God

[reception]

what is God??

[Cetti]

Just a personal opinion, but muchlovex has put it better than the lot of us - (apart from Guaranteed Overnight Delivery, that is!) God is Love. Not the mushy, slushy kind, but the strong, steadfast, never changing kind. Definitely who. He is also omnipotent, omnipresent and Truth - and has a wonderful sense of humour!

[barniclebill]

Here's the best answer: "God is." (notice the full stop.)

[LoftyLottie]

To a degree you have echoed what I said Ashbazzman, when I said it gives us something to 'fall back on'. In other words a sort of insurance policy. However, I disagree with you that people who believe in a supreme being who we believe in in order that we can ensure our future after death.

I agree with Naomi here. Life is for living and living the best we can. I will do my best whilst I am around and hope I can contribute something which will linger when I am gone, even if it is only my ashes to give goodness back to the soil. I can't say my belief is in a God, but I do believe that goodness and evil are in all of us and that in general goodness prevails. It is difficult to define our beliefs, but for some people 'God' is the only way they can use to define their complex beliefs.

[naomi24]

Cetti, you're talking about the biblical God, and I assumed by what muchlovex said that he/she wasn't - in which case I still agree with him/her.

[dannykay]

God in most cases in a Superior level of existence if there is an existence. God (as shown in above posts) is personal to each and every one of us and we all have our own way of relating to the word "God".
Atheists don't believe there is a God but to say they don't believe suggests that they are negative to the positive. We all know that existence (as we know it in a physical sense )boils down to positive and negative energy.
At the end of the day God is an important part of our being and i feel that it is linked to a part of us that we have yet to discover.
Just my opinion anyway.....

[dannykay]

Or on the funny side this is what FR Dougal from the comedy show FR Ted thinks of God.......

Bishop Facks: So, Father. Do you ever have any doubts about the religious life? Is your faith ever tested? Anything you would be worried about? Any doubts you've been having about any aspects of belief? Anything like that?

Father Dougal: Well, you know the way God made us all, right? And he's looking down at us from heaven and everything?

Bishop Facks: Uh-huh.

Father Dougal: And then his son came down and saved everyone and all that?

Bishop Facks: Yes.

Father Dougal: And when we die we're all going to go to heaven?

Bishop Facks: Yes. What about it?

Father Dougal: Well, that's the bit I have trouble with.

Laughter is the mirror of the soul

[LoftyLottie]

Ah Father Ted. How wonderful!

It is not the idea of God or spirituality that I struggle with though, it is organised religions and the labelling of religions that I can't come to terms with. The world would be a far better place without them.

[muchlovex]

i agree with you LoftyLottie that it would be better if we never had any religions.

I believe that no matter what religion or creed we come from we are all equal and we will all end up in the same 'place' when we pass. We are all spiritual beings.

[chakka35]

MatydaLover, what on earth does that mean? Who said anything about disproving anything? Until someone produces some evidence (a word you plainly have difficulty with) for the existence of God disproof is unnecessary: rational people can dismiss the idea and get on with life.
Who gave that "answer" three stars? Come on, own up!

naomi you continually disappoint me - an intelligent woman like you talking about "the soul" forsooth!
If you accept the soul without evidence then why not God as as well?

[naomi24]

Chakka, oh how I hate to be a disappointment to you - I really must try harder. In this case it seems that most have made their minds up one way or another, but in reality no one knows the truth, and as you know, my philosophy is that if I have no evidence, I can only say 'I don't know', and continue the search.

Although I cannot prove it, I accept the survival of the soul since I cannot explain my personal experiences in any other way. I truly wish I could, because I would far rather have a solid scientific explanation - and I'm still hoping that one will be found at some time in the future. As for God, if it's the biblical God we're talking about, then no, I definitely cannot accept him. However, I believe that at least part of the bible carries some sort of historical record - albeit misunderstood by the writers of the time - and therefore if we look at that, and other ancient writings, with an open mind, we may have some evidence that more powerful beings existed in ancient times - but a supernatural, all-powerful and loving God the biblical God most certainly was not. Since I cannot find a satisfactory explanation for the birth of the universe, I cannot discount the possibility that something more than the 'Big Bang' was involved - but whatever that was, it was not this benign creator we continually hear about who is endowed with so many human failings, and who sits and waits for us to join him in heaven - but only if we worship him in fear and trembling. 'God', for want of a better word, would have to have been - or would have to be - something quite, quite different - and I'd love to know the answer. For now I content myself with my belief that love, nature, and the vast and beautiful universe is God - and it takes no interest whatsoever in the progress - or otherwise - of mankind.

[abanker]

I think God can be 'who' for some and 'what' for others. Some believe God is a prophet - a man, while others worship idols and objects, and others worship animals.

[luna-tic]

Many moons ago a friend of mine asked me, " Where do you think God is?"
I replied, "Within, and everywhere else expressing love through everything and everyone" (hopefully).
She was a frequent church-goer. I am not.
They were and still are my thoughts as to what I think and feel God or It should be.
Shame, the Christian Theology never quite matched up to the supposed true belief.

[luna-tic]

Sorry, forgot to mention; I am not a christian or atheist either.

[chakka35]

Ah, naomi you're a deist, I see. I didn't know what such a person was until I read Dawkins' brilliant The God Delusion. That seems to fit you.

The idea that if you have no evidence you must say you don't know makes little sense. So you don't know about unicorns, Dragons, crystal-gazing, astrology...

[Lonnie]

I normally don't join long posts, but i'll make an exception on this one,

I was brought up in a very religious family, and have fallen by the wayside, belief wise, but one thing always bothers me.

If you look at the world, you can go wider if you like, every natural thing has a purpose, and fits together like a jigsaw, the only creature thta spoils it, is us humans, but I digresss,

If you want to know what God is, if you belive in God, then God is the Creator. I don't think you'll get much closer than that.

[naomi24]

Oh, Chakka, please don't endow me with an 'ist'. That's almost as bad as being landed with an 'ologist'. I've read Dawkins too - but it never occurred to me that, to your mind, I fitted the bill. I don't see why you think it makes little sense to say I don't know. Surely my admission means that I am being completely honest and I am not so arrogant as to say I do know, when like everyone else, including you, I have no proof. How can anyone with no proof proclaim to 'know' the answers? That is arrogance indeed. The simple fact is that nobody knows - not even you. To be perfectly honest, no, I don't know about crystal gazing, unicorns, or the other things you mentioned, but can you honestly say you know with absolute certainty that these things, as unlikely as they are, aren't, and never were, a possibility, or a reality? If the answer is yes, then I await your proof with interest.

[naomi24]

Lonnie But you are talking about the biblical God? Yes?

[Theland]

Chakka35's posts are almost amusing. The ill concealed venom is additional proof that the Bible has substance. Jesus said, we Christians would be hated, because He is hated.
Chakka35 is living proof that at least this prophecy is correct.

[naomi24]

Good morning Theland Come on now, Jesus didn't say that. Christians didn't exist when he was around - and I don't believe he had the foggiest notion that something called Christianity would arise. He might have said that those who followed his teaching wouldn't be too popular, but he was talking to Jews.

[Oakleaf51]

Naomi - He did. Yes He was talking to Jews, who else? but His words have stood the test of time. Even on AB.