What is God?

[Mr.Badham]

As an atheist, I have a hard time understanding what a god might look like. Please help.

[paarsurrey1]

I think He's really shiny.

I agree with one that One-True-God is light:

[24:36] Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a lustrous niche, wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a glittering star. It is lit from a blessed tree — an olive — neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would well-nigh glow forth even though fire touched it not. Light upon light! Allah guides to His light whomsoever He will. And Allah sets forth parables to men, and Allah knows all things full well.
https://www.alislam.org/quran/search2/s ... 4&verse=35

The above description is from One-True-God made by Himself.
Regards

To add further.
Many a person in all ages and in all regions of the world received Word of Revelation from One-True-God. God conversed with them. I understand that the "light" that Buddha received under a banyan tree was this Word of Revelation from One-True-God.
God had conversed with the humans. I don't find any reason to deny it. Right, please?
Regards

[JP Cusick]

Rather than just sharing different views, I'd say let's look at it rationally. Supposed revelations differ. I'd say if you want to jump to a particular revelation, you need to first rationally support why that revelation is true. But I think there are arguments for God's existence from observations about reality that can be the first steps on what God, if God or the gods exist, is like. I'd say let's take that approach, but I won't push it if that's not the way you are really wanting to pursue.

The science of the "Big Bang" shows us how God created the heavens and the earth.

The theory of Evolution shows us how God is actively improving life every day.

Telescopes being able to look back in time some 14 billion years tells us that God is not restricted to linear space or time.

The reality of Ghost, Spirits and Demons is proof that there is another form of life.

Plus the Bible prophesy fulfilled, as HERE, is a huge proof that the Father is in full command of life in this world.

[The Tanager]

The science of the "Big Bang" shows us how God created the heavens and the earth.

The theory of Evolution shows us how God is actively improving life every day.

Telescopes being able to look back in time some 14 billion years tells us that God is not restricted to linear space or time.

The reality of Ghost, Spirits and Demons is proof that there is another form of life.

Plus the Bible prophesy fulfilled, as HERE, is a huge proof that the Father is in full command of life in this world.

It helps me to take one thing at a time. So, maybe we could start with the origin of the universe and what that says. How do you see the science of the Big Bang establishing God as creator and, if true, could we get any more characteristics of God from the origin of the universe?

[JP Cusick]

It helps me to take one thing at a time. So, maybe we could start with the origin of the universe and what that says. How do you see the science of the Big Bang establishing God as creator and, if true, could we get any more characteristics of God from the origin of the universe?

The Bible declares that God created the Heavens and the Earth - and that was said at least 3000+ years ago.

There is no reason why the universe has any beginning, and science could have discovered the universe to be infinite without any beginning, but instead having a beginning aligns with the Bible's very first verse of Genesis 1:1 " In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. " KJV

As such the Big Bang and the Bible are in agreement with this.

Plus the science tells that before the Big Bang there was one (1) tiny reality which was so compressed that time and space did not exist as it was like nothing there, and that one singularity is equivalent to saying one God who was the beginning of the creation.

If our universe had been infinitely old - then that would have been real evidence that there was no creation and thereby no Creator.

[William]

[Replying to post 11 by paarsurrey1]

Many a person in all ages and in all regions of the world received Word of Revelation from One-True-God. God conversed with them. I understand that the "light" that Buddha received under a banyan tree was this Word of Revelation from One-True-God.
God had conversed with the humans. I don't find any reason to deny it.

[center]Light is In Formation [/center]

Without light, there is no information.

Therefore light is data.

Without consciousness, data (if it could exist of itself) is just data.

It may as well not even exist, which is a big clue as to what came first, consciousness or information.

That is one reason why I understand GOD = Consciousness, not information.

GOD does not = data.

Data is something which informs consciousness.

Thus to say 'GOD is data' is incorrect. God is not data/information. GOD is both the consciousness which creates data and the aspects of consciousness which acknowledges data and deciphers data.

It is therefore incorrect to use the analogy "GOD is light."

[The Tanager]

The Bible declares that God created the Heavens and the Earth - and that was said at least 3000+ years ago.

There is no reason why the universe has any beginning, and science could have discovered the universe to be infinite without any beginning, but instead having a beginning aligns with the Bible's very first verse of Genesis 1:1 " In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. " KJV

As such the Big Bang and the Bible are in agreement with this.

Plus the science tells that before the Big Bang there was one (1) tiny reality which was so compressed that time and space did not exist as it was like nothing there, and that one singularity is equivalent to saying one God who was the beginning of the creation.

If our universe had been infinitely old - then that would have been real evidence that there was no creation and thereby no Creator.

Other texts, that describe God(s) differently, speak of God creating as well, though. Some older than the Biblical texts. So, agreement of them to science saying there is a beginning wouldn't settle much on what God is.

I'm also a little confused on exactly what you are claiming about the Big Bang and the Creator it suggests. Are you saying the universe is an emanation from God? Or that God created a separate thing which is the universe? Something else?

I do believe the universe had a beginning (for scientific and philosophical reasons) and that this points to a Creator/Cause. I also think this can tell us certain things about the Cause: that the Cause is atemporal, changeless, beginningless, immaterial, uncaused, very powerful if not omnipotent, personal and self-existent, at least. I was wondering if you felt it led in the same direction or would even add characteristics based on the origin of the universe alone (for now).

[JP Cusick]

Other texts, that describe God(s) differently, speak of God creating as well, though. Some older than the Biblical texts. So, agreement of them to science saying there is a beginning wouldn't settle much on what God is.

I agree that the Big-Bang gives us very little insight into what is God, and the creation event is only a physical reality with very little to teach about the spiritual side.

It would be better if modern science would search to discover what is God but the people are so intimidated by the reality of God that science can not even talk about it let alone do the research.

The science of the "parallel universe" tells us so much more about our Creator, because if we each do exist in different parallel universes (and I accept that as true) then that does explain how God does gives truth and justices to every person whoever lived.

I'm also a little confused on exactly what you are claiming about the Big Bang and the Creator it suggests. Are you saying the universe is an emanation from God? Or that God created a separate thing which is the universe? Something else?

I say that the universe is a separate creation from God.

People keep trying to view God as some physical reality, and to me that is just more idolatry.

I do believe the universe had a beginning (for scientific and philosophical reasons) and that this points to a Creator/Cause. I also think this can tell us certain things about the Cause: that the Cause is atemporal, changeless, beginningless, immaterial, uncaused, very powerful if not omnipotent, personal and self-existent, at least. I was wondering if you felt it led in the same direction or would even add characteristics based on the origin of the universe alone (for now).

You might be correct in all this about the cause - as I can not say on that - and I do not see why anyone would try to decipher that.

The prior cause / the Creator might be as you say - but the creation / the universe is not any of those things - and surely our human confines are only within the creation.

We must stand behind our limits - stay behind our boundaries.

The creation and our lives are not atemporal.
The creation and our lives are not changeless
The creation and our lives are not beginningless.
The creation and our lives are not immaterial.
The creation and our lives are not uncaused.

Our Father / the Creator might transcend those attributes, but God might have is forbidden to transcend them - and it seems to me that God might want us to know the outer limits just so that we too can see that we are not to cross over that line.

True power is always limited and restricted.

[The Tanager]

The science of the "parallel universe" tells us so much more about our Creator, because if we each do exist in different parallel universes (and I accept that as true) then that does explain how God does gives truth and justices to every person whoever lived.

Do you think it would follow that if parallel universes didn't exist, then God does not give truth and justices to every person whoever lived?

I say that the universe is a separate creation from God.

People keep trying to view God as some physical reality, and to me that is just more idolatry.

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

You might be correct in all this about the cause - as I can not say on that - and I do not see why anyone would try to decipher that.

The prior cause / the Creator might be as you say - but the creation / the universe is not any of those things - and surely our human confines are only within the creation.

We must stand behind our limits - stay behind our boundaries.

The creation and our lives are not atemporal.
The creation and our lives are not changeless
The creation and our lives are not beginningless.
The creation and our lives are not immaterial.
The creation and our lives are not uncaused.

Our Father / the Creator might transcend those attributes, but God might have is forbidden to transcend them - and it seems to me that God might want us to know the outer limits just so that we too can see that we are not to cross over that line.

True power is always limited and restricted.

I'm not sure I fully understand why you think this caution is warranted. Do certain revelations show God forbidding us to transcend these attributes in the sense of us trying to understand something about what God is? Why do the other views you share about what God is not make this same kind of move? I'm not sure I'm catching the danger you see here.

[JP Cusick]

Do you think it would follow that if parallel universes didn't exist, then God does not give truth and justices to every person whoever lived?

From my human view then yes it does look like most people in this world just live and die without truth or justice.

In example = a baby gets aborted so it never sees their life, but in a parallel universe the same baby does not get aborted and it has a life to live.

A person dies in a car crash - and in a parallel universe the crash does not happen - and in another universe they survive the crash.

In another universe Jesus gets accepted as the Savior and He does not get crucified.

The science of multi-verses gives a real explanation to the notion of being "born again" and for reincarnation and even another twist for the meaning of resurrection.

This way it allows for every person to experience every aspect of life instead of the limited life we have here and now.

Our Father / the Creator might transcend those attributes, but God might have it forbidden to transcend them - and it seems to me that God might want us to know the outer limits just so that we too can see that we are not to cross over that line.

True power is always limited and restricted.

I'm not sure I fully understand why you think this caution is warranted. Do certain revelations show God forbidding us to transcend these attributes in the sense of us trying to understand something about what God is? Why do the other views you share about what God is not make this same kind of move? I'm not sure I'm catching the danger you see here.

My understanding is that if any person (or Angel) were to see God (the Father / the Creator) then we would die or else go insane, Exodus 33:20, and that includes getting too close in the knowledge of God, and it is because humanity is sinful, and the Bible tells that God put up flaming swords to keep people out, Genesis 3:22-24, and even Jesus put the restriction that we could only see the Father through Him the son, see John 1:18 and in John 14:8-11

There is only a limited need to know what is God because even the limited attributes are huge and powerful, so to accept our limitations is a big part of our own power and position.

Limited see = Mark 13:32 " But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. "

We must not be like the heathen who demand to put God under a microscope for us to view and analyze - because that is going too far.

[The Tanager]

From my human view then yes it does look like most people in this world just live and die without truth or justice.

In example = a baby gets aborted so it never sees their life, but in a parallel universe the same baby does not get aborted and it has a life to live.

A person dies in a car crash - and in a parallel universe the crash does not happen - and in another universe they survive the crash.

In another universe Jesus gets accepted as the Savior and He does not get crucified.

The science of multi-verses gives a real explanation to the notion of being "born again" and for reincarnation and even another twist for the meaning of resurrection.

This way it allows for every person to experience every aspect of life instead of the limited life we have here and now.

While I would certainly agree your understanding of the multi-verse seems to give more of life to an individual, I don't think that means this life isn't enough for truth and justice to go forth even for the aborted baby, the car crash victim, etc. I think there is a real notion of being 'born again' without the multi-verse. And I have some questions about what it means to be a single individual across parallel universes as opposed to different entities, but I'm not sure we want to get bogged down there for the purposes of this thread.

My understanding is that if any person (or Angel) were to see God (the Father / the Creator) then we would die or else go insane, Exodus 33:20, and that includes getting too close in the knowledge of God, and it is because humanity is sinful, and the Bible tells that God put up flaming swords to keep people out, Genesis 3:22-24, and even Jesus put the restriction that we could only see the Father through Him the son, see John 1:18 and in John 14:8-11

I certainly don't think we can know everything about God or anything like that. What do you make of Romans 1:19-20 where Paul talks about God's qualities being understood from what has been made? I think of the command to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. Mind being included in there.