How do you Define God????

[Ponder This]

How do you define God?

All meaning is contextual.

 

[YmirGF]

What happens when you discover God is actually Someone rather than an idea or concept created in the minds of others? Perhaps your assumption that God could not possibly exists prevents that from happening until such point God decides to contact you directly. What would you do at that point? Run back to all the proclaimed doctrine or discover what stares you in the face?

Some of us have. I'm a reformed strong atheist because I rejected the implications of Oneness... or how many see Oneness, that is. I opted for an far larger view of a far richer reality that did not depend on man's primitive god concepts to exist. Reality exists in spite of what our malignant ideas of gods pretends.

 

[sayak83]

How would you define a God who would create Hell knowing someone would go there?

How would you define the Quality of Justice in a God who creates an eternal punishment without the possibility of redemption?

I have been told by some that God does not send people to Hell, they volunteer to go. What does that say about a God who is unwilling or unable to fix the problems with His creations?

Some say God is helpless within the realm of free will. A saleslady in the mall sold me some cookware that I didn't even need or want under the realm of my free will. If this lady is not helpless under the realm of free will, what does that say about a God who is?

Some say God can't stand to be around Evil and that is the reason for Hell. How many times have people had to be uncomfortable in order to solve the problems of the world? What does that say about a God who won't live up to the same standards that His creations must?

Some say God is perfect, yet in the next breath they say all people are flawed from birth. What does that say about a perfect God who can't create perfect people?

Some say God is Unconditional Love, yet in the next breath they list conditions in order to get God's favor for things such as eternal bliss and heaven.

As I see it, Real Truth must always add up. How could I define God as all these people do when it doesn't add up?

When things do not add up, that is the time one should Question. If one merely accepts it, one is not really after the truth.

Can one choose to live outside reality in a realm of beliefs? As I see it, many are doing just that today. What many do not realize is that living in true reality is better.

Our actions and choices define who we are.
God's actions and choices define who God is.
How do you define God? Does it Really add up?

From a Hindu perspective I would define God as the ultimate transpersonal substratum of all material, mental and spiritual reality- and that which makes "I experience" possible. It is called Brahman and it acts through, and experienced via diverse ways and means... some of which may include a personified form of God.

 

[Bird123]

How do you propose one does that?

I would start with studying God's actions. Actions speak to who one is.

 

[Bird123]

I'd treat it as with any other real world experience in the manner by which it's presented.

Determinism just cannot be foundationaly based solely upon a person's personal desires or wants through means of embellishment and fabrication (intentional or unintentional) by which a person wants, feels, or perceive, "There it is" in face of surroundings and environments that don't reflect such things.

God can be a personal reality in the sense of one's own perceptions and self determinism, that is established by way of interpretation, but it's simply not a universal or direct one by which we determine actuality through a collective means of universal consensus in the manner by which the sun, rain, and wind is established.

That's why my definition of God or theism in general, pertains exclusively within a person's imagination and perceptions as to how God is being taken in and received by people as the same thing as actuality itself.

To answer your question if ever faced with a real god? That would require the same establishment by which we all collectively determine our overall environment involving our interior and exterior surroundings.

In other words, God in all his perceived omnipresent majesty, glory and power, would need to stand up to the simple truths that a breeze blowing on our skin brings.

It seems to be a very tall order so far with God. Not so for a breeze.

It's just the way it is.

The first thing that God showed me was that mankind carries such a narrow view. I cry that. I work on mine every day. How much stares one in the face that one can not see? It always helps to be open to all the possibilities rather than be willingly blind. Of course, that is a choice and perhaps a lesson for all.

Simply because one can not see, does not mean it is not there and even staring one in the face. Look at the picture again. There is always more to discover.

 

[Jesster]

I don't have a strict definition for a god. I only rule out things that already have clear definitions, such as my left shoe or a pebble. I see no reason to attribute anything beyond their current titles to those things. If anything or anyone wants to tell me why I should consider it a god, I will take it into consideration.

 

[Bird123]

If you compare two actions, one always has a better result than another,
even if the difference is marginal. So if God eliminated all evil, even very small amounts of evil,
we would be like robots always making perfect choices, in fact we would have no choice.

So to allow small errors, necessitates allowing large errors, as they could then just accumulate.
As it is; the large sins seem to nearly always be an accumulation of small errors,
most often its a single act of cowardice, then the refusal to admit fault;
this eventually accumulates to the big sin.

I do not think that any sin is completely unforgivable.
But it may appear thus, if one does not take into account multiple lifetimes.

Learning from bad choices is part of the system. More is often learned through mistakes than any other way. Can anyone really get good without mistakes along the way? I don't see it.

As I see it, sin is part of the learning process and everything could not be learned in one mere lifetime so there are multiple lifetimes. I don't see anything that needs forgiving since we probably all have made the bad choice somewhere in the past.

 

[LuisDantas]

Is not the concept of worship a man made concept based solely on the Ruler model of thinking?

I am not sure of what worship is. Odds are that there are several things going by that name, not all of them actual activities.

 

[Bird123]

Well, would it make sense for a god to create Hell knowing that nobody would go there?

How about: Any God with any intelligence at all would not create Hell in the first place. As I see it. creating Hell could only be an act of a Monster.

 

[Bird123]

Some of us have. I'm a reformed strong atheist because I rejected the implications of Oneness... or how many see Oneness, that is. I opted for an far larger view of a far richer reality that did not depend on man's primitive god concepts to exist. Reality exists in spite of what our malignant ideas of gods pretends.

Religion is a catalyst which brings so many of mankind's problems to the surface so they can be dealt with. The interaction brings learning from those on all sides. If nothing was ever brought to the surface, how could it ever get fixed?

Eternity has purpose. The purpose has never been to simply have it made. Given enough learning and interaction the malignant ideas will, in time, become obsolete to show what God is really all about. Until then, the struggles through living our lessons will continue. So many fight to avoid Drama, however so often Drama is where all the learning takes place.

 

[Bird123]

I don't have a strict definition for a god. I only rule out things that already have clear definitions, such as my left shoe or a pebble. I see no reason to attribute anything beyond their current titles to those things. If anything or anyone wants to tell me why I should consider it a god, I will take it into consideration.

Someone asked me one time concerning my experiences with God, what is God's name? My answer was that God has no name. Everyone already just knew who everyone was. Names were not needed. Seems, you might already know more than you realize.

 

[Jesster]

Someone asked me one time concerning my experiences with God, what is God's name? My answer was that God has no name. Everyone already just knew who everyone was. Names were not needed. Seems, you might already know more than you realize.

I'm not sure what it is I supposedly know here. Care to fill me in?

 

[Twilight Hue]

The first thing that God showed me was that mankind carries such a narrow view. I cry that. I work on mine every day. How much stares one in the face that one can not see? It always helps to be open to all the possibilities rather than be willingly blind. Of course, that is a choice and perhaps a lesson for all.

Simply because one can not see, does not mean it is not there and even staring one in the face. Look at the picture again. There is always more to discover.

The time honored adage, "Carry water, chop wood".

It suffices well while we wait.

 

[Muslim-UK]

I must admit I did not watch that 1 1/2 video. Give me a break here.

Have a break and watch 10 mins here, 10 mins there. He was a Christian who became Atheist and explains what the meaning of life is from the Qur'an. Explains original sin is incorrect and gives a interesting talk about growing up in a violent household, hating God and questioning the meaning of life.

Are we really created to worship, thank, and ask God for help? What does that say about a God that needs these things?

GOD needs nothing at all from us. The worship and good deeds we do are for OUR benefit alone.

You can warn all you want, however that is not an excuse for the creation of Hell. As I see it, Hell is a creation of mankind because some value petty things and want to send others to hell. Pay back, revenge and hate do not justify Hell.

Then live your life, treat others how you wish to be treated. All that Muslims are commanded to do is convey the message. Acceptance or rejection is between you and the Creator we all return to.

Salam

 

[PureX]

I would start with studying God's actions. Actions speak to who one is.

How do we identify a 'God-act"?

 

[Desert Snake]

I am not sure of what worship is. Odds are that there are several things going by that name, not all of them actual activities.

I just use it in meaning adherence.

 

[PureX]

I would start with studying God's actions. Actions speak to who one is.

How do we identify a 'God-act"?

I just use it in meaning adherence.

I don't know what that sentence means. "Adherence" to what? How does "adherence" relate to identifying a God-act?

 

[Desert Snake]

How do we identify a 'God-act"?

I don't know what that sentence means. "Adherence" to what? How does "adherence" relate to identifying a God-act?

How does "worship"relate to it?

 

[LuisDantas]

I just use it in meaning adherence.

Adherence to what?

 

[Bird123]

I'm not sure what it is I supposedly know here. Care to fill me in?

You are open to all possibilities rather than restricting your view to a set of beliefs without questioning. Keep your eyes open. You never know what you might Discover.