[ZenGum]

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.