What does it mean for God to "exist"?

[Asvin]

A thing is said to exist if it has shape and a location. It is said to be an object and it is physical. A car exists because it has a static distance from other objects (which is its location) and has space to give it contour. This is the definition I use to determine if actual physical objects exist.

Concepts like love, justice, running, mercy, morality, evil, god, satan, religion, afterlife, motion, etc. aren't objects because they lack shape and location. Can you draw me justice or love? NO! These are man-made ideas. God is a man-made idea.

Please define the word "exist" or "exists" unambiguously and explain how God exists. Is he an object (therefore having location and shape) or is he a concept (therefore being man-made) ?

 

[Tinker Grey]

Probably belongs in the philosophy section. (I tend to agree with your perspective.)

 

[AV1611VET]

Please define the word "exist" or "exists" unambiguously and explain how God exists.

God is Unobtanium.

 

[Asvin]

God is Unobtanium.

God is fictional. A product of the human mind. A concept. Thanks for being humble!!

 

[AV1611VET]

God is fictional.

... God is fictional???

 

[Loudmouth]

... God is fictional???

Yes, according to you:

"In engineering, fiction, and thought experiments, unobtainium is any fictional, extremely rare, costly, or impossible material, or (less commonly) device needed to fulfill a given design for a given application."
Unobtainium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[AV1611VET]

... God is fictional???

Yes, according to you:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unobtanium

I see you've changed your tactics with me ... and I can assure you it's not working.

Believe me, it isn't.

 

[Asvin]

I see you've changed your tactics with me ... and I can assure you it's not working.

Believe me, it isn't.

So that's what it's all about huh? Tactics?

 

[grasping the after wind]

A thing is said to exist if it has shape and a location. It is said to be an object and it is physical. A car exists because it has a static distance from other objects (which is its location) and has space to give it contour. This is the definition I use to determine if actual physical objects exist.

Concepts like love, justice, running, mercy, morality, evil, god, satan, religion, afterlife, motion, etc. aren't objects because they lack shape and location. Can you draw me justice or love? NO! These are man-made ideas. God is a man-made idea.

Please define the word "exist" or "exists" unambiguously and explain how God exists. Is he an object (therefore having location and shape) or is he a concept (therefore being man-made) ?

ex·ist

intransitive verb \ig-ˈzist\


Definition of EXIST

1
a : to have real being whether material or spiritual



God is neither simply an object nor a concept. God is a being. I also am a being and neither an object or a concept. I am a physical being that is easily measured and can be dissected and fairly well, though I believe not fully, explained and defined by the tools that other humans have invented called the sciences. There is no such tool available for measuring, explaining or defining God. I think your definition of exist is much to narrow as it omits much that a large proportion of the human race would probably declare exists. Eternity and infinity, though both might be considered concepts, may also be much more and I, and perhaps many more will concur, would say they exist in reality i.e. they have genuine being outside the mind of humans. The " laws of nature" are not merely concepts but have actual being outside the minds of humans as well. Gravity exists yet has no shape which under your definition would consign it to the man made category of existence.

 

[Loudmouth]

I see you've changed your tactics with me ... and I can assure you it's not working.

Believe me, it isn't.

You are the one who compared God to a fictional element, not me.

 

[juvenissun]

A thing is said to exist if it has shape and a location. It is said to be an object and it is physical. A car exists because it has a static distance from other objects (which is its location) and has space to give it contour. This is the definition I use to determine if actual physical objects exist.

Concepts like love, justice, running, mercy, morality, evil, god, satan, religion, afterlife, motion, etc. aren't objects because they lack shape and location. Can you draw me justice or love? NO! These are man-made ideas. God is a man-made idea.

Please define the word "exist" or "exists" unambiguously and explain how God exists. Is he an object (therefore having location and shape) or is he a concept (therefore being man-made) ?

The relationship between you and your girl friend is something. That thing exists. Otherwise, you will have no relationship with her. It is a has, or has not. It does not matter if it man-made or not, something extra is there. That is the existence.

If you want to be scientific, they you can design some system and you do can test if there is something between you and your girl friend.

 

[Orogeny]

I see you've changed your tactics with me ... and I can assure you it's not working.

Believe me, it isn't.

It is. The definition you supplied defines god as fictional. SOOOO unless that's what you meant to say, it's working.

 

[Loudmouth]

If you want to be scientific, they you can design some system and you do can test if there is something between you and your girl friend.

Couldn't you derive a scientific test to determine if the girlfriend exists independent of any relationship?

 

[Asvin]

The relationship between you and your girl friend is something. That thing exists. Otherwise, you will have no relationship with her. It is a has, or has not. It does not matter if it man-made or not, something extra is there. That is the existence.

If you want to be scientific, they you can design some system and you do can test if there is something between you and your girl friend.

The relationship exists in the minds of my girlfriend and me. I recognize my love for her and her love for me and she recognizes her love for me and my love for her. These are the products of the mind, which are known as concepts. Love is a concept. It is not physical. When you say "That thing exists." what are you referring to? Does that thing exist in the physical world, in the minds of people, or outside the universe?

To get back to my OP, is god a concept or an object? Remember, all objects are physical and all concepts are the products of human minds.

 

[Orogeny]

Love is a concept. It is not physical.

Love is a physiochemical response. It is very real.

 

[Asvin]

ex·ist

intransitive verb \ig-ˈzist\


Definition of EXIST

1
a : to have real being whether material or spiritual



God is neither simply an object nor a concept. God is a being. I also am a being and neither an object or a concept. I am a physical being that is easily measured and can be dissected and fairly well, though I believe not fully, explained and defined by the tools that other humans have invented called the sciences. There is no such tool available for measuring, explaining or defining God. I think your definition of exist is much to narrow as it omits much that a large proportion of the human race would probably declare exists. Eternity and infinity, though both might be considered concepts, may also be much more and I, and perhaps many more will concur, would say they exist in reality i.e. they have genuine being outside the mind of humans. The " laws of nature" are not merely concepts but have actual being outside the minds of humans as well. Gravity exists yet has no shape which under your definition would consign it to the man made category of existence.

"God is a being."

All beings are physical. PERIOD! To say that god is neither a concept nor an object is to say that god is nothing!

"I think your definition of exist is much to narrow as it omits much that a large proportion of the human race would probably declare exists."

So, we determine what exists or not by popularity?

"Gravity exists yet has no shape which under your definition would consign it to the man made category of existence."

Gravity is a relation between two objects that has mass. It is a concept. According to the definition you provided, does gravity exist as a material or as a spirit? If it is a material, can you draw a picture of it? If it is a spirit, is it evil or good? Does it side with god or satan?

 

[seeking Christ]

A thing is said to exist if it has shape and a location. It is said to be an object and it is physical. A car exists because it has a static distance from other objects (which is its location) and has space to give it contour. This is the definition I use to determine if actual physical objects exist.

God exists outside of the Universe

I'll let you wrap your head around that, then get back to me

Concepts like love, These are man-made ideas. God is a man-made idea.

As people normally use the word, I agree with you. The God type of Love is not a man-made idea, nor is it merely an idea but is a force

 

[seeking Christ]

To get back to my OP, is god a concept or an object?

No

 

[seeking Christ]

does gravity exist as a material or as a spirit? If it is a material, can you draw a picture of it? If it is a spirit, is it evil or good? Does it side with god or satan?

Gravity is on satan's side once you get to be my age

 

[Radagast]

A thing is said to exist if it has shape and a location.

Really?

Does the number π (pi) exist? Are mathematicians correct when they say that, for every map, a four-colour colouring method exists? Does the play Romeo and Juliet exist? Does the wind exist? Does gravity exist? Does an electron exist? Does the Universe exist?

Who, exactly, uses your definition of "exist"? A Google search finds that it only occurs in your post here on CF.

All beings are physical. PERIOD!

I see that you believe it, but shouting doesn't make it true.

Gravity is a relation between two objects that has mass. It is a concept.

Gravity is more than just a concept. If you don't believe me, try jumping out of the nearest window.