The Definition and Existence of God

[The Celtic Viking]

Yahweh means "I am", when Moses asks "Who are you?" that is God's answer, but it is also used as his name, since he never gives us an actual name.

What is the relevance of this? I did not ask what "Yahweh" translates into, I asked for a definition of "god". Telling me that Yahweh means "I am" does not tell me what "god" is. That is what I want to know.

You have said that you don't know, but I am still puzzled as to how you then can believe in it. It would seem to me that to believe X exist, you must first know what X is. To bring it up again, do you believe that "Xrathla" exist?

Ok, you don't get it. That's fine.

No, it isn't. I am not fine with remaining ignorant, so if you see something that I do not understand, I expect you to fill me in. If you refuse to do this, I can only conclude that you are either lying, wrong, or an intellectual elitist, and I do not appreciate the first or the last.

You can at least try, you know.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

What is the relevance of this? I did not ask what "Yahweh" translates into, I asked for a definition of "god". Telling me that Yahweh means "I am" does not tell me what "god" is. That is what I want to know.

I was clarifying the point you queried, "I am" is the only thing even approaching a name I have for Him. He, Lord, God, these are just titles.

You have said that you don't know, but I am still puzzled as to how you then can believe in it. It would seem to me that to believe X exist, you must first know what X is. To bring it up again, do you believe that "Xrathla" exist?

I also believe Love exists (Adrian is free to classify this as a psychiatric disorder as well, I won't dissagree ), I also can't define "love"

I'm fine with that, too.

No, it isn't. I am not fine with remaining ignorant, so if you see something that I do not understand, I expect you to fill me in. If you refuse to do this, I can only conclude that you are either lying, wrong, or an intellectual elitist, and I do not appreciate the first or the last.

You can at least try, you know.

None of the above. You are asking me to do something I am unable to, that is why I am refusing. I'm not lying I can't explain it, and it's not a matter of intellectual knowledge, so I'm not an elitist.

You already believe I'm wrong anyway, because you don't believe God exists. If you did, you'd go ask him.

[Adrian II]

I also believe Love exists (Adrian is free to classify this as a psychiatric disorder as well, I won't dissagree ), I also can't define "love"

I can. Love is a feeling of profound affection and solicitude toward a person.

Now, where were we?

Ah yes. We were talking about my backyard. I have a ghost in my backyard, you see. It lives among the trees. I have never seen or heard it, nor has anyone else that I know of, but I just know it is there. And it wants us humans to do things. My neighbour told me to seek professional help, but I think I am going to file for a tax exemption instead, for a couple of clauses in our constititution that protect my ghost and me from insults and harassment, and start a school to teach kids about my ghost and what it wants from us.

You´ll be hearing from me, though I could not say as yet in which section of your newspaper. Lifestyle. Amusement. Crime. Science maybe. I am keeping my options open.

[ajaxfetish]

I can. Love is a feeling of profound affection and solicitude toward a person.

I love cheese.
I love to sleep.
I love music.
I love how difficult it is to define things.

Ajax

[Adrian II]

No, I think it's much more than that, I would die for those I truly love in the way I would die for my principles, I cannot simple asign that to "affection", now can I explicate the feeling of peace which I have only in their presence as "solicitude".

Here you describe what love means to you or what effect love has on you or how important it is to you, like 'makes me want to dance' or 'is the only thing that makes my life worthwhile'. What love does for you, money may do for others. Yet nobody would define money as 'something I would die for, makes me want to dance, something that puts me at rest when I possess it'.

On the one hand you profess a inability to define the thing you are talking about, on the other you profess to know all sorts of things about this definiendum: it is one, yet is has two natures, and it sits at its own right hand side. Such statements literally mean nothing. If a psychiatrist encounters them in a patient, he will regard them as 'word salad', a notorious symptom of schizophrenia.

The parallels are striking. There is primary and secondary gain in religion, just as there is in psychiatric disorders. And there is similar resistance to treatment. Many a patient is dismayed, shocked or even insulted if a psychiatrist tells them, however diplomatically, that they are stark raving mad and should get treatment lest they harm themselves and others. They have usually 'invested' a lot in their illness, their whole life may have come to revolve around it, so they are very reluctant to accept their disorder.

[Rhyfelwyr]

Adrian, what happened to you man? You used to be cool.

Remember you said I should go with my beliefs regardless of what people think? But now I'm mentally ill and just need to see a psychiatrist?

[Adrian II]

Remember you said I should go with my beliefs regardless of what people think?

No. I said you should read and study whatever you felt was important, regardless of whether other people subscribed to that. I never promised a free pass for religion.

The fact that I encouraged you to stand up for your beliefs whilst disagreeing with them makes me extremely cool.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Yet nobody would define money as 'something I would die for, makes me want to dance, something that puts me at rest when I possess it'.

I'll thank you to speak for yourself, Mr Communism.

[Adrian II]

I'll thank you to speak for yourself, Mr Communism.

Speaking of which, I was just thinking what a definition of ´quark´ in the manner of Philipvs would look like...

Quark: subatomic particle that made Mr Murray Gell-Mann a rich man, and oh, it was actually discovered by James Joyce but I don´t like him.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I can. Love is a feeling of profound affection and solicitude toward a person.

No, I think it's much more than that, I would die for those I truly love in the way I would die for my principles, I cannot simple asign that to "affection", now can I explicate the feeling of peace which I have only in their presence as "solicitude".

Now, where were we?

Ah yes. We were talking about my backyard. I have a ghost in my backyard, you see. It lives among the trees. I have never seen or heard it, nor has anyone else that I know of, but I just know it is there. And it wants us humans to do things. My neighbour told me to seek professional help, but I think I am going to file for a tax exemption instead, for a couple of clauses in our constititution that protect my ghost and me from insults and harassment, and start a school to teach kids about my ghost and what it wants from us.

You´ll be hearing from me, though I could not say as yet in which section of your newspaper. Lifestyle. Amusement. Crime. Science maybe. I am keeping my options open.

Ok, but all the ghosts I've ever heard of at least talk to you, so does my God.