• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

God-what does it mean?

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
What does it mean to say god(s) does not exist?

For others who don't believe in the abrahamic god, what does it mean that your personal concept or definition of the nature of existence were wrong?

I was thinking, as I actually do not know what either god is, what if these concepts were false...

I don't know too many abrahamics believe god is an actual deity (like a ghost or casper). It's "something" greater or force or however you envision it.

If the nature of existence and deity/something greater were false or did not "exist," what does that mean?

In this case, assuming jesus isn't a creator.
 
Last edited:

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
What does it mean to say god(s) does not exist?

Either life has intrinsic meaning or it does not. If God exists, then to me life has intrinsic meaning.

If there is no divinity, then to me life ultimately has no ultimate meaning just the illusion of meaning. And any apparent meaning is just temporary and ultimately false.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Either life has intrinsic meaning or it does not. If God exists, then to me life has intrinsic meaning.

If there is no divinity, then to me life ultimately has no ultimate meaning just the illusion of meaning. And any apparent meaning is just temporary and ultimately false.

Hm. Thank you. Is "intrinsic meaning" god to you?

Since life would be an illusion without it?
 

osgart

Nothing my eye, Something for sure
It means you put all your chips into this one life and not eternity. You live as you are, and there is nothing to attain to beyond death.

Eternal perspectives actually do a lot of good for those drawn to it. Especially those that are not out for immediate rewards, and having the most fun, and toys in life. They go for the most meaningful life they can live.

A finite perspective might make people more ambitious, and self centered. It also may be healthier to live a finite perspective. Paradise is this one life here and nowhere else.

But it may be that neither a finite nor an eternal perspective matters much to how one chooses to live their life. If you love life you will make the most of it you can here and now regardless.

I know I would still make selfless sacrifices regardless. Eliminating suffering and creating love in the world would still be my prime motivations regardless. Most people are bound by circumstances though, having to deal with the cards they are given. You play your best hand regardless.

Of course some with a god perspective might find themselves thinking that justice, peace, love, and a better life are after this life, and rest on their laurels and do the bare minimum.
 

George-ananda

Advaita Vedanta, Theosophy, Spiritualism
Premium Member
God-what does it mean?

I think the old assumption of the Abrahamic God is too simplistic nowadays.

People need to describe their understanding of God when they use the word in stating their beliefs.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
If the nature of existence and deity/something greater were false or did not "exist," what does that mean?
Besides that there is no God, nothing really :)

Whether there is a purpose, intelligent creator, multiverse, afterlife, spirits/ghosts, other dimensions, reincarnation or something else, doesn't depend on whether there is a God or not. They might be true regardless and we simply assigned them to a God wrongfully.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
Hm. Thank you. Is "intrinsic meaning" god to you?

Since life would be an illusion without it?

Years ago when I moved from atheism to agnosticism, I asked myself if life had intrinsic meaning or not. I decided that if there was meaning then there had to be something beyond materialism.

If there was something more than material existence, it had to be ultimately benevolent or not.

If it was benevolent, apparent evil had to have a reason for being and that led me ultimately to reincarnation and karma.

At the time, my sense that there was something more grew and powered my searching and questioning.

Eventually I became convinced that life has meaning and I assigned that meaning to a divine source.
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
What does it mean to say god(s) does not exist?

For others who don't believe in the abrahamic god, what does it mean that your personal concept or definition of the nature of existence were wrong?

I was thinking, as I actually do not know what either god is, what if these concepts were false...

I don't know too many abrahamics believe god is an actual deity (like a ghost or casper). It's "something" greater or force or however you envision it.

If the nature of existence and deity/something greater were false or did not "exist," what does that mean?

In this case, assuming jesus isn't a creator.

I believe in God,but it is most likely the Abrahamic God described in the Bible does not exist. like all beliefs in God(s) through the millennia it reflects a very human perspective of God(s) from the Bronze Age, Iron Age the Age of the Kingdoms and Empires.

What is God? Well ah . . . it is a three letter word. In reality God is the Source of all existence that no human can define.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
I believe in God,but it is most likely the Abrahamic God described in the Bible does not exist. like all beliefs in God(s) through the millennia it reflects a very human perspective of God(s) from the Bronze Age, Iron Age the Age of the Kingdoms and Empires.

What is God? Well ah . . . it is a three letter word. In reality God is the Source of all existence that no human can define.

If this source didn't exist, what would that mean?

Would it be only the end of existence and/or something more?
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
If this source didn't exist, what would that mean?

Objectively our physical existence is simply as it is with or without God(s). Fortunately without the ancient Gods described in ancient scripture.

Would it be only the end of existence and/or something more?

By the evidence the nature of our physical existence is indifferent to fallible human beliefs in ancient Gods.
 
Last edited:

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
I don't know too many abrahamics believe god is an actual deity (like a ghost or casper). It's "something" greater or force or however you envision it.

If the nature of existence and deity/something greater were false or did not "exist," what does that mean?
I don't think that most Abrahamics really consider God to just be "the nature if existence" and the like.

I know some of them say that, but it doesn't square up with the idea of a God who:

- listens to and answers prayers
- posesses human virtues (morality, wisdom, etc.)
- has strong feelings about how humans should live their lives
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
What does it mean to say god(s) does not exist?

For others who don't believe in the abrahamic god, what does it mean that your personal concept or definition of the nature of existence were wrong?

I was thinking, as I actually do not know what either god is, what if these concepts were false...

I don't know too many abrahamics believe god is an actual deity (like a ghost or casper). It's "something" greater or force or however you envision it.

If the nature of existence and deity/something greater were false or did not "exist," what does that mean?

In this case, assuming jesus isn't a creator.
I see God as a form of interpretation. Made by people whom quickly, albeit recklessly, try to explain reality in a very superficial and shallow manner.

God is a placeholder icon at best. A serious delusion at worse.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
I don't think that most Abrahamics really consider God to just be "the nature if existence" and the like.

I know some of them say that, but it doesn't square up with the idea of a God who:

- listens to and answers prayers
- posesses human virtues (morality, wisdom, etc.)
- has strong feelings about how humans should live their lives

I don't know about the listening to prayers to that extent. Though, it seems more through synchronicity, coincidences, and a feeling of someone standing over there or, as someone not christian said, the feel of the wind. I only know non-believers on RF to believe that when christians say they hear prayers, they hear them from an actual being. All people I speak with, when push comes to shove, say god is invisible and you have to "experience" it to know (aka be born again).

That and being the creator and sustainer of the universe pretty much defines what they mean by existence in relation to that who created them.

I get these attributions to god-great mystery, unknown reality, and things like that-but not jesus since he was actually a human.
 
Top