God

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In English, '''God''' is the name given to the deity of [[Christianity]], [[Judaism]], and [[Islam]].  When used generally, '''god''' can refer to any deity. God may be credited with being animate or inanimate, or even having a nature which transcends existence itself. To adherents of a religion, their god undeniably exists; non-adherents, by definition, do not share this belief, and hence would deny the existence of the god. It would seem to make little sense to seriously discuss the existence of a particular god, as gods tend to be mutually exclusive.
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==Ideas of God==
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[[Image:SistineGod.jpg|thumb|200px|right|God looks remarkably like an elderly Italian man]]
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* [[Monotheism|Monotheists]] believe that there is a single entity which is the supreme being, responsible for the creation of the Universe. This god usually nurtures its creation, watches over proceedings, and intervenes. Claims made for such a god can verge on the dramatic: omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent. Such claims may be hyperbole inherited from less-enlightened times. Adherents of the religion wishing to honour their god credit him with supreme powers, without considering whether or not such powers might be self-contradictory. 
  
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* [[Polytheism|Polytheists]] believe that there are multiple divine entities, which are usually responsible for different aspects of human life and the natural or supernatural world. Pure polytheism implies that these entities are worshiped more or less equally, according to the needs of the individual worshiper, but several other subtypes exist:
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** [[Henotheist]]s, like pure polytheists, recognize a pantheon of gods, but only worship one of these at a time.
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** [[Monolatrist]]s believe that while multiple gods of similar power exist, only one of these is worthy of worship.
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* [[Agnostic]]s would contend that it is impossible to determine whether or not God exists, and that arguments about the existence or non-existence of God are counterproductive.  Other agnostics maintain that, as it is very difficult to prove a negative, and hence absolutely disprove Gods (or God) exist, then the most logical scientific position is that of extreme skepticism.  A position fractionally short of atheism. 
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* [[Atheism|Atheists]] do not believe in deities.  There are many types of atheism, discussed elsewhere, but generally atheists can be classified as ''pragmatic'', where they live life as if no gods exist, or ''theoretical'' where they make an explicit statement of lack of belief in gods and back this up with logical arguments.
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==Proof of God's Existence==
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Throughout history, various arguments have been proposed that supposedly prove God's existence. Sadly for their proponents, none of these arguments has yet been successful.
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*[[Thomistic cosmological argument]]
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*[[wp:Ontological argument | Ontological argument]]
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==Discussion==
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God, in the most extravagant terms described by monotheists, simply cannot exist, as the very concept leads to logical impossibilities<ref>For example, no being can be both omniscient and omnipotent. An omniscient being would know everything, including the course of its own future actions; this means that it would be unable to change them, and hence would be denied free will; this denies omnipotence. Conversely, an omnipotent being can do anything, including change its own mind about what it can do, even up to the last moment prior to acting. That means that any attempt at omniscience would fail. This argument is explored in depth in Augustine c. 415, ''The City of God'', and elsewhere</ref> The validity of this argument is a matter subject to questioning, however, it poses an interesting mental exercise. For many rational believers however, there are versions of God which appear to be at least logically possible, and as it is impossible to prove that something does not exist, even the most hardened skeptic has to concede that there is a remote possibility that such a being might conceivably exist in some form or another.
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However, in rational terms, logic and evidence appears to dictate that there almost certainly is no requirement for God to exist in the monotheistic sense<ref> See for example, the [[God of the gaps]] article</ref>, and it can be argued that the existence of God leads to logical contradictions. <ref> The Transcendental Argument for the Non-Existence of God concludes that Logic, Science and Morality are inconsistent with the existence of God. see http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/michael_martin/martin-frame/tang.html </ref>.
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==See Also==
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*[[Babel Fish]]
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*[http://www.400monkeys.com/God/index.html The Official God F.A.Q.]
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*[http://www.humanthoughts.org/ Oh, here, too...]
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==References==
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<references/>
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[[Category:Religion]]

Revision as of 20:38, 25 October 2007

Conservlogo late april.png
For those living in an alternate reality, Conservapedia has an "article" about God

In English, God is the name given to the deity of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. When used generally, god can refer to any deity. God may be credited with being animate or inanimate, or even having a nature which transcends existence itself. To adherents of a religion, their god undeniably exists; non-adherents, by definition, do not share this belief, and hence would deny the existence of the god. It would seem to make little sense to seriously discuss the existence of a particular god, as gods tend to be mutually exclusive.

Contents

Ideas of God

God looks remarkably like an elderly Italian man
  • Monotheists believe that there is a single entity which is the supreme being, responsible for the creation of the Universe. This god usually nurtures its creation, watches over proceedings, and intervenes. Claims made for such a god can verge on the dramatic: omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent. Such claims may be hyperbole inherited from less-enlightened times. Adherents of the religion wishing to honour their god credit him with supreme powers, without considering whether or not such powers might be self-contradictory.
  • Polytheists believe that there are multiple divine entities, which are usually responsible for different aspects of human life and the natural or supernatural world. Pure polytheism implies that these entities are worshiped more or less equally, according to the needs of the individual worshiper, but several other subtypes exist:
    • Henotheists, like pure polytheists, recognize a pantheon of gods, but only worship one of these at a time.
    • Monolatrists believe that while multiple gods of similar power exist, only one of these is worthy of worship.
  • Agnostics would contend that it is impossible to determine whether or not God exists, and that arguments about the existence or non-existence of God are counterproductive. Other agnostics maintain that, as it is very difficult to prove a negative, and hence absolutely disprove Gods (or God) exist, then the most logical scientific position is that of extreme skepticism. A position fractionally short of atheism.
  • Atheists do not believe in deities. There are many types of atheism, discussed elsewhere, but generally atheists can be classified as pragmatic, where they live life as if no gods exist, or theoretical where they make an explicit statement of lack of belief in gods and back this up with logical arguments.

Proof of God's Existence

Throughout history, various arguments have been proposed that supposedly prove God's existence. Sadly for their proponents, none of these arguments has yet been successful.

Discussion

God, in the most extravagant terms described by monotheists, simply cannot exist, as the very concept leads to logical impossibilities[1] The validity of this argument is a matter subject to questioning, however, it poses an interesting mental exercise. For many rational believers however, there are versions of God which appear to be at least logically possible, and as it is impossible to prove that something does not exist, even the most hardened skeptic has to concede that there is a remote possibility that such a being might conceivably exist in some form or another.

However, in rational terms, logic and evidence appears to dictate that there almost certainly is no requirement for God to exist in the monotheistic sense[2], and it can be argued that the existence of God leads to logical contradictions. [3].

See Also

References

  1. For example, no being can be both omniscient and omnipotent. An omniscient being would know everything, including the course of its own future actions; this means that it would be unable to change them, and hence would be denied free will; this denies omnipotence. Conversely, an omnipotent being can do anything, including change its own mind about what it can do, even up to the last moment prior to acting. That means that any attempt at omniscience would fail. This argument is explored in depth in Augustine c. 415, The City of God, and elsewhere
  2. See for example, the God of the gaps article
  3. The Transcendental Argument for the Non-Existence of God concludes that Logic, Science and Morality are inconsistent with the existence of God. see http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/michael_martin/martin-frame/tang.html
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