Is the word "god" meaningful?

[Straw Dog]

God is all around me, the world is theophany to my eyes.

God is a feeling an experience and a way of understanding.

So it's like you're wearing "God-shades" that accentuate the aesthetic brilliance of reality? Like it alters your perspective to a more appreciative angle? I can dig it.

My only real beef is treating "God" as if it were a scientific hypothesis rather than as a way of describing a manner of insight or some expression of cultural art.

 

[sandandfoam]

So it's like you're wearing "God-shades"

I like it.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

Every believer I know is able to articulate "god" in terms we both understand.

HA... I finally found an argument I can win on RF. I believe in God yet I have no idea what I am talking about. I can't understand how I define God. So you must change your above statement to include me.

 

[Willamena]

What do you mean? Are you saying that personality, creating the universe, wielding miracles, and granting people afterlives are necessary parts of an "ultimate truth"? If so, feel free to explain why you think this.

You are a person, you are creative, you grant people favours and are not your body, which is what will "die" when it's time to kick it. You are ultimately real (true). An ultimate truth that fails to include you, and charateristics like you, isn't very ultimate.

 

[atanu]

I disagree.
I think it was Eriugena who said that when we look on the face of a newborn we look on the face of God. Scientific progression does not shrink such an understanding of God.

God is all around me, the world is theophany to my eyes. ---

And those who consider God to be the 3rd person Lording over from a cloud only eventually is forced to deny God. To me God is simply the Seer/Knower of all that happens through these multifold shapes and names.

No one can deny the Seer unless one denies oneself and equates one's awareness that enables seeing to mere mechanical atomic dance etc.. If the awareness is mere mechanical atomic dance without any intrinsic intelligence then it is not possible that humans can add any knowledge whatsoever. Learning is meaningless then.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

You are a person, you are creative, you grant people favours and are not your body, which is what will "die" when it's time to kick it. You are ultimately real (true). An ultimate truth that fails to include you, and charateristics like you, isn't very ultimate.

You're committing a compositional fallacy: "human cells can't be seen with the naked eye" does not imply "human beings can't be seen with the naked eye." Similarly, "things that are part of 'ultimate truth' have personality and whatnot" does not imply "'ultimate truth' itself has personality and whatnot."

Edit: and exactly how many people have I granted with an afterlife?

 

[Willamena]

You're committing a compositional fallacy: "human cells can't be seen with the naked eye" does not imply "human beings can't be seen with the naked eye." Similarly, "things that are part of 'ultimate truth' have personality and whatnot" does not imply "'ultimate truth' itself has personality and whatnot."

Edit: and exactly how many people have I granted with an afterlife?

So, it's not true that you're real? Okay.

 

[Shermana]

The word god, in Hebrew, means "power".

The same word "El" as in "a god" can be used as in "in the power of your hand".

Also, "gods" can be used for Angels and "Heavenly Beings".

So with the idea that the word "god" can mean "power" or "powerful being" or "being from Heaven/outer space..."

It can also thus, mean Space alien.

 

[SaintAugustine]

I would say God is the ultimate power which lies underneath all reality. Not always apparent but there nonetheless.

 

[Koldo]

I absolutely love when people hide their gods behind abstract concepts to shield them from scrunity, and at another moment, treat them as invididuals who bear the flag of their ideals.

Convenience is convenient.

 

[Straw Dog]

No one can deny the Seer unless one denies oneself and equates one's awareness that enables seeing to mere mechanical atomic dance etc..

You underestimate the beauty and depth of the dance.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

So, it's not true that you're real? Okay.

What on Earth are you talking about?

 

[Willamena]

What on Earth are you talking about?

*snort* It hardly matters.

"Ultimate truth" isn't a composition, it's the state of reality. That you are included in it is only because you are real.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

*snort* It hardly matters.

"Ultimate truth" isn't a composition, it's the state of reality. That you are included in it is only because you are real.

So now God is a "state of reality"? then I think you're helping to support the idea that "God" is not a term with a specific, meaningful definition.

 

[Straw Dog]

So now God is a "state of reality"? then I think you're helping to support the idea that "God" is not a term with a specific, meaningful definition.

It's not a term with a scientific or rational definition, but it seems to play a role as either an aesthetic/ cultural expression or as a term describing a certain manner of mystical insight.

 

[Shermana]

It's not a term with a scientific or rational definition, but it seems to play a role as either an aesthetic/ cultural expression or as a term describing a certain manner of mystical insight.

It most certainly seems to have had a rational definition to the Hebrews and earlier cultures who used the term, since it means "power" or "powerful being".

It's these later (modern) cultures who wanted to get away from its original use and meaning that seem to have obfuscated it with "mystical insight".

 

[fantome profane]

The word god, in Hebrew, means "power".

The same word "El" as in "a god" can be used as in "in the power of your hand".

Also, "gods" can be used for Angels and "Heavenly Beings".

So with the idea that the word "god" can mean "power" or "powerful being" or "being from Heaven/outer space..."

It can also thus, mean Space alien.

As in "Kal El"

 

[Willamena]

So now God is a "state of reality"? then I think you're helping to support the idea that "God" is not a term with a specific, meaningful definition.

Specificity (to your particular parameters) isn't necessary for meaningfulness. And neither is it my intention to make the term meaningful for you.

 

[Straw Dog]

It most certainly seems to have had a rational definition to the Hebrews and earlier cultures who used the term, since it means "power" or "powerful being".

It's these later (modern) cultures who wanted to get away from its original use and meaning that seem to have obfuscated it with "mystical insight".

Care to present this rational definition for review?

 

[Shermana]

Care to present this rational definition for review?

No problem.

I usually don't like Hebrew4Christians, but they have a few good things to say here, though they don't seem to like right clicking.

The Hebrew Names for God - El

And this site I disagree with too but I'm only using for the reference of Dr. Harris which they attempt (but fail) to debunk. I don't think those "widely challenging it" are scholars but those with Theological presumptions.

http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Elohim.html

In HAW Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Professor of Old Testament at Covenant Theologiacl Seminary, R. Laird Harris Ph.D. states, "Most frequently mentioned suggestions for an original meaning are "power" or "fear" but these are widely challenged and much disputed. It may be noted that even if the origin of the word in Canaanite or proto-Semitic is from a root meaning power, this by no means indicates the connotation in Hebrew religious usage. Our word "deity" comes from a root in Sanskrit to mean "sky" but we do not worship a sky-god."