Define God

HummingbirdSong · Dec 12, 2005

What a great thread this is turning out to be! I am really enjoying all the responses.

Though this question seems easy, I must admit that I have no idea how to define God.

Is there even really an agreed upon definition?

No, I don't think there is. That's partly why I thought it made such a good question.

thirstforknowledge said:
Does a god have to be immortal, omnipotent, and omniscient?

Not if you don't think god is......but you are an atheist, no? So it's a moot point for you, unless your definition of "God" is scientific or something similar.

Is the universe immortal? Does it have a beginning and end? Or is it just recycled into something else?

Druweid · Dec 12, 2005

HummingbirdSong said:
Is the universe immortal? Does it have a beginning and end? Or is it just recycled into something else?

From Douglas Adams:

"Some say that the universe is made so that when we are about to understand it it changes into something even more incomprehensible. And then there are those who say that this has already happened. "

"In the beginning, the universe was created. This made a lot of people very angry, and has been widely regarded as a bad idea."

-- Druweid

Lokmer · Dec 12, 2005

Probably the finest definition of the idea of "God" I have ever heard is expressed in the following quote.

The molecules of your body are the same molecules that make up this station, and the nebula outside-- that burn inside the stars themselves. We are starstuff. We are the Universe made manifest, trying to figure itself out. -- J. Michael Straczynski, from Babylon 5, paraphrasing Carl Sagan

-Lokmer

HummingbirdSong · Dec 12, 2005

Druweid and Lokmer....I like that.

Casstranquility · Dec 13, 2005

HummingbirdSong said:
How is it that you define "God?"

What attributes do you give to "God." What is "God" responsible for or not responsible for?

Is there only one "God?"

I define God as Love and Everything. I cannot describe God in all of His attributes, for all attributes are God's. God is the Void in which nothing and everything happens. God is the energy that swirls and twirls and dances in the universe as humans, animals, plants, rocks, planets, suns, stars...
God is thoughts and emotions and dreams.
God is responsible for Everything.
Yes, there is only One God. There is only One that encompasses All.

Wow, Druweid, I really liked your post!

Druweid · Dec 13, 2005

Casstranquility said:
Wow, Druweid, I really liked your post!

Aww, garsh ma'am, thanks bunches.

-- Druweid

KaleTainer · Dec 13, 2005

HummingbirdSong said:
No, I don't think there is. That's partly why I thought it made such a good question.

It is a good question.

Not if you don't think god is......but you are an atheist, no? So it's a moot point for you, unless your definition of "God" is scientific or something similar.

Is the universe immortal? Does it have a beginning and end? Or is it just recycled into something else?

Boy oh boy, this board is so different then another one I frequent. So... "open" to talking. I also live in the Bible Belt so that doesn't help the preception of others in the world.

As for the universe... I am not up to speed on the current hypothesis in the journals. Nor would I understand it without a few months of intensive study. So I will have to state that I don't know.

If you could point me to enough things in the universe, could you define god?

For instance. You can take a toddler and point to an object and say whatever we call it. The toddler will imitate you and do the same thing. Then you point to a big glass box, that is a "Television." You point to a piece of fruit, that is an "apple." In this way the toddler can develope a vocabulary. They learn what things are and what words mean such that if you repeat the word their association comes to mind and they know what it is.

This can be done for abstractions also. Such as numbers. The toddler already knows what an apple is. You now point to one apple and say "one." You then add an apple and say "two," and repeat.

Toddlers even learn things such as emotions, through actions. "Love" and "sad." Ask a toddler to show you love and they will give you hugs and kisses and such. With "sad" they make pouting faces and rub their eyes. etc.

Back to earlier, can you define "god" in such a way? Can you point me to enough things in the universe and define "god?"

-Kale

Casstranquility · Dec 13, 2005

KaleTainer said:
Back to earlier, can you define "god" in such a way? Can you point me to enough things in the universe and define "god?"

Can you hold on to that question for a few billion millenia? Well, I guess for the sake of time.....*A few billion millenia passes...*
*I grow an infinite number of arms*
*I point at everything*.

Phew, that was easier than pointing at one thing at a time.

(Sorry, just having a bit of fun. )

urnotme · Dec 13, 2005

HummingbirdSong said:
What a great thread this is turning out to be! I am really enjoying all the responses.

No, I don't think there is. That's partly why I thought it made such a good question.

Not if you don't think god is......but you are an atheist, no? So it's a moot point for you, unless your definition of "God" is scientific or something similar.

Is the universe immortal? Does it have a beginning and end? Or is it just recycled into something else?

The most common definition is a suppreme being but you can define the suppreme being how ever you want I guess. The universe is constantly changing so you could say it's being recycled.

HummingbirdSong · Dec 13, 2005

KaleTainer said:
It is a good question.

Thanks

Boy oh boy, this board is so different then another one I frequent. So... "open" to talking. I also live in the Bible Belt so that doesn't help the preception of others in the world.

As for the universe... I am not up to speed on the current hypothesis in the journals. Nor would I understand it without a few months of intensive study. So I will have to state that I don't know.

I don't know either, but I've heard theories that point to the constant expansion/collapse of this and other universes. Perhaps it's on a cycle, just like we see in nature. Not just the seasons, which is the easiest to view, but something similar to the life cycle (i.e., food chains and population growths and how things are able to balance themselves out). Or perhaps the universes are on a cycle similar to the water cycle. Again, I don't know. It just seems everywhere I turn in nature, there's a cycle of some sort attached to it.

If you could point me to enough things in the universe, could you define god?

For instance. You can take a toddler and point to an object and say whatever we call it. The toddler will imitate you and do the same thing. Then you point to a big glass box, that is a "Television." You point to a piece of fruit, that is an "apple." In this way the toddler can develope a vocabulary. They learn what things are and what words mean such that if you repeat the word their association comes to mind and they know what it is.

This can be done for abstractions also. Such as numbers. The toddler already knows what an apple is. You now point to one apple and say "one." You then add an apple and say "two," and repeat.

Toddlers even learn things such as emotions, through actions. "Love" and "sad." Ask a toddler to show you love and they will give you hugs and kisses and such. With "sad" they make pouting faces and rub their eyes. etc.

Back to earlier, can you define "god" in such a way? Can you point me to enough things in the universe and define "god?"

-Kale

Hmm...you may have hit upon something deeper than you intended here. Some abstract concepts are just beyond some people. Not because they are stupid or ignorant, but because their brains just aren't geared that way. I am terrible at Trig, for example. Cuz I'm stupid? No...my brain just doesn't work that way unless I expend way more energy than is comfortable for me, at which point it feels like a waste of time.

God, the Divine, the Tao, the Creator (if there is, indeed, one "creator") may be one of those things that some people are just not geared for. Does that make "God" any less real? Nah. It would be like trying to teach that toddler his multiplication tables when he's still back on the abstract concept of "two."

And I hope you can see I do not mean this in any way to belittle. I'm just thinking outloud, more than anything.

HummingbirdSong · Dec 13, 2005

urnotme said:
The most common definition is a suppreme being but you can define the suppreme being how ever you want I guess. The universe is constantly changing so you could say it's being recycled.

Not just changing. The concept of recycling is that something must be (at least on a visual level) destroyed before made into either the same thing again or something new.

KaleTainer · Dec 13, 2005

HummingbirdSong said:
I don't know either, but I've heard theories that point to the constant expansion/collapse of this and other universes...

...Again, I don't know. It just seems everywhere I turn in nature, there's a cycle of some sort attached to it.

I've read things in astronomy class, but that was freshmen semester. If I was into it at the moment and could adequately cover the evidence and it's implications for a particular hypothesis, I would discuss it. I can't for the time being so I won't.

Hmm...you may have hit upon something deeper than you intended here. Some abstract concepts are just beyond some people. Not because they are stupid or ignorant, but because their brains just aren't geared that way. I am terrible at Trig, for example. Cuz I'm stupid? No...my brain just doesn't work that way unless I expend way more energy than is comfortable for me, at which point it feels like a waste of time.

God, the Divine, the Tao, the Creator (if there is, indeed, one "creator") may be one of those things that some people are just not geared for. Does that make "God" any less real? Nah. It would be like trying to teach that toddler his multiplication tables when he's still back on the abstract concept of "two."

It would not make something less real for the reason you've stated. I just find it a bit comical that so many people talk of the supernatural so offhandedly. Like it is so obvious. When it is not.
You can't point to an event and say that such-and-such caused it, and claim that such-and-such is part of some spiritual realm (whatever that is). It just gets lost in the jumble of inadequately defined words and we talk a lot about a little. Not to mention even providing evidence to others for why somebody believes something to be so. This is usually where people start throwing in divine,spiritual,and/or enlightening experiences.

And I hope you can see I do not mean this in any way to belittle. I'm just thinking outloud, more than anything.

I did not find it in the least bit belittling.

-Kale

Lignoba · Dec 13, 2005

Does it really matter if there is only one God?

HummingbirdSong · Dec 13, 2005

KaleTainer said:
It would not make something less real for the reason you've stated. I just find it a bit comical that so many people talk of the supernatural so offhandedly. Like it is so obvious. When it is not.

Kind of like when I listen to scientists and mathematicians talk.

You can't point to an event and say that such-and-such caused it, and claim that such-and-such is part of some spiritual realm (whatever that is). It just gets lost in the jumble of inadequately defined words and we talk a lot about a little. Not to mention even providing evidence to others for why somebody believes something to be so. This is usually where people start throwing in divine,spiritual,and/or enlightening experiences.

Though I do understand what you're saying here....

I did not find it in the least bit belittling.

-Kale

Oh good.

KaleTainer · Dec 13, 2005

Lignoba said:
Does it really matter if there is only one God?

Sounds like a new thread.

HummingbirdSong · Dec 13, 2005

Lignoba said:
Does it really matter if there is only one God?

To whom are you directing your question, Lignoba?

KaleTainer · Dec 13, 2005

Double Post. /em shakes his fist at his internet connection.
-Kale

KaleTainer · Dec 13, 2005

HummingbirdSong said:
Kind of like when I listen to scientists and mathematicians talk.

Depends on the subject, but most of the interesting stuff is very difficult to actually understand. I can take classes and recieve an education to understand the hypothesis and theories scientists tout.

For the supernatural/paranormal I must have this... "divine revelation." Apparently I've never had it. No matter how much I've tried. Maybe I am supernaturally handicapped.

Not to even mentioning what one could expect from the supernatural.
-Kale

HummingbirdSong · Dec 13, 2005

KaleTainer said:
Depends on the subject, but most of the interesting stuff is very difficult to actually understand. I can take classes and recieve an education to understand the hypothesis and theories scientists tout.

For the supernatural/paranormal I must have this... "divine revelation." Apparently I've never had it. No matter how much I've tried. Maybe I am supernaturally handicapped.

I'm of the school that science and spirituality will one day come together. What is unexplainable now, will be one day explained by science. But that doesn't mean I believe it will negate the "spiritual" aspect.

We'll talk more about your divine revelation, or lack thereof, at a later time. I need to go to bed (early day tomorrow).

Not to even mentioning what one could expect from the supernatural.
-Kale

Why must we expect anything?

KaleTainer · Dec 13, 2005

HummingbirdSong said:
Why must we expect anything?

What I meant was, how would one know if it was supernatural or not?
What is the definition of supernatural so that when one runs across an occurrence of it they would realize it, or couldn't they?

-Kale

aside: I've got many finals to study for. So may not reply for some time.

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