I'm infinitely curious....

[kbfc]

Addressed to theists:

When you make reference to God being 'infinite' in your arguments, what are you thinking about? When you write the words, do you even think about it, trying to communicate some concept in your mind?

I personally find it a whole bunch of nonsense. Something that sounds good and seems to solve a lot of problems for you, but doesn't actually mean anything. You might as well say, "God is gurble garble gorf."

[sexdrugsmoney]

[ QUOTE ]
Something that sounds good and seems to solve a lot of problems for you,

[/ QUOTE ]

Sklansky recently said something simililar here, he said: "Because to some, the implications of non belief are so depressing or horrifying."

Your statement assumes that belief is a "bed of roses", where the weary human who couldn't make it in the world alone, had to turn and 'cling' to something that gave meaning to their life, with the choice being made from nothing more than a purely emotional need.

[kbfc]

huh?

That has nothing to do with what I'm talking about. Perhaps I wasn't clear, so let me rephrase:

"Something that sounds like it might be meaningful and seems to be a reasonable argument....to you.."

[RJT]

To answer you question (especially as there is a good chance you got this idea from me) when we use the synonym Infinite for God it really isn’t meant “literally” as scientist (or others) use the word.

I think I am correct when I say that we mean it as a summary of the words omniscient, omnipotent and eternal. I think really using it as the word eternal is most often the case.

I think, you are correct that using it as a synonym is not an accurate use of the word.

[allintuit]

[ QUOTE ]
To answer you question (especially as there is a good chance you got this idea from me) when we use the synonym Infinite for God it really isn’t meant “literally” as scientist (or others) use the word.

I think I am correct when I say that we mean it as a summary of the words omniscient, omnipotent and eternal. I think really using it as the word eternal is most often the case.

I think, you are correct that using it as a synonym is not an accurate use of the word.

[/ QUOTE ]

If that is not an accurate use of the word, why use it?

[RJT]

[ QUOTE ]

If that is not an accurate use of the word, why use it?

[/ QUOTE ]

It is not used in any formal Doctrine if that is what you are asking. We might use it loosely when speaking and as kbfc points out probably not using it literally correct. I would guess if you hear people use the word infinite viz a viz God they are mostly meaning to say He is eternal (maybe that He is everywhere is probably an often used context) . Again, it is more of a colloquialism.

[Dan Mezick]

I applaud your enthusiasm in challenging people here to CLEARLY define their terms when discussing "God".

In David's recent post about "The Important Arena", he describes the following properties to the God HE is always talking about:

1. Listens to prayers
2. Sometimes answers them
3. Performed miracles for the Jews in the desert
4. Makes decisions about human beings after their death
5. Implements those decisions

[ QUOTE ]
IS there a god who listens to prayers and sometimes answers them? IS there a god who performed miracles for the Jews in the desert? Is there a god who makes decisions about human beings after their death and implements them?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is actually as far as we have gotten in defining what we are talking about, after some 189,000 words written on this subject in this forum (I'm estimating).

The God David is discussing is probably thought of by most in classical terms ie human form, white beard, etc.

No one here discusses the other possibilities ie, God may come in a form none of us currently think about or thoerize about or discuss. It's as if invalidating the classical white-bearded male human form of God invalidates the entire God concept.

Which it doesn't.

[Georgia Avenue]

[ QUOTE ]
But if our gaze stops there, let the imagination pass beyond this point; it will grow tired of conceiving of things before nature tires of producing them. The entire visible world is only an imperceptible speck in the ample bosom of nature. No idea can come close to imagining it. We might inflate our concepts to the most unimaginable expanses: we only produce atoms in relation to the reality of things. Nature is an infinite sphere in which the center is everywhere, the circumference is nowhere. Finally, it is the greatest sensible mark of God's omnipotence, that our imagination loses itself in that thought.

Let man, having returned to himself, consider what he is in comparison with all that is; let him see himself as if thrown out of the district of Nature; and, from this little prison cell in which he finds his lodging, I mean the universe, let him learn to judge the earth, its kingdoms, its villages, and himself with a proper estimation. What is man in the infinite?


[/ QUOTE ]

From Pascal's Pensees
Found Here...


No, calling God "infinite" is neither imprecise nor figurative. Infinity is that which is greater than what we can comprehend. So God is infinity itself, not a thing which partakes of infinity. Within the terror and wonder of the concept of infinity is where Pascal and others find the justification for their faith. It may be incorrect, but it’s not gobbledygook.

[sexdrugsmoney]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
But if our gaze stops there, let the imagination pass beyond this point; it will grow tired of conceiving of things before nature tires of producing them. The entire visible world is only an imperceptible speck in the ample bosom of nature. No idea can come close to imagining it. We might inflate our concepts to the most unimaginable expanses: we only produce atoms in relation to the reality of things. Nature is an infinite sphere in which the center is everywhere, the circumference is nowhere. Finally, it is the greatest sensible mark of God's omnipotence, that our imagination loses itself in that thought.

Let man, having returned to himself, consider what he is in comparison with all that is; let him see himself as if thrown out of the district of Nature; and, from this little prison cell in which he finds his lodging, I mean the universe, let him learn to judge the earth, its kingdoms, its villages, and himself with a proper estimation. What is man in the infinite?


[/ QUOTE ]

From Pascal's Pensees
Found Here...


No, calling God "infinite" is neither imprecise nor figurative. Infinity is that which is greater than what we can comprehend. So God is infinity itself, not a thing which partakes of infinity. Within the terror and wonder of the concept of infinity is where Pascal and others find the justification for their faith. It may be incorrect, but it’s not gobbledygook.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pascal, legend.