What is God?

Byrnzie
Byrnzie Posts: 21,037
edited December 2006 in A Moving Train
I read lots of threads and posts on the board which mention the word 'God'. However, I'd like to know what people mean when they use this word. I often get the impression that the word is used too freely and carelessly and that therefore, it is simply a word used to paint over something intangible.

Is the word God in the mouth of a Christian the same thing as the word God in the mouth of a Muslim, or a Hindu, or a Buddhist?

Discuss...
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • dunkman
    dunkman Posts: 19,646
    it's a dyslexic man's pet!
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • FinsburyParkCarrots
    FinsburyParkCarrots Seattle, WA Posts: 12,223
    dunkman1974 wrote:
    it's a dyslexic man's pet!

    Did you hear about the dyslexic, agnostic insomniac? He used to lie awake at night, wondering whether there was a dog or not.
  • binger
    binger Posts: 179
    God is simply a word that in our ignorance to find a better description, we use.

    God is directly above man's soul, the fountainhead of all things. Hidden from man's eyes and understanding to maintain life and purpose of the Earth. God speaks in the wind and will make himself known to in subtle ways and cannot remain unmanifested to the truly spiritual.

    God transcends all.

    God is the energy in the space between everything in the universe.

    The source.
    I want to point out that people who seem to have no power, whether working people, people of color, or women -- once they organize and protest and create movements -- have a voice no government can suppress. Howard Zinn
  • binger
    binger Posts: 179
    FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:
    Did you hear about the dyslexic, agnostic insomniac? He used to lie awake at night, wondering whether there was a dog or not.

    And that is the only joke I have ever committed to memory! Cool!
    I want to point out that people who seem to have no power, whether working people, people of color, or women -- once they organize and protest and create movements -- have a voice no government can suppress. Howard Zinn
  • RavennaSeattle1911
    RavennaSeattle1911 Posts: 478
    http://www.biblegateway.com/
    http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/

    http://groups.msn.com/PearlJamNirvana/messages.msnw
  • RavennaSeattle1911
    RavennaSeattle1911 Posts: 478
    http://wahiduddin.net/words/name_god.htm

    http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06608x.htm

    Etymology of the Name God



    Oddly, the exact history of the word God is unknown. The word God is a relatively new European invention, which was never used in any of the ancient Judaeo-Christian scripture manuscripts that were written in Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek or Latin.

    According to the best efforts of linguists and researchers, the root of the present word God is the Sanskrit word hu which means to call upon, invoke, implore.

    Nonetheless, it is also interesting to note the similarity to the ancient Persian word for God which is Khoda.

    The following is a survey of some of the efforts of those who have been trying to decipher the ancient roots of the word God:


    Webster's 1913 Dictionary:

    \God\ (g[o^]d), n. [AS. god; akin to OS. & D. god, OHG. got, G. gott, Icel. gu[eth], go[eth], Sw. & Dan. gud, Goth. gup, prob. orig. a p. p. from a root appearing in Skr. h[=u], p. p. h[=u]ta, to call upon, invoke, implore. [root]30. Cf. {Goodbye}, {Gospel}, {Gossip}.]

    http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/god
    http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/

    http://groups.msn.com/PearlJamNirvana/messages.msnw
  • angelica
    angelica Posts: 6,038
    Byrnzie, I would love to hear how you conceptualize "God". Or do you?
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • gue_barium
    gue_barium Posts: 5,515
    By any other name God is still, er...the super ego?
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  • angelica
    angelica Posts: 6,038
    gue_barium wrote:
    By any other name God is still, er...the super ego?
    Good point. For many people yes. Most people fashion god as a magnificent version of their own human ego. A super ego.

    The actual God is inter-related with the superconsciousness.
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • callen
    callen Posts: 6,388
    God is an inexpensive way to deal with your insecurities.
    10-18-2000 Houston, 04-06-2003 Houston, 6-25-2003 Toronto, 10-8-2004 Kissimmee, 9-4-2005 Calgary, 12-3-05 Sao Paulo, 7-2-2006 Denver, 7-22-06 Gorge, 7-23-2006 Gorge, 9-13-2006 Bern, 6-22-2008 DC, 6-24-2008 MSG, 6-25-2008 MSG
  • gue_barium
    gue_barium Posts: 5,515
    angelica wrote:
    Good point. For many people yes. Most people fashion god as a magnificent version of their own human ego. A super ego.

    The actual God is inter-related with the superconsciousness.

    That could be an example of narcissism.
    all posts by ©gue_barium are protected under US copyright law and are not to be reproduced, exchanged or sold
    except by express written permission of ©gue_barium, the author.
  • angelica
    angelica Posts: 6,038
    gue_barium wrote:
    That could be an example of narcissism.
    How so?
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • gue_barium
    gue_barium Posts: 5,515
    angelica wrote:
    How so?

    How not so?

    Superconsciousness, superego, either or, in regard to God. Holier than thou. More conscious than you...more human than the human.

    Humans are humans. Nothing more or less.
    all posts by ©gue_barium are protected under US copyright law and are not to be reproduced, exchanged or sold
    except by express written permission of ©gue_barium, the author.
  • angelica
    angelica Posts: 6,038
    gue_barium wrote:
    How not so?

    Superconsciousness, superego, either or, in regard to God. Holier than thou. More conscious than you...more human than the human.

    Humans are humans. Nothing more or less.
    Could be. Then again, maybe not.
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • qtegirl
    qtegirl Posts: 321
    God is the being you thank when things go well and the one who "has a plan for you" when things go badly.
  • gue_barium
    gue_barium Posts: 5,515
    angelica wrote:
    Could be. Then again, maybe not.

    I've never seen this agnostic side of you before.
    all posts by ©gue_barium are protected under US copyright law and are not to be reproduced, exchanged or sold
    except by express written permission of ©gue_barium, the author.
  • angelica
    angelica Posts: 6,038
    callen wrote:
    God is an inexpensive way to deal with your insecurities.
    When we are attuned with life and our full nature, we understand that being insecure means we are not attached to wholeness. Separation from our true nature makes us insecure. When we realize our wholeness, we no longer need psychiatry for wholeness is not needy.
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    God is a myth to constitute the myth of a soul to allow us life after death.

    But now we have LSD.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • Collin
    Collin Posts: 4,931
    Buddhism is a non-theistic religion.
    THANK YOU, LOSTDAWG!


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  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    Collin wrote:
    Buddhism is a non-theistic religion.

    I would actually be Buddhist, but I don't believe in structured beliefs.

    I don't want to commit to something I may have to defend. I prefer to have plasticity in my beliefs.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire

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