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In a bid to explain God's perfection, the author states that;
a. God cannot change
b. He cannot please or hurt.
The reason behind this later conclusion being that: "Admitting the possibility of such would be admitting to an inherent defect in God’s perfection and would completely negate the concept of perfectness. Pleasing him admits to the existence of a pleasure port that is insufficiently filled, a partial void, a defect, and certainly not perfect. Hurting him would admit to the existence of cracks in His armor where noxious agents could penetrate and cause damage eliminating His perfection."
I find the reasons behind this conclusion (that God is perfect) to be unconvincing, even faulty.
Yes, I believe God is perfect, but not because he cannot be pleased or hurt. That would make him an unfeeling God. Perhaps he is perfect because he is the highest authority and the standard for perfection, i.e God is perfect because he is God.
This whole syllogism brings to mind the question, "What is perfection?"
So I ask:
a. Is God perfect because He cannot change, or please or hurt? And;
b. What is perfection?

I think it means that He is not biased either way. A god that can be pleased is one that holds a bias to what pleases Him, the same with what can hurt Him, especially since what is seen to hurt Him is subject to one's beliefs. So if He cannot be pleased or hurt, there is no bias there and in that way, He is perfect. I don't believe an all loving god is one that can be angered or hurt, or one that punishes people, because again, that would be a defect in His perfection. I believe He has feeling, but it is just a feeling of love, one that cannot be faulted no matter what. Therefore, He is perfect.

The eternal and unchanging nature of god is equally part of the author's argument for god's perfection. He argues that god is outside of time -- no past, present, or future. Therefore, god can't please or hurt because doing either of those things would involve changing, much as humans might change from a good mood to a bad mood. But god cannot change.

Ofcourse that is the true fact. Humans could not keep depending on God and put a blame on him for all the physical undoings.

I do not think that He cannot be hurt by our actions, but I do believe that He is perfect. God is not affected personally by human concepts such as time, marriage, and conditional love. Perhaps trying to understand God in these areas is a little too complex for us.

Humans have the idea that perfection means that we cannot mess up or commit any sins at all (without error). But I believe that God's definition of perfect is different from ours.

Maddie Atkinson wrote: ↑08 Dec 2020, 12:36 I think it means that He is not biased either way. A god that can be pleased is one that holds a bias to what pleases Him, the same with what can hurt Him, especially since what is seen to hurt Him is subject to one's beliefs. So if He cannot be pleased or hurt, there is no bias there and in that way, He is perfect. I don't believe an all loving god is one that can be angered or hurt, or one that punishes people, because again, that would be a defect in His perfection. I believe He has feeling, but it is just a feeling of love, one that cannot be faulted no matter what. Therefore, He is perfect.

Nice. This is the explanation I needed. I get it now; He is perfect because He is unbiased not because He is unfeeling or something like that. Thank you for this answer.

Katie Canedy wrote: ↑09 Dec 2020, 19:25 I do not think that He cannot be hurt by our actions, but I do believe that He is perfect. God is not affected personally by human concepts such as time, marriage, and conditional love. Perhaps trying to understand God in these areas is a little too complex for us.

Humans have the idea that perfection means that we cannot mess up or commit any sins at all (without error). But I believe that God's definition of perfect is different from ours.

I totally agree with you; God is feels our actions, but it doesn't stop His perfection, and God's definition of perfect must be very different from ours. Finally, I agree that God is a little too complex for even the best of minds.
Your answer has helped my confusion. Thank you.

Hm, I think there are many issues in this aspect. First of all, which God are we talking about? As the author said, each Bible depicts God differently. And based on the books, each God will be either perfect or imperfect.

Secondly, since God is all-mighty, I agree it may be true that He can't be hurt, especially by humans. However, if He can't be pleased or can't change, does that mean He remains fixed towards everything? If yes, does that mean He is unbiased and will treat everyone equally? If so, why is it that some people claim they could hear His will, and the rest cannot? Shouldn't He either show himself to everyone or to no one? What about the cases of Noah, Lazarus, Abel, or his Apostles? Why did He choose those people and not the others?

I assume that the author refers in this case to God's perfection, not as a lack of feelings (he doesn't feel pain when we make a mistake towards Him) but more as an existential state in which He accepts us as faulty and loves us anyway. I don't think that pain, in God's heart, acts in the same way as we humans feel. I think it manifests itself in a more parental form, much like a mother feels some inner discomfort when her child makes a mistake, but she knows (accepts) that that mistake is part of both the natural course of life and the child's path of development, learning, growing.

I think the author's stance that God cannot please nor hurt agrees with the freewill he has given unto mankind. Therefore, we are the architects of our life. We are the ones prompted to love and please each other. An exception would be natural disasters, which is a discussion for another day. But can we really know everything about God?

Tryin to understand if God pleasesor gwta hurt is very completely and gives goosebumps but in all sense of it, God is perfect because he is the definition of perfection and whether you please him or not or hurt him if that can be achieved, He remains perfect. Nothing can make Him change because He is supernatural and exists right before we came to be.

God is perfect in all things. He doesn't need the justification of man to be perfect or imperfect.

AnnieOgoo wrote: ↑08 Dec 2020, 06:42 In a bid to explain God's perfection, the author states that;
a. God cannot change
b. He cannot please or hurt.
The reason behind this later conclusion being that: "Admitting the possibility of such would be admitting to an inherent defect in God’s perfection and would completely negate the concept of perfectness. Pleasing him admits to the existence of a pleasure port that is insufficiently filled, a partial void, a defect, and certainly not perfect. Hurting him would admit to the existence of cracks in His armor where noxious agents could penetrate and cause damage eliminating His perfection."
I find the reasons behind this conclusion (that God is perfect) to be unconvincing, even faulty.
Yes, I believe God is perfect, but not because he cannot be pleased or hurt. That would make him an unfeeling God. Perhaps he is perfect because he is the highest authority and the standard for perfection, i.e God is perfect because he is God.
This whole syllogism brings to mind the question, "What is perfection?"
So I ask:
a. Is God perfect because He cannot change, or please or hurt? And;
b. What is perfection?

I agree with you. God is perfect doesn't mean he is unfeeling. I'm Christian so I take my cues from the Bible. The scripture paints a picture of a very feeling God. I believe God can be pleased (that's the whole point of faith in Him) and he can hurt too. So yes, God is perfect because he is God. As humans, we feel pain, pleasure, hurt, and more because we got it from Him. We are made in His image. The difference is that God is perfect because he is the standard that is so high we can never reach it.

Unique Ego wrote: ↑11 Dec 2020, 04:49

AnnieOgoo wrote: ↑08 Dec 2020, 06:42 In a bid to explain God's perfection, the author states that;
a. God cannot change
b. He cannot please or hurt.
The reason behind this later conclusion being that: "Admitting the possibility of such would be admitting to an inherent defect in God’s perfection and would completely negate the concept of perfectness. Pleasing him admits to the existence of a pleasure port that is insufficiently filled, a partial void, a defect, and certainly not perfect. Hurting him would admit to the existence of cracks in His armor where noxious agents could penetrate and cause damage eliminating His perfection."
I find the reasons behind this conclusion (that God is perfect) to be unconvincing, even faulty.
Yes, I believe God is perfect, but not because he cannot be pleased or hurt. That would make him an unfeeling God. Perhaps he is perfect because he is the highest authority and the standard for perfection, i.e God is perfect because he is God.
This whole syllogism brings to mind the question, "What is perfection?"
So I ask:
a. Is God perfect because He cannot change, or please or hurt? And;
b. What is perfection?

I agree with you. God is perfect doesn't mean he is unfeeling. I'm Christian so I take my cues from the Bible. The scripture paints a picture of a very feeling God. I believe God can be pleased (that's the whole point of faith in Him) and he can hurt too. So yes, God is perfect because he is God. As humans, we feel pain, pleasure, hurt, and more because we got it from Him. We are made in His image. The difference is that God is perfect because he is the standard that is so high we can never reach it.

Thank you so for your answer. You gave me reasons to my own conclusion. The essence of faith would be lost if we couldn't please or aspire to please God. And that does not make him imperfect.

Sou Hi wrote: ↑10 Dec 2020, 21:08 Hm, I think there are many issues in this aspect. First of all, which God are we talking about? As the author said, each Bible depicts God differently. And based on the books, each God will be either perfect or imperfect.

Secondly, since God is all-mighty, I agree it may be true that He can't be hurt, especially by humans. However, if He can't be pleased or can't change, does that mean He remains fixed towards everything? If yes, does that mean He is unbiased and will treat everyone equally? If so, why is it that some people claim they could hear His will, and the rest cannot? Shouldn't He either show himself to everyone or to no one? What about the cases of Noah, Lazarus, Abel, or his Apostles? Why did He choose those people and not the others?

You have left me with more questions than answers .
First of all, I agree with you and the author that God is depicted differently in the Bible; the new testament God is a tad bit nicer than the old testament God (but of course the death of Christ is the most valid explanation for this 'change').
Now in response to your second paragraph, I beginning to think that God can change. Really. If not, how else do we explain the old testament God from the new testament God? Would it be that the old testament depiction of God was based on the understanding of the less informed guys back then? Or is the difference (the change) because of Christ's death? (Now I'm asking new questions .)
You also mentioned that if God is unbiased, why doesn't he reveal himself to everyone? Well I think God reveals Himself to those who believe and seek (hard enough). I also think God is unbiased because he sends rain and sun unto the good and the bad (this biblical statement, when meditated on refers to more than the rain and the sun).
Finally, I'll say it once again, I think God is perfect because He is God. And a complete understanding of God is impossible; we just have to work by faith.