Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you?
From: catspaw49
Nope.....Got a blue, longhair Weimaraner though..........
Spaw
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14 Jan 01 - 06:33 PM (#374533) Subject: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Zebedee I've no idea where this thread may lead, but it's asked in good faith and out of curiosity. To me, God is a relic of a previous age, a useful way of explaining the unexplainable, and a comfort when things go wrong. Sometimes I wish I believed. Over to you Ed |
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14 Jan 01 - 06:37 PM (#374534) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: CarolC I don't use the word god, except inapropriately. I prefer the word "divinity". To me "god" has too much bad historical baggage. Carol |
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14 Jan 01 - 06:47 PM (#374539) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Richard Bridge I react badly to it. I tend to expect it to be used to support irrational authoritarianism. THere can be little doubt that some religiously inspired persons have done good, but all too often the appeal to God is a banner for some awful atrocity on the national or individual level. The Roman Catholic CHurch in England seems to be strongly linked with child sex scandals, and the brutality of many sorts of protestantism hardly bear rehearsing, although they pale into insignificance beside the horror of the inquisition. |
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14 Jan 01 - 06:54 PM (#374545) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: katlaughing Never use it in the singular and always with goddesses, too, except where noted in the last appellation...much prefer Great Spirit/Cosmic/Higher Self/Mother-Father God of My Heart |
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14 Jan 01 - 06:55 PM (#374546) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: GUEST,ernest c This is just another one of those divisive threads to further split an already fractured group. Why must we talk about politics, religion, and other controversial topics? No one ever really wins by making their point. They just cause someone else to react negatively to them. You are some rather naive if you don't know where this thread will lead. It will lead to arguments and bad feelings. So I ask, why are we doing this to ourselves? I think we ought to stick at least a little closer to music, and not go looking for fights. Of course, if you want to fight, then go ahead. But I still think that just because you can do something is not reason enough to do it. |
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14 Jan 01 - 06:57 PM (#374549) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Dave Wynn Thought you humans believed that He is Love...sounds like a lot of hate from the last two postings....My God is fine by me...Plays Pan pipes really well and rescues little otters in distress. Know where you are with my God.....Doesn't confuse the issue with grey bits....Very black and white is my God.....you are either good and live forever or bad and dont....Simple.... Spot. |
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14 Jan 01 - 06:59 PM (#374551) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: CarolC I don't know ernest c, you're the only one who sounds like they're fighting to me, so far. Carol |
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14 Jan 01 - 07:00 PM (#374553) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Dave Wynn Bugger...didn't meant the last two postings...meant the two before they posted while I was writing...(new at this and pads ain't best suited to keyboards....) Spot. |
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14 Jan 01 - 07:05 PM (#374558) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Amergin To me the belief in God is how some people find comfort through their dark times....to me my comfort is the knowledge that things will work differently in the next life and the one after that...such as the love me and my ex share... Amergin |
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14 Jan 01 - 07:06 PM (#374559) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Bill D really silly question...(not that it isn't important, but HERE?...who can type a fair answer..) |
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14 Jan 01 - 07:09 PM (#374561) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: CarolC It might be worth keeping in mind that the original question asked what the word god means to us, rather than the concept the word may or may not represent. For me, the word 'god' is just that, a word, invented by people. The concept of divinity is an entirely different matter. Carol |
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14 Jan 01 - 07:17 PM (#374566) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Sorcha Let's not get ugly now........to me, "god" means somebody/something in Charge of Whatever...but, just because s/he is in charge, does not mean something is going to be done about it. Such as, Why do bad things happen to Good People? THE God has to be in Charge of EVERYTHING......quite a job if you ask me. That is why s/he has delegates........Dagda, Jesus, Bhudda, et. al. |
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14 Jan 01 - 07:17 PM (#374567) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Lox "I do genuinely perceive that whilst everything around me is ever changing, ever dying, there is, underlying all that change, a living power that is changeless, that holds all together, that creates, dissolves, and recreates. That informing power, or spirit, is God, and since nothing else that I see merely through the senses can or will persist, he alone is." (and now the good bit) "And is this power benevolent or malevolent? I see it as purely benevolent, for I can see that in the midst of death, life persists. In the midst of untruth, thruth persists. In the midst of darkness, light persists. Hence I gather that God is life, truth, light. He is love. He is the supreme good." (Mahatma Ghandi) Beautiful words at least (I don't know what to believe) lox |
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14 Jan 01 - 07:21 PM (#374570) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Rick Fielding Never had a problem with the concept of a "God" (after all who has a BETTER explanation for how everything started?) but like many, I have a problem with my fellow humans who claim to speak (or write books) FOR God. When some imply that a Diety supports (or doesn't) a political system or a football team, well, that just seems silly and self-serving to me. Like you Ed, sometimes I wish that history and logic DIDN'T get in the way, and I could simply believe. I know it helps a lot of people. Rick |
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14 Jan 01 - 07:44 PM (#374586) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Little Hawk "God" - to me means All That Is. All that is seen and all that is not. All thought, energy, form, and manifestation. All beings. All worlds. All potential. One could just as well call it Goddess, since it is clearly observable that the female principle is found throughout Nature. I do sometimes call it Goddess. One could also call it the Great Spirit...or one could call it Nature, Logic, Truth, Love, Divinity, Soul, Relativity or anything whatever...it is all of those things. It is the Tao, the sacred Way of things. The unenlightened man walks around in the midst of it, partaking of it in every moment, and sees it not. Then he invents a god which is separate from himself, a distant and demanding god, a cosmic bully, and he builds idols to this god, and writes holy books about it, and commits murder in its name. From that rise religions and religious orders. God is completely beyond religion and does not require anyone's worship. God simply is. And no one is cast out. "I am you and you are me and we are us and we are all together" to quote the Beatles. We are God. Period. And I like Gandhi's definition best of all. Beautiful. Gandhi knew what he was talking about. - LH |
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14 Jan 01 - 07:48 PM (#374587) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Lox He also said that he reckoned that Christianity is the best religion, but that there are no Christians. lox |
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14 Jan 01 - 08:07 PM (#374601) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: kendall When we hear the word "God" most of us think of whatever we were trained to think. I believe that "God" is pure energy, and, that love is not only an emotion, but, is also energy. The fastest, strongest energy in the universe. It is a creative energy for the most part, but, can also destroy when necessary. It is very hard for me to believe that God actually speaks to anyone. All that twaddle comes from religeon. Now, every thing in the universe started in the same place as a part of the whole (including "God") and that includes us. The concept of god as a being, like us, is silly. There again, invented by people who need a "Boss". This is all my own opinion, and I am entitled to it. |
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14 Jan 01 - 08:14 PM (#374609) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: AllisonA(Animaterra) I'm with Gandhi. |
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14 Jan 01 - 08:18 PM (#374612) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: wysiwyg I don't talk about God here anymore, but I am glad to do so at www.beliefnet.com, or in e-mail, and Ed I believe you have my address. Don't write, though, unless you really want to know what I think. Hi Richard!! ~Susan |
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14 Jan 01 - 08:22 PM (#374616) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Allan C. I have seen god and he is us. |
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14 Jan 01 - 08:23 PM (#374617) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Malcolm Douglas My own feeling is that "god", whether we think of it as male or female (or, more sensibly, as both or neither) is a thing that we make in our own image to comfort ourselves. Perhaps what we should be doing is living our lives as if there were no god(s). That way we might stop using them as excuses for our own inadequacies or as reasons to pick fights. Malcolm |
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15 Jan 01 - 12:28 AM (#374706) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Melani Everything. Little Hawk expressed it well. |
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15 Jan 01 - 12:41 AM (#374710) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: SeanM god (gd) n. (1)God A being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient originator and ruler of the universe, the principal object of faith and worship in monotheistic religions. The force, effect, or a manifestation or aspect of this being. (2)Christian Science. "Infinite Mind; Spirit; Soul; Principle; Life; Truth; Love" (Mary Baker Eddy). (3)A being of supernatural powers or attributes, believed in and worshiped by a people, especially a male deity thought to control some part of nature or reality. (4)An image of a supernatural being; an idol. (5)One that is worshiped, idealized, or followed: money was their god. (6)A very handsome man. (7)A powerful ruler or despot. That about does it for me. God's a word, no more, no less. Now if you want to talk about the ideas, prejudices and other aberrant behaviours caused by this word... now THAT is an entirely different thread, and one that I'll stand by Praise's statement - "I don't talk about god here" M [Middle English from Old English; see gheu()- in Indo-European Roots.] |
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15 Jan 01 - 12:49 AM (#374713) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Jon Freeman I believe that God is the supreme all knowing, all seeing and all powerful being. I do not accept the comfort theories as I take no comfort in believing such a creature exits - in fact, there are many times when I think that I would find life easier if I believed there were just us. I also reject the easy way of explaining things as, for starters, it is far harder to try to balance science with God than to simply reject God. Jon
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15 Jan 01 - 01:12 AM (#374724) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Jon Freeman 'and one that I'll stand by Praise's statement - "I don't talk about god here"' I know I sometimes get angry with God and rant and rave about God but other than that, I try not to introduce the subject of God. I will however provide opinions based on my own beliefs where comments are made which I can only reply to from the viewpoint of my religion. It is true that such replies have the potential to attract hostile respones from certain directions but that doesn't worry me. A scenario which has caused me much ammusment over the years as well as dissapointment over the years is this: A group of friends are knocking religion, I come in with a religious viewpoint and try to discuss rationally and the group turn on me and accuse me of talking about religion. Seems that it is irrational of me to suggest that them starting the converasation by saying God doesn't exit, etc. was the starting point. I just give up these days but I have my own theories as to why such people want to shut me up and are so unreasonable. Jon |
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15 Jan 01 - 02:44 AM (#374739) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Mrrzy I wish I could take it as a metaphor, but the baggage is too heavy... |
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15 Jan 01 - 03:25 AM (#374745) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: blt The word itself has a sound that I associate with creativity, or the creative soup all life slips in and out of. It's easier to believe in the concept of life than that of God (though maybe they're the same). Perhaps the only way I can make sense of this word is to think of God as a prism, breaking life energy into many colors. I missed all the earlier controversy, so am not clear why this is somewhat of a taboo topic in the forum, seems like God should be up for grabs just as much as everything else. If we can schmooze about love, why can't we schmooze about God? If God were a Mudcatter, what would God's name be? How would God define folk music? Would God have a band? Play solo? Does God have a pick-up or play through a mike? blt |
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15 Jan 01 - 03:52 AM (#374752) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: SeanM blt... I would suggest PMing Katlaughing and Praise for info. Not that they're conflicting, but that they both can very lucidly (is that even a word? heck, at 7 beers, what isn't?) state the nature of the conflict. M |
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15 Jan 01 - 03:56 AM (#374754) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Haruo What the word 'God' means to me varies a great deal depending on the context, the speaker, and what I think I know about the speaker's beliefs. I like the Gandhi quote. I am a Baptist heretic, convinced that what Gandhi was talking about is what Jesus was talking about, that God underlies all of us and all of it, but my personal experience of God has been personal (i.e. I have perceived what I think of as God in ways that imply to my mind personality, which is what one would expect in a Baptist). I think it is critically important that we discuss things like this, and that believers and unbelievers, theists and atheist, learn not merely to tolerate but to respect and appreciate each other; likewise that Christians appreciate Sikhs and Jews appreciate Santería, and Wiccans appreciate Islam, and so on. At the moment I'm reading Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion (in English — I haven't been able to locate a copy in Latin, alas) and I must agree with Jon Freeman that there's nothing in there to support the comfort theories. But there is in my personal experience of God, indeed, I intuit from my experience that (ultimately) all's right with the world, i.e. All's Well That Ends Well, as the canon has it. My "My Burning Bush" sermon is, I think, my most cogent attempt to explain what God means to me, if anyone's interested. It's not replicable; I don't offer it in an effort to proselytize or convert anyone to anything, just to (hopefully) let people get to know me a bit better, and possibly understand. Those who have had similar experiences may find a resonance. I am interested, too, in hearing from people (email me!) who have had what they believe to have been equivalent experiences and who are convinced that "God" was not involved. Liland |
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15 Jan 01 - 04:02 AM (#374755) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: GUEST,God Hmmm, I find this thread to be very interesting. |
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15 Jan 01 - 04:16 AM (#374756) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: SeanM Ummm... God, I know I've doubted, and I know that I've been public about it... but if you're gonna come down to the Mudcat, then why the heck wouldn't you show up for my 12th birthday? It wasn't much to ask... Damn pony. I said I wanted God, but all I got was a stinkin' pony... hee hee hee hee hee... M |
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15 Jan 01 - 04:22 AM (#374758) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: CarolC I really appreciate the tone of this thread, overall. There are a lot of very thoughtful, and even moving, posts here. It's nice to see people being able to discuss something as potentially inflamatory as this one like adults and thoughtful human beings. Thanks. Carol
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15 Jan 01 - 04:22 AM (#374759) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Dave the Gnome Good thread - I am not going to give you my ideas but I disagree with the 'don't talk about it here' lobby. This is a cafe. A place where friends and like minded people meet. We should be able to discuss the most controversial of topics without falling out. Surely that it is what makes it so much fun. Isn't it? Cheers Dave the Gnome |
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15 Jan 01 - 04:32 AM (#374761) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Haruo Among other things, 'God' always reminds me of one of my AA old-timers, now deceased (though God is alive, magic is afoot etc.), who customarily introduced himself, when called on in meetings, "I am a loving God as I understand Her, and I understand Her to be Consciousness, Beingness, or Spirit; She is traveling in the body of a fat paranoid-schizophrenic diabetic arthritic cancer-ridden alcoholic by the name of Jerry Stonebender." (After which intro he would proceed to be diffuse.) Great guy in many ways; glad he wasn't my Father, though... Liland |
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15 Jan 01 - 04:42 AM (#374764) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Ringer Ghandi could have equally said: And is this power benevolent or malevolent? But he didn't. Rather, he concluded that He is love. He is the supreme good. Why?
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15 Jan 01 - 04:53 AM (#374767) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Haruo (Replying to Bald Eagle) Optimism. Hope. Feeling the touch of the Spirit. Or in the alternative, to mess with folks' heads and encourage his followers to work harder. Liland |
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15 Jan 01 - 01:18 PM (#374957) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: TonyK I think the god as I used to understand him was a creation of someone long ago just as the ancient gods of Rome and Greece, etc. I like the concepts of 'Great Mystery' that is attributed to Native Americans, and "God beyond the word god", attributed to a theologian I studied in school and can't remember his name. Maybe Whitehead, maybe Tillich. I suppose blind faith works for some but it caused me a lot of problems. It didn't fit for me and it took a long time for me to realize that I'm not completely blind (or maybe I am). In any case, I'm doing the best I can and trying to be open minded about it. I agree it is a positive reflection on this group that we are able to discuss this. I'm reading "Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn and find it fascinating. |
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15 Jan 01 - 01:25 PM (#374959) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief What I believe in God is summed up, if a bit pithily, in the Nicene Creed. Alex |
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15 Jan 01 - 02:08 PM (#374982) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Bill D "....then one old greybeard of a god stood up and proclaimed, "I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me."...and all of the other gods died laughing" paraphrase from "Also Sprach Zarathustra"...Nietzsche which proves NOTHING about God or religion, but does show some understanding of human nature and how strange narrow views of religion can be... |
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15 Jan 01 - 02:15 PM (#374986) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Little Hawk Bald Eagle - Gandhi said it the way he did because... pessimism is its own punishment, as is negative thinking. Extreme pessimism is a form of insanity in which only human beings indulge. You won't see animals doing that. It leads nowhere except to misunderstanding, depression, hatred, suicide, murder and death. Gandhi saw the bright side because that is what you do when you're enlightened. Enlightenment leads people forward to positive accomplishment. The pessimist thinks of himself as a realist...but we are all absolutely free to make reality what we will at any time. Therefore, the pessimist's reality is the reality he chose. Dumb choice. The pessimist is someone who would rather be right than be happy. It's an ego defence. He figures he's smarter than the people who aren't as pessimistic as he is. Talk about small comfort. Suppose he is "right", and nothing works out and everybody dies...the people who didn't see it his way still had a better time getting there, didn't they, so who is the dummy? The character who best sums up this method of dealing with reality is Eeyore, the grouchy and miserable stuffed donkey in the Pooh books. He would definitely rather be right than be happy. Eeyore ain't too enlightened. The reason that things and situations we call "evil" or "unpleasant" exist is because if they didn't, we would have no way of being conscious of their alternatives...what is "good" and what is "pleasant". We are creatures who perceive by comparison. We have to experience both head and cold before we understand the concept of temperature at all. Then, having understood the concept, we use free will to choose that part of it which seems preferable. That's part of the path to knowledge and enlightenment. The pessimist likes to focus on the dark side...because it seems romantic, dramatic, and fatalistic...and it makes him feel "cool"...but in the end it does not serve him well. You don't have to be "religious" or believe in God to see the merit in being a positive thinker. - LH |
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15 Jan 01 - 02:26 PM (#374993) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Midchuck Frederick Brown wrote a one-page sci-fi story. To paraphrase, in the far future a linkage was arranged between all the massive supercomputers on all the planets in the universe, to provide enough computing power to deal with the really hard questions. On the day that the linkup was to go into effect, the Chief Scientist threw the master switch, and then posed the machine the ultimate, up-till-then unanswerable question: Is there a God? The machine answered instantly: "There is now." The Chief Scientist made a desperate dive for the switch, but a bolt of lightning, from a cloudless sky, killed him, and fused the switch shut. Brown wrote that in the 1950s. Be afraid. Peter. |
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15 Jan 01 - 02:53 PM (#375011) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Clinton Hammond2 When I use the word god, or more likley the word "Gahd", it's most often just the beginning of a string of curses... Post Hammer Vs. Thumb language and such... ;-) |
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15 Jan 01 - 03:16 PM (#375020) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: little john cameron http://www.grailmessage.com/welcome1.htm |
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15 Jan 01 - 04:53 PM (#375080) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Little Hawk Great science fiction story, Midchuck! I wonder what the computer decided to do next? It's lonely at the top. - LH |
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15 Jan 01 - 04:56 PM (#375084) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: GUEST,God You have that right, Little Hawk. |
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15 Jan 01 - 05:38 PM (#375100) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: GUEST,Kernow Jon I'm with Alex on this one |
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15 Jan 01 - 05:44 PM (#375101) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Ebbie I know there is 'magic' out there, I know that there are things that I can see if I but accept it, I know that as time goes on I will know more… But I'm not actually 'new age' whatever that means to us, so I constantly reinvent the wheel and therein lies madness. And yet I know there is more, a great deal more, than the physical. I call this 'God' because it makes a lot more sense to me to believe that there is an architect than that there is no creator, that things somehow assembled by themselves like a time-lapse film of an explosion, run backward. That I do not believe. Left to themselves, things become more elemental, not more complex. Why should the universe be different? One of the things I want to be aware of and guard against is my tendency to be shown a truth and to recognize it, even discuss it- and then go on saying and believing it!- that I'm not certain whether there is a God or life after death. (And I'm perfectly capable of that contradictory behavior!) Just how much evidence do I need? But it is a fascinating process, isn't it. Eb
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15 Jan 01 - 05:54 PM (#375104) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: GUEST I'm also with Alex, Anglican to the bone... Mike |
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15 Jan 01 - 05:55 PM (#375105) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Zebedee This thread has been really interesting to me thanks for all your contributions. I'll continue to read your thoughts with interested. Also glad that 'GUEST ernest c' has been proved wrong with his prediction of a devisive thread that will lead to arguement and bad feeling. Thanks everyone Ed
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15 Jan 01 - 05:57 PM (#375107) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief Huzzah for a 50-post "God" thread with no flaming! |
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15 Jan 01 - 06:02 PM (#375109) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Wesley S This is a HUGE topic. Here are a few scattered ideas. We are supposed to be created in Gods image but instead we recreate God in our own image. What we see in our own hearts is what we imagine God to be like. I have a hard time thinking that an all powerful God would love us enough to create us and then turn around and want to punish us for all eternity in a lake of fire. Thats human - not God-like. The death of a 6 day old baby is not Gods will. It is Gods will however that there be people on the earth that go to extraordinary means and methods to save that babys life. Those are the "healers". Not the guys with poofy hair and cable network programs. Some of Jesus's biggest fans scare me to death. I don't think He was sent here to die for us. I would rather believe that He came here as a teacher - to show us how to live. But he got on the wrong side of the politicians of that era and was executed. Just like He would be today. I think a lot of Christ's biggest fans miss the point. You don't become a Christian by reading the Bible. I read Louis Lamour and that doesn't make me a cowboy. And you don't become Christian by going to church. I think you become Christian by ACTING in a Christ-like manner. And that can take a lifetime. Some of the best "Christians" have never heard of Him. And all of the WWJD jewelery that you see ?? What would Jesus do?? He'd take all the profits from that stuff and give it to the poor. Isn't it amazing that we max out our credit cards and spend all of our money to celibrate the birth of a man that never had any personal possessions and lived his life in poverty ? I believe in God - just not the God that I was taught about by the nuns. He might not fit the description that most people have of Him but I like Him. I'll be interested to see if I'm right. You're welcome to disagree with me but I don't need to be "saved". There are much better ways to use your energy. This is the perfect post for me to end with those words "in my humble opinion". Thanks. |
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15 Jan 01 - 06:18 PM (#375116) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: GUEST,God My son was sent to change the political process of Judaea.
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15 Jan 01 - 06:31 PM (#375124) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: CarolC Hi Wesley S, You make a lot of very interesting points. One of the things that I think is pretty special about this particular thread is that nobody seems to be trying to "save" anyone else. It's just a mellow sort of discussion about what that particular word means to each of us. Pretty cool, huh? Best wishes, Carol |
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15 Jan 01 - 06:50 PM (#375131) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief Oh ye brood of vipers! Ye den of thieves! Ye recalcitrant generation of hotheaded fornicating transvestite houseplants! Repent for the end is yea verily nigh! The Lord will come and rend ye into tiny little pieces not fit for the trodding under of the feet of swine and drywall installation crews! If the salt hath lost its saltiness, will it not be flushed down the toilet of doom? This evil fate awaits you if you don't copy this to 50 of your closest friends and send a dollar to the person at the top of the list! Oh wait. Wrong thread. This was meant for the "chain letter" thread. Sorry about that. Alex |
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15 Jan 01 - 07:12 PM (#375143) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: kendall I saw starving children, and I screamed at God. Then, I realized that those starving children was God, screaming at me. |
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15 Jan 01 - 07:21 PM (#375150) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Haruo little john cameron: was bernhardt czechorslovak? (sic) Alex, how about the Athanasian Creed? That's the one I find really amusing (and would find really irritating if I were required to believe it). And speaking of science fiction, Arthur C. Clarke's story The Nine Billion Names of God is good, too. A bit less concise than the Brown one, and less clear in its finality. I think. Liland |
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15 Jan 01 - 07:33 PM (#375157) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Little Hawk Geez, Alex, I thought you had just mutated into Jehovah! Scary, Scary! Thank God I was mistaken! :-D Wesley - GREAT POST! Bravo! Sorcha - you postulated the theory of a "God" as someone who's "in charge" of everything. But...if God's in charge, then where does that leave free will? I would suggest that God is the process itself (and the source of the process), rather than a being separate from the process and in charge of it. So, rather than being separate from his/her/its creations, God is part and parcel of each one of them...which is why we have free will. Free will is God's creative use of each conscious situation, through each conscious individual, in a totally unique fashion in every case...which is why, in a sense, we are all God/Goddess...expressing itself. Ummm...that's just my opinion, of course... Pretty cool, eh? In this scenario there are, ultimately, no bad guys...although they might seem bad from someone else's point of view...and they certainly might unleash destructive effects on others, for sure, in their misguided use of free will. No question of that. It happens frequently. Still, I find most people behave reasonably well under most circumstances...except when DRIVING!!! :-D Then they turn into maniacs. What's the hurry, is what I want to know? They must think it's a competitive game or something... As for Jesus and Buddha being God's delegates...yes, you could indeed say that. But we actually are ALL God's delegates. Jesus and Buddha were just WAY better at it than most of us are, so they became spiritual teachers for whoever was willing first to listen, and then to follow their example. To worship them is to miss the point. They did not come to be worshipped, but to set an example of good conduct for others to learn from. Jesus was able to forgive even the most awful things people did to him...because he had a clear overview of life, and saw that we are all sons and daughters of the divine, all of great value, all of equal importance. Gandhi had a similar overview. I think that Martin Luther King did as well. More power to them. Each one of them is an inspiration to me. - LH p.s. in that previous posting way up there I meant to say "heat and cold", not "head and cold". Sheesh! Gotta blow my node. |
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15 Jan 01 - 08:36 PM (#375189) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: little john cameron LILAND, austrian. ljc |
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15 Jan 01 - 09:15 PM (#375205) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Butch God- that which is greater that that which can be concieved. God IS that which exists to a greater degree than can be concieved.
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15 Jan 01 - 09:25 PM (#375210) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: GUEST,God Huh? |
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15 Jan 01 - 09:39 PM (#375213) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Mark me up on the board with Bill D as far a sexplaining anything HERE................ I am what you believe I am...... (most interesting thought in the Bible) Spaw |
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15 Jan 01 - 10:28 PM (#375232) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: wysiwyg Spaw, sexplains? ~S~ |
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15 Jan 01 - 10:52 PM (#375241) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Haruo A sexplaining is Freudian jargon for as explaining, Susan. Leastways that's how I took it. Liland |
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15 Jan 01 - 10:59 PM (#375245) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Amos God? We've got one over by the stove, here at DUH (United Dyslexics Anonymous). Scritches a lot, but he's awful friendly.... A. |
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15 Jan 01 - 11:16 PM (#375253) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Tinker ...Be still and know that I AM.... and sometimes when I'm lost in a song, or up to my elbows in the garden,or in the middle of joyful play, I can get out of my own way enough to connect and be... only a glimpse. ... and anyone who feels comfortable definitively defining the infinite sets off blinking red lights for me... This thread has left the boundries unwoven...Great fun Tinker |
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15 Jan 01 - 11:21 PM (#375257) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: wysiwyg Amos. Get back to work. ~S~ |
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15 Jan 01 - 11:46 PM (#375265) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Haruo But praise, he's in a meeting. Don't tell him to get back to work, he might prelase. All that stress. (•: The Esperanto Bible has "cedu" [yield, give up] where the English has "be still" there, Tinker. As in the song. Incidentally, anybody know the secular name of the tune, or other lyrics? Liland |
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16 Jan 01 - 01:09 AM (#375283) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: dwditty Hey Spaw, you're starting to sound like the Mock Turtle in Alice in Wonderland. "Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise."' |
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16 Jan 01 - 02:49 AM (#375294) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Joe Offer Well, I'm a believer, and I suppose much of what I believe and much of what everybody else believes is wrong - but God doesn't seem to mind. God is a higher reality that we all keep reaching for, but can't quite touch. If we keep reaching, that's what makes it all worthwhile. Every once in a while, we do get a glimpse of what it's all about. Of course, a lot of people have decided they know all the answers, and then they stop reaching - that's when they get into trouble. -Joe Offer- |
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16 Jan 01 - 11:36 AM (#375319) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Wesley S Something I meant to add last night : I think the concept of "God" is more than we can understand. I'm reminded of the 7 blind men that try to describe an elephant. One says an enephant is like a wall because he is touching the elephants side. Another says an elephant is like a rope because he is feeling the elephants tail, ect. We humans can only describe God by what we come in contact with but the reality is much larger and beyond our comprehension. I believe in heaven but I don't believe in hell. |
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16 Jan 01 - 11:45 AM (#375325) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Evidently I'm the guy with my arm up the elephant's ass................. Spaw |
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16 Jan 01 - 11:58 AM (#375337) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief The Athanasian creed is a little over-the-top. The product (not of Athanasius, of course) of somebody who wants to define God within an iota of his/her/its life. In general the Orthodox only define things when somebody asks (here "ask" must be taken very metaphorically), and then only reluctantly. Spaw, your ability to find things in the Bible that aren't really there is admirable. Alex |
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16 Jan 01 - 12:30 PM (#375378) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: annamill I love the teachings of Christ and I try to live by them. If someone steals something from me, my first thought is usually "Wow! That person must be in bad shape and really needs whatever it was he stole". You see, I can always get another, but maybe he can't even get one. I'm talking about simple stealing now. I have different ideas about killing. I feel very bad for the dead and their families, but I also feel bad for the killer. What circumstances causes a human to take the life of another when life is so precious. It must have been an overpowering pain he was going through. I believe human beings are social creatures and in need of each other. When we are misused by someone, I think it can make you a lopsided thinker. But I don't believe there is some higher power. Just us. I don't deride others believing. Whatever make you feel good, or do good, is ok with me. I just don't seem to need it. Love, annamill |
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16 Jan 01 - 12:46 PM (#375393) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: katlaughing Annamill, the Hopi believe pretty much the same about people who kill. They believe they have become off center and need big time medicine, so will sing a "Blessing Way" for that person to help them get back on track. kat |
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16 Jan 01 - 12:46 PM (#375394) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Actually MT, its not me but from Dr. James Holloway, PhD. philosophy, D.D. who wrote extensively on the various translations of Isaih and the various meanings attributed to YHWH (Yahweh). He had several theories from sources well researched that the word meant more than the commonly attributed "He brings into being whatever comes into being" and that the idea of a supreme being was suggested in the mind through the word. Spaw |
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16 Jan 01 - 12:52 PM (#375398) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief Golly, I never heard "He brings into being whatever comes into being" attributed; Perhaps I am uncommon? I thought it meant "He that is." But I only had 2 years of Biblical Hebrew. Maybe translating the tetragtrammaton comes in year 3? Of course people with a lot of letters after their names are constantly finding new interpretations of the same old words. It's their job. Better them than me. Alex |
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16 Jan 01 - 01:01 PM (#375408) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Take it easy there MT.......I'm with you on the letters stuff. Holloway was just an interesting cat and presented a lot of challenges to standard thinking on any number of topics. He had 5 post grad degrees but drove a '51 Chevy pickup and had about the same respect for the grad degrees that you of I might. He also spent a good bit of time figuring how close things actually came to bringing reincarnation in as a tenet of the faith a thousand years ago. But for all the digging, he was still an average guy you passed on the street. Spaw |
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16 Jan 01 - 01:02 PM (#375410) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: katlaughing Sorry, I should have said the Navajo have a Blessing Way. here is some info for those who are interested: Blessing Way central ritual of a complex system of ceremonies performed by the Navajo to restore equilibrium to the cosmos. Of the many rituals classified by the Navajo according to their purpose, the largest group is the Chant Ways, which are concerned with curing and are divided into three groups. The first group are the Holy Way chants--including the Blessing Way, parts of which are found throughout most of the rituals, and the Wind Ways--all of which are used to cure diseases that can be traced to some violation by humans of the supernatural provinces of the Holy People, or supernatural beings. These rituals are further classified into Peaceful Ways, which invoke the beneficence of the Holy People, and Injury Ways, which are primarily exorcistic. A second subdivision is that of the Ghost Way, or Evil Way, chants--the best known being the Upward-Reaching-Way--that are practiced for exorcism and the curing of illnesses caused by ghosts and witches. A third subdivision is the Life Ways, which are concerned with healing accidental injuries--the most notable being the Flint Way. In addition to the Chant Ways, other prominent groups are concerned with success in war (the Enemy Ways) and hunting (the Game Ways), but these groups have mostly become obsolete. Set apart from all these specifically oriented ways is the Blessing Way, a comparatively short (taking only two days to perform) and simple ritual. Performed for the general well-being of the community, rather than for specific curative purposes, it contains none of the typical features of curing rituals (e.g., sand paintings, prayer sticks, medicine songs, and herbs). To invoke good fortune--such as during childbirth, in blessing a new hogan (home), and in a girl's puberty ceremony--the traditional Navajo family would have the Blessing Way sung at least twice a year. Parts of the Blessing Way are incorporated into almost all other Chant Ways. The story of the Blessing Way contains various details of the mythical events that occurred after the legendary emergence of the Navajo from the earth at creation. These events provide the prototypes for the organization of the cosmos, important Navajo ceremonials, and their central cultural institutions. |
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16 Jan 01 - 01:05 PM (#375415) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief Could be, Spaw. I'm not upset or anything. I just take all these revisionists with a case of salt. Interestingly, the LXX translates YWHW as 'o wn -- the existing one. Indicating probably that this was how it was thought of in Alexandria in the 3rd century BCE. Alex |
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16 Jan 01 - 01:05 PM (#375416) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 ...and sorry MT, I also should have said that the word is simply the first word in a word grouping that translates as I stated. Too many years, but I think the whole thing is something like (excuse spelling here): Yahweh seir ye(i?)weh. Spaw |
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16 Jan 01 - 01:05 PM (#375417) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: LR Mole God, for me is something I call,"Oh, I am SO lost," and at other times, "How lovely!" But when I call it, "Let me help," or just laugh, I know I'm closer than I was. Circles, you know... |
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16 Jan 01 - 03:42 PM (#375571) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Kim C I am with Wesley except that I do believe in hell because I am a believer in yin and yang, the balance of the universe, Newton's law, whatever you want to call it. I know there are a lot of people who don't believe in hell, and you know what? That's okay by me. I believe God is that great power of the Universe that we could tap into and live like kings and queens but so many are unwilling to do so, for whatever reason... |
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16 Jan 01 - 03:56 PM (#375578) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Wesley S Kim - I agree about the ying and yang but what if Heaven is the ying and THIS world is the yang?? Hmmmmmm....... |
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16 Jan 01 - 04:03 PM (#375583) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: SeanM I really like a quote that's mildly OT for this... but here goes... "Hell is only there for those who believe in it... and the lowest rung must be reserved for those who believe they'll be sent there if they don't believe in it. Heaven is only there for those who deserve it... and the highest rung must be reserved for those who don't believe they deserve it" I'm not entirely behind the quote, but there's a kernel of something sage in there somewhere... M |
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16 Jan 01 - 05:38 PM (#375667) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: GUEST,Blind deasert pete I do surely get sick of gandi worship. His name was mohandas, not mahatma, he drank piss, slept with little girls, and had he been dealing with nazis instead of brits no one would have ever heard of him. |
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16 Jan 01 - 05:40 PM (#375670) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Kim C Wesley, I have often wondered that myself. :) |
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16 Jan 01 - 05:46 PM (#375673) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief Well, we made it this far without the nasties raising their ugly heads; we were pushing our luck.
Then leaf subsides to leaf Alex |
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16 Jan 01 - 06:07 PM (#375690) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Haruo Spaw & Alex, I think the phrase you're arguing about is not the Tetragrammaton, but, as Spaw you later corrected yourself, the name the YHWH that spoke to Moshe from the burning bush. Moses said, essentially, "What's your name? If you want me to be your spokesman you'd better tell me who to tell people I'm spokesing for." And the Being in the Bush replied, "[Hebrew consonants]", which (depending on the vowels supplied, the context, and the taste of the interpreter) is usually translated "I AM that I am", but can be rendered "I will be what I will be", "I will do what I will do", and lots of variations and expansions thereon. It's early in Exodus if anybody wants to look it up, probably about chapter 3. Liland |
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16 Jan 01 - 06:08 PM (#375693) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Hey Wes and Kim..........What if its the other way around? Spaw |
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16 Jan 01 - 06:17 PM (#375700) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief I'll stand on my belief that Moses would never say anything like "spokesing." Spaw, if it's the other way around, we're in a world of hurt! Alex |
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16 Jan 01 - 06:45 PM (#375719) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: CarolC Re: Mohandas Ghandi. The more I learn about him, the less inclined I am to put him up on any kind of moral pedestal. Actually, I don't think it's very kind to put people up on moral pedestals anyway. But, he was a man of his times and of his culture. However, he did make some pretty significant contributions to the world. We learned a lot about the power of passive resistance through his activities. I think that's a really huge thing to have contributed to the world. Carol |
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16 Jan 01 - 06:49 PM (#375724) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Yeah, I'd agree with that Alex....and this is already too often a world of "hurt." Spaw |
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16 Jan 01 - 06:50 PM (#375726) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: mousethief Amen, Spaw. |
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16 Jan 01 - 07:29 PM (#375766) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Haruo Amen to all three of you, Spaw, Carol, Alex. Actually, Spaw, Moshe didn't say "spokesing"; I snuck that in to see if I could get away with it. Liland |
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16 Jan 01 - 08:14 PM (#375794) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Little Hawk Had Gandhi been dealing with someone other than the Brits, he would probably have dealt with them differently. He wasn't stupid. He did amazing things in India which will not be forgotten, and thus deserves to be remembered. As for drinking urine, that is done by a lot of Eastern adepts. Strange to the western mind, but it reputedly has certain health benefits. We do strange things here too, which horrify people in some other cultures. So? Who really cares? - LH |
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17 Jan 01 - 01:12 AM (#375936) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Lox Actually, Ghandi did exactly the same things in South Africa. lox PS "where 2 or more people gather in my name, I am with them" (I don't know if it's true or not, but it's another nice thought) |
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18 Jan 01 - 05:42 PM (#377279) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Penny S. I had a post half written, but was called away for a practical instead of theory test. So I'll dump that one, and go back to Eeyore. Miserable and pessimistic, but think of the birthday presents. Pooh has eaten his, and Piglet has burst his, but Eeyore sends them away happy by finding the empty honey pot ideal for putting things in, and the balloon ideal for putting in it. How negative is that? Penny |
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18 Jan 01 - 07:05 PM (#377328) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Paul G. Get hold of the song "God Is In" by Billy Jonas...God Is In, Goddess In, God is Zen, God is Sin, Got Us In...very cool tune that covers all the bases. |
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19 Jan 01 - 11:53 AM (#377792) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Little Hawk This has been a good thread. It has almost reached 100, and a lot of good postings on it. Spaw - YOU'RE the guy with his hand up the elephant's ass??? Well, I should have guessed that, I suppose. BTW, not only is God "whatever you think he is"...so is everything else! Yowsa! - LH |
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19 Jan 01 - 12:11 PM (#377812) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: little john cameron Are we gettin ony nearer the answer?? ljc |
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19 Jan 01 - 06:40 PM (#378115) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: grumpy al What is God?? Could be that God is a convenient name that refers to a Universal energy source, or it could be Dog spelt backwards the choice is yours! The Grumps |
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19 Jan 01 - 06:42 PM (#378117) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: grumpy al Got any Dalmations??? the Grumps |
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19 Jan 01 - 07:06 PM (#378130) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: catspaw49 Nope.....Got a blue, longhair Weimaraner though..........
Spaw |
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20 Jan 01 - 04:55 PM (#378596) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: GUEST,winterbright I have a cat. Is that significant? |
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20 Jan 01 - 05:36 PM (#378613) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: Little Hawk Well, I'd bet that the cat thinks it's significant! Knowing cats...I've owned cats who obviously were of the opinion that THEY were God. As for dogs, they usually seem to think that their owner is God. Nice dog, Spaw! Great Jpeg! - LH |
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20 Jan 01 - 06:17 PM (#378631) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: SeanM I have seen the eyes of the Dog! He's three posts up... All dogma aside (rimshot), my view of any religion tends to be tainted from over-reading (Joseph Campbell and Twain did a lot of damage). It's left me without the ability or desire to believe in a 'god' as portrayed by any of the major monotheistic religions that scatter the theological landscape, but it's also given me a wicked sense of humour when dealing with our area Jehovah's Witnesses - you haven't had fun until you've drug out the 'folk tales' from ancient religions predating Christianity that closely mirror most of the 'miracles' in the bible. They tend to get rather put off by that. So aside from the definition from dictionary.com that I put up earlier, what does 'god' mean to me? I'd have to say that it's an unknowable variable. If god is everything and everywhere, then there will never be a way to divine its true nature, as to do so would be to become god. If god is NOT, then first off the religions have some major recalibration to accomplish, and second... is it god, then? Sheesh... thinking like this give Mongo headache. Mongo go drink beer now. M |
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20 Jan 01 - 06:22 PM (#378634) Subject: RE: What does the word 'God' mean to you? From: SeanM Sheesh... this will be post 107. Continue thread over here. Thank you, Apprentice Link Fairy SeanM |