God-Fearing

[supernova]

That's such a strange phrase to me.

God-Fearing. To fear God.

Fear.

Aren't we suppose to *love* God? When you love someone, some Being, you accept them as they are, in the totality of who they are.

Where is the fear in that? How can you Love and fear at the same time? Why would that be desirable.

Just musing for a rainy Fall Friday in the South.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Unfortunately, "fear" is both a good (efficient), yet not a very good translation of the word.

At least in Hebrew - the word is yod-resh-aleph, which means fear, awe, reverence.

And so the word "fear" becomes a simple, one-word way to translate the concept - BUT, rightwing jackoffs love to abuse that word because they love the idea of a scary, judging, damning, violent God (though never against them for their sins, of course), and so they LOVE the phrase "Fear the LORD" as in "You non-like-me-people should BE TERRIFIED OF THE ALL CONSUMING FIRE THAT IS GOD!!!!!"

Instead of a more rightful interpretation of "God is God, and really, really fucking powerful, especially in comparison to you, puny mortal, whose power is utterly laughable, and so when you come before God, you should do so in utter reverence and awe and a feeling of 'holy crap I am nothing in comparison to this creator of all the universe maybe I should knock my ego down a couple pegs and go help those less fortunate than I'".

It does NOT mean terror, or be afraid of, or cower and tremble in anxious dread like a child afraid to go to sleep because his drunkard dad hasn't come home yet and had his nightly tirade and beating session.

Unfortunately, the rightwingers LOVE to think of God as the abusive, violent, smiting alcoholically unpredictably malignant and noxious God who will kill everyone in violent Divine righteous retribution who isn't a proper Christian, and in case God isn't smart enough to figure out who those people are, that rightwinger is perfectly capable of writing up a list for God.


I really think that modern translators should use the word "awe-filled reverence" instead of "fear", even though (IMO) "fear" is the best word to use here. The Hebrew does not at all have the sense of "be terrified", and too many think that when they read the word "fear" because, unfortunately, in English we've come to equate 'fear' with 'terror', which it shouldn't be.

[lavenderdiva]

2. thank you Rabrrrrrr

I always appreciate learning from the root Hebrew word; its usually very helpful. So many of us were taught to 'fear' God, and are confused by then also learning that God is loving. How can he be scary and loving at the same time? Were they to read your post, the 'reverence' they should feel for a loving God would be more easily understood. :hug:

[nosillies]

3. That sums up a healthy relationship between parents and children, also.

"Awe-filled reverence" tempered with lots of love.

Authoritarian, mean, fear-inspiring parents raise screwed up kids. So do permissive, I'm-your-friend type parents. The ones who tread the fine line between are the best.

I can remember once telling my Dad, as he whooped my deserving backside, that he was being soooooo Old Testament. I got extra for that mouthing off.

[onlyadream]

6. Thanks,

my kids go to an Evangelical school and their motto (on all of the letterhead) is something like - to fear the Lord is to know the Lord. That always made me angry b/c it goes against what I believe. But you summed it up nicely with the translation.

[Kajsa]

7. "alcoholically unpredictably "

:rofl:- I relate!

[Waiting For Everyman]

4. Nevermind - redundant. :)

[blaze]

5. Prayers of the Cosmos

This thread reminded me (because of translations) of one of my all time favorite books, "Prayers of the Cosmos" by Neil Douglas-Klotz.

In it, he translates The Lord's Prayer, the Beatitudes and others from Aramaic to English... while the version we are most familiar with is an Aramaic to Greek to English translation. And much, it seems, is lost in that process.

For example:

Our Father which are in heaven

Abwoon d'bwashmaya

Can be translated several ways...

O Thou! The Breathing Life of all,
Creator of the Shimmering Sound that
touches us.

or

Radiant One: You shine within us,
outside us - even darkness shines - when
we remember.

or

Name of all names, our small identity
unravels in you, you give it back
as a lesson


It's a wonderful little book.

[Kajsa]

8. God as I understand him/her to be,

is not fear inducing, yet is highly respected and revered.

That's something along the lines of what Rabrr was saying.

My Higher Power (God) is a vital part of my life.
Fear cannot be a part of that relationship.

I don't fear those who I respect
and visa-versa.

Fear and Respect are NOT synonymous, imho.