How do you define what a "deity" or "god" is, *precisely*? What attributes does something HAVE to have to be considered a god? For example, must it have a mind? One answer I got was: "It just has to be worshiped by a human."
What do you think about that? I know that there's a common definition that says a "superhuman being", but what does that term mean? The sun technically is superhuman in the sense that it exhausts more energy than a human ever will, so it is beyond what humans could do. I'm also a bit fuzzy on the term "Supreme Being".
I've tried making this thread before, but I've only gotten like two replies with incomplete/unsatisfactory answers. Please, /his/, I'm wondering what you think. This is like a mental itch that needs scratching. If you're worried, this isn't a troll or bait or anything, and I'm legitimately curious. And I'll admit, it seems like a simple question, but I'm a lay person on this stuff.
>>892654
Some sort of supernatural agency.
Depends a bit from culture to culture and there's some degree of difficulty in translating some related concepts. Like western dragons and Chinese dragons - they are not very alike, but the closest concept the westerners had to it was "dragon" so they pinned that label on that Chinese mythological creature.
Multiple definitions for multiple uses. "Deity(1) is a definition useful from an anthropology perspective, where it is anything humans have historically worshipped and needn't imply any specific characteristics beyond that. "Deity(2)" is useful from say a theological perspective, where within a specific framework to be a deity the subject must meet arbitrary criteria a b c d and e, whereas in another theological framework it must meet arbitrary criteria f g h.
There doesn't need to be one definition thst encompasses every single possible usage context. The Sun was a superhuman being "deity" according to Aten, but not to you or I (probably.)
>>892654
It's just an abstract that has moral and spiritual authority, don't overthink it
>>892654
A spiritual bureaucrat.
>>892654
>How do you define what a "deity" or "god" is, *precisely*?
Not only completely subjectively, but some people are capable of believing multiple contradictory definitions.
While still more use the terminology with literally zero precision at all, just further muddying the waters.
This describes my definition of a deity:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IqsfwYcK1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IqsfwYcK1s&list=PLYIk4MAUnGh38xkEZvSiLFMtACzx9bJGs
A Creator who exists outside of time and whose thoughts are as far above the thoughts of Man as a man's thoughts are above those of an ant. A Creator who fashioned each of us for a singular purpose and whose plan ultimately accounts for the effects of Freewill.
In other words, a level of intelligence that utterly defies definition by it's very nature. A being who left irrefutable proof behind for all those who are truly committed to discovering the truth no matter where it lies. A God who confounds the very wise and makes foolishness of their wisdom again and again. A God who declares the end from the beginning and eviscerates the arguments of His detractors before they're born.
I believe in the God of the Bible.
>>893031
Why do you even need to plan if you are outside of time anyway?
