How Do You Conceive of God?

Ren said:
The thing about the concept of God is that it's different from the question whether God exists or not. That is, regardless of your stance on the question of God's existence, you share the fact of having a concept of God with people of very different beliefs (though it would be very interesting to research whether certain cultures/languages lack a concept of God!) — unless you consider that the concept of God itself is meaningless? This would be a fascinating stance to have, actually. I'll ponder this this afternoon, I'm a bit hungover so it's a perfect opportunity! ;)
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I do find interest in these beliefs surely and the differing stances people have on it. Nevertheless if we speak in terms of religions they all have one thing in common, a godlike entity. Being interested in these superstitions I can't say it would be meaningless, but in person I find no relief in believing such things. It's like finding meaning in something that doesn't exist, so I find it interesting as what comes to the human psyche and the need for such things.
 
Disguised said:
I do find interest in these beliefs surely and the differing stances people have on it. Nevertheless if we speak in terms of religions they all have one thing in common, a godlike entity. Being interested in these superstitions I can't say it would be meaningless, but in person I find no relief in believing such things. It's like finding meaning in something that doesn't exist, so I find it interesting as what comes to the human psyche and the need for such things.
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That's true, though on certain conceptions of God, such as Spinoza's, God is essentially synonymous with Nature/the Cosmos.

I think that if I were religious, I would be a pantheist à la Spinoza. His metaphysics are a beautiful edifice.
 
Ren said:
That's true, though on certain conceptions of God, such as Spinoza's, God is essentially synonymous with Nature/the Cosmos.

I think that if I were religious, I would be a pantheist à la Spinoza. His metaphysics are a beautiful edifice.
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Sure, thinking god is everything and planned by him/her/it (thus eradicating free will and unique thought) is somewhat out of my realm though. Likewise I do think things happen for a reason but I don't need a god to fill in the blanks about what, how and why something happens when it happens. If life is about understanding then most surely I will try to eliminate the x factors so to speak from the equation.

Don't get me wrong though, his philosophy did get my attention here :smile:
 
I would love to have a Theocentric perspective of the Universe in which the creation of it has been done, where the furthest developed beings from an Old Universe would take on the role to create a New Universe, which would be formed towards what they would seem is the best take on it. They would plant the seeds in which time and existence would flow and develop. They would not interact but they would have certainties put into it place so that the Universe specifically forms into a specific environment in which new beings are born to observe, grow from and eventually ascend into a new form of being that would then decide again on the creation of the next Universe. The Old Universe would wither as scattered forms of energy, leaving place for the New. Thus having an endless cycle of Rebirth.

(Pretty sure this perspective is covered in several religions already in some kind of similar form, at least the Rebirth part is)
 
Ren said:
Hi guys, I decided to create a thread on the topic of God as you conceive him/her/it/them.

I'm struck by the fact that often, we tend to approach this debate as opposing three 'factions': believers vs. atheists vs. agnostics. But in fact, it's possible and common enough to identify as a theist without necessarily committing to belief in the Christian God. So here, I am wondering about what kind of God you believe in, if you do; or, for those who either do not believe or remain agnostic: what kind of God would you consider believing in?

You are free to come up with your own subjective understandings of what "God" could be.
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I am currently considering myself to be agnostic. I would love to believe that there is a true, fair, and just God. However, given the state of the world, that seems unlikely.
 
SingingLoveHuggs said:
I am currently considering myself to be agnostic. I would love to believe that there is a true, fair, and just God. However, given the state of the world, that seems unlikely.
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For what it's worth, I think the same as you.

However, just for sake of discussion, I think the fact that most orthodox religions guarantee an after-life which is 'perfect' and heavenly full of incomprehensible joy for eternity compared with, say, a mere few decades on earth puts at least theoretical pressure.

I don't think there's really any good reason to allow suffering, but that's at least somewhat controversial to some people who think you 'grow' through it. Or that at least there is something to be learned from it or some morally sufficient reason to permit it. Common views tend to involve there being 'more to life' than pain/pleasure to the point where these two are relatively minor, and not surprisingly, I think many theists share that idea.

If you are viewing the suffering here in this world as too much, but you do think SOME suffering is OK, there's a lot of pressure put by the fact that the afterlife is vastly more joyful than the suffering you experience in this world.


Of course, one can reject there being evidence for God's existence, but that's a totally different argument, and suggests once the theist can convince one that there are independent reasons to suspect the existence, the suffering should hardly be inexplicable.
 
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I believe in the God of the Bible as was revealed to me by a Prophet.

I believe God has called whom He will before the foundations of the world were made, and that He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy.

I believe it is God's gift that He makes us righteous in His sight free from condemnation and He gives us joy when we glorify in Christ.

I believe there is evil in the world, but that Christ has overcome the world and what man means for evil, God means for good.

I believe in the sovereignty of God and that He is the uncreated creator who rules heaven and earth and that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God and Jesus glory will be on display for all to see someday.
 
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God is both transcendent (beyond space and time) but also immanent in the universe. All in God, God in all. Panentheism.
 
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Hands down the most interesting thread I have stumbled upon on this forum. Now, whatever I may add to the discussion:

I was baptized a Christian, raised a Catholic, I thought I was syncretic but just right now after I read this thread, I realize I'm probably closer to being pantheist.

I believe we are God, for every matter within us and beyond us: cells, atoms, bacteria, to organs, hot bodies, black holes and beyond (think Carl Sagan). All matter is God, whether living or non-living and because each matter is in a multitude of ways connected to another, we are one. In this sense, I thus believe in monotheism because there is only one entirety of all, and that is one God. We are one. We are God. For all the "good" or "bad", yin-yang that we are, or any and every type of matter: we are God. The contexts or parameters of the relationships of each, whether systems, constructs, or beliefs, etc. and all matters are purely circumstantial and depending on what is relevant at the time or point of its existence. Because context is everything and because there is no fixed good or evil, I tend to be lenient, although specific in what I value in this world. I believe my values define my purpose, and hence define my role with respect to our one-ness. For my relatively microscopic existence to be of value, if I am to be worthy of God (all of us), I am to fulfill my purpose and that is to pursue, protect, or defend what I value. If your purpose is the opposite of mine, I believe we are still equals but just God in different manifestations. We are meant to be in this fluidity, hence the relevance of time. We are meant to have gravity despite sometimes being infinitesimally close to create motion. This is akin to the wind, which is air that moves due to a variety of temperature and pressure. Thus, the variety of our individual differences allow for motion. The perpetual notion of time allows for a continuing motion: change, which defines our existence. Thence, our existence can only continue because time is perpetual. Without time nor motion, God will cease to exist. In this sense, even time is beyond us and thus God is beyond us. In essence, we are simultaneously beyond ourselves. Omnipresent.

Also in this sense, my nail is God inasmuch as I am God and inasmuch as the pixels on my screen is God. We are all God. Thus, we are infinitely powerful.

Nonetheless, mostly out of Catholic habit, I pray very hard and I call it "Lord" and when I pray, I have no image of what am I praying to. Each time I pray, I am mostly asking/begging for the universe to allow some specifics of its bits/matter to manifest in particular ways in my life. I mostly pay to beg for understanding, to ask for strength/protection. Whether or not I am begging the universe within me or beyond me, I'm not sure, but I beg nonetheless.
 
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I feel very detached from organised religion. So many people I know utilise it as a kind of pick 'n mix, taking scripture out of content to use as an excuse for their selfish and/or evil thoughts and actions.

I believe with all my heart in God though. It's something I can't quite describe; that feeling of warmth and peace. For me God is the ultimate Truth. I cannot grasp how everything that has come to be has happened by chance; all the beauty I see within the world and within people. If I see a painting I like, the first thing I wonder is who must have painted it. So I personally cannot accept that the entire universe which is infinitely more intricate and beautiful than a painting all came to be by itself. For me individually, that points to a creator and I call this Creator God.

There's still so much I don't understand though; I'm still learning.
 
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God is a word with three letters, introduced into Christianity by what can only be considered a catastrophic clash and mix between two religions, languages and cultures.

As of now, both language involved are dead languages. But latin is a bit less dead. And i guess It went bad with Greek and Latin first, then Latin mixed with the North and made it even worse.
Then they translated greek philosophy from latin into ancient/old/dead German which killed of that language rather quickly and we got the dark ages and middles ages.

Great word, nobody knows what it means.
 
How do we prove that anything exists? It seems that everything we say exists, affects us in some way. Whether it be as concrete as what our senses can see/hear/touch/taste/smell, or as conceptual as love. All these things affect our behavior. God as a concept is real. God as a living being could be real. What does that matter if it wouldn't influence our behavior?
 
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