What is God?

[Mr.Badham]

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

[JP Cusick]

The science of the Big Bang shows us about the universe a very long time ago. Big Bang makes no reference to either earth nor God.

Science is lame - when people refuse to see what is in front of their face.

The "Big-Bang" really was not a long time ago when we view it relatively, because if we view any aspect of reality as infinite then 14 billion years is a relatively short time.

If the universe had been found to be infinite then that would have proven that there was no Creator and no creation and it would have proven the Bible text as wrong, but instead the Big-Bang proved that the universe did have a creation which was a relatively short time ago.

Our universe is so finite, and by being so extremely young by relativity - that the creation event (the Big-Bang) is literally in our face.

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

Are you serious? Herbert W Armstrong's ravings about the USA in prophesy is considered controversial if not downright nutty in theological circles. You wish to elevate them to the status of scientific proof?

I say that needs to be raised as real proof - not as a limited scientific proof.

The status of real proof - as in a proof beyond other limitations.

[paarsurrey1]

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

God has created all forms and shapes but he has no form or shape. He is not physical, he is not a spirit. God is only attributive:

[2:256] Allah — there is no God but He, the Living, the Self-Subsisting and All-Sustaining. Slumber seizes Him not, nor sleep. To Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that will intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them; and they encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He pleases. His knowledge extends over the heavens and the earth; and the care of them burdens Him not; and He is the High, the Great.
https://www.alislam.org/quran/search2/s ... &verse=255
I have emboldened above some of his attributes as very clearly mentioned by Him. Can one perceive any form or shape of Him, please?

Regards

[William]

[Replying to post 32 by paarsurrey1]

Can one perceive any form or shape of Him, please?

The thing which strikes me as oxymoron is to think of a formless idea of GOD as having any gender.

[paarsurrey1]

[Replying to post 31 by JP Cusick]

If the universe had been found to be infinite then that would have proven that there was no Creator and no creation and it would have proven the Bible text as wrong, but instead the Big-Bang proved that the universe did have a creation which was a relatively short time ago.

It is very good and reasonable argument. I agree with one.
Big-Bang happened at a certain time, definitely as they say.
Regards

[Rufus21]

[Replying to post 31 by JP Cusick]

...but instead the Big-Bang proved that the universe did have a creation which was a relatively short time ago.

It is very good and reasonable argument. I agree with one.
Big-Bang happened at a certain time, definitely as they say.
Regards

I think you guys are missing a step or two:

1) About 14 billion years ago, everything in the universe began to expand rapidly.
2) [insert logical argument here]
3) Therefore, God exists.

[JP Cusick]

I think you guys are missing a step or two:

1) About 14 billion years ago, everything in the universe began to expand rapidly.
2) [insert logical argument here]
3) Therefore, God exists.

The Big-Bang or Big-Expansion just proves that there was a beginning, and relatively it was a short time ago at just 14 billion years.

If the universe had been proven to be eternal or countless gazillion years old then that would have proven the Bible wrong about a creation day or creation event - and thereby proof of no Creator and no God.

There is no logical argument for the beginning - except by having a Creator of some kind.

[William]

[Replying to post 36 by JP Cusick]

If the universe had been proven to be eternal or countless gazillion years old then that would have proven the Bible wrong about a creation day or creation event - and thereby proof of no Creator and no God.

I think your reasoning here is skewed as you conflate the biblical idea of GOD as being the actual GOD.
In relation to your above assertion, if the universe was eternal or countless gazillion years old, it is highly unlikely the bible would even exist and besides that, it still would not be proof of no GOD.

Indeed, any consciousness within an eternal universe would be GOD.

[JP Cusick]

[Replying to post 36 by JP Cusick]

If the universe had been proven to be eternal or countless gazillion years old then that would have proven the Bible wrong about a creation day or creation event - and thereby proof of no Creator and no God.

I think your reasoning here is skewed as you conflate the biblical idea of GOD as being the actual GOD.
In relation to your above assertion, if the universe was eternal or countless gazillion years old, it is highly unlikely the bible would even exist and besides that, it still would not be proof of no GOD.

Indeed, any consciousness within an eternal universe would be GOD.

I agree that the real living God would still exist even if the Bible had been wrong.

Fortunately the Bible was proven by science to be accurate and true in that regard - and thereby we do have justification to - as you say "conflate the biblical idea of GOD as being the actual GOD."

If science had shown the Bible to be wrong then that would have only made the Bible as wrong - it would not make God as wrong, or that God would not exist - but it would have given a powerful position for Atheist to argue against the existence of God.

In the case of the 14 billion year universe - it was a scientific victory for the Bible and for us Theist.

[William]

[Replying to post 38 by JP Cusick]

Fortunately the Bible was proven by science to be accurate and true in that regard - and thereby we do have justification to - as you say "conflate the biblical idea of GOD as being the actual GOD."

Even if this were the case, just because a book got some things correct does not automatically mean that the GOD of that book is actually GOD.

For example, say that you were a time traveling individual who knew the secrets of the universe and who could zip around the universe...you come across a species muchlike ancients humans of the bible, and you decide to play GOD over them and use your knowledge of the universe to do so.

Does this, in truth, make you GOD?

[JP Cusick]

Even if this were the case, just because a book got some things correct does not automatically mean that the GOD of that book is actually GOD.

Very old writings are the only way for ancient people to communicate with us today, and so yes we give a huge amount of respect to whatever our forefathers (and fore-mothers) had to say.

It was a huge big deal in 1822 when the Rosetta stone was deciphered and people could finally read the hieroglyphs on the Pyramids - because it matters what was said by the ancients.

The Bible does have lots of things wrong with it, and the Bible is not a perfect book, and taking the Bible literally or factually is not a wise thing to do, but still the Bible gives great insight and guidance and it does have merit even if it is so far from perfect or from ideal.

For myself I did not learn about God from the Bible, as I realized that there was a Higher Power called God from my daily life experiences, including seeing Ghosts and apparitions, and so I went to the Bible for insights about the God whom I already knew.

If anyone knows of a God who is not the same as from the Bible then I am open to learning of that, but then I see God in the Tao and the Gita and the Qur'an and in Shamanism, so I take any truth about the God thing wherever I can find it.

For example, say that you were a time traveling individual who knew the secrets of the universe and who could zip around the universe...you come across a species muchlike ancients humans of the bible, and you decide to play GOD over them and use your knowledge of the universe to do so.

Does this, in truth, make you GOD?

I do say that people from a more advanced culture would indeed be as Gods to the less advanced culture - so my answer is yes.

We know that this happened here on earth as many primitive tribes saw Missionaries and Conquerors as Gods, and one big example was the Europeans coming to the newly discovered America where the whites were a type of violent God who brought wrath and destruction to the natives.

It matters how we define the word God.

If you mean just the one (1) and only God then that is nonsense in my view, because any sort of Spirit would be a type of God, so any Angel or Demon or Devil is a type of God, and having very advanced powers is being a God.

Humanity is like children of God growing up into adult Gods our selves, so now we can heal the sick, we can fly through the air and into space, we can kill or strike down with ease, and so we do have powers which makes us into demi-Gods right here and now.