America's Four Gods

QVC Diva · 07-25-2011, 07:54 PM

America's Four Gods: What We Say about God--and What That Says about Us by Paul Froese and Christopher Bader

This is the book of the month at our church. I just started reading it today. Very interesting and so far I definitely have to agree with the author's take.

kayhil · 07-27-2011, 08:31 AM

I haven't heard of that book. I'll look into it.

chickypea · 07-27-2011, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QVC Diva

America's Four Gods: What We Say about God--and What That Says about Us by Paul Froese and Christopher Bader

This is the book of the month at our church. I just started reading it today. Very interesting and so far I definitely have to agree with the author's take.

So...what is the author's take???

QVC Diva · 07-27-2011, 09:08 PM

chicky - basically, it's that probably the majority of the country considers themselves Christians but we tend to fall into four distinct camps of how we view Christ / God. By the way he has even included aethism in the discussion.

Anyway, the authors state that the way each of us view God affects how we view the world.

The authors define the four Gods as

Authoritative God

Gender: Male
Judgement: Wrathful
Engagement: Very Active
Proclivities: An Authoritative God is a male deity with definite opinions on worldly affairs and a willingness to involve himself in those affairs should he deem fit. God's intervention may take the form of blessings, but he sometimes allows or even causes bad things to happen to get our attention. A strict but loving parent, God's punishments arise from a desire to correct human behavior.

Benevolent God

Gender: Probably Male
Judgement: Forgiving
Engagement: Very Active
Proclivities: The Benevolent God is most likely a male entity with a very "hands-on" approach to the world. Showing a lesser propensity for judgment than the Authoritative God, this God's interactions with the world tend to be uniformly positive. The Benevolent God will comfort the sick, answer prayers, and sometimes rescue people from certain disaster, but rarely acts to frighten or punish.

Critical God

Gender: Uncertain
Judgement: Wrathful
Engagement: Inactive
Proclivities: The Critical God is more mysterious than the Authoritative God and Benevolent God. Of uncertain gender, this God chooses to avoid direct interaction or intervention in world affairs. However, the Critical God is highly displeased with evil in the world and will harshly assess sinners come Judgement Day. But that final judgement is reserved for the afterlife and sinner go free for the time being.

Distant God

Gender: Not Applicable
Judgement: Forgiving
Engagement: Inactive
Proclivities: More cosmic force than entity, the Distant God is mysterious and unknowable. The Distant God set the universe in motion and then retreated to watch its handiwork unfold. Such a force is far removed from human affairs and does not concern itself with the judgement of mankind or direct involvement in world affairs.

Personally, I think you need to go no further than the two boards on HTE to realize there are many of us that consider ourselves Christians but our views of God and the world are completely different. It's why some of us were never comfortable on the Evangelical Board.

norphan · 07-28-2011, 07:42 PM

I think he has missed: The "interested" god. An entity of no particular sexual leanings but usually visualized and referred to as a male, just for ease conversation. He probably set things in motion and enjoys watching it play-out but also likes to keep as eye on things so that when people die, he can discuss, with them, what has happend. What was wrong, what was right, what were the causes, what did the person learn. No judgement, exactly, but a requirement that the person come to realize just what their life was about.

QVC Diva · 08-05-2011, 12:49 AM

Here's the website about the book, etc.

http://www.thearda.com/whoisyourgod/index.asp

chickypea · 08-07-2011, 04:19 PM

How sad, that no one saw a god of peace, good will and understanding... but that is NOT the god that exists in the U.S. today. The bully pulpit, and people like the Koche brothers along with other "missions" have destroyed the benevolent church and turned it into one of intolerance, hatred and judgment.

lucky1 · 08-14-2011, 11:06 AM

I once read that man creates God in his own image and I think that is more true than that God created man in his image. Each person's perception of God varies as each of us see things just a little differently.

Whether those 4 descriptions of God are the predominant ones in America is certainly open to question as I think, if we are honest, we must know there are many more than 4. Probably a good book to initiate discussion for church-goers but very limiting for those who like to think deeper.

Roadster · 08-23-2011, 08:22 PM

If I'm allowed to vote, the Distant god is the concept I most identify with, though I'm not sure about the forgiving part. Apathetic is a bit more like it. What is a caring God's excuse for Hitler, Stalin and Mao Tse Tung?

07-25-2011, 07:54 PM	#1
QVC Diva Elite Presidential Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: NC, Southern Part of Heaven Posts: 17,248	America's Four Gods America's Four Gods: What We Say about God--and What That Says about Us by Paul Froese and Christopher Bader This is the book of the month at our church. I just started reading it today. Very interesting and so far I definitely have to agree with the author's take.

08-07-2011, 04:19 PM	#7
chickypea Royal Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: PA Posts: 31,521	How sad, that no one saw a god of peace, good will and understanding... but that is NOT the god that exists in the U.S. today. The bully pulpit, and people like the Koche brothers along with other "missions" have destroyed the benevolent church and turned it into one of intolerance, hatred and judgment. __________________ I was born with music inside of me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart. ~ Ray Charles *And in the beginning, Man created god.* The good thing about science is that it is true, whether or not you believe in it. ~ Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson Atheism isn't a religion, it is a personal relationship with reality. ~unk. "We're all connected - to each other biologically, to the earth chemically, and, to the rest of the universe atomically. We're in the universe, and the universe is in us." ~ Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson ~

08-23-2011, 08:22 PM	#9
Roadster Silver Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 153	If I'm allowed to vote, the Distant god is the concept I most identify with, though I'm not sure about the forgiving part. Apathetic is a bit more like it. What is a caring God's excuse for Hitler, Stalin and Mao Tse Tung? Last edited by Roadster; 08-23-2011 at 10:42 PM.

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07-27-2011, 08:31 AM	#2
kayhil Elite Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: North Carolina Posts: 14,798	I haven't heard of that book. I'll look into it.

07-27-2011, 09:08 PM	#4
QVC Diva Elite Presidential Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: NC, Southern Part of Heaven Posts: 17,248	chicky - basically, it's that probably the majority of the country considers themselves Christians but we tend to fall into four distinct camps of how we view Christ / God. By the way he has even included aethism in the discussion. Anyway, the authors state that the way each of us view God affects how we view the world. The authors define the four Gods as Authoritative God Gender: Male Judgement: Wrathful Engagement: Very Active Proclivities: An Authoritative God is a male deity with definite opinions on worldly affairs and a willingness to involve himself in those affairs should he deem fit. God's intervention may take the form of blessings, but he sometimes allows or even causes bad things to happen to get our attention. A strict but loving parent, God's punishments arise from a desire to correct human behavior. Benevolent God Gender: Probably Male Judgement: Forgiving Engagement: Very Active Proclivities: The Benevolent God is most likely a male entity with a very "hands-on" approach to the world. Showing a lesser propensity for judgment than the Authoritative God, this God's interactions with the world tend to be uniformly positive. The Benevolent God will comfort the sick, answer prayers, and sometimes rescue people from certain disaster, but rarely acts to frighten or punish. Critical God Gender: Uncertain Judgement: Wrathful Engagement: Inactive Proclivities: The Critical God is more mysterious than the Authoritative God and Benevolent God. Of uncertain gender, this God chooses to avoid direct interaction or intervention in world affairs. However, the Critical God is highly displeased with evil in the world and will harshly assess sinners come Judgement Day. But that final judgement is reserved for the afterlife and sinner go free for the time being. Distant God Gender: Not Applicable Judgement: Forgiving Engagement: Inactive Proclivities: More cosmic force than entity, the Distant God is mysterious and unknowable. The Distant God set the universe in motion and then retreated to watch its handiwork unfold. Such a force is far removed from human affairs and does not concern itself with the judgement of mankind or direct involvement in world affairs. Personally, I think you need to go no further than the two boards on HTE to realize there are many of us that consider ourselves Christians but our views of God and the world are completely different. It's why some of us were never comfortable on the Evangelical Board.

07-28-2011, 07:42 PM	#5
norphan Presidential Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 7,575	I think he has missed: The "interested" god. An entity of no particular sexual leanings but usually visualized and referred to as a male, just for ease conversation. He probably set things in motion and enjoys watching it play-out but also likes to keep as eye on things so that when people die, he can discuss, with them, what has happend. What was wrong, what was right, what were the causes, what did the person learn. No judgement, exactly, but a requirement that the person come to realize just what their life was about.

08-05-2011, 12:49 AM	#6
QVC Diva Elite Presidential Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: NC, Southern Part of Heaven Posts: 17,248	Here's the website about the book, etc. http://www.thearda.com/whoisyourgod/index.asp

08-14-2011, 11:06 AM	#8
lucky1 Silver Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: western Canada Posts: 343	I once read that man creates God in his own image and I think that is more true than that God created man in his image. Each person's perception of God varies as each of us see things just a little differently. Whether those 4 descriptions of God are the predominant ones in America is certainly open to question as I think, if we are honest, we must know there are many more than 4. Probably a good book to initiate discussion for church-goers but very limiting for those who like to think deeper.