Emotions are strange. They are something that I do not understand, especially my own personal feelings (we will also use the term “feelings” harmoniously with the term “emotions”). I always wonder, “Why we have them?” and “What good are they?” I think I am no closer to answering these questions than when I first started trying to understand emotions. Maybe emotions are something that the human mind can never fully grasp. Another thought that I have often pondered is, “What would the world be like without emotions?” Now many will be quick to say that we would be robots and that life may lose a lot of its value, but let’s not be so hasty. Instead of a world where what feels right seems to be the best choice, let us think of a world where logic takes precedence. In this world there would be no stupid choices or doing things because it feels right to us. We make the logical choice and choose the one that is best suited based on many variables (time, purpose, future effects, etc.). For example, in the movie I, Robot, Will Smith’s character, Del Spooner, has a car wreck which causes both cars to be slung into the river. The other car contains a 12 year old girl who seems to be the only one who survived the initial impact. Neither one can escape their vehicle and it appears that both are going to drown. However, a robot shows up and only has time to save one of them. The robot chooses to save Spooner, despite Spooner’s commands to save the girl instead of him. Spooner is saved, but the little girl ends up drowning. Why did the robot choose Spooner over the little girl and ignore the commands of Spooner? The reason is because Spooner had the better percentage of survival. The robot made the most logical choice and it is good he did, because had he not saved Spooner then no one would have been able to stop the robot apocalypse at the end of the movie. However, if the robot had listened to Spooner and saved the girl because Spooner felt like it is the right thing to do, then Spooner would have drowned and it is highly possible humanity would have become enslaved by robots at the end of the movie. If this scenario paints an accurate picture of logic being greater than feelings, then, as a theologian, I have to ask, “Would God be more efficient if He was without emotions?”
A problem does arise if we hold to the idea that God has no emotions. If we believe Scripture to contain infallible truths about God, then what do we do with all the passages that seem to show God displaying emotions? One idea is that we could say that all the statements that show God having emotions are anthropomorphisms. An anthropomorphism is where something is described as having a human form or human attributes. Emotions are an attribute of humanity. Someone who would agree with this would probably have to say that the authors believed God to be ineffable and that are mere emotions are the only words we can use to describe God in certain situations. The problem with this is two-fold: First, to say God is ineffable means that no human concept or word can apply to Him. If true, then this would severely limit what truths we could say about God, if anything. Second, if no human concept applies to Him, then we cannot really know Him so His Word appears useless to us. So why even bother communicating to us? Someone may argue that God has a logical reason for his actions, and this is all they probably could say.
What about Christ and the salvation He brings to all? Why would God do this, if He does not love us? Once again, one would have to say it is the most logical choice for Him to send His Son to die on a cross for the sins of the world. One would say that God’s logical reasoning is perfect and He does these things because of some benefit they bring, whatever that benefit may be. When it comes to the many questions that can be raised about an emotionless God, I think the only thing a person can appeal to is to use anthropomorphisms and God’s perfect logical reasoning as a defense. However, why can’t we say that because of who God is, He has perfect control over His emotions and uses them to make logical choices? I would say that there is nothing wrong with saying that God has perfect control over His emotions seeing as how He is God after all. However, saying that He uses them to make logical choices seems contradictory to me. For example, take the scene from I, Robot that was previously mentioned. Actually, we will change it up a bit. Let’s say that the robot still has its perfect logical skills, but we are also going to give it emotions that it has perfect control over as well. If we put this robot in the car wreck scene, it still cannot make a perfect choice that combines the two extremes. Either it will do what feels right and save the little girl, or it will make the logical choice and save Spooner. Granted of course, this robot is not God. Still, I think it is plausible to say that in some situations God could only do either what feels right or what is logically best if we hold to this idea.
So what do we say? Do we say that it is best for God to be emotionless? As I weigh all the idea and thoughts that come to my head, I would have to say no. I think the picture of God that is painted in Scripture shows an emotional God who out of his goodness and love created us to have a relationship with Him. He created us in His image, which results in some sort of personal connection that we have with Him. Also, He is the perfection of our attributes, which means we have a method of perceiving and understanding the qualities of God. Since He is the perfection of our attributes, then He perfectly controls His emotions and does not let them interfere with his judgment and decision making. It may even be possible that His emotions enhance His judgment and decision making.
An emotionless God seems like a cold, dead God. It seems that His logical reasons for providing salvation, amongst other things, would only benefit Himself. He would not be doing these things because He loves us…He would do these things because He only loves Himself. From my understand of Scripture and my personal experiences, I think that God is a God of emotions and logic who, out of His wisdom, love, and goodness, created us and provided salvation to all so that we may fellowship with Him and worship Him always.
Living In Grey 