The other conversation got shut down due to popularity. In it you said the following:

>For some of us, "God" is just a word for something we don't have a better word for.

The only problem I have with this approach is that the word "God" carries with it baggage. In common usage in the United States it is not outside the realm of reasonableness to assume that when someone uses the name "God" they are referring to the christian god (or atleast the core characteristics that most christians subscribe to). For someone to carry on a conversation about "God" and not clarify that they are not referring to the common understanding of that word seems strange. And it begs the question: Why not refer to what you are calling God as simply The Unknown? By your definition that is all that it is. Why muddy the waters with this word usage.

And, what does it mean to say, "God (simply defined as anything we don't know) created the Universe?"

. . . groups of dyslexic priests get together and ask the question:

"Is there a Dog?"

The answer is yes. There is a dog. And he's the cutest cuddliest, huggliest doggy there's ever been.

And if you don't agree, you're going to rot in hell.

think of the word "God", if that word carries "baggage" for you, I'd have to say that's a personal problem.
At any rate, you don't get to tell others how they can define "God" or conceptualize the universe. Your seeming need to do so appears to be yet another personal problem.

BadGirl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> think of the word "God", if that word carries
> "baggage" for you, I'd have to say that's a
> personal problem.
> At any rate, you don't get to tell others how they
> can define "God" or conceptualize the universe.
> Your seeming need to do so appears to be yet
> another personal problem.

I'm not sure my affinity for clear discourse is a personal problem. When someone decides to use a word in a way that is not defined in its common usage it muddies the water. Why not further communication by using common terminology.

At any rate, I'm not telling you how to define "God". I am just curious why you would call something we already have a name for, "God".

Care to answer my original questions?

Mad Viking, BadGirl seems to be more interested in laying blame or throwing aspersions than debating the philosophy of God and why people need a God. I think its a waste of time to continue.

I'm only back on the board for a short while now after a several year hiatus. So, I am not familiar with any exchanges anyone has had with BadGirl up until this point. However, her response to my honest and civil inquiries is certainly telling.

I believe in this (although I can't for the life of me remember where I heard/read it):

That thing which a man turns to when all is lost in life is his "god".

I always thought that pretty much sums it up.

Ron

I'm not sure what that means. Was the lower case "g" intentional?