Let's get philosophical

Anyone catch the Olivia Newton-John reference?

There's something I think about from time to time. It is this:

It is impossible to completely understand or describe something greater than oneself.

One of the questions that arises from this is, "What is something greater than oneself?"
I have not prepared an answer to this question.

Here's my point:

The most accurate map of the Earth is the Earth itself. That is, there cannot be a map made that more accurately describes the Earth than the object and presence of the Earth itself.

Similarly, the most accurate description of who I am is myself. No words, pictures, or other devices can more accurately describe me than I, myself.

So, in order to completely describe (if not understand) something, you have to be it.

I think this is profoundly important.

Another important thing:

It is not impossible to know (as in, "relate to") something greater than yourself, although it is impossible to completely know something greater than yourself.

I can know the Earth, if only partly. I can know another person, again, partly. I cannot know another person more completely than I know myself.

An interesting question is, "Can one completely know oneself?" I have not prepared an answer to this question.

I think this is also profoundly important.

An example of my point regarding these two ideas:

It is impossible to completely understand or describe or know the Truth. It is not impossible for me to know the Truth, but impossible for me to completely know the Truth. This has profound implications. Even if you know the Truth about a certain thing or situation, you will never uncover the complete Truth about something, yet most people are satisfied at some point that they "understand the Truth." But the difference between an "acceptable" understanding of the Truth and a complete understanding of the Truth can be substantial. For instance, the difference between the acceptable understanding of the truth that my car is not operating correctly and the complete understanding of the truth of what is wrong with my car could be many hundreds of dollars in repair costs and time.

Similarly, and here is where I originated my thoughts today, is the idea that The Bible is not a complete description of God. Only God can be a complete description of God. And while there is evidence that the Bible does describe God and describes him accurately and saliently, it is still a far cry from God Himself. And while it is possible to know God, to know God completely is impossible. These things have profound implications for followers of the Biblical God. Profound implications that I think are far too often ignored.

This applies to all followers of anything. I think humanity has a tendency towards following no one but their individual selves, regardless of what they claim or believe to follow.

Humility is the prize of the wise.