclusive. God does not wish to share us with other 'gods"…hence the reference to jealousy.

All of our faith is based on this Love…
God so Loved the world that he sent His only begotten son…(John 3:16)
All the Law and all the Prophets are based in Love (Mt 22:36-40)
Without Love we are nothing (1 Cor 13:1-13)

Love builds up it never tears down. Love creates it does not destroy.

Ground your faith in Love. Seek God in Love. Embrace Agape love and make it the core of your being and you can’t go far wrong…

Also…Someone recommended St John of the Cross. The book in my signature is also a very good treatment of this subject and quotes a number of saints extensively…John of the cross, Teresa of Avila, Catherine of Sienna and several more.

Hope this helps some

Peace
James
 
JackieMom said:
So I’m confused. I’m in a place where I love the Catholic tradition for the sensory experience, but I have a very difficult time believing in God as Christians portray him. I want to believe, I want to have faith - but it’s hard for me as my “reasonable” and scientific side keeps popping up. I question too much.

Here is my current issue - I’ve heard God described two ways…

The first way is:
-Jealous
-Harsh
-Wants to be worshiped with splendor and extravagance (i.e. multi-million dollar cathedrals, gold chalices, finery, etc.)
-Expects people to make sacrifices and suffer to prove their devotion to him
-Has set up a particular church that has exacting belief guidelines, rules and expectations that must be followed.
-Only grants certain graces through “sacraments” that are administered by certain men (priests)
-The concept of sin is extremely complex and detailed. Most people unable to live up to his demands and still lead a normal life.
-God does not care if we are happy in this life - only that we follow the rules of the Church to the best of our ability.
-Getting into Heaven is difficult.

The second way is:
-God is loving and forgives us our human foibles
-God has a sense of humor
-God is like a loving parent - warm, kind, inviting blended with some guidance and limits.
-God just wants us to love him and be good to one another, the rest is not critical to our salvation.
-God wants us to be happy.
-Salvation is not dependent on following a large book of rules to the “T.”
-God’s arms are wrapped around each child of his on earth, regardless of their religion.
-It is easy to get to Heaven if we love God and try to be good.

I guess I feel like there is the “Snuggle Bear Father” type of God that we turn to when we are in pain or crisis - and then there is the harsh, judgmental God that has set up parameters that make it hard for people to get to Heaven. I’m confused.
Click to expand...
I think that someone who loves and is beloved is jealous for the love he receives and he wants to be the only giver and satisfier of his beloved (for how can someone be a true lover if he cannot provide all for his beloved?). So it is unsurprising that God wants us to be happy and doesn’t want anything else to be the source of that happiness. Nor is it surprising that God would want extravagant worship for he loves us extravagantly and wants something else in return.

Essentially God wants to enforce his more or less natural monopoly on man’s happiness, which is justifiable since he is man’s happiness and especially so now with the rise of Christianity.
 
in line with fakename’s discussion above. The Catholic Bible annotates the Old Testament as it “runs into” the baptismal waters of the New Testament with words that show a continually evolving and maturing relationship with God the Father. In that sense, when God’s children were young and just first meeting him, they lived in a world where force and power and violence were everywhere. They knew the Lord primarily by his power to save them with His Might. The right hand of the Lord, where Jesus now sits, won battles for the Lord’s people, crushed enemies (and Israel) through force and staff, and even famine etc.
But like a child who grows up in the proper sense, but can no longer be controlled by an often distant parent’s forceful remonstrations, or who learned and knows of his Father’s power, fame, and might and who lives in a New Jerusalem (see revelations chp 12), Love is a more powerful enjoinder. Jesus came in the fullness of time, which fact implictly tells a believer that God’s wisdom is for the maturation of every person when he or she is ready. Love further bonds people together; and this seems like God’s most recent message to us: The people of God shall be known by their love.
It is interesting to me, and may shed further light to note that the second coming will be marked again by Force of nature. Matthew Chap. 24-25.
 
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