Why Doesn't Anyone Know What A God Is?

[DavidLeon]

Debate Question: What is a god? Why is it that no one seems to understand the simple concept of god anymore? Hopefully what I will do here is demonstrate why no one seems to know what a god is by demonstrating what exactly a god is. Hopefully.

[Willum]

[Replying to DavidLeon in post #1]

A god is an imaginary being venerated by a culture.

If you can find an exception to that, let me know.

[bjs1]

[Replying to DavidLeon in post #1]

God is an imaginary being venerated by a culture.

If you can find an exception to that, let me know.

If you can demonstrate that statement is true, please let me know.

[bjs1]

Debate Question: What is a god? Why is it that no one seems to understand the simple concept of god anymore? Hopefully what I will do here is demonstrate why no one seems to know what a god is by demonstrating what exactly a god is. Hopefully.

The challenge is that the word "god," like many terms in the English language, can mean different things depending on the context. Are you talking about the specifically Christian concept of God, or did you have something else in mind?

[DavidLeon]

Debate Question: What is a god? Why is it that no one seems to understand the simple concept of god anymore? Hopefully what I will do here is demonstrate why no one seems to know what a god is by demonstrating what exactly a god is. Hopefully.

The challenge is that the word "god," like many terms in the English language, can mean different things depending on the context. Are you talking about the specifically Christian concept of God, or did you have something else in mind?

I'm talking about what makes a god a god. If you look in the dictionary it doesn't actually give the meaning of the word, it gives the common uses by giving various examples of gods. What is the one thing which each of those, or any person, place, or thing that is called a god have in common?

There's only one thing. Veneration. So a god doesn't have to be supernatural, doesn't have to have created anything, doesn't necessarily provide answers about purpose of life or what happens to us when we die.

[DavidLeon]

[Replying to DavidLeon in post #1]

God is an imaginary being venerated by a culture.

If you can find an exception to that, let me know.

Though I don't agree with the conclusion this isn't an inaccurate use of the word God. If you would have said Gods are only imaginary beings venerated by culture that would have been inaccurate. Though it is odd in that cultures don't really venerate anything. Gods are venerated in most cultures.

I can't prove to you for certain that God exists but I could prove to you for certain that some gods exist, aren't imaginary.

[DavidLeon]

I lack the patience and the crayons... Gah, I'll give it another go.

Used up all your crayons?

God concepts supply followers with answers as to why/how they are here and what happens to them when they die. The Jehovah god is no different in this respect. What we are clearly asking you is:
"You could clarify the issue by indicating what distinguishes Jehovah from all of those other gods."

Give me one example of a God other than Jehovah or his representatives that supply followers with answers as to why/how they are here and what happens to them when they die.

In order for me to clarify as you've requested I would have to consider all of those other gods, most of which probably have something in common with Jehovah or claim to. It's irrelevant. Most of us, created in his image have a great deal in common with him and yet that doesn't make us gods. All of those things don't make a god a god. The only thing that makes a god a god is veneration.

Atheists are humans that don't find any of the available god concepts offered to be valid explanations. This is what I'm talking about when I accuse you of obfuscating the word god. You make the term meaningless by claiming that atheists can be gods. Your being nonsensical IMO.

1. Valid explanations don't have anything to do with it. I could create a god right here and now that had explanations that were valid to atheists but they still wouldn't accept it as their god.

2. I'm not obfuscating the word god I'm correcting it's improper use. If I said I lack belief in the existence of things that evolve you wouldn't be obfuscating the word by pointing out that the word evolve simply means change and aside from the theory of evolution things evolve.

3. I do not make the term meaningless. The term atheist is simply, a as in antithesis of theist. From the Greek meaning without gods. The term is fine. Like saying I'm apolitical.

It's the current definition of atheism in it's most common form that is inaccurate. Also the use of the word gods in application to just one god. Which is the same thing. Atheism says gods don't exist, but they really mean the supernatural doesn't exist. It can be demonstrated that some gods do exist.

Atheism is, in the broadest sense, an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Atheism is contrasted with theism, which, in its most general form, is the belief that at least one deity exists. source

This is a deity.



If you go by the definition of atheism given in a dictionary or above from Wikipedia I've just debunked atheism. I haven't. I've only demonstrated they don't understand the simple concept of god. Their meaning is nonsensical.

What's do you and Jehovah have in common?

Now that is some gall! Numerous requests have been made to you to indicate what distinguishes Jehovah from all those other gods. You fail to answer and have the gall to ask me this? Guess I'll lead by example.

I'm not aware of an actual Jehovah, but I'm familiar with the concept.
We both seem to suffer at times from very human failings, like jealousy for example. I'm only human though...

So? You think because Jehovah is supernatural he can't be jealous? If you were created in his image you would have compassion, a sense of justice, love, hate, you might be creative, intelligent etc. None of that makes him a god.

Does that make you God?

I Googled the word for you, perhaps you can sort it out?
God
noun
1.
(in Christianity and other monotheistic religions) the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being.
2.
(in certain other religions) a superhuman being or spirit worshiped as having power over nature or human fortunes; a deity.

I'm not a god it would seem, but when you use the word, who can really tell!

Why did you stop at 2, Clownboat? Huh? There's more. Surely you were able to see more. Why did you not give the rest of it? Let me do it.

an image, idol, animal, or other object worshiped as divine or symbolizing a god.

used as a conventional personification of fate.

"he dialed the number and, the gods relenting, got through at once"

3. an adored, admired, or influential person.

"he has little time for the fashion victims for whom he is a god"

a thing accorded the supreme importance appropriate to a god.

"don't make money your god"

4. the gallery in a theater.

[brunumb]

[Replying to DavidLeon in post #1]

Do you venerate and worship Jehovah and no other gods? If so, why?

[DavidLeon]

[Replying to DavidLeon in post #1]

Do you venerate and worship Jehovah and no other gods? If so, why?

For as long as I can remember people have argued about whether the Jews were monotheistic or polytheistic. They were neither. They were henotheistic. They worshiped one God above all others but believed in other gods. Some of those other gods were true and some false. So, Moses was a God. The judges of Israel were gods. Tammuz was a god. Satan is a god. Jesus was a god. The angels are gods. Along with all of the other gods and goddesses of the nations mentioned in the Bible. Baal, Molech, Ashtoreth, etc.

Why do I venerate and worship Jehovah above all others? Because he is sovereign. He created the heavens and earth. He is the only god bringing us life, even in this temporary, imperfect and wicked system the life we have is amazingly awesome. And he gives us hope for a future that we can't even imagine. Which, by the way, is what he originally intended. That purpose has only been briefly stalled.

[Miles]

Debate Question: What is a god? Why is it that no one seems to understand the simple concept of god anymore? Hopefully what I will do here is demonstrate why no one seems to know what a god is by demonstrating what exactly a god is. Hopefully.

The challenge is that the word "god," like many terms in the English language, can mean different things depending on the context. Are you talking about the specifically Christian concept of God, or did you have something else in mind?

I'm talking about what makes a god a god. If you look in the dictionary it doesn't actually give the meaning of the word, it gives the common uses by giving various examples of gods. What is the one thing which each of those, or any person, place, or thing that is called a god have in common?

There's only one thing. Veneration. So a god doesn't have to be supernatural, doesn't have to have created anything, doesn't necessarily provide answers about purpose of life or what happens to us when we die.

ven·er·ate
/ˈvenəˌrāt/
verb
verb: venerate; 3rd person present: venerates; past tense: venerated; past participle: venerated; gerund or present participle: venerating
......regard with great respect; revere.

Boy, if that's all it takes to be a god, it's diluted the meaning to make the word almost worthless. Being regarded with great respect, Robert E. Lee and Adolph Hitler are just as much gods as the guy Jesus and company worshiped.

.