Describe Your God

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but maybe not as directly as this. Who or what do you believe God to be? Now...let me lay out some "rules" here. By "God" I am referring to "the creator". And by this I mean a person or thing that either created everything, created earth, created life, or humans or influenced any of these strongly in the direction leading to where we are today. I really don't care to hear that God is Allah or any other name. I'm looking more for what happened to make this person or thing...God. Here is mine.

For lack of a better belief system and being a person who hopes there is something as great and wonderful as a "God", I have settled on this belief for now. In the beginning there was nothing...empty space except for one giant mass that contained everything. Every atom, every spec of dust that exists today began as this mass. We could call this mass of everything "good", and the nothingness..."evil". This mass, which I will now call God either decided to, or simply exploded to spread itself out into the nothingness. I like to believe there was a consciousness there that made that decision, but I could lean either way. So lets call that event the Big Bang. So particles of what will become everything blasted out into the void of space. But also energy, gravity, etc. Maybe you could call these things "angels". Yes...I'm trying to link science and religion in this belief of mine.

So, to make this sound a little more biblical, God decided to expand out into the emptiness and create...everything. Planets, energy and eventually life. And the energy of this explosion kept everything moving allowing events such as planets colliding, etc. And today, God is therefore part of everything, and everything is God. God is in each and every one of us, in the dirt, in the air...everywhere. God watches over you as he is part of you and part of your body and the planet's systems. God is therefore evolution, energy, air and everything we need to live and grow. Our planet...is part of God. Your enemy...is part of God.

And with the eternity of this energy and movement, we will all eventually fade back to dust or particles (ashes to ashes?) and float off along with other pieces of the universe until one day...all these particles and systems will again begin to combine and converge. And as this new mass grows with everything we are made of and that which all things are made of...the mass will again become God...just as it was in the beginning. Everything, every piece of everything, all the energy and systems will return and change back into mass I'm calling God. But this next time, God will be different. Filled with not only particles but energies that changed from experience and from life. And so, everything is returned to a void and a mass. Everyone and everything in a single "being". And at that point, this mass, this God becomes the only thing that exists and all of our experience, knowledge, and we ourselves are now one omnipotent being. In that state...we may all be in "Heaven".

And then...one day following that...this being, this mass, this God will again create everything by exploding again to populate the void. And this cycle continues forever.

So there you go! Now...while I won't be hanging around here long, I will check back an would love to hear what others think. Describe for me...your God.

a reply to: WeAreAWAKE

There is no your god my god

There is only GOOD and EVIL

if you are hurting others and yourself, you are evil

if you are helping others and yourself, you are good

originally posted by: TryAndStopTheFuture555
a reply to: WeAreAWAKE

There is no your god my god

There is only GOOD and EVIL

if you are hurting others and yourself, you are evil

if you are helping others and yourself, you are good

I'm totally open to that idea, and I have no proof of a God nor a heck of a lot of belief in one. But...for those who do believe in something, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

a reply to: WeAreAWAKE
The question has been asked before, by a philosopher who wanted to see definitions of the Christian God, and the whole post below was the answer I gave at the time;
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The Creator.
That which is not the Universe, but the originator of the Universe.

I'd like to expand the original definition
(very cautiously, because Philosophy isn't really my field)

Let's make it a really trinitarian one;

God is a Creator
God is one who Communicates
God is one who becomes Incarnate

God is a Creator

I see this view as distinct from both Monism and Dualism.

As I understand the difference;
Monism resolves everything to one point of origin.
Dualism resolves everything to two points of origin, distinct and independent.

Creation theory falls short of being genuine Monism, because the created universe is understood as distinct from God.

Creation theory falls short of being genuine Dualism, because the created universe is understood as dependent upon God.

My private theory is that Creation teaching ought to be called "One-and-a-half-ism", but I don't suppose it will catch on.

As far as I can see, this involves the traditional teaching of "ex nihilo" ("out of nothing") Creation.

Because if God is "creating" using pre-existing raw material, then the material is not genuinely dependent upon him- this has become Dualism.

Or if God is producing the material of the universe "out of himself", then the material is not genuinely distinct- this has become Monism.

"Ex nihilo" is the only logical alternative, which is presumably why the teaching was developed in the first place.

God is one who Communicates

This assumption is built into Biblical religion.

In the first place, the Bible is believed to contain examples of communication (as reported, for example, by the prophets).

Furthermore, the Bible is believed to reflect a policy of communication.
It is said that God is using the Bible to "reveal himself", and so Biblical religion used to be described as "revealed religion".

The belief that "God is one who Communicates" links back with the belief that "God is one who Creates".

In the first place, some of the content of the communication points to God as Creator.

The proper Biblical answer to the question "Why do you believe your God made the universe?" is not really "Becasue that's the only way to account for the universe."
The truly Biblical answer is "Because he says he did, and I believe him."

But I think the very act of communication also points to God as a Creator.

Any act of communication necessarily implies a distinction between the communicator and the other party.
I've already said the Biblical understanding of Creation involves a distinction between God and the universe.

An act of communication implies the existence of a "will" in the communicator, or at least some sort of analogy of one.
But the same could be said, surely, of an act of "Creation".

Finally, a God who creates a universe thereby sets up a relationship between himself and the universe.
The effect of communication is to set up a relationship between himself and individuals (or even a group of individuals) within the same universe.

I assume that a purely monistic deity would not be communicating with, or setting up a relationship with, parts of itself.

My point is that
The idea of the God who Creates
and the idea of the God who Communicates
are very akin to one another.

The kind of God who would Create would also be the kind of God who could Communicate.

God is one who becomes Incarnate

I could hardly, really, leave this out of a definition of the Christian God.

The understanding is that the Incarnation is a more direct presence of God within the created universe.

If this is true, it's the ultimate form of Communication, as the author of Hebrews points out;
"God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets
but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son".

But it's also the ultimate form of "establishing a relationship";

Because the doctrine of the Incarnation is that the Creator and his creation, divinity and humanity, are bound together within the person of the Son.
The bond is understood to be irrevocable.
It's impossible for a relationship to get any closer than that.

Anyone who tries to understand the church's teaching about the Incarnation will discover that it's all about finding the right "balance".

On the one hand, the distinction between the divinity and the humanity must not be exaggerated, to the point that the unity disappears.
O the other hand, the unity between them must not be exaggerated, to the point that the distinction disappears.
The correct position is somewhere halfway between the two extremes.

But this is exactly what I said, at the beginning of this piece, about Creation;
That it occupied a halfway position between Monism and Dualism.

So it seems to me that the "balancing act" which Jehovah's Witnesses love to mock, when it comes in the teaching about the Incarnation, is also inherent in the very doctrine of the Creation itself.

The kind of God who would Create is also the kind of God who could become Incarnate.


I began by naming the Christian God as
The one who Creates
The one who Communicates
The one who becomes Incarnate.

I now suggest that these three ideas are akin to one another.
They belong together, naturally.

Whether you can believe them or not, they all belong to the same kind of God.

a reply to: WeAreAWAKE

God, as far as I know Him, is a being which is so utterly beyond comprehension, as to be beyond description by mortal means. He is older than time, than all the matter and energy in the universe, and is not a resident of it, but exists within every particle of it at the same time. He is immune to entropy, for it is a thing of His creation, and like all things of his creation, is beholden unto him.

More than that, it would be impossible to say.

Describe Your God

I can't. Every time I think I have figured out Who He is something happens that surprises me and I have to rethink my construct of Who God Is. All I know for sure ... He's all powerful and in charge so I just have to roll with it.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: WeAreAWAKE

God, as far as I know Him, is a being which is so utterly beyond comprehension, as to be beyond description by mortal means. He is older than time, than all the matter and energy in the universe, and is not a resident of it, but exists within every particle of it at the same time. He is immune to entropy, for it is a thing of His creation, and like all things of his creation, is beholden unto him.

More than that, it would be impossible to say.

Well...I would have to say that we agree. But while I picture this as a scientific thing and event, do you see it as a person? Or are you just not sure? Or is it impossible to describe?

originally posted by: WeAreAWAKE

I'm totally open to that idea, and I have no proof of a God nor a heck of a lot of belief in one. But...for those who do believe in something, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Fine, if you really want it.

The fact that you don't know about God or Architect of the Universe means you have even less complete knowledge than me.

NOTE i wrote "know" not "believe"

HOWEVER

So what that you know less than me, SO WHAT.

If you are a good guy and you don't succumb to evil acts and evil thoughts. You will still be OK when you die despite not believing in God.

HOWEVER

Most of you atheists, do succumb to temptation of treating people as animals because you see only short term alive primates of which we have a lot. And so what if they get used, abused, killed, or whatever.

So for this reason. People who find out about God have an easier time not becoming evil.

Does this make any sense to you. I hope so, you sound like a smart guy with incomplete knowledge. which I suspect is not your fault entirely

If you want to know more, study all the cases of OBDs and NDEs.

How many cases ??

ALL of them

If you really want to know, you gotta put in the effort. Or if you are lazy, than just take my word for it

originally posted by: FlyersFan

Describe Your God

I can't. Every time I think I have figured out Who He is something happens that surprises me and I have to rethink my construct of Who God Is. All I know for sure ... He's all powerful and in charge so I just have to roll with it.

No offence meant...but that is a shame you don't feel you can know for sure. Maybe my personality is just different, but I have to understand something in order to commit to it. I guess I am not one of "blind faith". Maybe that is why I made up that description of mine. Who knows I guess. And again...I hope there is a God.

originally posted by: TryAndStopTheFuture555

originally posted by: WeAreAWAKE

I'm totally open to that idea, and I have no proof of a God nor a heck of a lot of belief in one. But...for those who do believe in something, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Fine, if you really want it.

The fact that you don't know about God or Architect of the Universe means you have even less complete knowledge than me.

NOTE i wrote "know" not "believe"

HOWEVER

So what that you know less than me, SO WHAT.

If you are a good guy and you don't succumb to evil acts and evil thoughts. You will still be OK when you die despite not believing in God.

HOWEVER

Most of you atheists, do succumb to temptation of treating people as animals because you see only short term alive primates of which we have a lot. And so what if they get used, abused, killed, or whatever.

So for this reason. People who find out about God have an easier time not becoming evil.

Does this make any sense to you. I hope so, you sound like a smart guy with incomplete knowledge. which I suspect is not your fault entirely

If you want to know more, study all the cases of OBDs and NDEs.

How many cases ??

ALL of them

If you really want to know, you gotta put in the effort. Or if you are lazy, than just take my word for it

Fair enough. But just for the record, I was raised Roman Catholic and don't consider myself an Atheist as much as someone who believes in a God of some type, but not religion. And what that God is, apparently remains a mystery to many if not all. I just like to contemplate the reality of what God could be.

Currently I am entertaining the idea there must have been a first human being to become awake after the physical body died. There has to be a first to everything so at some point in time there were humans who simply fell asleep in the hereafter or continued as spirits without much of a will or being aware where they are or might have even disappeared because humans didn't have memory yet, just like other animals. Much like in dreams where someone might wake up with some memories of what just happened but wondering why he made such descisions.

So the first spirit awake must have 'created' the hereafter in such a way it became possible for others to join that spirit in his world or being taught how to live in their own hereafter or simply waking up by exposure. The spirit who was first is probably several thousands of years old and I don't dismiss the idea he was a factor in the life of later saints and others who were spiritually accomplished. Whatever it may be, that first spirit must have something for being the first of all humans of our planet.

originally posted by: WeAreAWAKE

originally posted by: FlyersFan

Describe Your God

I can't. Every time I think I have figured out Who He is something happens that surprises me and I have to rethink my construct of Who God Is. All I know for sure ... He's all powerful and in charge so I just have to roll with it.

No offence meant...but that is a shame you don't feel you can know for sure. Maybe my personality is just different, but I have to understand something in order to commit to it. I guess I am not one of "blind faith". Maybe that is why I made up that description of mine. Who knows I guess. And again...I hope there is a God.

The thing is if you can look at creation and understand that it is simply not the result of randomness then you are at a level of understanding already that doesn't require a full explanation of who, why and what God is. Thats really no where near blind faith. Its all about eyes to see and ears to hear.

originally posted by: Logarock

originally posted by: WeAreAWAKE

originally posted by: FlyersFan

Describe Your God

I can't. Every time I think I have figured out Who He is something happens that surprises me and I have to rethink my construct of Who God Is. All I know for sure ... He's all powerful and in charge so I just have to roll with it.

No offence meant...but that is a shame you don't feel you can know for sure. Maybe my personality is just different, but I have to understand something in order to commit to it. I guess I am not one of "blind faith". Maybe that is why I made up that description of mine. Who knows I guess. And again...I hope there is a God.

The thing is if you can look at creation and understand that it is simply not the result of randomness then you are at a level of understanding already that doesn't require a full explanation of who, why and what God is. Thats really no where near blind faith. Its all about eyes to see and ears to hear.

Not to go off in too much of a different direction, but I guess I find it easier to believe that an action of God created everything and set off a series of events that continue today. But there is free will and the belief in "fate" or a God having his/it's hands in every little thing is not acceptable to me. And I say "acceptable" because I can't fathom it, and also that I can't agree with some things being God's choice.

originally posted by: WeAreAWAKE

originally posted by: TryAndStopTheFuture555

originally posted by: WeAreAWAKE

I'm totally open to that idea, and I have no proof of a God nor a heck of a lot of belief in one. But...for those who do believe in something, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Fine, if you really want it.

The fact that you don't know about God or Architect of the Universe means you have even less complete knowledge than me.

NOTE i wrote "know" not "believe"

HOWEVER

So what that you know less than me, SO WHAT.

If you are a good guy and you don't succumb to evil acts and evil thoughts. You will still be OK when you die despite not believing in God.

HOWEVER

Most of you atheists, do succumb to temptation of treating people as animals because you see only short term alive primates of which we have a lot. And so what if they get used, abused, killed, or whatever.

So for this reason. People who find out about God have an easier time not becoming evil.

Does this make any sense to you. I hope so, you sound like a smart guy with incomplete knowledge. which I suspect is not your fault entirely

If you want to know more, study all the cases of OBDs and NDEs.

How many cases ??

ALL of them

If you really want to know, you gotta put in the effort. Or if you are lazy, than just take my word for it

Fair enough. But just for the record, I was raised Roman Catholic and don't consider myself an Atheist as much as someone who believes in a God of some type, but not religion. And what that God is, apparently remains a mystery to many if not all. I just like to contemplate the reality of what God could be.

Take a look at the book of Job. Get a New English version and stay in it awhile. Note Jobs observations and Gods ending discourse with Job.

originally posted by: WeAreAWAKE

originally posted by: Logarock

originally posted by: WeAreAWAKE

originally posted by: FlyersFan

Describe Your God

I can't. Every time I think I have figured out Who He is something happens that surprises me and I have to rethink my construct of Who God Is. All I know for sure ... He's all powerful and in charge so I just have to roll with it.

No offence meant...but that is a shame you don't feel you can know for sure. Maybe my personality is just different, but I have to understand something in order to commit to it. I guess I am not one of "blind faith". Maybe that is why I made up that description of mine. Who knows I guess. And again...I hope there is a God.

The thing is if you can look at creation and understand that it is simply not the result of randomness then you are at a level of understanding already that doesn't require a full explanation of who, why and what God is. Thats really no where near blind faith. Its all about eyes to see and ears to hear.

Not to go off in too much of a different direction, but I guess I find it easier to believe that an action of God created everything and set off a series of events that continue today. But there is free will and the belief in "fate" or a God having his/it's hands in every little thing is not acceptable to me. And I say "acceptable" because I can't fathom it, and also that I can't agree with some things being God's choice.

Yes it is hard to fathom that "every hair of your head is numbered" and not a single sparrow falls to the ground that God doesn't know about it and then compare that micromanaging with the same saying that He made the Pleiades.

a reply to: WeAreAWAKE

originally posted by: WeAreAWAKE
that is a shame you don't feel you can know for sure. Maybe my personality is just different, but I have to understand something in order to commit to it.

I know there is a God because I've had a close encounter with Him.
I know He's in charge because ... He is.

I don't know Who He is because, as time goes on, I learn more and so I have to adjust my understanding of Who God Is. That's being open minded and aware of what is going on. It's a healthy thing to do.

I don't have a god. I see no reason why I should submit myself to a higher authority that doesn't deem to let us know it exists and instead lets people do its talking for it.

a reply to: WeAreAWAKE

This seems to be the best description of God that I've ever found...

Understanding the Indescribable

Truth

a reply to: WeAreAWAKE

OK I'll bite.
He is loving, giving, forgiving, condemning, fearsome, jealous, awesome, omnipotent, glorious, loving, mysterious, protective, healing.... Everything positive, truthful and creative.
And these just come to mind in a few seconds.