Deity
I think one of the most egotisical things that humans do is say
something along the lines of, "God is whomever or whatever you want him
to be." First off, the concept of a deity implies that you are
not in charge and that someone or something supernatural is -- it
really shouldn't be up to you how He/She/It acts! Second of all,
you know anyone who says such a thing would get all defensive if
someone tried to "label" or "define" them. So how is it that they
feel free to dictate how God should behave?
If God exists, He is who He is. We may admit we might have a flawed understanding of Him (Her, It), but I think we should acknowledge that this doesn't mean God changes to correspond with every person's perceptions. I may present a different facade to people at home, school, work, or with friends, but my core essence remains pretty consistent. So, too, does God interact with people in varying ways but that doesn't change who He is. People may believe that God either exists or He doesn't -- someone's right, someone's wrong, it's as simple as that. If He does exist, He is God. Period. Not "my god" or "my view of God," but God. He is who He is; when Moses asked Him who He was, the response was simple and very clear: I AM.
If God exists, He is who He is. We may admit we might have a flawed understanding of Him (Her, It), but I think we should acknowledge that this doesn't mean God changes to correspond with every person's perceptions. I may present a different facade to people at home, school, work, or with friends, but my core essence remains pretty consistent. So, too, does God interact with people in varying ways but that doesn't change who He is. People may believe that God either exists or He doesn't -- someone's right, someone's wrong, it's as simple as that. If He does exist, He is God. Period. Not "my god" or "my view of God," but God. He is who He is; when Moses asked Him who He was, the response was simple and very clear: I AM.