Ted Grant II
Registered Senior Member
Everybody knows that words have definitions. Definitions consist of other words, which is a problem.
There must have been a first word, which couldn't be defined using other words, as there were none.
However, we managed to overcome this difficulty, probably by some kind of demonstration.
Theologians are fond of definitions of supernatural objects, as they can't use demonstrations.
So they invent a name, such as "God", which may or may not be a proper name. They want it it refer to something outside their heads and in order to give the word meaning, they need a definition.
Of course, they could define "God" anyway they like, but they want God to be something special.
They want God to be an powerful agent, usually a friendly, but judgemental fatherly figure, who is capable of responding to human needs in a useful way. It is hoped that God will help them now and/or later.
They have invented magical rituals designed to appease God and invoke his intervention.
One of the parts of the definition is that God is "all-knowing". They are aware that knowledge is powerful and as they want God to be powerful (and therefore useful to have on their side), then God "must" be all-knowing.
It is thought that God, therefore, must know the future, including future thoughts.
So, on Sunday 21st May 2017, did God know what was going to happen the next day in the UK at the Manchester Arena ? Yes, of course, because it follows from the definition given to the word God.
Could God have inspired the security services of that fine city to stop a certain man from entering the Arena ?
Could God have introduced a simple fault in the bomb that the man had strapped to him, to make it fail to detonate or some other way of preventing the critical injuries to many people, including children ?
Yes, because God, by definition knows the future and can also intervene in the world, if he wishes.
Perhaps he didn't intervene, because that would be a "free-will" violation?
Perhaps it was a part of God's plan, some greater, non-obvious objective ?
Perhaps the definition of God should be changed ?
There must have been a first word, which couldn't be defined using other words, as there were none.
However, we managed to overcome this difficulty, probably by some kind of demonstration.
Theologians are fond of definitions of supernatural objects, as they can't use demonstrations.
So they invent a name, such as "God", which may or may not be a proper name. They want it it refer to something outside their heads and in order to give the word meaning, they need a definition.
Of course, they could define "God" anyway they like, but they want God to be something special.
They want God to be an powerful agent, usually a friendly, but judgemental fatherly figure, who is capable of responding to human needs in a useful way. It is hoped that God will help them now and/or later.
They have invented magical rituals designed to appease God and invoke his intervention.
One of the parts of the definition is that God is "all-knowing". They are aware that knowledge is powerful and as they want God to be powerful (and therefore useful to have on their side), then God "must" be all-knowing.
It is thought that God, therefore, must know the future, including future thoughts.
So, on Sunday 21st May 2017, did God know what was going to happen the next day in the UK at the Manchester Arena ? Yes, of course, because it follows from the definition given to the word God.
Could God have inspired the security services of that fine city to stop a certain man from entering the Arena ?
Could God have introduced a simple fault in the bomb that the man had strapped to him, to make it fail to detonate or some other way of preventing the critical injuries to many people, including children ?
Yes, because God, by definition knows the future and can also intervene in the world, if he wishes.
Perhaps he didn't intervene, because that would be a "free-will" violation?
Perhaps it was a part of God's plan, some greater, non-obvious objective ?
Perhaps the definition of God should be changed ?