Define God

[HeatherAnn]

How I define God reveals more about me than about God.
My definition of God is still evolving.
I don't claim to know all there is to know about God - nor do I believe I will understand much in my entire life - compared to all there is to know.
Currently, I define God as love based on truth - and as Paul Tillech defined God, as "one's ultimate concern."
I also define God as ultimate GOoD - which each of us strive for by trial and error - active faith.
Part of that GOoD, I consider to be a higher power - a means of tapping into "the kingdom of God within."
And I realize the common need to spiritually connect by personification of (God) spirituality (Jesus, gods, Saints, Mary, etc.).

How do you define God?

 

[George-ananda]

God to me is all consciousness. All the consciousness in the universe are like rays of God shining through finite bodies. Our minds can't really get behind what that consciousness/God is; it might be like the eye trying to see back at itself directly.

 

[Sunstone]

The Great Cosmic Bozo is beyond definition.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignosticism

 

[HeatherAnn]

God to me is all consciousness. All the consciousness in the universe are like rays of God shining through finite bodies. Our minds can't really get behind what that consciousness/God is; it might be like the eye trying to see back at itself directly.

"I AM THAT I AM."
I do believe that consciousness is the only constant of the universe - all others are variables - it's all in perspective! : )
What you mentioned about our minds not being able to get behind that consciousness - reminds me of intuition/spiritual senses.
It seems that meditation is the best way of developing and strengthening that sense of intuition.
What do you think?
And if you meditate, what has worked best for you?

 

[HeatherAnn]

The Great Cosmic Bozo is beyond definition.

I agree that if you consider the Ultimate Greatest Objective Truth - it is beyond definition.
Yet, I believe it's better to keep searching and trying to figure it out - even if we never arrive.
If you HAD to define God - if someone was holding you at gun point - what would you say about God?

 

[DawudTalut]

......
How do you define God?

Peace be on you.
God is Rightful Deity, The One with no associate, with all noble attributes, with no weakness, The Source of all blessings.

 

[George-ananda]

"I AM THAT I AM."
I do believe that consciousness is the only constant of the universe - all others are variables - it's all in perspective! : )
What you mentioned about our minds not being able to get behind that consciousness - reminds me of intuition/spiritual senses.
It seems that meditation is the best way of developing and strengthening that sense of intuition.
What do you think?
And if you meditate, what has worked best for you?

I agree with you about the value of meditation. Quieting that noisy surface allows you to experience more of that primordial consciousness.

Unfortunately I am a poor meditator; I have a naturally jittery mind.

 

[HeatherAnn]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignosticism

Ok, so what is "a good, non-controversial definition of god"?
In my experience of discussing God with Theists and Atheists, there has never been a consensus.
If I define God as love - they both tend to think it too abstract.
Yet, if you get more specific, they say it is too particular.

Generally, I find Atheists' definitions of God to be non-existent, which is ironic because their group-label is based on denying something they can't define - yet they are so insistent that no god exists.
So I aks them which god they refer to - they say all of them.
Then I wonder if they think they are omnicient to know so much about all definitions of god enough to deny them all.

 

[Quintessence]

How I define God reveals more about me than about God.
My definition of God is still evolving.
I don't claim to know all there is to know about God - nor do I believe I will understand much in my entire life - compared to all there is to know.

I just want to say that it's incredibly refreshing to see such an attitude. Hats off to you, sir or madame. It seems not many people are as self-aware as you appear to be.

 

[HeatherAnn]

Peace be on you.
God is Rightful Deity, The One with no associate, with all noble attributes, with no weakness, The Source of all blessings.

Thank you, I wish you peace also. : )
How would you define "rightful", "noble," "weakness" and "blessings"?
Aren't they all subjective terms - and often the most noble and strong acts which involve blessings, come in the face of great opposition.
So, is God all in perspective -what we (in our narrow, subjective minds) deem to be GOoD - or is God also what we deem bad, but which produces good?

 

[Sunstone]

I agree that if you consider the Ultimate Greatest Objective Truth - it is beyond definition.
Yet, I believe it's better to keep searching and trying to figure it out - even if we never arrive.
If you HAD to define God - if someone was holding you at gun point - what would you say about God?

I actually take seriously the notion that deity, if it exists, is beyond description.

 

[HeatherAnn]

I agree with you about the value of meditation. Quieting that noisy surface allows you to experience more of that primordial consciousness.

Unfortunately I am a poor meditator; I have a naturally jittery mind.

I have a very jittery mind also. I try to meditate on my own, but I tend to get distracted.
It seems the only way I've been able to really quite it down up there is either getting in nature, or yoga - shivasana - guided meditation at the end of class.

 

[HeatherAnn]

Your attitude is offensive. Go casually dismiss your own convictions. Leave mine alone.

I apologize. My intention was not to be offensive.
I figured this is a discussion forum - and even if we don't understand everything - we have thought about God and spirituality - even if we haven't concluded decisively.
I was joking - but it may have come across rude - sorry. I wanted to know what thoughts you've had about God.

P.S. I just read your sig quotes - good ones!

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

How do you define God?

Preternatural Agency

 

[DawudTalut]

Thank you, I wish you peace also. : )
How would you define "rightful", "noble," "weakness" and "blessings"?
Aren't they all subjective terms - and often the most noble and strong acts which involve blessings, come in the face of great opposition.
So, is God all in perspective -what we (in our narrow, subjective minds) deem to be GOoD - or is God also what we deem bad, but which produces good?

As Ahmadiyya-Muslim, my understanding comes from Quran.
It says:
(Adopt) colour of Allah, Who is better than Allah in colour.....[2:139]
So rightful, noble, weakness and blessings for God are the matters in absolute sense. These things for God are mentioned in Quran.

Resource: https://www.alislam.org/allah/

 

[Sunstone]

I apologize. My intention was not to be offensive.
I figured this is a discussion forum - and even if we don't understand everything - we have thought about God and spirituality - even if we haven't concluded decisively.
I was joking - but it may have come across rude - sorry. I wanted to know what thoughts you've had about God.

P.S. I just read your sig quotes - good ones!

I came down too hard on you. Please accept my apologies. It's just that I actually do believe that, when all kidding around is put aside, the fact that deity cannot be defined is key.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I came down too hard on you. Please accept my apologies. It's just that I actually do believe that, when all kidding around is put aside, the fact that deity cannot be defined is key.

Yep ...

 

[Unveiled Artist]

How I define God reveals more about me than about God.
My definition of God is still evolving.
I don't claim to know all there is to know about God - nor do I believe I will understand much in my entire life - compared to all there is to know.
Currently, I define God as love based on truth - and as Paul Tillech defined God, as "one's ultimate concern."
I also define God as ultimate GOoD - which each of us strive for by trial and error - active faith.
Part of that GOoD, I consider to be a higher power - a means of tapping into "the kingdom of God within."
And I realize the common need to spiritually connect by personification of (God) spirituality (Jesus, gods, Saints, Mary, etc.).

How do you define God?

God is a relationship with life itself.
Finding meaning in life and the origin of where I came from, who I am and my roots, and finding that connection as it is the only support I have in this world.
God is what keeps me afloat. It is the pagan elements: earth, wind, fire, and water that makes up all of life in its physical terms.
God is water with which we are born and the earth in which we pass.
The memories of people we love and find strong connection with.
The bond that makes two people join together in holy matrimony.
The morals that value life and does not kill for any reason, shape, or form.
The freedom to express who I am and what I value.

God to me is living an independent life and trying not to be limited by the things that hinder my living status right now.
The feeling I get when I'm outdoors hiking during the summer months.
The rain that pours on me reminding me of my former faith--my baptism into a new life in God (as I define "him").

The offering I give to the Gohonzon (my true nature) daily.
The offering I give to the earth for the people who have pass.
The offering I give to water (or in water) to remember my birth.

God is life. That is how I define God.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Ok, so what is "a good, non-controversial definition of god"?
In my experience of discussing God with Theists and Atheists, there has never been a consensus.
If I define God as love - they both tend to think it too abstract.
Yet, if you get more specific, they say it is too particular.

Generally, I find Atheists' definitions of God to be non-existent, which is ironic because their group-label is based on denying something they can't define - yet they are so insistent that no god exists.
So I aks them which god they refer to - they say all of them.
Then I wonder if they think they are omniscient to know so much about all definitions of god enough to deny them all.

That's a generalization. Many of us atheist define god by abrahamic terms. Some of us do not know other gods to consider them part of the definition of how we define (or use to defining as god). So, it's a default for not knowing how other people see the same word.

That, and it is confusing when a believer says they believe in god (to flip the switch). We ask, well, which god? If you say that, without having an already set definition of what we think god is, you could believe in two different gods that contradict each other.

So, it is ironic on both sides. Though, I wouldn't generalize. The word God I am used to hearing it as an entity in a Abrahamic concept. Other "gods" I would not call god since it doesn't fit in what I'm used to defining him. For example, Santeros don't use the word god, they use Olafin (Which I know I spelled wrong); so, I can't be an atheist to their deity since I don't know how they define it. Once they say "god" then my Abrahamic cap comes on. It's not the fault of the atheist but his or her upbringing (or for me, environment not upbringing) that defines the words we use.

So, I'd give us a break. Believers can no more define their god in a concrete way than us atheists. And to think how an atheist can define god is beyond me. The term doesn't make sense to me. Some of us use it for a language convenience. Nothing more.