Define God

[HeatherAnn]

But we can only 'describe' how we experience God, or his attributes. You cannot 'define' a 'wholly' Other. God is the ground of all being, love itself, the reason that anything exists at all, it is loved, without which nothing would exist.

Good point that I agree with. "The kingdom of God is within you" - so how I experience God within me is unique to how you experience God within you etc.
Still, I believe it's good to try to understand God/love - so we live it more consciously.

 

[HeatherAnn]

This is the best definition i have found yet.

The Kybalion is a pretty well known hermetic text.
This is the link to the rest of the chapter and book.
The Kybalion: Chapter IV. The All

Reminds me that "truth is that which causes influence" - which belief does.
In a way, God is the process of believing - and the influence from it.

 

[HeatherAnn]

God is pure consciousness.

As the impersonal absolute, we call God as Nirguna Brahman.

In the personal form, we call God as Saguna Brahman, as termed as Shiva,Ishwar, Jehovah, Allah, Ahura Mazda and Waheguru.

So, God can be considered in different thought inter-dependent ways...

1. Intelligent Design
2. Consciousness "I AM THAT I AM"
3. Personal relationship "The kingdom of God is within you."

 

[HeatherAnn]

A metaphysical being that is claimed to exist and perform some function. Oftentimes this function involves the creation of the universe (tried to make the most inclusive definition I could).

That's a good universal definition, though do you think God (if God is infinite) is limited to a being like we know?
I think like Santa and Jesus, God is often personified because as children and even as adults, it's easier to resonate to a person like us rather than an abstract idea of "Love" or "God of Spirit." And personally, I don't see much problem with resonating that way, as long as I don't get stuck worshipping a false god - damning (keeping) myself from learning more.

 

[allfoak]

Reminds me that "truth is that which causes influence" - which belief does.
In a way, God is the process of believing - and the influence from it.

 

[wicketkeeper]

Going back to the Bible for this post.

God created Adam and then Eve - and all living things. We where created in His/Their image, so it says in the Bible. So when asked the question of believing in God I can now say yes because someone/somebody did create us ! I did have a severe and adverse reaction to the word God, I am so glad I have matured enough to erase it !

I agree with Osho when he said that God is everything. So trying to define God is something we will never be able to do here in this Life. However its an interesting question which stirs up a variety of responses. Those people who belong to a religion can be overly aggressive, others can be open to the opinions of non religious folk but the bottom line is that we will always fail.

Religion can suffocate the enquiring believer because it is expected that you must accept whatever that religion says is the truth. Thats why I could never settle into religion fully ! I always wanted to probe further !

 

[HeatherAnn]

Going back to the Bible for this post.

God created Adam and then Eve - and all living things. We where created in His/Their image, so it says in the Bible. So when asked the question of believing in God I can now say yes because someone/somebody did create us ! I did have a severe and adverse reaction to the word God, I am so glad I have matured enough to erase it !

I agree with Osho when he said that God is everything. So trying to define God is something we will never be able to do here in this Life. However its an interesting question which stirs up a variety of responses. Those people who belong to a religion can be overly aggressive, others can be open to the opinions of non religious folk but the bottom line is that we will always fail.

Religion can suffocate the enquiring believer because it is expected that you must accept whatever that religion says is the truth. Thats why I could never settle into religion fully ! I always wanted to probe further !

I agree. I like how you put that.
To me, God is a 3 letter symbolic word for love based on truth - more subjective ideas. If I cling to old ideas of God - I damn myself from moving on and learning more about God. Yet, if I wallow in skepticism, I paralyze myself. This might be why "narrow is the way and few be that find it" - it's really difficult to have faith while also being open to learn more. Faith and reason are difficult to handle simultaneously but are both necessary.

I may have already mentioned Fowler's faith stages - but I think it helps to put things in perspective.
Chart of James Fowler's Stages of Faith | psychologycharts.com

I like how you interpreted that scripture to acknowledge a Creator - which makes sense since we're created. Another note - about the parable of Adam and Eve - I see it as a parable. I don't take it literally. I believe most scripture stories are supposed to be symbolic - and applied to us personally. Adam and Eve represent us, males and females. They symbolize the spiritual process we go through. First, we're with our parents, who shield us from a lot of information that is just too much for us - we look up to them as if gods. Gradually, we "take the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil" by becoming more aware that our parents are not perfect - so we may look to a religion or other authorities. Then gradually again, we realize they also aren't perfect.... and gradually through opposition (weeds etc.) - we learn to trust in God - the highest GOoD above all.

 

[HeatherAnn]

Just came across this quote that I love:

“My idea of God is not a divine idea. It has to be shattered time after time. He shatters it Himself.”
― C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

 

[Rational Agnostic]

How I define God reveals more about me than about God.
My definition of God is still evolving.
I don't claim to know all there is to know about God - nor do I believe I will understand much in my entire life - compared to all there is to know.
Currently, I define God as love based on truth - and as Paul Tillech defined God, as "one's ultimate concern."
I also define God as ultimate GOoD - which each of us strive for by trial and error - active faith.
Part of that GOoD, I consider to be a higher power - a means of tapping into "the kingdom of God within."
And I realize the common need to spiritually connect by personification of (God) spirituality (Jesus, gods, Saints, Mary, etc.).

How do you define God?

The only thing deserving the title "God" is the universe itself. Of course, Christians/Muslims/Jews insist that god is an invisible man in the sky who likes to check up on us and created the universe ex nihilo with a magical incantation.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Why does god need to be a being to be god?

 

[Weeping Raven]

I'm still quite new to religion, but I have a very clear idea of how I define God and the basic idea is something I've had awhile, recently I've been thinking about it more and adding details and depth as I realise them.

To me God is an sentient energy that is IN everything, varying amounts of God in different things, the closer to its original natural form something is, the more of God it has in it. So an Oak Tree has far more than say a plank from it, or a table that's been fashioned from it.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

Wow, so just lets all create our own God? The only being that can define God is God Himself. And if you define your own God your own way, you may as well be defining the devil and considering him as your God.

The irony of course being that you don't think I should accept my idea of deity, but you do think I should accept Muhammad's idea of deity - even though Muhammad was just as human and thus just as fallible as I am.

 

[syo]

the intelligent creator