Atheists, define 'God'

[Gadarene]

And lastly, I don't NEED to argue anything. I believe, I am born again, and I am destined to spend eternity with my Lord. What do I need to argue about?

What a charming attitude when you could be trying to save people from hell, apparently.

But you're alright, Jack.

 

[gav1nzdad]

.


So you came to this sub-forum why?

Certainly not to argue.

 

[gav1nzdad]

What a charming attitude when you could be trying to save people from hell, apparently.

But you're alright, Jack.

Well, I can't save anyone from hell. I can only present what God has given me through His word. Sort of a seed planter. God takes care of the cultivating.

i feel like I've done that here.

 

[Skavau]

Certainly not to argue.

I expected that debate would be taken for granted in a "Philosophy" subsection of any board.

 

[quatona]

Must be hard to have a discussion when you are used to preach to the choir.

 

[Gadarene]

Well, I can't save anyone from hell. I can only present what God has given me through His word. Sort of a seed planter. God takes care of the cultivating.

i feel like I've done that here.

Whatever you need to tell yourself to absolve yourself of responsibility.

 

[gav1nzdad]

I expected that debate would be taken for granted in a "Philosophy" subsection of any board.

Sorry to disappoint you. But in all honesty, you seem to be at least willing to listen, so that is something. You've mentioned morality a couple of times, (unless I have my posters confused). The mention of morality tells me you do have a sense of what is right and what is wrong. And that is a starting point, I believe.

Again, I don't want to debate you, as I'm sure you are prepared for any debate. But I wonder, where do you suppose this sense of right and wrong come from?

 

[Gadarene]

You've mentioned morality a couple of times, (unless I have my posters confused). The mention of morality tells me you do have a sense of what is right and what is wrong. And that is a starting point, I believe.

It's almost like atheists are people!

 

[Skavau]

Sorry to disappoint you. But in all honesty, you seem to be at least willing to listen, so that is something.

More confused than disappointed.

I always listen.

You've mentioned morality a couple of times, (unless I have my posters confused). The mention of morality tells me you do have a sense of what is right and what is wrong. And that is a starting point, I believe.

Did you think that I otherwise would have had no morality?

Again, I don't want to debate you, as I'm sure you are prepared for any debate. But I wonder, where do you suppose this sense of right and wrong come from?

A conscience which allows empathy and altruism. That and more broadly for the human race: a recognition of the rights of others is required for a social species in its infancy. We would not have survived at all without co-operation.

 

[gav1nzdad]

More confused than disappointed.

I always listen.


Did you think that I otherwise would have had no morality?


A conscience which allows empathy and altruism. That and more broadly for the human race: a recognition of the rights of others is required for a social species in its infancy. We would not have survived at all without co-operation.

Of course I din't think you had no morality. I think, as you have stated that this morality comes from your conscience. I would call that your spirit.

 

[Non sequitur]

I don't believe God is undefinable. There are some definite traits of God that can be defined and by studying Scripture one can see an all powerful being who has the ability to do anything and everything not certain things and will only do certain other opposite things and vise versa. True, Christians disagree to some of the definitions and extents of right/wrong, good/bad, love/hate, righteousness/sin, and holy/worldly, God definitely makes Himself clear on which side He is on.


To me, that is defining God without boxing Him in.

He's definable... in your box.

 

[Dave Ellis]

See how quickly the thread goes from a simple question to atheists to an offensive assault on theism.

Why not just answer the question simply? I mean, even atheists must agree with theists that there is such a word as "god"...right? And this word does have a personal meaning to each of them...even if it a completely negative one So why be scared to share, honestly and without having to lash out (defense mechanism).

Why turn it back around on theists when the question wasn't meant to "box in" but to simply inquire?

I fail to see how you're regarding this as an offensive assault on Theism?

Most Atheists, including myself have simply stated it's not our place to define what God is.

There's hundreds, if not thousands of different definitions within Christianity alone. Every Christian has their own personal view of what God is. The only real common trait among all Christian definitions is that it's all powerful and created the universe.

But that doesn't go for non-christian interpretations of God. Some Gods are not all powerful, and many were not said to have created the universe.

So basically, my definition is: God is whatever the believer thinks it is.

For me, I think God does not exist. So therefore asking me to define something I don't think exists is senseless. That's like me asking you to define what a Martian looks like. There's a number of concepts from old movies, but in reality, martians have no definable characteristics at all, because they don't exist in reality.

 

[Non sequitur]

Of course our languishes do not have big enough vocabulary to define God; however. the first five words in the Bible explains God and every thing in the universe. In the beginning God---Created. The fact is that God is the logos.

If you want to know what Christ is, it will be very helpful for you to do a Google search for olgos/dabar. The logos is a Spirit, a scientific method if the highest order, the foundation of knowledge of the highest order ans the Principle that gives meaning to the Christian lifestyle.He is the principle that answers the thread that wants to know what the meaning of life is.

Genesis 1:1 בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

The origin of the word אֱלֹהִ֑ים is from the plural (form) of eloah; "god".

YHWH (יְהוָ֥&#1492, the God of the Israelites, doesn't show up until Genesis 2:4.


Also, logos (λόγο&#962 apparently didn't mean that, until someone used it analogously.

 

[KCfromNC]

And you can bet your bottom dollar if atheists WERE to try and narrow the definition of god down themselves it would be the cue for the plaintive cries of 'but that's not the God that I believe in'.

Followed by "God's too big for our puny human minds to define", as we've already seen in this thread. So it seems that non-believers aren't the only ones who find a stumbling block in defining god(s).

 

[Dave Ellis]

Followed by "God's too big for our puny human minds to define", as we've already seen in this thread. So it seems that non-believers aren't the only ones who find a stumbling block in defining god(s).

The question I'd raise in that situation is.... if they can't understand what it is, or how it works, what basis do they have to believe in it or assert anything about it at all?

 

[jpcedotal]

I fail to see how you're regarding this as an offensive assault on Theism?

Most Atheists, including myself have simply stated it's not our place to define what God is.

There's hundreds, if not thousands of different definitions within Christianity alone. Every Christian has their own personal view of what God is. The only real common trait among all Christian definitions is that it's all powerful and created the universe.

But that doesn't go for non-christian interpretations of God. Some Gods are not all powerful, and many were not said to have created the universe.

So basically, my definition is: God is whatever the believer thinks it is.

For me, I think God does not exist. So therefore asking me to define something I don't think exists is senseless. That's like me asking you to define what a Martian looks like. There's a number of concepts from old movies, but in reality, martians have no definable characteristics at all, because they don't exist in reality.

I think my issue is with atheism in general when it comes to debates....defining God is just one of them. There is no original thought just defamation of others.

 

[Skavau]

I think my issue is with atheism in general when it comes to debates....defining God is just one of them. There is no original thought just defamation of others.

Atheists have original thoughts - just as anyone can and does. Atheism itself is a negation, a word to describe skepticism of a different viewpoint. You are confusing the two.

Why does atheism need to define a God anyway?

 

[Dave Ellis]

I think my issue is with atheism in general when it comes to debates....defining God is just one of them. There is no original thought just defamation of others.

Disagreeing or debating your point is not defamation.

Likewise, it's not our place to define God, as we are not making the claim. The Theist is the person who believes such a being exists, so it's up to him to define what they believe. After they do that, then they are certainly welcome to try to convince us of that beings existence as well.

The fact we may not agree with that person, is not defaming them. We just simply don't accept their argument because they haven't backed it with anything demonstrable.

 

[sandwiches]

I think my issue is with atheism in general when it comes to debates....defining God is just one of them. There is no original thought just defamation of others.

You're the one proposing the idea that X exists. We're telling we see no reason to believe in your X. Now, you're saying that WE are the ones who should define the X YOU are proposing? Sorry but you got this backward.

 

[Non sequitur]

I think my issue is with atheism in general when it comes to debates....defining God is just one of them. There is no original thought just defamation of others.

If you have an issue with people having to define things they lack belief in, and then talking about the proposed and assumed concepts... then you have issues.