What is God?

Flint · 08-09-2006, 10:30 AM

Alot of people debate, in circles, about God. Does he exist? Can he be proven or disproven? Where does the burden of proof lie? Etc.

I've noticed that people often jump headfirst into these debates without first establishing a definition of God, and then proceed to vigorously defend their opinions against others who are not even talking about the same thing. It is the ultimate "apples versus oranges" . . .

It should be a prerequisite, in these debates, to submit a definition of the word God.

What does the word God mean, to you?

Ibby · 08-09-2006, 11:15 AM

I personally believe that if there is a God, he/she/it is NOT the meddling, vengeful, almost mean god of Christian faith, but more of a big guy with an ant farm.

wolf · 08-09-2006, 11:26 AM

God is a little bird, tweeting in a meadow.

Oh, no wait, that's logic.

Which might be the same thing.

I'll take Prime Mover for $1000, Alex.

9th Engineer · 08-09-2006, 11:32 AM

I'm sure you can find much meaner gods out there than the Christian one. Christians just come under fire for not being pc enough and for being unapologetic about it. The worst thing that you can say about Christian God is he's anti-abortion and doesn't approve of gay marriage. Oooooo...the big meanie:p

9th Engineer · 08-09-2006, 11:35 AM

God is a sort of like a magnetic north for morality, everything is measured against him. Problem is that the damn compass keeps breaking...

MaggieL · 08-09-2006, 11:53 AM

"If triangles had a god, he'd have there sides." --old Yiddish proverb

MaggieL · 08-09-2006, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9th Engineer

The worst thing that you can say about Christian God is he's anti-abortion and doesn't approve of gay marriage.

The worst thing about the Christian God is that so many knuckleheads feel free to put words in his mouth. But then that's a problem Allah has too...

Ibby · 08-09-2006, 12:18 PM

I meant mean as in, "Hm, I'm not liking you lot too much, so I'ma drown you all."

Trilby · 08-09-2006, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ibram

I meant mean as in, "Hm, I'm not liking you lot too much, so I'ma drown you all."

I can't find the reference, but wasn't God mad because the humans were too noisy?

Ibby · 08-09-2006, 01:13 PM

Oh, so its not "I don't like you", it's "you're too loud, so BAM! DEAD!"

Clodfobble · 08-09-2006, 01:24 PM

I dunno about the loud thing... usually in the Old Testament it's "You're too immoral, so you'll all die now and everyone else will learn from this example."

9th Engineer · 08-09-2006, 02:00 PM

where are you getting the 'die now' part??

It's more like "you're too immoral, we ban you from our church and refuse to speak to you". If an unmarried christian woman gets pregnant she loses the respect of her family and congregation, if an unmarried islamic woman gets pregnant, she's dead. Also if she is raped she dies because she must have made him do it. Same thing if she leaves the house unescourted, shows her knees or elbows, tries to access legal help...yep, we see that all the time here in the states

Trilby · 08-09-2006, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

I dunno about the loud thing... usually in the Old Testament it's "You're too immoral, so you'll all die now and everyone else will learn from this example."

Hmmmmmmmm

Perhaps I am thinking of a different Bible...

Clodfobble · 08-09-2006, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9th Engineer

where are you getting the 'die now' part??

We're referring to Biblical stories (e.g. the Flood, Sodom & Gomorrah, etc.), not modern Christians.

Aliantha · 08-10-2006, 06:14 AM

Ahuh...and GWB didn't embark on his campaign in Iraq after communicating with God? Yep, no one died because some maniac thought God told him to do it.

08-09-2006, 10:30 AM	#1
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	What is God? Alot of people debate, in circles, about God. Does he exist? Can he be proven or disproven? Where does the burden of proof lie? Etc. I've noticed that people often jump headfirst into these debates without first establishing a definition of God, and then proceed to vigorously defend their opinions against others who are not even talking about the same thing. It is the ultimate "apples versus oranges" . . . It should be a prerequisite, in these debates, to submit a definition of the word God. What does the word God mean, to you? __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

08-09-2006, 11:15 AM	#2
Ibby erika Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: "the high up north" Posts: 6,127	I personally believe that if there is a God, he/she/it is NOT the meddling, vengeful, almost mean god of Christian faith, but more of a big guy with an ant farm. __________________ not really back, you didn't see me, i was never here shhhhhh

08-09-2006, 11:26 AM	#3
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	God is a little bird, tweeting in a meadow. Oh, no wait, that's logic. Which might be the same thing. I'll take Prime Mover for $1000, Alex. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

08-09-2006, 11:32 AM	#4
9th Engineer Bioengineer and aspiring lawer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 872	I'm sure you can find much meaner gods out there than the Christian one. Christians just come under fire for not being pc enough and for being unapologetic about it. The worst thing that you can say about Christian God is he's anti-abortion and doesn't approve of gay marriage. Oooooo...the big meanie:p __________________ The most valuable renewable resource is stupidity.

08-09-2006, 11:35 AM	#5
9th Engineer Bioengineer and aspiring lawer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 872	God is a sort of like a magnetic north for morality, everything is measured against him. Problem is that the damn compass keeps breaking... __________________ The most valuable renewable resource is stupidity.

08-09-2006, 11:53 AM	#6
MaggieL in the Hour of Scampering Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Jeffersonville PA (15 mi NW of Philadelphia) Posts: 4,060	"If triangles had a god, he'd have there sides." --old Yiddish proverb __________________ "Neither can his Mind be thought to be in Tune,whose words do jarre; nor his reason In frame, whose sentence is preposterous..."

08-09-2006, 12:18 PM	#8
Ibby erika Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: "the high up north" Posts: 6,127	I meant mean as in, "Hm, I'm not liking you lot too much, so I'ma drown you all." __________________ not really back, you didn't see me, i was never here shhhhhh

08-09-2006, 01:13 PM	#10
Ibby erika Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: "the high up north" Posts: 6,127	Oh, so its not "I don't like you", it's "you're too loud, so BAM! DEAD!" __________________ not really back, you didn't see me, i was never here shhhhhh

08-09-2006, 01:24 PM	#11
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	I dunno about the loud thing... usually in the Old Testament it's "You're too immoral, so you'll all die now and everyone else will learn from this example."

08-09-2006, 02:00 PM	#12
9th Engineer Bioengineer and aspiring lawer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 872	where are you getting the 'die now' part?? It's more like "you're too immoral, we ban you from our church and refuse to speak to you". If an unmarried christian woman gets pregnant she loses the respect of her family and congregation, if an unmarried islamic woman gets pregnant, she's dead. Also if she is raped she dies because she must have made him do it. Same thing if she leaves the house unescourted, shows her knees or elbows, tries to access legal help...yep, we see that all the time here in the states __________________ The most valuable renewable resource is stupidity.

08-10-2006, 06:14 AM	#15
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Ahuh...and GWB didn't embark on his campaign in Iraq after communicating with God? Yep, no one died because some maniac thought God told him to do it. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

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