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met·a·phor
ˈmetəˌfôr,-fər/ noun
noun: metaphor; plural noun: metaphors 1.
a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
Why are you trying so hard to fit yourself into the "believer in god" category that you have to resort to metaphors to be a member of the group? We are referring to deities in this religious forum, not some made up metaphors. Sure, you can believe whatever you want to believe, but why call it god? Higher consciousness is higher consciousness. Reality is reality. The universe is the universe. Why not call a spade a spade? I'm sure the believers in this forum don't think of their god as just a metaphor.
As for you claiming that you are not an atheist because atheists don't believe in god.....yes we do not believe in deities (gods), but we do/can believe in reality and higher consciousness and experiences (what you call "god"). Based on your metaphorical usage of "god" then you could also be defined as an atheist since atheists are not precluded from believing in whatever made-up metaphorical usages of "god" that people come up with. We just don't label those things "god".
"GOD" isn't just definitive of Deities.
"GOD" is a title that can be assigned to anything or anyone that is conceptualized and perceived as such.
Assigning the title "GOD" to something or someone is not necessarily inferring a metaphorical reference to that something or someone being considered a Deity.
If it is determined that it is best to, "call a spade a spade"...I suggest those that are hung-up on "GOD" only being a reference to Deities, should just leave the title "GOD" out of it and just say "Deities".
Especially as respects the issue of "existence".
"GOD" isn't just definitive of Deities.
"GOD" is a title that can be assigned to anything or anyone that is conceptualized and perceived as such.
Assigning the title "GOD" to something or someone is not necessarily inferring a metaphorical reference to that something or someone being considered a Deity.
If it is determined that it is best to, "call a spade a spade"...I suggest those that are hung-up on "GOD" only being a reference to Deities, should just leave the title "GOD" out of it and just say "Deities".
Especially as respects the issue of "existence".
Goldie, I can't believe you trotted this out again! I mean making a mistake is one thing, but we should learn from it, right?
The last time we were discussing this you trotted this one out, but you had to give it up, becasue your "expert definers" give deity the same problem as god, they have a definition that does not refer to divine beings or forces.
From the Mirriam-Webster dictionary on deity:
3 : one exalted or revered as supremely good or powerful
So you cannot use deity as a substitute for god if you do not use context to determine what is being discussed, an important person or thing, or a divine being. If you can use context, then "G-O-D" is perfectly acceptable, and can be used in multiple contexts. We can talk about guitar gods, theatre gods ( balconies) and Abrahamic gods all without getting confused. Except you...
I really thought you had gotten past this in our last email exchange, you seemed to understand that conflating contexts is misleading and counterproductive to understanding or discussion...
All I am seeing in the OP is that the OP thinks "god" is some kind of metaphor. As such I am unsure what the OP wants to discuss, prove or disprove here. Could someone enlighten me further?
Goldie, I can't believe you trotted this out again! I mean making a mistake is one thing, but we should learn from it, right?
The last time we were discussing this you trotted this one out, but you had to give it up, becasue your "expert definers" give deity the same problem as god, they have a definition that does not refer to divine beings or forces.
From the Mirriam-Webster dictionary on deity:
3 : one exalted or revered as supremely good or powerful
So you cannot use deity as a substitute for god if you do not use context to determine what is being discussed, an important person or thing, or a divine being. If you can use context, then "G-O-D" is perfectly acceptable, and can be used in multiple contexts. We can talk about guitar gods, theatre gods ( balconies) and Abrahamic gods all without getting confused. Except you...
I really thought you had gotten past this in our last email exchange, you seemed to understand that conflating contexts is misleading and counterproductive to understanding or discussion...
-NoCapo
"Gave it up"...what would make you think I "gave it up"?
"GOD" can be a "Deity"...but doesn't necessarily have to be.
But some don't perceive "GOD" outside of "Deities". So, they should just say "Deities".
I'm not confused at all. I understand it all just fine. Especially the "GOD Allergy" that keeps some from acknowledging that "GOD" is perceived and conceptualized outside of Religious Deities, and includes that which certainly exists in our reality.
All I am seeing in the OP is that the OP thinks "god" is some kind of metaphor. As such I am unsure what the OP wants to discuss, prove or disprove here. Could someone enlighten me further?
Sure...I'll enlighten you.
The OP perceives "GOD" as a metaphor. Metaphors exist. Thus, "God" exists to the OP.
If "GOD" exists to anybody, as anything/anyone that does actually exist...then "GOD" does, in fact, exist.
On that basis..."GOD" exists. The disagreement others may have about that basis not withstanding.
Matter of fact...I like the OPs concept here. Though I do understand that those afflicted with "Godophobia" won't think it's too cool.
"Gave it up"...what would make you think I "gave it up"?
"GOD" can be a "Deity"...but doesn't necessarily have to be.
But some don't perceive "GOD" outside of "Deities". So, they should just say "Deities".
I'm not confused at all. I understand it all just fine. Especially the "GOD Allergy" that keeps some from acknowledging that "GOD" is perceived and conceptualized outside of Religious Deities, and includes that which certainly exists in our reality.
But a Diety doesn't have to be a transcendent, supernatural being or force. It can be a thing or person exalted as supremely good or powerful. It is functionally equivalent to god (with the exception of referring to balconies). God = deity, for all senses of the word except architecture...
Read Mirriam-Webster, your "expert definer" if you don't believe me. You need to use a different word besides deity to convey your point. I just can't believe you have such a poor memory for this... We have had this exact conversation before.
The OP perceives "GOD" as a metaphor. Metaphors exist. Thus, "God" exists to the OP.
Then you have not enlightened me. Merely confirmed what I already stated I suspected.
Another one of your group who simply make "god" exist by conveniently defining "god" to suit themselves.
I think apples are "god"... therefore "god" exists. See we can all play that nonsense semantic game and with EXACTLY equal utility and sense.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GldnRule
Though I do understand that those afflicted with "Godophobia" won't think it's too cool.
There is no phobia. Just a confusion as to why people so desperately want to hold on to the word "god" that they will take things that already HAVE words and call them "god".
You people must really love the word a lot given the linguistic back flips you take to define it into existence. As soon as you get pinned down however you finally admit you are not just labeling things but actually think god is intelligent and conscious and designed and created the universe. A claim you people, much more so yourself specifically, fail at every turn to even BEGIN to substantiate.
So rather than "godphobia" what we have here is "god fetishism" where people have a fetish like love for the word so deep they will say anything to hold on to it.
But a Diety doesn't have to be a transcendent, supernatural being or force. It can be a thing or person exalted as supremely good or powerful. It is functionally equivalent to god (with the exception of referring to balconies). God = deity, for all senses of the word except architecture...
Read Mirriam-Webster, your "expert definer" if you don't believe me. You need to use a different word besides deity to convey your point. I just can't believe you have such a poor memory for this... We have had this exact conversation before.
-NoCapo
See my post to you in the other thread. It answers this too.
See my post to you in the other thread. It answers this too.
It did, but it is a kind of silly answer. You might as well make the distinction between religious gods and nonliteral gods. If you are willing to make the distinction for deity, why not gods? Face it, you are just playing semantic games to try to discredit others without actually addressing their points. Your god is not just a word, not just an idea, and yet you still have provided no evidence for it, just word games.
Its ok, I like words and word games. Scrabble is one of my faves! But one should call a spade a spade ( unless of course you want to call it a god, because that can be anything, right?) and word games are word games, not rational arguments. Its ok if that is what you like, just try not to get them confused...
Then you have not enlightened me. Merely confirmed what I already stated I suspected.
Another one of your group who simply make "god" exist by conveniently defining "god" to suit themselves.
I think apples are "god"... therefore "god" exists. See we can all play that nonsense semantic game and with EXACTLY equal utility and sense.
There is no phobia. Just a confusion as to why people so desperately want to hold on to the word "god" that they will take things that already HAVE words and call them "god".
You people must really love the word a lot given the linguistic back flips you take to define it into existence. As soon as you get pinned down however you finally admit you are not just labeling things but actually think god is intelligent and conscious and designed and created the universe. A claim you people, much more so yourself specifically, fail at every turn to even BEGIN to substantiate.
So rather than "godphobia" what we have here is "god fetishism" where people have a fetish like love for the word so deep they will say anything to hold on to it.
Yes...another one of the group of hundreds of millions that simply understands that "GOD" can be defined, conceptualized, and perceived as something other than a Religious Deity. And hip to the fact that there has been a nonsense semantic game played to take what was known as "GOD"...and try to ignore that by conveniently calling it something else to suit themselves, then claiming "GOD" doesn't exist.
There is no confusion as to why some people so desperately want to hold onto words for "GOD" that they will take things that already HAD the title "GOD" and call them something else. The reason is the "allergy" to "GOD" I have coined "Godophobia".
Those people must really hate the word a lot given the linguistic back flips they've taken to try to redefine it out of existence.
As soon as they get pinned down however they refuse to finally admit that the intelligence & consciousness of the Source/Creator of all reality, "GOD", was relabeled "Universe/Nature".
A fact those people, much more so yourself specifically, fail at every turn to even BEGIN to invalidate.
Deep "fetish like love" for "GOD"? Sure! I'll cop to that! But for what I conceptualize and perceive as "GOD"...not just the word "G-O-D".
But then...that is typical of the 9 out of 10 people that have ever lived that were/are capable (right-brain perception) of conceptualizing and perceiving "GOD"...unlike the 10% that were/are deficient in that ability.
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