According to most Jewish thinkers, God is completely removed from any human attributes. He is not anthropomorphic; He does not possess any physical characteristics. And He is not anthropopathic; He does not possess any emotions. Yet despite God's ultimate transcendence, we human beings are expected to develop a personal relationship with Him.
Is it possible to develop a personal relationship with a Being Who lacks emotions? If God does not care about me; does not love me; does not feel anything at all about me - how can I personally relate to Him?
Some thinkers respond that even though God does not have emotions, He relates to us as if He has emotions. But does this argument satisfy you? Are you comfortable having a relationship with Someone Who acts as if He cares about you, but does not really care about you?
I'm not sure why the idea of G-d lacking any emotions necessarily implies that G-d cannot care about certain ideals. Though he may not “love” us or have any sort affection towards his creation, there must be some reason why G-d felt it worthwhile (on whatever plane “worthwhile” means, whether intellectually, innately, or some other realm of source of will and desire) to create a universe. Assuming that God is truly “good” and that the function/ goal of creation in to bestow goodness unto mankind, he most certainly does “care” about our well being (albeit not emotionally).
ReplyDeleteAs to the crux of the issue, do we not find that parents love their young infants? This relationship is not reciprocatory, the infant not only does not express but doesn’t have the capacity to have any affection toward the care giver, yet there exists a “personal relationship between the parent and the child. Is this relationship flawed in any manner? I surely can’t claim to know the mechanics of a relationship, but the assumption that it must be mutual, or toward an object which contains emotions, does not appear convincing.
I use the word "care" in the emotional sense. If, by "care," you refer to a recognition of our existence and a plan of action designed to benefit us, I fully agree that God "cares" in that sense.
ReplyDeleteYour parent/child comparison is excellent. That is a great way of approaching the question.
I am not sure, but I guess that one can in fact distinguish the love a parent has for his child from the love man should have for G-d. That a parent's love for his child may be based on his visions of the future, when the child can in fact reciprocate emotions, however, with G-d, no such future exists.
ReplyDeleteEliyahu, your theory might have been true had the love a parent has for a child cease subsequent to an infant’s death. However a parent’s love is endless, not based on the past nor what may lie in the future.
ReplyDeleteThis was written by a parent whose infant died suddenly:
“They say love is blind and you made this true.
I never got to place you in a outfit either pink or blue.
Never rocked you in my arms as you quietly slept.
Not one tear did I get to dry as you sadly wept.
I loved you none the less with all of my heart.
My world crashing down when we were torn apart.
I dream of you wrapped in a blanket of a white angel wing...
The lullaby you hear is the comfort I wanted to bring.
I still hold you everyday the only way i know how.
God doesn't take my love for you this much he does allow.
It is as strong as it would have been if I would have seen you.
After my journey in life is done I will carry my love through”
I agree with Avraham; a parent loves his child even if the child is born with an illness that renders him incapable of ever recognizing his parent.
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