Religion

MarvinGardens

(781 posts)

39. It's definitional, not requiring proof.

Fri Oct 19, 2018, 02:11 PM

Oct 2018

There are definitions for things that do not exist, like unicorns, or the luminiferous aether. The latter was once presumed to exist, based on logic (light waves must propagate through something), but without evidence. According to modern physics, it is not needed to explain the behavior of light.

But if you've read my other posts, you know that I do lean toward the existence of God meeting the aforementioned definition, and that does require an explanation. My belief in such a thing is not an unshakable faith-based belief, but rather a presumption, or a logical placeholder, needed by me (but certainly not everyone) until we figure out what the heck is going on.

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When you say you believe or do not believe in "God", what exactly is your definition of "God". [View all] smirkymonkey Oct 2018 OP

My definition of god... Act_of_Reparation Oct 2018 #1

FYI, I am an athiest agnostic. smirkymonkey Oct 2018 #3

It wasn't directed at you, specifically. Act_of_Reparation Oct 2018 #10

Any omnipotent OR omnipresent supernatural sentience. Foolacious Oct 2018 #2

I'm closer to the "omnipresent sentience"-- thucythucy Oct 2018 #5

That's why I'm unwilling to rule out God UNLESS... Foolacious Oct 2018 #16

Well, if such an object was either observed by at least some people thucythucy Oct 2018 #20

to me one kind of gets you pretty close to having the other qazplm135 Oct 2018 #9

I think this is still too narrow to handle polytheism. Pope George Ringo II Oct 2018 #17

I am clueless. nancy1942 Oct 2018 #4

It's difficult to get an answer to that question, even from religious people. MineralMan Oct 2018 #6

I just think it is something that is completely beyond the realm of human understanding. smirkymonkey Oct 2018 #12

Almost everything is greater than us. Truly. MineralMan Oct 2018 #14

God ghostsinthemachine Oct 2018 #7

I love that song. thucythucy Oct 2018 #22

You've hit on it because it's a range qazplm135 Oct 2018 #8

Lack of a coherent definition is one of the reasons to reject belief in god(s). trotsky Oct 2018 #11

Exactly! smirkymonkey Oct 2018 #13

If it was just "god vs. no god" I agree there wouldn't be a point. trotsky Oct 2018 #15

That's the thing... uriel1972 Oct 2018 #24

Neither do I, but for some it is a very specific "being" and for others it is an abstract concept smirkymonkey Oct 2018 #21

except qazplm135 Oct 2018 #41

I imagine that atheists don't agree that your theoretical gods meet your range of possibilities. marylandblue Oct 2018 #44

which was my point qazplm135 Oct 2018 #45

"Any god I've ever heard of." Iggo Oct 2018 #18

God is the thing that caused the laws of nature to be what they are. MarvinGardens Oct 2018 #19

Does it have intelligence? edhopper Oct 2018 #25

I tend to think it is intelligent. MarvinGardens Oct 2018 #27

So where did God in turn come from? Bretton Garcia Oct 2018 #33

It's a good question. MarvinGardens Oct 2018 #37

This message was self-deleted by its author MineralMan Oct 2018 #40

"God is the thing that caused the laws of nature to be what they are." trotsky Oct 2018 #35

Says me. MarvinGardens Oct 2018 #38

Really? Please show your evidence of that. MineralMan Oct 2018 #36

It's definitional, not requiring proof. MarvinGardens Oct 2018 #39

Lulzd. Voltaire2 Oct 2018 #23

A Republican will tell you God has their values. Doodley Oct 2018 #26

So will most religious Democrats. nt. Mariana Oct 2018 #43

God has many names. Croney Oct 2018 #28

Descartes proved with logic that God exists but the Catholic Church rejected it because logic and pr keithbvadu2 Oct 2018 #29

"Proved" Act_of_Reparation Oct 2018 #32

You cannot prove that such a Renee Descartes Voltaire2 Oct 2018 #34

I can concieve of a universe where I am right all the time. Act_of_Reparation Oct 2018 #42

Somebody who gibraltar72 Oct 2018 #30

I like to think of Jesus... Docreed2003 Oct 2018 #31