Religion
Related: About this forumWhat does it mean to say you are a god fearing person?
Magic Johnson said today that he was a God fearing man.
I would take that to mean be was a believer in God and that effects his thinking and actions.
But does it also mean he fears God?
When I was religious I never feared God. I thought God was on my side.
I don't understand God fearing.
Exultant Democracy
(6,594 posts)Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)AtheistCrusader
(33,982 posts)Prophet 451
(9,796 posts)By my theology, god is a cruel tyrant but I don't fear him. Hate him, yes, but not fear.
TexasProgresive
(12,157 posts)is not fear as we understand it. It is like a child who loves a parent and fears doing something that would dishonor the parent or displease. It is the fear of somehow losing the love the parent has for the child.
The parable of the Prodigal Son is a good example of this. The son ran off and wasted his inheritance feared that he could never return home. Hunger got the best of him and he came back wishing only to be a servant in his father's household. The father never stopped loving this son and was overjoyed to receive him as his son.
I doubt many understand fear of God as fear of losing his love. BTW- God's love is unconditional.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)I do fear the Lord but I beoieve he is a loving God.
I fear his judgement.
upaloopa
(11,417 posts)edhopper
(33,575 posts)an abusive relationship.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)edhopper
(33,575 posts)and forgive my off-handed post.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)rug
(82,333 posts)Genesis 3:
goldent
(1,582 posts)LostOne4Ever
(9,288 posts)But I think it goes back to the idea that god is a patriarchal figure who doles out punishment and has a short temper. A remnant if you will, from the beliefs of the puritans and specifically the preacher Johnathan Edwards.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinners_in_the_Hands_of_an_Angry_God
Ultimately though, the only way to know what he meant for sure would be to ask Magic Johnson himself.
upaloopa
(11,417 posts)and that was because he (Magic) was a God fearing man.
Nice thought by Magic.
In Buddhism we have a concept called loving kindness which is similar to Magic's thoughts toward Sterling.
Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)its like Stockholm syndrome or something. Its weird.
Iggo
(47,552 posts)If it didn't, they'd say something else.
TygrBright
(20,759 posts)...that the person so describing themself has invested in a particular theology defined by a particular sect and or/priesthood, and believes that strict adherence to the tenets thereof is the highest priority for them.
And the person so describing someone(s) else regards those they are describing as sharing that investment.
The term "fear" originates with the 16th-Century English translations of the OT, of Hebrew/Aramaic terms that, essentially, carry the connotation "highly regard/concentrate on."
The KJV has much lovely poetry and prose in it, but a whole buttload of translation problems to answer for.
responsively,
Bright
upaloopa
(11,417 posts)trotsky
(49,533 posts)Being "god-fearing" is meant to say that you try to live as a good person.
Implying, of course, that those who DON'T acknowledge a god are bad people.