Administrators Gail Posted May 18, 2011 Administrators Posted May 18, 2011 Let's talk about imagination. Good? Bad? Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Administrators Tom Wetmore Posted May 18, 2011 Administrators Posted May 18, 2011 Excellent topic! Before we get started, let me give a brief homework assignment so we are all focused and aiming in the same general direction. Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagination . (Without an imagination this particular forum would be rendered meaningless and impossible... But don't let that skew your perspective one way or the other of whether imagination is good or bad...) Quote "Absurdity reigns and confusion makes it look good." "Sinless perfection is such a shallow goal." "I love God only as much as the person I love the least." *Forgiveness is always good news. And that is the gospel truth. (And finally, the ideas expressed above are solely my person views and not that of any organization with which I am associated.)
Members rudywoofs (Pam) Posted May 18, 2011 Members Posted May 18, 2011 Brings to mind the classic "Miracle on 34th Street"... Quote Pam Meddle Not In the Affairs of Dragons; for You Are Crunchy and Taste Good with Ketchup. If we all sang the same note in the choir, there'd never be any harmony. Funny, isn't it, how we accept Grace for ourselves and demand justice for others?
fccool Posted May 21, 2011 Posted May 21, 2011 Well, to some extend we are here because God "imagined" us. How can it be bad? Quote
Administrators Tom Wetmore Posted May 21, 2011 Administrators Posted May 21, 2011 Yes, I think imagination is essential to creativity. A creator God has to have a fantastic imagination. He imagined it and it was so. I think that is a significant part of being created in the image of God. He gave us the ability to create, i.e., an imagination. I don't think other animals have it. Thinking of how our imaginations work and assuming God's works the same way, I think it shoots a bit of a hole in the idea that God knows absolutely everything since to imagine is to create new and different images in you mind, new thoughts, new ideas, that you haven't ever thought of before. Otherwise, God is just a good craftsman executing the ready made plans he has already in his head. How did those ideas get there in the first place? He had to think of them. Oh wait, that would require creating a whole new thought... Hmmm... Quote "Absurdity reigns and confusion makes it look good." "Sinless perfection is such a shallow goal." "I love God only as much as the person I love the least." *Forgiveness is always good news. And that is the gospel truth. (And finally, the ideas expressed above are solely my person views and not that of any organization with which I am associated.)
CoAspen Posted May 21, 2011 Posted May 21, 2011 Imagination is a willingness to think 'outside the box'. I was watching a program last nite in which physicists were talking about the theory of 'multi-universes'. Was very fascinating. Imagination has brought us to where we are today. Jules Verne had an imagination of the future that came true. To think that we have a mind that can imagine and then make it come true is amazing. Quote
Administrators Gail Posted May 21, 2011 Author Administrators Posted May 21, 2011 We can imagine things that we have heard about and are just trying to picture, or we can imagine something totally of our own creating. Our imagination can go completely overboard and stimulate thoughts that torture us. Do we have complete control of the imagination or no? Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
CoAspen Posted May 21, 2011 Posted May 21, 2011 Some people seem to have imaginations that are constantly working, talking to them is almost tiring, have a friend like that!! Quote
Ellen Posted June 4, 2011 Posted June 4, 2011 I say imagination is good and essential. God told us that we can't even imagine the great things He has prepared for the saved. I don't think that means we shouldn't try. Quote
Moderators Bravus Posted July 1, 2011 Moderators Posted July 1, 2011 Empathy requires imagination. Quote Truth is important
CoAspen Posted July 1, 2011 Posted July 1, 2011 Hmmm....might be some of that 'imagination' lacking with in certain aspects of christianity. Quote
Overaged Posted July 2, 2011 Posted July 2, 2011 Does imagination play a role in hope? Quote "People [rarely] see...the bright light which is in the clouds..." (Job 37:21)"I cannot know why suddenly the stormshould rage so fiercely round me in it's wrathBut this I know: God watches all my pathAnd I can trust""God helps us to draw strength from the storm" - OveragedFaith makes things possible; it does not make them easy, Steps To Christ
Administrators Gail Posted July 2, 2011 Author Administrators Posted July 2, 2011 Hope... hmm I think it must take some use of imagination to even make Scripture "yours" or apply it to one's own life situation. But that is the beauty of Scripture: although it gets specific regarding some things, it does contain many principles that can be adjusted to regional customs and/or personally in each individual life. But there are times when Scripture just "fits". Hope may be one of those concepts that are universal, although it's going to apply differently to me living in affluent North America than it does to the poor African or Haitien. Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Moderators Gerr Posted July 2, 2011 Moderators Posted July 2, 2011 Well, somebody imagined taking God's place. It wasn't good. Quote
D. Allan Posted July 2, 2011 Posted July 2, 2011 I'm not sure that we DO have control of our imaginations. Consider dreams, for instance. Are they from imagination? In them we see without using our eyes. Is imgination always conscious ? Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
monty Posted July 2, 2011 Posted July 2, 2011 I am not so sure we have total control of our imagination either. Ever since sin entered God's creation it has spiralled in other directions than He intended. I don't think we can assume God's imagination was the precursor to the creation of this earth. (My thoughts are not your thoughts Isa.55:8) I could be wrong. Sin has placed in our neural pathways inputs which our brain has involuntary synaptic responses to, for example while dreaming. Even the Bible can introduce into our imagination that which is hard to grapple with. What do these creatures around God's throne that are covered all over with eyes which see really look like? (Rev 4:6) Let your imagination be your guide Quote
ChildofChrist Posted July 2, 2011 Posted July 2, 2011 Our imagination is a gift from God, the Creator. He made us in His own image. But satan has a way of corrupting even the best." Sometimes a woman will dress in not so modest attire and it can be said, 'She doesn't leave much to the imagination.' If our authors like Patty Froese Nithemuka and artists didn't have an imagination, the world would be pretty dismal. I began a new vocation a couple years ago, quilting. Say...I wanted to make a new quilt, would I really want to repeat what one or several others had done, using the same pattern and same rose print material? Would it truly say to the person receiving it, "I made this just for you." BUT they hated roses? Gotta use that imagination in constructive and happy ways! Quote Wakan Tanka Kici Un ~~Child of Christ~~
Administrators Gail Posted July 2, 2011 Author Administrators Posted July 2, 2011 Yay for Patty!! :) Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Stan Posted July 3, 2011 Posted July 3, 2011 We all need to be supportive of people like Patty. She was one of the early interviews on this forum. Quote If you receive benefit to being here please help out with expenses. https://www.paypal.me/clubadventist Administrator of a few websites like https://adventistdating.com
ClubV12 Posted July 3, 2011 Posted July 3, 2011 A sanctified imagination. Sometimes I love to contemplate the mysteries of God as evidenced in Nature and the Universe. Sometimes a particular verse in the bible and what it might be saying. The balance there is I try not to enter into the realm of pure speculation and dwell on "off the wall" theories. Some things are best left "unimagined". I've been surprised to find my dreams are changing as I grow in this christian experience. There are becoming more in harmony with things that are pleasing to God. Pleasing to ME! We can control our imagination at that point where it starts to wander into things that we know are not pleasing to God. Paul described it as girding up the loins of our mind. Reading Acts of the Apostles recently I was struck by Ellen Whites comment about the need to control what we see, think, hear, or words to that effect. We have such good counsel in the SOP, I'm really thankful for that... Quote
CoAspen Posted July 10, 2011 Posted July 10, 2011 Imagination is the minds portal to the future. Yes, we can see the future, modify the present, modify the future even, based on the info we gather here in the present. It is a process used everyday for problem solving, in the future. Our minds can project into the future looking for problems, outcomes and solutions for projects that only exist on paper or in our minds. As we 'look' into the future and plot out the events or steps along the way, we start to insert changes, examine the results and make more modifications. Even God did this, just like we do! The God Head 'looked' into the future and made a plan for what events might take place and put a solution into action, should it "sin" happen. Rather fantastic, I believe, that God created us to have such brain capacity, even though we only scratch the surface of our mind use. Quote
ClubV12 Posted July 11, 2011 Posted July 11, 2011 I love to imagine the never fading flowers and the children climbing the mountains in heaven, or if they choose, to use their little wings to fly to the mountain top. Quote
Administrators Gail Posted July 11, 2011 Author Administrators Posted July 11, 2011 Yup, awesome! To me, the Bible is a pretty visual book and I can just imagine some things. Others are more mysterious. How about this for a use of the imagination: How about trying to think positively about someone, as opposed to seeing the worst possible light on something that s/he does or says? It might be a stretch of one's imagination, but in the end that person might appreciate the faith you put in him/her. Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Aliensanctuary Posted July 12, 2011 Posted July 12, 2011 So, what if someone rolled up this universe into a little ball and tossed it away? Quote The Parable of the Lamb and the Pigpen https://www.createspace.com/3401451
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