Define "God"

Definition of terms and explanation of concepts

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DTho
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Define "God"

Post #1

Post by DTho »

In a single sentence (if possible), please provide your definition of the word/term/concept: "God."

For example, "A fictitious human construct," or "A being than which no greater being can be conceived," or "An egomaniacal creature capable of incomprehensible violence," or "Pure Love," or what-have-you.

(Please try to come up with your own definition rather than using one of my examples; thanks).

Again, the question asks for a definition only; not a definition and following tirade . . .

-DTho

topaz
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Re: Define "God"

Post #61

Post by topaz »

methylatedghosts wrote:
topaz wrote: Hello McCulloch

After my last reply to you, I switched off the pc and went to bed. As I lay down, it became obvious that you, McCulloch are 2 entities. The human and a spirit. It is clear that the spirit is addressing me, cunningly deceiving me to believe that I am actually talking to a human.

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I command you, spirit, to reveal yourself.
Wow. You honestly believe that don't you?
Hi methy, I sure do or I would not say so.

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McCulloch
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Post #62

Post by McCulloch »

topaz wrote:You want me to explain why I say God = Love. Here goes :

To my mind, I know God as Love. He is the antithesis of hate.

1- In my own experience, He saved me from a pit I was in. This, to me, is LOVE.
This would be love from god or god demonstrating his love for you. You said that god was synonymous with love.
topaz wrote:2- When I read scripture, I see a loving God. Didn’t He create paradise Eden for our race ? Weren’t we immortals ? Did we have to work for food in Eden?
Leaving aside that he also created the talking snake and put it into the garden, this shows that god loves, not that god is love.
topaz wrote:3- After sin entered our race, didn’t He send Jesus Christ, His Word made flesh, to die on the cross FOR OUR SINS ? So that today, anyone who puts his faith in Christ is saved and is promised eternal life. Is this love or hate ?
Whether this is love or hate is for another debate. You and many thoughtful Christians see that as an act of love. If you had said that God loves, my disagreement with you would have been quite different. But you said God = Love. These examples only go to illustrate that God loves not that God = Love.
topaz wrote:The foll. verses that you put up make for poor argument against the synonym God = Love. It actually show God’s LOVE.

[...]

Scripture is filled with accounts of God’s love. God is love to those who follow His ways. God is hate to the wicked, who oppose Him. They do not follow His ways. They are His enemies. He becomes a destroyer to them. I guess you belong to the latter group. You don’t even believe in His existence.
Again you miss the point. Those passages can be interpreted in such a way as to show God's Love, as you and others have done. But they do not show that God is a synonym of love. You use the phrase, God's Love which itself belies your assertion that the word, God is a synonym of Love. Love's Love? God's God?

I think you mean to say that God loves, that God shows love, that God's love is better, purer and more perfect than any other love. But you have failed to demonstrate that God is synonymous with love. Do look up the word synonymous in a dictionary and you will see what I mean.
topaz wrote:Tell this to Him when you stand before His throne on that day. Tell Him … “I see no evidence of you … until now.”
If that is the case, I'll stand with Bertrand Russell and say, "But you did not give us sufficient evidence."
Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John

topaz
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Post #63

Post by topaz »

McCulloch wrote:
topaz wrote:You want me to explain why I say God = Love. Here goes :

To my mind, I know God as Love. He is the antithesis of hate.

1- In my own experience, He saved me from a pit I was in. This, to me, is LOVE.
This would be love from god or god demonstrating his love for you. You said that god was synonymous with love.
Don’t try to interpret me. I am saying that God = Love and Love = God. If you disagree, it is your right. God is synonymous with Love.
McCulloch wrote:
topaz wrote:2- When I read scripture, I see a loving God. Didn’t He create paradise Eden for our race ? Weren’t we immortals ? Did we have to work for food in Eden?
Leaving aside that he also created the talking snake and put it into the garden, this shows that god loves, not that god is love.
Yes. He created a talking snake and yes, He did place it in Eden. What’s wrong with that ? Satan cannot enter Eden. So he schemed and entered the snake instead and found himself in the garden. Why did you miss this out ? So now, God is hate ? You have demonstrated your capacity for bias and it so blinds your mind to the stark, naked truth.
McCulloch wrote: Whether this is love or hate is for another debate. You and many thoughtful Christians see that as an act of love. If you had said that God loves, my disagreement with you would have been quite different. But you said God = Love. These examples only go to illustrate that God loves not that God = Love.

Again you miss the point. Those passages can be interpreted in such a way as to show God's Love, as you and others have done.

But they do not show that God is a synonym of love. You use the phrase, God's Love which itself belies your assertion that the word, God is a synonym of Love. Love's Love? God's God?

I think you mean to say that God loves, that God shows love, that God's love is better, purer and more perfect than any other love. But you have failed to demonstrate that God is synonymous with love. Do look up the word synonymous in a dictionary and you will see what I mean.
I know what a synonym is. Do you ? You obviously love to argue. It is that spirit in you. You disagreeing with me does not prove that God is not equal to Love. I maintain that God = Love and Love = God. Any form of showing love is proof that God is in us.

You seem to hate this equation : God = Love. Yes, this is my definition / synonym of God.

From your words, you think you’re a smart alec. Are you ? What grade of intelligence belie a mind that speaks of God the way you do, that does not believe in His existence. I am amused you actually think highly of yourself.

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Post #64

Post by McCulloch »

topaz wrote:Don’t try to interpret me. I am saying that God = Love and Love = God. If you disagree, it is your right. God is synonymous with Love.
I am not interpreting you. You have asserted that God is synonymous with Love. I have shown that your assertion is not consistent with any acceptable definition of synonym.
topaz wrote:Yes. He created a talking snake and yes, He did place it in Eden. What’s wrong with that ? Satan cannot enter Eden. So he schemed and entered the snake instead and found himself in the garden. Why did you miss this out ?
Just like a loving father puts a scorpion into the play pen. Right!
topaz wrote:So now, God is hate ? You have demonstrated your capacity for bias and it so blinds your mind to the stark, naked truth.
Stop trying to interpret me. God is not hate. Love and hate, jealousy and kindness, forgiveness and vengeance; these are all emotional attributes. To reduce God to being simply an emotional attribute is to insult the very idea of God.
topaz wrote:I know what a synonym is. Do you ?
synonym

n : two words that can be interchanged in a context are said to be synonymous relative to that context
Dictionary.com. WordNet® 2.0, Princeton University. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/synonym (accessed: October 30, 2006).

syn‧o‧nym  /ˈsɪnənɪm/
–noun
  1. a word having the same or nearly the same meaning as another in the language, as joyful, elated, glad.
  2. a word or expression accepted as another name for something, as Arcadia for pastoral simplicity; metonym.
Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1), Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/synonym (accessed: October 30, 2006).

I have shown that God as a synonym of Love does not fit these definitions of synonym.
topaz wrote:You obviously love to argue. It is that spirit in you.
I guess your prayer to your God (or do you pray to Love, no matter, same thing), to drive out my evil spirit was ineffective.
topaz wrote:You disagreeing with me does not prove that God is not equal to Love.
Absolutely true. The evidence that I have presented does.
topaz wrote:I maintain that God = Love and Love = God. Any form of showing love is proof that God is in us.
But you maintain that without evidence.
topaz wrote:You seem to hate this equation : God = Love. Yes, this is my definition / synonym of God.
No, I hate the misuse of language. Stop trying to interpret me.
topaz wrote:From your words, you think you’re a smart alec. Are you ?
No. That's your interpretation.
topaz wrote:What grade of intelligence belie a mind that speaks of God the way you do, that does not believe in His existence.
Good question. Is it that the educated believe in God? would be an excellent place for you to further address this issue.
topaz wrote:I am amused you actually think highly of yourself.
But I do not. I am a biological life form sharing the thin surface of a small planet with other biological life. When I am gone, the universe will not care. You on the other hand, believe that the creator of the universe loves you, has been willing to die for you and wants your company for eternity. Just which one of us thinks highly of himself?
Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John

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bernee51
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Post #65

Post by bernee51 »

topaz wrote: bernee, no they are not the same demons that you refer to above. I have never encountered demons as powerful as those in that autistic person mentioned above.
Um...OK
topaz wrote: But I do know that there is a spirit in him hiding, doesn’t want to make himself known … well too bad, …. I’ve seen you, spirit.
Yes I sense McC's spirit as well. The spirit of enquiry. The spirit to be himself, not defined by the narrow confines of religion. Not acccepting that he is somehow second rate in the universe - born a sinner and so on. I admire that spirit and wish that all of humanity could seize it an live it.

One day humanity will move beyond the narrow, ethnocentric, mythic view you propose to one that unconditionally encompasses all of mankind - and the tiny blue dot we inhabit.
topaz wrote: All that hate is not from McC’s heart but the spirit’s period.
Again with the 'hate'. You said the same of me. Why is it that all those who do not agree with you are 'filled with hate' for your god. As has been pointed out...how can we hate something that does not exist?
topaz wrote: I have been on the internet long enough to understand that anything or anyone can be out there … on the other end … speaking to me.
Yes who ever is out there is only limited by your imagination.
topaz wrote: This being a christian forum, you can bet there are many of them here. It is a matter of time before I’ll discover them. The good thing is, they don’t keep quiet. Halleluia !
This is not a 'christian forum'. It is a forum for debating, not only christianity. but all other systems of belief.

Because McC or others may not agree with my worldview, I do not assume they are filled with hate for that worldview.

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Re: Define "God"

Post #66

Post by methylatedghosts »

topaz wrote:
methylatedghosts wrote:
topaz wrote: Hello McCulloch

After my last reply to you, I switched off the pc and went to bed. As I lay down, it became obvious that you, McCulloch are 2 entities. The human and a spirit. It is clear that the spirit is addressing me, cunningly deceiving me to believe that I am actually talking to a human.

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I command you, spirit, to reveal yourself.
Wow. You honestly believe that don't you?
Hi methy, I sure do or I would not say so.
You know, that seems very delusional to me. But then, I guess I must have one of those evil spirits in me making me say this. Well, I like it, I feel good, and I think its here to stay :D
Ye are Gods

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Post #67

Post by topaz »

McCulloch wrote: I have shown that your assertion is not consistent with any acceptable definition of synonym.

I have shown that God as a synonym of Love does not fit these definitions of synonym.
This is your opinion. Far as I’m concerned, God = Love and Love = God. This is obviously too deep for you to figure out.
McCulloch wrote:
topaz wrote:You obviously love to argue. It is that spirit in you.
I guess your prayer to your God (or do you pray to Love, no matter, same thing), to drive out my evil spirit was ineffective.
Umm … should I pray for you to be freed ? Why, you assumed I did. I don’t go about casting demons out of any tom, dick or harry. Sorry.
McCulloch wrote:
topaz wrote:Yes. He created a talking snake and yes, He did place it in Eden. What’s wrong with that ? Satan cannot enter Eden. So he schemed and entered the snake instead and found himself in the garden. Why did you miss this out ?
Just like a loving father puts a scorpion into the play pen. Right!
Did God put ‘a scorpion into the play pen’ ? Did God put satan in Eden ? Well, well … so much for your lies.
McCulloch wrote:
topaz wrote:So now, God is hate ? You have demonstrated your capacity for bias and it so blinds your mind to the stark, naked truth.
Stop trying to interpret me. God is not hate. Love and hate, jealousy and kindness, forgiveness and vengeance; these are all emotional attributes. To reduce God to being simply an emotional attribute is to insult the very idea of God.
Again, your opinion. For one who does not believe in God, you make a good hypocrite arguing His attributes, as if you know Him. You do not even believe in His existence. We know Him and we are in the best position to describe Him and to explain Him to anyone. You are spewing crap, sorry, don’t mean to be rude.

I enjoy chatting with fellow humans. This is a fine race though we are fallen. I specifically, do not enjoy chatting with spirits, trying to play human. How you long to be human, this is obvious. You are a dead soul, no fun chatting with you. I enjoy life !!! I look forward to an existence of immortality. Good riddance to dead, powerless zombies.

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Post #68

Post by McCulloch »

McCulloch wrote:I have shown that your assertion is not consistent with any acceptable definition of synonym.

I have shown that God as a synonym of Love does not fit these definitions of synonym.
topaz wrote:This is your opinion. Far as I’m concerned, God = Love and Love = God. This is obviously too deep for you to figure out.
Obviously. Please post your definition of synonym.
topaz wrote:You obviously love to argue. It is that spirit in you.
McCulloch wrote:I guess your prayer to your God (or do you pray to Love, no matter, same thing), to drive out my evil spirit was ineffective.
topaz wrote:Umm … should I pray for you to be freed ? Why, you assumed I did. I don’t go about casting demons out of any tom, dick or harry. Sorry.
My bad. I assumed that you might model your behaviour after Jesus. I was wrong. You want me to have an evil spirit?

topaz wrote:Yes. He created a talking snake and yes, He did place it in Eden. What’s wrong with that ? Satan cannot enter Eden. So he schemed and entered the snake instead and found himself in the garden. Why did you miss this out ?
McCulloch wrote:Just like a loving father puts a scorpion into the play pen. Right!
topaz wrote:Did God put ‘a scorpion into the play pen’ ? Did God put satan in Eden ? Well, well … so much for your lies.
If God did not put Satan in Eden then God allowed Satan into Eden. Unless you admit that your God is not powerful enough to prevent it.
topaz wrote:So now, God is hate ? You have demonstrated your capacity for bias and it so blinds your mind to the stark, naked truth.
McCulloch wrote:Stop trying to interpret me. God is not hate. Love and hate, jealousy and kindness, forgiveness and vengeance; these are all emotional attributes. To reduce God to being simply an emotional attribute is to insult the very idea of God.
topaz wrote:Again, your opinion. For one who does not believe in God, you make a good hypocrite arguing His attributes, as if you know Him. You do not even believe in His existence. We know Him and we are in the best position to describe Him and to explain Him to anyone. You are spewing crap, sorry, don’t mean to be rude.
OK then you're right. God is an emotional attribute. So, in the beginning was God. And God is Love. What did God love before he created stuff? What is Love? And if you say God then we're just going in circles.
topaz wrote:I enjoy chatting with fellow humans. This is a fine race though we are fallen.
Made in the image of Love.
topaz wrote:I specifically, do not enjoy chatting with spirits, trying to play human. How you long to be human, this is obvious. You are a dead soul, no fun chatting with you. I enjoy life !!!
I enjoy life. Without ruining the enjoyment by focusing on a non-existent after-life.
Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John

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Post #69

Post by Furrowed Brow »

God is an additional complication of those imaginations that find no joy in a universe sufficient unto itself.

Ashlady

Post #70

Post by Ashlady »

God = Self-Existing Creator of all.

Ash

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