Perhaps I asked this question too early to get answers, So I'll ask again: What is your definiton of "God"?

Question

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What is your definition of "God"? (or "a god[ess]" if you're pagan)?

Before you say "Check the Holy Bible" please realize that I've read it. I'm asking what YOUR definition of God is.

Since there will be many varying answers, what if anything does that say about the feasibility of any given religion getting it right? Is it important to get it right? Does your definition of God coincide with your religious teachings? Does it contradict some of them in any way? Are you honest enough to realize when it does?

Please avoid cutting and pasting, but if you must please keep it to a paragraph.

(I realize there is several questions there. Feel free to answer any, all or none of the extra questions, the Primary question is the most important.)

I very much appreciate their answers, but all I got was several pagan answers, no Christian ones. I was hoping for more Christians to answer, as well as some atheists to actually engage the question (As the personal definition of God is critical to understanding WHY an atheist is an atheist.)

"The trancsendent energy in which all comes from"

What on earth does that mean? I'm asking for people to move past vaugeness, and get down to what we really define "God" as.

Answer 1

In Western philosophy (both Christian and non) the traditional account of God is that of a 'perfect being' who therefore has any and all positive traits in their highest degree possible.

So traditionally, God would be all powerful (b/c having power is a positive trait, and God would have it in the highest degree possible). God would be all knowing (b/c having knowledge is a positive trait, and God would have the most knowledge possible. God would be morally perfect (b/c being morally good is a positive trait, and God would have the most goodness possible.) And so on....

I sometimes wonder if you could prove that God has the best possible sense of humor with this definition, but the philosophers are silent on that issue :-)

I think the definition is still suitable.

The fact that there are varying answers to 'what is God like' doesn't bother me. The 'science' of nutrition keeps changing its answer on 'what is the ideal diet' but at the end of the day some answer must be right and its correctness is determined by the reality of the world, not anyone's opinion.

Answer 2

I'll leave that to the god believers.

Generally, the word "god" refers to some sort of sentient superbeing. The definitions vary and become much more vague after that.

As an atheist, I don't have to define what a god is. If anybody wishes to convince me that any exist, they'll have to tell me what it is that they are claiming exists. So far, there have been no definitions of any gods that people have been able to pin down with any convincing evidence.

Some have said things like, "The universe is God", but that just gives another label to the universe. It gives up that sentient aspect to it.

Others say "God is love", which is very poetic, but doesn't really say anything. Love is an emotion, and I don't think they are really saying that God is an emotion. (Though most do buy into the concept for emotional reasons)

And others will say he is some vague kind of energy, though that's just pushing it off one, because they really don't define what that energy is. The same holds true when they try to define it with other vague terms like "spirit".

Answer 3

"God" is the self existent Creator of all things. He has been identified with many names that each identify a portion of His character as defined in Scripture. As you have read the Bible I will assume that you are familiar with His many names.

Yes, there are religions that would have varying descriptions of Him but He has revealed Himself to us through His Word. Any variations from the Scriptures would be incorrect and originating from man and/or Satan.

There is certainly an importance to "getting it right" as there is only one Name under heaven by which man can be saved!

When there is conflict between "religion" and the Scriptures, then we have failed to understand the Scriptures correctly. The "religion" must agree completely with the Scriptures or it is false.

Hope that helps.

Answer 4

G-d is the power in the world that encourages people to be good people. He/she is the thing that holds people accountable for their actions and keeps them within the binds of society. G-d is a source of spiritual strength and healing. It does not matter whether G-d exists or not, people still think that G-d does therefore they remain good people with the promise of eternal salvation and use prayers to G-d to help them through their problems. G-d is the binding glue that keeps people together in their vast displays of worship, keeps humans acting civilly and keeps hope alive.

Answer 5

i'm an eclectic pagan with celtic tendencies...lol

pagans tend to have different views of deities...i believe that the gods/goddesses are both apart from and a part of us.

they are the energy of the universe personified. i believe that they are all separate beings, but coming from the same force.

i follow a goddess because she speaks to me, and i don't mean in a voices in my head kind of way, but to my spirit or higher self.

i hope this helped somewhat.

bright blessings to you

Answer 6

Love

Answer 7

Alright, so since you don't mind if an atheist answers, I'll go for it.

I believed in God for most of my life.. or, forced myself to try, at least.

I interpreted God as supposedly a fatherly figure. A personal, omnipotent being with human-like qualities. I didn't think much about the wrathful side of him. I refused to believe he could be wrathful or cruel, so I focused on what I wanted him to be--loving, and even non-judgmental!

Answer 8

as an atheist, my understanding of "god" is a being with the 4 omni's, omnibenevolent, omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient, besides the problem of evil (which is a big one), the being described is self contradictory....

and if you somehow work all that out, the being is still obviously vacant (as it would be simple for such a being to make everyone a believer, but he doesn't, so either he doesnt want all of us to believe, or he isn't there, take your pick)

Answer 9

God is our CREATOR. God is almighty. God is the alpha and the omega. God is unconditional love ❤. God is not religion but a relationship. Seek him not man made religion or rules!

Answer 10

God is the Creator of All Things. God is spirit. God is outside of time and space. God is not some old man on a cloud. God is loving and caring and answers prayer. God is beyond man's understanding. That is why He became flesh to communicate with us and give us his true message.