If God is within an idol, and is within everything, then is he also in bad things?
363002
“In India, in particular, a symbolic image represents one or another of the ‘divine attributes’, which is called pratika, for it is neither an ‘idol’, nor does it take on any qualities from that thing which it really is, an aid to meditation and a supplementary means toward realization".\n                   -René Guénon (1886-1951)\n\nHuston Smith has said: " It is obtuse to confuse Hinduism’s images with idolatry, and their multiplicity with polytheism. They are 'runways' from which the sense-laden human spirit can rise for its "flight of the alone to the Alone". Even village priest will frequently open their temple ceremonies with the following beloved invocation:\n\n   O Lord, forgive three sins that are due to my human limitations:\n   Thou art everywhere, but I worship you here;\n   Thou art without form, but I worship you in these forms;\n   Thou needest no praise, yet I offer you these prayers and salutations,\n   Lord, forgive three sins that are due to my human limitations.    \n\n(source: The World's Religions - By Huston Smith p. 34).\n\nDiane L. Eck observes: "Hinduism is an imaginative, an "image-making, religious tradition in which the sacred is seen   as present in the visible world – the world we see in multiple images and deities, in sacred  places, and in people. The notion of darsan call attention as students of Hinduism, to the fact that India is a visual and visionary culture. God is eminently visible, although human beings have not always had the refinement of sight to see. Furthermore, the divine is visible not only in temple and shrine, bit also in the whole continuum of life – in nature, in people, in birth and growth and death.\n\nIts all together wrong to think that the images are idols as though the statue itself is being worshipped – they are reminders that the God who dwells in the depth of our souls. Wherever an alter is raised, there is the center of the universe. The world’s axis passes through it, yet no visible alter is no more than a symbol for the one time alter – the human heart and to say the cosmic axis pierces it is to say that it is in direct touch with the infinite. \n\n\nBy the way on what basis western religions including Islam believes god made man in it own image? hinduism declares god has no form so he is every form. but they seem to think god looks like humans .\n\nAdded:\n\n someone  below is trying to convert you now thats funny. \n\njust wanted to tell him i find that story of moses plus other stories too primitive. ya ya heard about him. the man who claimed god gave him messeges. i wonder why god was so shy that he talked to moses only. Why did god not address everybody.  why idolise  dead persons and indulge in social idolatery when you claim to be agaist idols..
1077877
Yes, God is God no matter what you call him (or her) or how you choose to worship.\nI wish everyone understood this!
355794
god when not?\nIf anything can go wrong, it will!
457301
James 1:13 When under trial, let no one say: “I am being tried by God.” For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone.\n\nSince that scripture is clear. It is impossible for god to try anyone with evil. We can see that the evil and bad things that happen are from Satan the devil not god.
53167
In the book of Job, Satan is pretty chummy with God and makes wagers with him like two blokes at a country club.\n\nAccording to Paradise Lost, Satan rebelled against God because he would not serve Him. ("Better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven.")\n\nIsn't God everything? If God is everything, isn't Satan just an aspect of God?
1162480
No he only works in obvious ways. god works in mysterious ways because he is a sneaky bastard.
358651
Everything that is , has been or will be , is in his perfect will. We can not understand God's perfect will as long as our knwoledge is veiled. For God works even that which is evil for good to those that diligently seek him and abide by his precepts. If your search is to find flaw and imperfection you will arrive soon, if your search is for is glory, both you and I have a long way to get there and we will certainly not accomplish it until that which is perfect returns.
1084869
God is a figment of mans imagination, therefore he is whatever you think he is. Imagine he changes and he changes.
1001297
I'm with you.  "God" is either evil or incompetent.  Take your pick.
544058
if god is perfect, how could he create evil?  evil is an imperfection, a perfect being could not create something imperfect.
394738
:}\nNo at least not in a direct sense. He does take advantage of evil which occurs to cause good for believers. his absence is evil so he is it's counter part.
257917
Yes, this is how it feels. I am right now managing a sore throat and a congested nose. Yet, would all these come to heal without God? No, we are all punished for our actions,thoughts,and words. Are not we all evil in a way? We have all somehow harmed a creature... by stepping on it or eating it. God is not punishing us as bad as the bad. The truly evil are the ones with no love for anything. Those are the ones who are suffering. Even though I am not Christian, did Jesus not suffer? He did it for us. Does God not suffer?... seeing our pain and misery. Yet, throguh this darkness a light shines through. God is beautiful as anything. He is helping us. God sees misery in our hearts and shines light through. Think for a moment...How had God helped you?
345034
God is completely incorporeal. God cannot be described in any positive terms, but rather only in negative conceptions. \ni.e G-d is not human etc..
1071749
If evil exists and god is against evil then god cannot be all good all knowing and all powerful at the same time.He either doesn't know about evil, doesn't have a problem with evil, or can't do anything about evil. \n\nThis is not about free will either, as if god is all knowing he would have known about evil before it happens, If he were all powerful he would be able to stop the evil, and were he all good he would not have created people who were going to do evil in the first place. \n\nThere is no way arround it, such a god would have created the universe for evil to be in it. He would have wanted evil. Thankfully there's polytheism.
1014834
No, God loves you, bad things that happen to you will mostly be man made, what is important is how you react to these things.
1061695
well according to everyone--- god is everything... god created everything... but they tend to add the word good after the word everything... but some people call sin and lust a good feeling... but as much as I think he is... he probably just tags things that are lustful and sinful. But it's awful mean of him to tempt us into sins and lustful acts.\n\n"Lead me not to temptation, I can find it myself."
1165737
Well. I think your right. god would not do what you described.\nGod, can do many things tho'.\n\nBe sure which god, God you have these feelings from.\n\n.