Does the Bible Say God is in Your Mind



The is and always has been a set of believers who preach religion exists in our heads and only in our heads. They, like everyone else, can quote Jesus' "own words" (as written by ancients who never heard him talk and scribes that might have altered the text later) as evidence.

Some progressive Christians refer to Luke 17:21 which is Jesus' alleged response to the question of when the kingdom of God would arrive. Those ancients claiming to know Jesus' words report he said the kingdom would not be something people could see or point to, "Neither shall they say, Lo here, or, lo there, for behold the kingdom of God is within you."

What better expression of what I have said here since day one, religion is in people's heads. I know I'm taking the quote out of context and there is something for everyone in the Bible. Jesus was also quoted as saying believers should be a group, etc. The link is by a liberal Christian who claims Jesus wants believers to as a group attack poverty and injustice. The Jesus-only-in-the-mind does not fit his agenda.

So, what can we conclude? We know two things for sure. First, we know there is no evidence of a god outside of the mind. Second, we know there is evidence of a god(s) inside people's minds.

Of course evidence religion is in the mind only does not convince believers. Religion is big business with many thousands of people making a living in it. And there are people who helped by believing religion is not exclusively in the mind.

So, rallying around Luke 17:21 does not provide universal agreement.

Comments

  1. little helperMarch 13, 2020 at 9:06 AM

    Jon; re. "the kingdom of God is within you" KJV. Some translations say "among you", or in your midst." " It's not like being possessed; as your "Jesus only in the mind," or ..."evidence of a god (s) inside peoples minds". Nor is it religion in or outside of the mind.

    It's "The Kingdom of God". Through faith, membership-, belonging to, -- the kingdom of God. "Without observation".

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    1. Ardy BMarch 13, 2020 at 12:29 PM

      little helper March 13, 2020 @ 9:06 AM
      “It's "The Kingdom of God". Through faith, membership-, belonging to, -- the kingdom of God. "Without observation". From whence this faith? Please critique the following assertions if you will: 1) Faith is not found, it is given. 2) Faith is personal and simple until it is informed by the complexity of an organized religion. 3) Organized religion transforms but does not birth faith.

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    2. little helperMarch 13, 2020 at 3:00 PM

      1. "Faith is not found, it is given". Yes, however it can be rejected.
      2. a. "Faith is personal and simple; Yes, beautifully simple. So much so that even those of a slow mind can have it.
      2. b. ..."Until it is informed by the complexity of an organized religion." Not "until", but in spite of the complexity. Different people have different levels of interest in the faith. Some look for more understanding, some study to defend the faith, some only need to understand the 10 C's, the creeds, the Lord's prayer, and the Sacraments.
      As in all vocations, there are different levels of understanding. To balance the check book for one, a degree in economics for another.
      3. Organized religion transforms but does not birth faith." I would not say "transforms". That is the work of the Holy Spirit. However organized religion provides the tools and support to grow in the faith.

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    3. Ardy BMarch 13, 2020 at 3:54 PM

      little helper @ 3:00 PM
      Thank you for your quick reply. 2) Faith is personal and profoundly simple in spite of the complexity of organized religion. 3) Organized religion, at its best, nurtures but does not birth faith. From whence this faith? 4) The birth of faith in an individual is the result of a uniquely personal transformation by the Holy Spirit. I better be careful here or I may be labeled a crypto-Christian. Best wishes.

      Delete
    4. little helperMarch 13, 2020 at 4:14 PM

      Assuming you are referring only to Christianity.
      There are pluses to "organized religion," in that it establishes a standard norm, and aids in preventing wider deviation, and to discern what is non-Christian or a cult

      There are minuses to "organized religion". in that there is the temptation of complacency, leading to the thought that just belonging to a church is all that is necessary. (I've actually heard someone say; "I belong to XYZ church, and that will get me there". (I assume heaven).

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  2. little helperMarch 13, 2020 at 9:25 AM

    This falls perfectly in line with " My kingdom is not of this world", which the Jews could not / would not understand. They wanted/ expected an earthly kingdom with a warrior king,( a theocracy ) to defeat Rome with the Messiah on their side. When that didn't happen, they rebelled against Jesus in fear of retribution,

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    1. little helperMarch 13, 2020 at 12:36 PM

      There is also a great difference between "Messiah on their side" or being on the side of the Messiah. "Messiah on their side" meaning Messiah agreeing with them,(human desire) vs. they agreeing with the Messiah. (Never the less, not my will, but thine.)

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  3. little helperMarch 13, 2020 at 1:39 PM

    Now then, with all that Jon, you are doing the same thing you accuse the scribes and translators of doing: Changing the words of the narrative to enhance or alter the content.

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  4. tsmMarch 18, 2020 at 9:20 AM

    another round of sloppy thinking. what does "in your mind" really mean. at the moment, I have Jon in my mind (or on my mind). that doesn't mean that Jon is literally in my mind (God forbid). yet in a figurative way, Jon is really there. he is there in the sense that he has motivated me to write this post. Similarly we can think of God acting in the same manner. to say that the Kingdom of God is in my mind, means that if I have followed and acted upon Christian principles I am the representative/icon of God in this world. in this context. I wonder if Jon realizes that nothing in our senses is literally in our mind. we have an image in our mind, an image that a natural faith tells us that we are seeing or hearing the "real" thing. this, of course, is a matter that has keep philosophy gurus in business for a long time.

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