# What is a "god"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 8, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153 "2013-04-08T14:16:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/161 "2013-04-24T10:35:02Z")
> [@pjnlsn](#): > > Well, whatever. It’s still not likely. It happens with great frequency now. Exactly why I don’t know. It is real. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/162 "2013-04-24T11:06:58Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > I tell everything in my book. I think you are upsetting Czarcasm by talking to me. _ **They** _ won’t let me tell here. By “They”, do you mean a corporeal entity or a being only you are aware of? (Italics and Bolding mine) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/163 "2013-04-24T11:21:35Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > As I understand it, no. See Zoroastrianism. > > The Perfect Master: [Who Invented Paradise?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2338/who-invented-paradise) > > [http://www.religioustolerance.org/zoroastr2.htm](http://www.religioustolerance.org/zoroastr2.htm) > > And of course > [Ahura Mazda - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahura_Mazda) A supreme being, Paradise, Hell, an infernal opponent, a savior born of a virgin etc.-Does Christianity have _any_ original ideas at all? ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/164 "2013-04-24T11:41:25Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > A supreme being, Paradise, Hell, an infernal opponent, a savior born of a virgin etc.-Does Christianity have _any_ original ideas at all? Well, having your god nailed to a cross and left to die there, by puny mortal humans, is rather unique. Wouldn’t you say? But then they get all schizo on how he came alive again and then sort of melted with his father but is still seperate but also one with some sort of spirit. And he will come back…but that is nothing to be happy about because that will be the end of the world. ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/165 "2013-04-24T13:39:00Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > By “They”, do you mean a corporeal entity or a being only you are aware of? (Italics and Bolding mine) When I post my experience or things from my site the people in charge have told me not to do that, so I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/166 "2013-04-24T13:46:16Z")
> [@Latro](#): > > Well, having your god nailed to a cross and left to die there, by puny mortal humans, is rather unique. Wouldn’t you say? > But then they get all schizo on how he came alive again and then sort of melted with his father but is still seperate but also one with some sort of spirit. > > And he will come back…but that is nothing to be happy about because that will be the end of the world. Jesus never said He was God or a Saviour. There is much interpretation given to the Bible that is not there. Jesus is not coming back and there is no hell. The concept of hell came from Dante’s Inferno and not the Bible. The reason Jesus allow His own crucifixion is to show that life goes on after death. He taught love one another, and He meant it. ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/167 "2013-04-24T14:06:07Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Jesus never said He was God or a Saviour. There is much interpretation given to the Bible that is not there. Jesus is not coming back and there is no hell. The concept of hell came from Dante’s Inferno and not the Bible. The reason Jesus allow His own crucifixion is to show that life goes on after death. He taught love one another, and He meant it. What Jesus actually said or may have believed is neither here nor there. What _christians_ believe is. The vast majority of Christians believe Jesus =God=Holy Spirit and they believe hell to be a place of eternal torment, where the bad people go. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/168 "2013-04-24T14:06:20Z")
Are there any besides the J/C god that are said to be just as powerful as he is attributed to be that are currently being worshipped? ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/169 "2013-04-24T14:50:00Z")
> [@Latro](#): > > What Jesus actually said or may have believed is neither here nor there. > What _christians_ believe is. The vast majority of Christians believe Jesus =God=Holy Spirit and they believe hell to be a place of eternal torment, where the bad people go. Why would that matter if not true? ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/170 "2013-04-24T14:53:01Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Are there any besides the J/C god that are said to be just as powerful as he is attributed to be that are currently being worshipped? Not in reality. Technically there is only one God. We are all a part of that God. That God does not require worship rather something much harder to do --Love ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/171 "2013-04-24T14:56:21Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Not in reality. Technically there is only one God. We are all a part of that God. > > That God does not require worship rather something much harder to do --Love This isn’t a thread exclusively about your particular religion, as you’ve been told before. ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/172 "2013-04-24T15:03:02Z")
[QUOTE=lekatt] Jesus never said He was God or a Saviour [/QUOTE] > [@lekatt](#): > > Why would that matter if not true? Why do you keep asking questions that do not pertain to the topic under discussion? question was: > [@Czarcasm](#): > > A supreme being, Paradise, Hell, an infernal opponent, a savior born of a virgin etc.-Does Christianity have _any_ original ideas at all? answer pertaining to question is: > [@Latro](#): > > Well, having your god nailed to a cross and left to die there, by puny mortal humans, is rather unique. Wouldn’t you say? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/173 "2013-04-24T15:05:55Z")
There is that one twist at the end, I admit. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/174 "2013-04-24T15:11:04Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Are there any besides the J/C god that are said to be just as powerful as he is attributed to be that are currently being worshipped? I believe 1.7 billion muslems would argue that Allah is pretty great. Hindu deities are far too many to enumerate but together they represent about 1 billion followers who think their gods are collectively pretty special. Buddha is just out of the medals with a fourth place finish. Possibly having to do with his high BMI and lax training program. The rest trail the field. But you know all this, or could easily look it up. So where you headed with this question? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/175 "2013-04-24T15:20:23Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I believe 1.7 billion muslems would argue that Allah is pretty great. > > Hindu deities are far too many to enumerate but together they represent about 1 billion followers who think their gods are collectively pretty special. > > Buddha is just out of the medals with a fourth place finish. Possibly having to do with his high BMI and lax training program. > > The rest trail the field. > > But you know all this, or could easily look it up. So where you headed with this question? I’m just curious about what different people think of when the word “god” pops up, besides the J/C god that is all everything. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/176 "2013-04-24T15:31:13Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > No I mean it was proven years ago, but some still don’t understand. > > A person goes into cardiac arrest and clinical dies. Later he returns to life. > He can then describe what happened while he was dead. Conclusion: > life continues after the clinical death of the body and brain. Many universities have > studied this and concur. Blind people can see while they are dead. Handicapped can move and do as they want, etc. > > I would not say this if it were not true, there is much research, and I experienced it myself and no it was not an hallucination it was real as they all are. It is OK with me > if you don’t believe. Truth is truth no matter what anyone believes. > [@lekatt](#): > > If you are curious you can read books about them. There are hundreds of them in print including mine. My pen name is Ken Katin. There are also a ton of them on UTube and the Internet. > [@lekatt](#): > > I tell everything in my book. I think you are upsetting Czarcasm by talking to me. They won’t let me tell here. However, you are the one who dragged this stuff into this thread. None of this has to do with a definition of what god is and your insistence on bringing it into every thread in which you post is not appropriate. Simply do not post this. **pjnlsn** , (and anyone else), if you actually want to have this discussion, e-mail **lekatt**. Do not continue to drag it out on the SDMB. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/177 "2013-04-24T16:42:42Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > However, you are the one who dragged this stuff into this thread. > None of this has to do with a definition of what god is and your insistence on bringing it into every thread in which you post is not appropriate. > > Simply do not post this. > > **pjnlsn** , (and anyone else), if you actually want to have this discussion, e-mail **lekatt**. Do not continue to drag it out on the SDMB. > > [/Moderating] Nice to hear from you Tom ---
**Author:** ![pjnlsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e8c25b/32.png) [@pjnlsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjnlsn)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/178 "2013-04-24T21:42:27Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > It happens with great frequency now. Exactly why I don’t know. It is real. What I wrote was that it’s more likely that death is simply not black-and-white rather than that there is an afterlife, or that people have ‘souls’ or some essence which has no physical tether. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/179 "2013-04-24T21:52:17Z")
> [@pjnlsn](#): > > What I wrote was that it’s more likely that death is simply not black-and-white rather than that there is an afterlife, or that people have ‘souls’ or some essence which has no physical tether. Did you happen to see post #176? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153/180 "2013-04-25T00:03:59Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > A supreme being, Paradise, Hell, an infernal opponent, a savior born of a virgin etc.-Does Christianity have _any_ original ideas at all? Christianity is Judaism adapted for pagans. One of its adaptive strengths is in stripping out the awkward parts of what preceded: advocating adult male circumcision isn’t a great way to attract converts for example. Those interested in evolving Judaic takes on adult circumcision are directed here: [Conversion to Judaism - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_to_Judaism#Early_debate_on_requirement_for_circumcision) > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Are there any besides the J/C god that are said to be just as powerful as he is attributed to be that are currently being worshipped? Zoroastrians still exist, though they do not proselytize and they discourage inter-marriage. They probably worship the same J/C/I God though (or rather, that’s the conventional ecumenical take). Fundis can differ on that point. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-god/655153.md?page=10)