God, defined.
 

In order to make future debates and arguments about god more meaningful, please post your definitions of god here for easy reference.

I define god as being non-definable, despite that, itself, being a definition. Essentially any attempt at defining god, limits god and therefore misses what god is.

cf:
"The Tao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Tao."
-- Lao Tzu Tao Teh Ching, Ch. 1

"The moment you open your mouth, (to speak of the Dharma) you are thousands of miles away from it."
--Zen maxim

so you are saying not to bother with this thread then?

•spoken in to my phone

No, not everyone shares my definition. cock.

God is splunge.

God is a Cock. so is your face.

Rectum breath

God is like a clover. little, green and split 3 ways.

When you use the term, 'God' you push me toward the Christian definition.


The name of god carries too many connotations. In some ways, God is inside us... the being within that observes us. The holy spirit. That which is left in crisis situations, when the internal dialogue ceases. The calm at the end of our panic, the center of us. It is also the ultimate complexity toward which we strive. The Father. And then it is the unconditional love of our fellow man, the forgiveness and acceptance, the surrender to reality. The Son.

I've heard many different ways of describing or defining God. I typically reject any definition that creates a sentient consciousness, though. The Force, now... that I can kind of groove to.

I prefer to call the spirit that dwells within and without the Universe.

Man created "god" in his image and everything. Man = god God=man

the god of the bible? A nut job of truly violent proclivities. Also, a jerk.

The spirit is what matters, not the Logos, not the image, not the 'god'

I've become completely radicalized due to reading Barbara G. Walker.

To me, stuff like this is the result of someone too steeped or otherwise invested in religion to give up on the idea, but realizing that any attempt to define it properly results in absurdity, they create a pseudo-virtue out of lack of knowledge.

Oh, nicely put HM!

I define God as: the 'something' beyond which people choose to believe in because they deem the alternative lack of 'something' beyond too cold to contemplate. I also define it as: a fictional entity to which is wrongly ascribed the role of creator.

Thread title should be changed to "God, Denied".

God is the Original Creator of Heaven and Earth. The Holy Bible is where we should draw our conclusions as to better understand him. Also, remember, that it is He who defines Us, not Us who defines Him.

John3:16

You will get in a lot of trouble using that ' should' word so much.

•spoken in to my phone

fixed it.. :)

Well said.

Then how do you explain the fact that every religion on earth has their own view of God? We are not created in God's image, God is created in our image; and the bible (IMO) is not to be taken literally.

I wasn't talking about your grammar, jb. When you tell me I SHOULD do this or that, you are resisting reality. This will only cause you pain.
The reality is that most of us follow our own compass with regards to god and religion. I accept your right to base your beliefs on the Christian Bible. Please respect my right not to.


•spoken in to my phone

I like to imagine what would happen if we were all given instantaneous enlightenment, suddenly possessing a complete understanding of all the things that we do not and cannot possibly comprehend with our tiny human brains... I think that, in that moment, the entire population would point and yell with satisfaction:

First half: "Ha! Finally we see God's face! God is the completeness, as we have always said. Now those unbelievers have to admit that there is a God, because here he is!"

Second half: "Ha! Finally there are no mysteries left! Everything has a scientific explanation, as we have always said. Now those religious crackpots have to admit that there is no God, because we've pulled back the curtain and seen all there is to see."

God is:

.
*** This quote has been modified for length, readability, and the final truth. ;)

Residing on a different side of Globe; the moon and sun actually make it hotter and colder depending on where you are geographically located, but just because you live on the east coast of the united states dose not mean you are from the land of the rising sun. The Sun governs the day and the moon governs the night. It's a given fact that there is one sun and one moon but the way we view them is different. Just like there is one God. However, even the demons believe there is one God and shutter. Not all religions worship the same God there fore not all are right.


.

If this is true then the God of America is Mickey Mouse. The Bible even says there are other Gods.. there called Idols, and the Bible predicts Desastor for worshiping them..

ohboy.

The only 'right' religion is the one based in your own particular head. Thus, man made god, not the other way 'round.

I totally disagree. Which Came first the chicken or the egg.. personally I believe that music came first and God is the TRUE harmony that keeps the universe in check. And Jesus is the Words to Gods songs....

I think Jesus improvises his songs.

Take Choppin' Broccoli for example.

flint had a beautiful metaphor about how Jesus chops up the broccoli of our sin and crams it down the disposal of god's love. Or something like that.

Also, does Jesus scat? Coz that would be kewl.

Darwin says the egg.

So the garden of Eden was a bunch of egg trees?? did Adam and Eve Have belly buttons??

God, where do you people find the energy to have such pointless discussions!!???

God is.

That's all I have to say about that.

Run Forrest, Run!

My thoughts exactly.

Egg trees?

No, evolution.

The chicken must have come out of an egg but if it was the first chicken then something other than a chicken, if only slightly so (a protochicken if you like), must have laid that egg.

The adam and eve story is just a bullshit re-working of older, better stories.

Learn some history JBK.

Like what? I'm not trying to be snippy. I really wanna know.

In Christian Theology, God is traditionally defined as the most perfect possible being, thus being omniscient, omnipotent and wholly benevolent.

This lays the foundations for the ontological argument for the existence of God, which is that, if a being already had these other perfections, existing would make it even more perfect, and since it is by definition maximally perfect, it must exist.

Modern philosophers generally regard this as a load of old dingo's kidneys*, partly because existence is considered a predicate and not a property, but mostly because it seems like cheating to define something into existence.

This definition also runs into serious troubles with the Problem of Evil. Why would an all-knowing, all-powerful, all good God allow unnecessary suffering to exist?

So, I can't tell you how to define God, but I can tell you one definition which does not work.


So I'll just stick with "the imaginary friend in many shared make-believe games".



*Although it has been discovered that St Anselm's Ontological argument for the existence of god can be sung to the tune of Waltzing Matilda.

God is a construct of man, in his attempt to explain that which he does not understand, and has become a crutch for those who do not accept responsibility for themselves.

and truly the gospel of spex is a plank in all of our eyes..

God equals want: when mankind no longer wants for anything, it will have found God.


(This paradox is the only definition worthy of being called God, IMH0.)

you don't find him he finds you and if what you say is true, about not wanting anything, then God has most definitively found me...

You don't speak everyone and you certainly don't speak for God you bible thumping idiot. You're a liar and a fraud.

wow that's a really negative attitude.. let all men be liars and let God be true.. I'll be the first to admit that I have told lies but a fraud no. and the things I've lied about are either a. marks of a retrospective failing society, or b. just really stupid stuff...

are you angry with me cause this statement sounds and feels very demeaning... please elaborate with a, if you would "nicer" tone...

JB, why do you believe in God? Serious question.

Coming from someone who dose not believe it's kinda of like asking what do you perfer pepsi or coke?? So I say I perfer Crisp Orange soda because it's caffeine free. Caffeine gives me a "hi" that makes me go nuts and I don't like to go nuts or at-least not when I'm trying to work. So what I'm saying is that GOD gives me a hi that no other "thing" can compete with. It's called being HI ON LIFE.

Stories that pre-date genesis and are better reading and, frankly, more plausible IMHO:

The Mesopotamian myths of Enuma Elish and Atra-Hasis.

The patriarchs, jealous of woman's ability to give life, had MAN give birth to woman (Eve born from Adam's rib) and then blamed her for every evil thing they could think of. WHY were we thrown out of Paradise? Eve. Why must men toil for food? Eve. Why must women bear children in great pain? Eve. Why must Muslim women cover their entire selves up? Because they, as women, are so completely lustfully sinful that if a man even LOOKS upon a woman she is pretty much asking for a gang-rape. Nice scapegoating that. Jewish men say prayers thanking god they were not born a woman.

Buncha bologna. I try very hard to understand Christians - I like their Christ but I don't think they know who Christ is/was or much of what he said (which wasn't very much, really)

All three patriarchal religions are destructive, exclusive, war-loving and full of sinful crap.

Have you ever seen that movie days of thunder??? He runs around the track a couple times and then the trainer shows him the wheels that are all torn up and says this is how we do it YOUR way... then he shows him the tires that are in better shape and says this is how we do it MY way... Eve/Old Testament =Mans way Mary/New Testament =Gods way.

Mary was a watered down, powerless version of Isis.

With your logic, if Mary is the New Testament = God's way then all women should just become spontaneously pregnant without having all that messy, sinful, evil sex! God's way is just to send some freaking messenger (he couldn't be bothered to tell her himself) to a teenager that she's going to have a baby! So - YAY!

Not many children born that way I'll wager. Your god is a weird-o.

No, I'm the weirdo.. My God sees past that...

You're a shit for brains fraud who thinks he can use God and the bible to exercise control over what people here should or should not believe to compensate for the lack of control you have over your own life. You're a coward for doing it in a venue that's not face to face. I stated an opinion, clearly labeled "IMHO", and you contradicted it without any supporting evidence other than that you say so. You plainly disrespected my entitlement to hold my opinion and now you ask that I address you in a "nicer" tone. You sniveling puke. You want to be treated with respect? Get you're head out of your HOLY REAR and start respecting other peoples' rights to hold their opinions. It's not just what you say to others, it's how you say it. I believe that's been brought to your attention a couple of times here now:
The Golden Rule is in effect.

well at-least I know your wrong// because I have absolutely interest in controlling anything.. If I did I wouldn't be concerned with saving your soul from the pit of hell it must be in... And if it is a "humble" opinion then why are you so quick to jump down my throat for challenging it...

Some people wear their religion on their sleeves, you wear it like a badge of authority to tell others how to act and what to think. You fancy yourself the thought control police in the name of God all in a vain attempt at redemption from your willful and woeful inadequacies. The fact is that you're an abomination before man and God for he who is loosed from earth shall be loosed from heaven and you're well on your way to eternal damnation. What a pitiful existence you lead knowing that everyone else can see right through you; yet, still compelled to tell your lies because you have to believe them yourself to stay sane. It's the power of Satan that compels you to deceive yourself and attempt to fool others. But others here are righteous and will defend against your intolerance of other people's opinions. You WILL learn to respect the rights of others to hold their own opinions, the power of Christ compels you ... the power of Christ compels you ... the power of Christ compels you.

I'm so good at being humble, I've been sent on a mission from God to teach you humility.

I have absolutely no Idea what to say except that I find this judgement you are passing has no ground to stand on and Is just a foolish attempt to be "mean" because you think your in some way better then me.


Opinions are like assholes everybody has one and yours stinks...

You generally have no idea about what you're saying. You're just too God damned egotistical to have learned when to keep your mouth shut punk.

Look pal if you are trying to start a fight I'll opt out, I'm already in a mental health program they take care of me, I come on the net to seek and distribute enlightenment because I can't work...and if you know anything at all about the holy spirit you know that it is he who teaches people what to say and I believe I have the holy spirit living in me...

Peace be with you brother.

Yes, completely this. Joseph Campbell tells the story of the African trickster God who wears a hat that is blue on one side and red on the other. He walks down the road, followed by arguing mobs, each insistent of the hat color that they saw--each believing that the 'other side' is ignorant.



My definition of God begins with the understanding that 'intelligence' is simply an organization of matter/energy. At the largest scale, given all of the matter/energy that exists in the universe, or multiverse, the highest level of organization is God. This is something we are simply not designed to understand.

I believe that there is a 'God' of human experience. This is the organization of all matter/energy that is perceptible to--within the range of the sensory apparatus of--humans, i.e. having existed within the ecosystems where humans evolved. Certainly this is the highest God that would be useful to us. Incidentally, this God would be 'God' and 'the Devil' at the same time.

The lesser God, as segmented from the Devil, cannot resolve to a valid concept, because who does the separating? It's completely subjective, so this is not useful to anybody. This is guaranteed to cause arguments, hatred, war and bloodshed.

Best case scenario, we're--all--talking apples and oranges.

I'm not tryin' to be a jackass here, but that does explain a few things.

Anyway, I understand and respect your quest to find self-enlightenment and spiritual peace, but you can't expect us to have the same views as you.

I believe in God, but my God is a God ov my own creation.

Just please don't try to play doctor on me, this new show 'mob doctor' has me paranoid enough. I am sick of people telling me to take my meds when I take them religiously.

The Holy Spirit teaches you what to say; but, it doesn't force you to say it. You still exercise free will. It's a shame that you lack the mental capacity to distinguish between what the Holy Spirit is teaching you and what your delusions are coaxing you to say. It's a sin that you choose to reject the advice of those who do know the difference and try to help you. The Holy Spirit has also taught them what to say, only they have the cognizance to say it right. They are the righteous. You OTOH give those who believe in God a bad reputation with your deluded approach to distributing enlightenment, an approach that manifests like something out of the dark ages.

well you know if you would just take the education approach and actually teach what you practice and practice what you preach the world might not seem so dark... Pope John Paul even said that I was "untaught" it's a failing society I'm just doing the best job i know how ... and I do have half an education in geothermal enginering.

So off.

have you ever woken up praying... I had no control over that.. If you would just try to fall in love with Jesus and stop trying to make love to him you might get better results..


one thing I have always said to my self is that "sex" isn't worth it.. so I feel like we are just futilely having a meaning less talk, you'll always think I'm a lying fraud and I'll never buy what you have to say.. so lets just be friends and I'll paint my heart out while you make love to whoever...

The world isn't dark, it's just your presentation of God in it. All the education in the world won't make up for your lack of effective communication. You don't even try to win the hearts and minds of people over to God: you just try to browbeat them. The way you felt when I was calling you names is the way you make other people feel when you insist on telling them they're wrong instead of simply saying what you think is right and letting it go at that. If you can't raise your beliefs up without putting other people's beliefs down, your beliefs aren't worth diddlysquat.

Go through all of my other posts here in the Cellar and you'll find that I prefer to speak in an educated language and haven't used name calling except with you. You're so densely wrapped up in yourself and your own spiritual salvation that it became the default communication tool because you don't really listen to what others are saying until someone locks your heels.

Referring to God you said "you don't find him he finds you" and yet you say "I come on the net to seek and distribute enlightenment." If people can't find God, why do you need to enlighten them? If it's God that has to find people, why not let God enlighten them? He can do a hell of a lot better job of it than you can, after all, he's God and he can send the Holy Spirit. It seems that your only motive for "enlightening" people is getting brownie points with God just to save your own soul and that's why you don't care much how you go about doing it.

Between the aforementioned and the general rambling you do, you've pretty much disgraced yourself and discredited your God.