define god

[confused453]

I'd like to avoid discussing the reason for god's existence, because there's already a good thread for that.

As far as I understand, a god is an elderly male person with a white beard who posses unlimited energy source, that can create a universe, and shape elements to his will. He can also create invisible living beings, whom he puts into organic robots to experience the universe, but also be a slave to his will, or else, when those living beings leave their organic robots, they'll experience burning and torture for unlimited time.

[Gjallarhorn]

• God moves in extremely mysterious, not to say, circuitous ways. God does not play dice with the universe; He plays an ineffable game of His own devising, which might be compared, from the perspective of any of the other players*, to being involved in an obscure and complex version of poker in a pitch-dark room, with blank cards, for infinite stakes, with a Dealer who won't tell you the rules, and who smiles all the time.
  • Footnote to above: * ie., everybody.

God is an anthropomorphized amalgam of happy feelings, apophenia, the desire for objective morality, and human ignorance.

[InformedIgnorance]

I use the term God in a polymorphic way, depending on whom I am discussing the concept with and the context of the discussion, the precise nature of the 'God' concept to which we are referring by use of the term God will change.

On a personal level however, I use the term to denote a minimalist conceptualisation of a possible supernatural existence - which I believe at the minimum would need to be, be the result of, or be capable of a direct contradiction of logic (as opposed to 'merely' the natural laws, though this is also a possible characteristic, I avoid its attribution on the basis of imperfect knowledge of the natural laws).

Any and all characteristics may then be temporarily unreliably attributed to that existence for the purposes of discussion or understanding of other people's God concept.

[Leyora]

Originally Posted by confused453

I'd like to avoid discussing the reason for god's existence, because there's already a good thread for that.

As far as I understand, a god is an elderly male person with a white beard who posses unlimited energy source, that can create a universe, and shape elements to his will. He can also create invisible living beings, whom he puts into organic robots to experience the universe, but also be a slave to his will, or else, when those living beings leave their organic robots, they'll experience burning and torture for unlimited time.

That's Christianity's version of it, correct. You also forgot to mention that in order to correct his mistakes... (Which he is able to see his mistakes before he makes them since he's all-knowing, go figure) he can't actually undo them... but must undergo a complicated process that he makes up on the spot to appease himself because he's annoyed with himself that he created something that annoyed him, which he knew was going to happen in advance.

"God" can be defined differently to each person.

Keep in mind there's "God" -- A person titled as such, and "god" or "gods" in which that definition is different... but also applies to "God."

[confused453]

Originally Posted by Leyora

That's Christianity's version of it...

That's the thing, I was raised on Christianity version of things, not that I believe any of it. So I really want to see other versions, as many as possible

Keep in mind there's "God" -- A person titled as such, and "god" or "gods" in which that definition is different... but also applies to "God."

oh, I always thought that it's all the same, that God is capitalized because the person has great respect for it. And god, is if you just don't care.
I'll keep it in mind now..

[Leyora]

Originally Posted by confused453

That's the thing, I was raised on Christianity version of things, not that I believe any of it. So I really want to see other versions, as many as possible

And now you know my curiosity and purpose of my thread I created. =P

While on the subject, I always found it interesting that God was depicted as a buffed out elderly man with a beard.

It's actually really cool... But, quite odd. Especially since seeing God as a mortal will cause you to go blind due to the sheer awesomeness that He is. (In layman's terms, it's a bit more complicated than that.) At the same time, I find it interesting that God could be depicted if this is the case.

Keep in mind this is based of a painting and the literally description from the bible that we're "made in His image." I don't believe the bible literally states his actual appearance as being a buffed out, white bearded, white haired older man with a dark complexion.

oh, I always thought that it's all the same, that God is capitalized because the person has great respect for it. And god, is if you just don't care.

Well, that's actually partially true. You capitalize God out of respect. That's why when referring to that particular god, most religious people capitalize words like "Him" and "He" and "His." Capitalization is used to classify proper nouns. In which God is, in most people's beliefs of "Him," the most proper noun there every is and was.

If referring to just a god, it would be lowercase. Unless again, it's out of respect and it's a proper noun. For example, Zeus is a god. God is not Zeus.

[InformedIgnorance]

Well its not hard to work out the reason for that type of appearance: He is depicted as male because that is how the bible depicts him, he is depicted as old because he is the oldest thing in existence and because he is a usually stern sometimes kind figure of authority (like the grandfather/patriarch of a family), he is given a beard because it was a common cultural norm of the people who worshipped him (he was depicted as darker of skin for the same purpose most likely, or perhaps that was the influence of sun gods) and he was depicted as buff because he was considered all-powerful (which btw would actually mean he would not develop muscles because muscle development occurs as a result of muscle fatigue - so if he WAS buff that would be out of vanity)

[Riverwolf]

A God becomes a God in the eyes of someone who Deified Him/Her/It. Often (though not always) this deification comes with the imposition of the observer's personal ideals upon this God.

This thing being Deified can be anything from a tangible object (example: the Sivalingam) to an abstract concept ("First Cause").

[Rocky S]

Originally Posted by confused453

I'd like to avoid discussing the reason for god's existence, because there's already a good thread for that.

As far as I understand, a god is an elderly male person with a white beard ,

umm no not really

Originally Posted by confused453

that can create a universe, and shape elements to his will.

Yeah

Originally Posted by confused453

He can also create invisible living beings,

Umm not sure what u mean

Originally Posted by confused453

whom he puts into organic robots to experience the universe, but also be a slave to his will,

I do not see God forcing himself on anyone,or making them a slave actually he brings freedom. Is he forcing him self on you in your life and causing you to be a robot for his will?;,I doubt it. Man is a free moral agent not robots.

Originally Posted by confused453

or else, when those living beings leave their organic robots, they'll experience burning and torture for unlimited time

Again humans have a free moral agency. The choice is up to man to believe or not. It is called faith that is all God requires. I do not see anything bad,or evil, or complicated about that.

[The Sum of Awe]

Originally Posted by Gjallarhorn

God is an anthropomorphized amalgam of happy feelings, apophenia, the desire for objective morality, and human ignorance.

Exactly