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There was a thread on the Idea of God that got locked unfortunately. There are currently several threads on God but not one on what God is. Here is a lecture on defining God per Advaita Vedanta by Swami Sarvapriyananda that some may find interesting. I found it so. Thought I would share it. It is long, over an hour, and requires attention.
There was a thread on the Idea of God that got locked unfortunately. There are currently several threads on God but not one on what God is. Here is a lecture on defining God per Advaita Vedanta by Swami Sarvapriyananda that some may find interesting. I found it so. Thought I would share it. It is long, over an hour, and requires attention. https://youtu.be/CoF0pOcKOCc
Words & terms are symbols people write/produce and sounds that are made to convey information or an idea to those that understand the language or communication system.
We have experts that provide formal definitions & meanings of words/terms...to inform as to what those symbols/sounds represent.
"G-O-D" as a word/term is formally defined: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/god
There are others...and some add their own personal definitions and interpretation of how "G-O-D" is defined and what that word/term means.
Any and all of those represent "G-O-D". That is how God is defined.
..."God is an unintelligible sphere who's circumference is nowhere and center is everywhere"...that's Arthur Shopenhauer's definition, he's kind of saying, 'good luck defining God'...
..."God is an unintelligible sphere who's circumference is nowhere and center is everywhere"...that's Arthur Shopenhauer's definition, he's kind of saying, 'good luck defining God'...
Hmm. I cannot find that particular quote anywhere. Something similar "God is an intelligible/infinite sphere who's circumference is nowhere and center is everywhere" exists in some other texts. None ascribed Schopenhauer. One has to be careful because there are made up quotes ascribed to all kinds of people on the internet.
Schopenhauer was quite influenced by the Upanishads, reading a translation in German, from a translation of Persian from the original Sanskrit.
Schopenhauer’s doctrine of the world as representation, or a flow of impressions appearing in the consciousness of living beings, is first considered. The convergence between this teaching and Indian idealism, especially the doctrine of illusory appearance (maya), has long been recognized. Schopenhauer himself was aware of it, emphasizing that it was the result not of influence but of a remarkable convergence between Eastern and Western thought.
Words & terms are symbols people write/produce and sounds that are made to convey information or an idea to those that understand the language or communication system.
We have experts that provide formal definitions & meanings of words/terms...to inform as to what those symbols/sounds represent.
"G-O-D" as a word/term is formally defined: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/god
There are others...and some add their own personal definitions and interpretation of how "G-O-D" is defined and what that word/term means.
Any and all of those represent "G-O-D". That is how God is defined.
Thank you for your response. Am i right that consider yourself a Pantheist?
Are you saying then you let Merriam-Webster define what God is for you? If I misunderstand can you please clarify?
Since we Christians know that God is a personal being, it's not so simple to offer up a general definition.
It's even more complicated than asking to define a particular human being. How does one define cb2008 or EscAlaMike?
To define God, I think it's most helpful to start as broadly as possible and work our way in.
The broadest definition of God I know of is that God is the First Cause.
To define God, I think it's most helpful to start as broadly as possible and work our way in.
The broadest definition of God I know of is that God is the First Cause.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cb2008
The bolded makes sense to me as well.
I readily concede that there may very well be a myriad of powerful, supernatural spiritual beings in existence. In fact, I do believe that. However, it is not right or proper to call them "God" or "gods". Since "God" is the First Cause, there can only be one.
There was a thread on the Idea of God that got locked unfortunately. There are currently several threads on God but not one on what God is. Here is a lecture on defining God per Advaita Vedanta by Swami Sarvapriyananda that some may find interesting. I found it so. Thought I would share it. It is long, over an hour, and requires attention.
Now ^ that right there will require a vivid imagination
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Anyone interested in understanding the perspective of Advaita Vedanta would find the link valuable.
