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What Defines a God?

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Press Junketeer
Posts: 429
Joined: 30 Sep 2008

joystickjunki3:

L33tsauce_Marty:
See I can't pinpoint what exactly what any religion such as Christianity would define a god. I remember a teacher talking about if god could make a rock so big that he couldn't move it, would that make him powerless? Is it the unstoppable force or the immovable object? Or what defines a god?

Well, as far as I can tell from my upbringing in a Judeo-Christian environment, a god is a sentient being that possesses both knowledge and eternal life. Hence, when Adam and Eve partook in the forbidden fruit of knowledge God banished them from Eden so as not to allow them the chance to become immortal as He and the angels are.

Others might say that the ability to create life is god-like. But that's just a branch of knowledge in my opinion.

It's more like, creating life without life is god-like. When a man and a woman make a child (thus life) it isn't god-like, but if someone uses molecules and test-tubes to make life, then it's perceived as god-like.

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 925
Joined: 3 Oct 2007

Corpse XxX:
A god is a weapon of mass seduction.. A made up figure trying to unite people against a common "enemy" to serve the leaders of the cult best, often financially..

Ah yes, isn't religion the "opiate" of the masses?

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 2055
Joined: 2 Nov 2008

Broloth:

joystickjunki3:

L33tsauce_Marty:
See I can't pinpoint what exactly what any religion such as Christianity would define a god. I remember a teacher talking about if god could make a rock so big that he couldn't move it, would that make him powerless? Is it the unstoppable force or the immovable object? Or what defines a god?

Well, as far as I can tell from my upbringing in a Judeo-Christian environment, a god is a sentient being that possesses both knowledge and eternal life. Hence, when Adam and Eve partook in the forbidden fruit of knowledge God banished them from Eden so as not to allow them the chance to become immortal as He and the angels are.

Others might say that the ability to create life is god-like. But that's just a branch of knowledge in my opinion.

It's more like, creating life without life is god-like. When a man and a woman make a child (thus life) it isn't god-like, but if someone uses molecules and test-tubes to make life, then it's perceived as god-like.

I should've been more specific. That is what I was referring to.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 2860
Joined: 30 Sep 2008

I don't really believe in any particular religion's god, but I would say the laws of physics and other natural and mathematical laws are god. If you get my meaning. To me god isn't a being but kind of like a force, like the force.

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 726
Joined: 14 Jun 2008

bue519:

Corpse XxX:
A god is a weapon of mass seduction.. A made up figure trying to unite people against a common "enemy" to serve the leaders of the cult best, often financially..

Ah yes, isn't religion the "opiate" of the masses?

People always interpret that as a bad thing. I don't think the quote was ever actually intended to be a knock on religion.

We live in a harsh world. Most of us forum goers don't really realize how harsh and cruel the world can actually be to some people. An opiate such as religion can help fend off the hopelessness for a lot of people.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 4006
Joined: 1 Nov 2007

A creature of myth.

Red Guard
Posts: 4195
Joined: 18 Sep 2008

Hunde Des Krieg:
I don't really believe in any particular religion's god, but I would say the laws of physics and other natural and mathematical laws are god. If you get my meaning. To me god isn't a being but kind of like a force, like the force.

You mean midichlorians?

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 815
Joined: 29 Apr 2008

It is the believers that define a god. If people believe there is a flying spaghetti monster that created the world with his noodley appendages then flying spaghetti monster is a god. Similarly if nobody believes in a god that god ceases to be. After all nobody fears the wrath of Zeus much these days, especially after Ben Franklin invented the lightning rod.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 2305
Joined: 9 Apr 2008

If enough people worship something/idea it becomes a god. It doesn't mean that it exists in our physical reality but neither do a lot of things. What everyone wants to know is which came first. Even the gods don't know that for sure.

But weather we created the gods or they created us, we're stuck with them now, so let's just make the best of it.

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 726
Joined: 14 Jun 2008

Baby Tea:

Hunde Des Krieg:
I don't really believe in any particular religion's god, but I would say the laws of physics and other natural and mathematical laws are god. If you get my meaning. To me god isn't a being but kind of like a force, like the force.

You mean midichlorians?

Yes. Or nanomachines. That's my bet. God is nanomachines. MGS4 actually makes sense now.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 2759
Joined: 3 Dec 2008

God is a concept to me. If its an existing entity then it is far beyond human comprehension. Unachievable through logic because existence itself is completely absurd. God is time and the universe and everything. God is an absurdity like everything that has ever been.

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 925
Joined: 3 Oct 2007

AgentNein:

bue519:

Corpse XxX:
A god is a weapon of mass seduction.. A made up figure trying to unite people against a common "enemy" to serve the leaders of the cult best, often financially..

Ah yes, isn't religion the "opiate" of the masses?

People always interpret that as a bad thing. I don't think the quote was ever actually intended to be a knock on religion.

We live in a harsh world. Most of us forum goers don't really realize how harsh and cruel the world can actually be to some people. An opiate such as religion can help fend off the hopelessness for a lot of people.

While I can understand some people wanting to believe in a higher power; I dislike how many people us God as a justification for some of the worst acts on the planet. If the institution of the church did not exist, I would probably be more apt to believe in God.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 2860
Joined: 30 Sep 2008

Baby Tea:

Hunde Des Krieg:
I don't really believe in any particular religion's god, but I would say the laws of physics and other natural and mathematical laws are god. If you get my meaning. To me god isn't a being but kind of like a force, like the force.

You mean midichlorians?

How dare you mention medichlorians! I don't recognize the prequals, and anyway medichlorians were just force manipulating bacteria that somehow allow jedi to utilize the force(WTF?), not the force itself. It was kind of a joke anyway.

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 726
Joined: 14 Jun 2008

bue519:

AgentNein:

bue519:

Corpse XxX:
A god is a weapon of mass seduction.. A made up figure trying to unite people against a common "enemy" to serve the leaders of the cult best, often financially..

Ah yes, isn't religion the "opiate" of the masses?

People always interpret that as a bad thing. I don't think the quote was ever actually intended to be a knock on religion.

We live in a harsh world. Most of us forum goers don't really realize how harsh and cruel the world can actually be to some people. An opiate such as religion can help fend off the hopelessness for a lot of people.

While I can understand some people wanting to believe in a higher power; I dislike how many people us God as a justification for some of the worst acts on the planet. If the institution of the church did not exist, I would probably be more apt to believe in God.

This is coming from an atheist mind you, but I've always felt that religion is scapegoated far too much when it comes to all the bloodshed attributed to it. To put it simply, if it wasn't religion in my opinion, it would be something else. Point being, people in situations of power want more power. They want to control more people, either physically or mentally. We're also a violent creature by our very nature.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 1373
Joined: 7 Feb 2009

Pandalisk:
So i surpose Worship defines a god, a god can have flaws everyone knows from the bible that the gods had many flaws, hell the norse people knew there gods were dicks by the stories written about them (note im not saying their gods were real)

worship would bring anyone to a god-like status, if i could get my two dogs and my cat to bow and do my bidding on command and they build a statue of me with there crappy paws then i surpose i would be a god

Why arent the norse gods real, if i may ask?

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 2330
Joined: 24 Jan 2008

I pray and fast, but these days, I'm not entirely convinced of the view of an omnipotent figure that controls all of us and the world. The people that say the world is a beautiful place because of a God, but if the world is a beautiful place, then it wouldn't need a God to excuse it. Quod Erat Demonstrandum.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 1308
Joined: 18 Feb 2009

AgentNein:

Incredible Bullshitting Man:
The said paradox can also be resolved with the notion that an omnipotent being doesn´t have to work within the frame of logic. It can create an object too heavy to lift and it can still lift it.

...so one thing God can't do is set up a rigid and unbreakable structure of physical laws for the world? Because said god could always break said rigid structure? Or he can't break the structure he created, either way he is not omnipotent. But now we're back at square one, aren't we?

This would only be an issue of course if you define god as an omnipotent being. If you believe that your god has 'great and near limitless power', that's another thing entirely.

Well, my argument was that omnipotent God doesn´t have to follow human logic. Logic would seem to dictate that if God breaks a rigid and unbreakable structure of physical laws, then said structure wouldn´t be unbreakable, but God doesn´t really give a damn about our notion of logic. Silly thing this is, really.

Anyway, this is just a funny little mind game with no connection to religion, as far as I´m concerned. Nothing more than a pastime.

On the Record
Posts: 5476
Joined: 2 Feb 2009

God is.....dog spelled backwards!!! dum dum dum!!!!

Hmm...my idea of God is the same of the Warcraft lore. To be a god you need to be immortal and be worshiped.

Anyway I dont believe in God or Gods...I believe in the human race!!Even if its filled with stupiity!

Infamous Scribbler
Posts: 587
Joined: 9 Feb 2008

What defines a terrible question?

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 751
Joined: 5 Nov 2008

For the most part you are correct, but when starting a sentence 'Gods'(even if it is wrong)is a correct statement.

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 925
Joined: 3 Oct 2007

AgentNein:

bue519:

AgentNein:

bue519:

Corpse XxX:
A god is a weapon of mass seduction.. A made up figure trying to unite people against a common "enemy" to serve the leaders of the cult best, often financially..

Ah yes, isn't religion the "opiate" of the masses?

People always interpret that as a bad thing. I don't think the quote was ever actually intended to be a knock on religion.

We live in a harsh world. Most of us forum goers don't really realize how harsh and cruel the world can actually be to some people. An opiate such as religion can help fend off the hopelessness for a lot of people.

While I can understand some people wanting to believe in a higher power; I dislike how many people us God as a justification for some of the worst acts on the planet. If the institution of the church did not exist, I would probably be more apt to believe in God.

This is coming from an atheist mind you, but I've always felt that religion is scapegoated far too much when it comes to all the bloodshed attributed to it. To put it simply, if it wasn't religion in my opinion, it would be something else. Point being, people in situations of power want more power. They want to control more people, either physically or mentally. We're also a violent creature by our very nature.

Well, its really the perfect method of control. Because the only other form of societal manipulation is nationalism, but the problem with this is that it usually doesn't transcend cultural boundaries, due to different languages and such. But, with religion it can unite many groups under a common cause.

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 987
Joined: 15 Jan 2009

Inverse Skies:
God is usually defined as the creator of all, the being with the ability to influence every aspect of life as well as being all-powerful and benevolent.

aka your mum =D controlling almost every aspect of your life until your 18-20

Infamous Scribbler
Posts: 669
Joined: 28 Jul 2008

A relatively immortal being (usually really really strong and dosen't age) that has supernatural powers and medles with the human word.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 1302
Joined: 26 Jun 2008

Broloth:

joystickjunki3:

L33tsauce_Marty:
See I can't pinpoint what exactly what any religion such as Christianity would define a god. I remember a teacher talking about if god could make a rock so big that he couldn't move it, would that make him powerless? Is it the unstoppable force or the immovable object? Or what defines a god?

Well, as far as I can tell from my upbringing in a Judeo-Christian environment, a god is a sentient being that possesses both knowledge and eternal life. Hence, when Adam and Eve partook in the forbidden fruit of knowledge God banished them from Eden so as not to allow them the chance to become immortal as He and the angels are.

Others might say that the ability to create life is god-like. But that's just a branch of knowledge in my opinion.

It's more like, creating life without life is god-like. When a man and a woman make a child (thus life) it isn't god-like, but if someone uses molecules and test-tubes to make life, then it's perceived as god-like.

Well I suppose if you can make that baby immortal...

Press Junketeer
Posts: 429
Joined: 30 Sep 2008

L33tsauce_Marty:

Broloth:

joystickjunki3:

L33tsauce_Marty:
See I can't pinpoint what exactly what any religion such as Christianity would define a god. I remember a teacher talking about if god could make a rock so big that he couldn't move it, would that make him powerless? Is it the unstoppable force or the immovable object? Or what defines a god?

Well, as far as I can tell from my upbringing in a Judeo-Christian environment, a god is a sentient being that possesses both knowledge and eternal life. Hence, when Adam and Eve partook in the forbidden fruit of knowledge God banished them from Eden so as not to allow them the chance to become immortal as He and the angels are.

Others might say that the ability to create life is god-like. But that's just a branch of knowledge in my opinion.

It's more like, creating life without life is god-like. When a man and a woman make a child (thus life) it isn't god-like, but if someone uses molecules and test-tubes to make life, then it's perceived as god-like.

Well I suppose if you can make that baby immortal...

That would be more along the lines of prolonging death, which I suppose is also pretty god-like.

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 841
Joined: 11 Aug 2008

Corpse XxX:
A god is a weapon of mass seduction.. A made up figure trying to unite people against a common "enemy" to serve the leaders of the cult best, often financially..

yeap yeap this is just about right!

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 4079
Joined: 3 Feb 2009

Teiraa:

Inverse Skies:
God is usually defined as the creator of all, the being with the ability to influence every aspect of life as well as being all-powerful and benevolent.

aka your mum =D controlling almost every aspect of your life until your 18-20

Lol, that made me smile. Thank goodness I've moved out of home and have freedom. Freedom!

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 3662
Joined: 22 Feb 2009

omniscient, all power.. all that jazz.

Press Junketeer
Posts: 362
Joined: 16 Sep 2008

A mythical creature, usually something that possess knowledge and power beyond the limits of humans, excluding aliens.

Press Junketeer
Posts: 351
Joined: 23 Oct 2008

Inverse Skies:
God is usually defined as the creator of all, the being with the ability to influence every aspect of life as well as being all-powerful and benevolent.

the Greek gods only had a sertain amount of power, and they were all jerks- kind of like old testiment god. I guess having a kid mellowed him out.

Beat Writer
Posts: 190
Joined: 23 Sep 2008

"Kill a man, one is a murderer; kill a million, a conqueror; kill them all, a God."
--Jean Rostand (1894-1977)

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 4079
Joined: 3 Feb 2009

bowserboy26578:

Inverse Skies:
God is usually defined as the creator of all, the being with the ability to influence every aspect of life as well as being all-powerful and benevolent.

the Greek gods only had a sertain amount of power, and they were all jerks- kind of like old testiment god. I guess having a kid mellowed him out.

Oh yeah forgot about them. Religion was never a strong suite of mine.

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 884
Joined: 3 Apr 2008

Well, gods are supposed to be omnipotent, and to define something is to put limits on it. Therefore, there is no definition of a god. The term "god" is indefinable.

Infamous Scribbler
Posts: 690
Joined: 27 Dec 2008

A being with supreme "power" not necessarily supernatural stuff but being worshiped by all none would challenge you. Most Dictators wanted to be viewed as gods so that none will rise against him. They want people to think that he is supreme none can challenge him.

Press Junketeer
Posts: 351
Joined: 23 Oct 2008

Inverse Skies:

bowserboy26578:

Inverse Skies:
God is usually defined as the creator of all, the being with the ability to influence every aspect of life as well as being all-powerful and benevolent.

the Greek gods only had a sertain amount of power, and they were all jerks- kind of like old testiment god. I guess having a kid mellowed him out.

Oh yeah forgot about them. Religion was never a strong suite of mine.

screw religion- mythology for the win. that's all it really is. we now know that science is, for the most part true, and can actuallt prove all general questions at this point. no need to rely on a god when you have knowledge.

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