god (in religion)

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Dictionary

god (gÅd)

God

A being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient originator and ruler of the universe, the principal object of faith and worship in monotheistic religions. The force, effect, or a manifestation or aspect of this being.

A being of supernatural powers or attributes, believed in and worshiped by a people, especially a male deity thought to control some part of nature or reality. An image of a supernatural being; an idol. One that is worshiped, idealized, or followed: Money was their god. A very handsome man. A powerful ruler or despot.

[Middle English, from Old English.]

Buddhism Dictionary

God

Buddhism is atheistic and does not believe in the existence of a Supreme Being or Creator God. However, it acknowledges the existence of a wide range of supernatural beings known as devas, many of whom were incorporated into Buddhist mythology from Hinduism.

Idioms

God

Idioms beginning with God:
God forbid

See also act of god; for god's sake; honest to god; lap of the gods; mills of gods grind slowly; my god; put the fear of god in; so help me (god); thank god; there but for the grace of god; tin god.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

God

Deity or Supreme Being. Each of the major monotheistic world religions worships a Supreme Being, who is the sole god of the universe, the maker of all things, omniscient and all-powerful. God is also good. In ancient Israel God was named Yahweh. The God of the Hebrew Bible also became the God of Christianity, but generic words, such as theos in Greek or Deus in Latin, were often used to refer to him. In Islam the term is Allah. See also monotheism.

For more information on God, visit Britannica.com.

Celtic Mythology

god
goddess

There is no pantheon in Celtic mythology. The very use of the English words â€˜godâ€™ or â€˜goddessâ€™, denoting a superhuman, immortal entity who is venerated and propitiated and who has power over human affairs, misrepresents surviving records. Yet language habits die hard; we conventionally speak of the Dagda as the â€˜Good Godâ€™ or Cernunnos as the â€˜Horned Godâ€™. Escaping death is not sufficient to be considered divine; the Tuatha DÃ© Danann of the pseudo-history Lebor GabÃ¡la [Book of Invasions] are usually seen as immortals but not as gods. Several personages from the Continental Celts, like Borvo or Glanis who were venerated at ancient healing springs, or the unnamed entities behind Gaulish Apollo or Mercury, probably were worshipped as gods; but our incomplete knowledge of them prevents us from knowing their importance to their societies or their relationship with one another. Informed opinion today, however, is more likely to find a shadowy divine figure behind the kings and warriors of heroic narrative than to look for a historical antecedent as earlier commentators were wont; see FIND; FIONN MAC CUMHAILL.

Columbia Encyclopedia

God, divinity of the three great monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as many other world religions. See also religion and articles on individual religions.

Names for God

In the Old Testament various names for God are used. YHWH is the most celebrated of these; the Hebrews considered the name ineffable and, in reading, substituted the name Adonai [my Lord]. The ineffable name, or tetragrammaton [Gr.,=four-letter form], is of unknown origin; the reconstruction Jehovah was based on a mistake, and the form Yahweh is not now regarded as reliable. The name Jah occurring in names such as Elijah is a form of YHWH. The most common name for God in the Old Testament is Elohim, a plural form, but used as a singular when speaking of God. The name El, not connected with Elohim, is also used, especially in proper names, e.g., Elijah. The name Shaddai, used with other words and in names (e.g., Zurishaddai), appears rarely. Of these names only Adonai has a satisfactory etymology. It is generally not possible to tell from English translations of the Bible what was the exact form of the name of God in the original. In Islam, the name of God is Allah.

Conceptions of God

The general conception of God may be said to be that of an infinite being (often a personality but not necessarily anthropomorphic) who is supremely good, who created the world, who knows all and can do all, who is transcendent over and immanent in the world, and who loves humanity. By the majority of Christians God is believed to have lived on earth in the flesh as Jesus (see Trinity). In the Hebrew Bible the concept of God is not a unified one. The attitude of believers to this apparent inconsistency has generally been that God, unchanging, revealed Himself more and more to Israel.

Scholars belonging to the rational schools of the 19th cent. developed a view of the Bible as primarily a history of Judaism that evolved naturally without the benefit of divine intervention in the world. They see a series of stages in which God was first held by the Jews as simply the head of a tribal pantheon, then gradually assumed all the attributes of God's fellow divinities, but was still worshiped more or less idolatrously. Gradually, according to these scholars, the Jews considered their God as more and more powerful until they believed God creator and ruler of all humans though preferring Israel as God's chosen people.

God's attributes of goodness, love, and mercy these critics consider as very late in this development. More recent scholars have refuted this latter position, seeing these very qualities in the God of the Exodus. Although the idea of God, through its long acceptance by Jews, Christians, and Muslims, has come to be associated with the concept of a good, infinite personality, in recent times the name has been extended to many principles of an utterly different sort; thus, a philosopher may consider the unifying concept in his philosophy (e.g., cosmic energy, mind, world soul, number) as God.

Arguments for God's Existence

There are several famous arguments for the existence of God. The argument from the First Cause maintains that since in the world every effect has its cause behind it (and every actuality its potentiality), the first effect (and first actuality) in the world must have had its cause (and potentiality), which was in itself both cause and effect (and potentiality and actuality), i.e., God. The cosmological argument maintains that since the world, and all that is in it, seems to have no necessary or absolute (nonrelative) existence, an independent existence (God) must be implied for the world as the explanation of its relations.

The teleological argument maintains that, since from a comprehensive view of nature and the world everything seems to exist according to a certain great plan, a planner (God) must be postulated. The ontological argument maintains that since the human conception of God is the highest conception humanly possible and since the highest conception humanly possible must have existence as one attribute, God must exist. Immanuel Kant believed that he refuted these arguments by showing that existence is no part of the content of an idea. This principle has become very important in contemporary philosophy, particularly in existentialism. The consensus among theologians is that the existence of God must in some way be accepted on faith.

Occultism & Parapsychology Encyclopedia

God

According to the ancient magical conception of God in the scheme of the universe, evil is the inevitable contrast and complement of good. God permits the existence of the shadow in order that it may intensify the purity of the light. He has created both and they are thus inseparable, the one being necessary to and incomprehensible without the other.

The very idea of goodness loses its meaning if considered apart from that of evilâ€”Gabriel is a foil to Satan and Satan to Gabriel. The dual nature of the spiritual world penetrates into every department of life, material and spiritual. It is typified in light and darkness, cold and heat, truth and error, in brief, the names of any two opposing forces will serve to illustrate the primary law of natureâ€”namely, the continual conflict between the positive or good and the negative or evil.

For a scriptural illustration of this point, the story of Cain and Abel can be used. The moral superiority of his brother is at first irksome to Cain, finally intolerable. He murders Abel, thus bringing on his own head the wrath of God and the self-punishment of the murderer. For in killing Abel, Cain has done himself harm. Cain has not done away with Abel's superiority, but has added to himself a burden of guilt that can end only by much suffering.

Suffering is shown in the Judaeo-Christian scriptures to be one means evil is overcome by good. Cain reappears in the story of the prodigal son, who after deprivation and suffering is restored to his father who forgives him fully and freely.

It is believed that the possibility of sin and error is consistent with and inseparable from life. The great sinner is a more vital being than the colorless character, because having greater capacity for evil he has also greater capacity for good, and in proportion to his faults so will his virtues be when he turns to God. "There is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine just persons," because more force of character, more power for good or evil is displayed by the sinner than by the feebly correct. And that power is the most precious thing in life. The apostle Paul specifically rejected this approach to understanding sin and redemption in Romans 6: 1-2.

This dual law of right and wrong, two antagonistic forces, is designated by the term "duad." It is the secret of life and the revelation of that secret means death. This secret is embodied in the myth of the Tree of Knowledge in Genesis. At death the discord will be resolved, but not until then.

From the duad is derived the triad based on the doctrine of the Trinity. Two forces producing equilibrium, the secret of nature, are designated by the duad, and these threeâ€”life, good, and evilâ€”constitute one law. By adding the conception of unity to the triad the tetrad is produced, the perfect number of four, the source of all numerical combinations.

According to orthodox theology there are three persons in God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and these three form one Deity. In occult speculations, three and one make four, the fourth reality being the unity required to explain the Three. Hence, it is suggested, in many languages (most notably Hebrew), the name of God is symbolized by four letters. Again, two affirmations make two negations either possible or necessary. According to the Kabalists the name of the Evil one consisted of the same four letters spelled backward, signifying that evil is merely the reflection or shadow of goodâ€”"The last reflection or imperfect mirage of light in shadow." Everything exists in light or darkness, good or evil, and exists through the tetrad. The triad or trinity, then, is explained by the duad and resolved by the tetrad.

Such occult interpretations of God echo the ancient mysticism such as the Eastern religion of Hinduism, where the pairs of opposites like good and evil are regarded as twin poles of a larger reality, where anthropomorphic concepts of God the creator are considered legal fictions for a divine infinity, beyond time, space, and causality.

Sources:

Achad, Frater. The Anatomy of the Body of God. Chicago: Collegium ad Spiritum Sanctum, 1925.

Akiba ben Joseph Rabbi. The Book of Formation. (Sepher Yetzirah). London: William Rider, 1923.

Angeles, Peter A. The Problem of God; A Short Introduction. Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 1981.

Arya, Ushbarbudh. God. Honesdale, Pa.: Himalayan International Institute, 1979.

Brightman, Edgar S. The Problem of God. New York: Abingdon Press, 1930.

Goblet D'Alviella, E. F. Lectures on the Origin and Growth of the Conception of God. London, 1892. Reprint, New York: AMS Press, 1982.

Pereira, Jose, ed. Hindu Theology: A Reader. Garden City, N.Y.: Image Books, 1976.

Word Tutor

god

IN BRIEF: n. - The supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe.

pronunciation

"In God We Trust" is the national motto of the United States of America.

Quotes About

God

Quotes:

"If God would have wanted us to live in a permissive society He would have given us Ten Suggestions and not Ten Commandments." - Zig Ziglar

"All your Western theologies, the whole mythology of them, are based on the concept of God as a senile delinquent." - Tennessee Williams

"God gets you to the plate, but once your there your on your own." - Ted Williams

"I rarely speak about God. To God, yes. I protest against Him. I shout at Him. But to open a discourse about the qualities of God, about the problems that God imposes, theodicy, no. And yet He is there, in silence, in filigree." - Elie Wiesel

"In the faces of men and women I see God, and in my own face in the glass, I find letters from God dropped in the street, and every one is signed by God's name. And I leave them where they are, for I know that wherever I go, others will punctually come for ever and ever." - Walt Whitman

"In relation to God, we are like a thief who has burgled the house of a kindly householder and been allowed to keep some of the gold. From the point of view of the lawful owner this gold is a gift; Form the point of view of the burglar it is a theft. He must go and give it back. It is the same with our existence. We have stolen a little of God's being to make it ours. God has made us a gift of it. But we have stolen it. We must return it." - Simone Weil

See more famous quotes about God

Wikipedia

god (male deity)

Part of a series on

God

General approaches
Agnosticism Â· Atheism Â· Deism
Henotheism Â· Ignosticism Â· Misotheism
Monism Â· Monotheism Â· Nontheism
Pandeism Â· Panentheism Â· Pantheism
Polytheism Â· Theism Â· Transcendence
Theology (natural â€¢ political â€¢ mystical)

Specific conceptions
Ahura Mazda Â· Alaha Â· Allah
Amaterasu Â· Baal Â· Bhagavan
Demiurge Â· Deus Â· Deva (Buddhism)
Deva (Hinduism) Â· God in Buddhism
God in Sikhism Â· God the Father
Great Architect of the Universe
Holy Spirit Â· Holy Trinity Â· Jah
Jesus Christ Â· JHVH-1 Â· Krishna
Monad Â· Kami Â· Ekam Â· NÃ¼wa (å¥³åª§)
Oneness Â· Pangu (ç›¤å¤) Â· Shang Ti
SUMMUM Â· Supreme Being Â· Susano'o
Tetragrammaton Â· The Absolute
The All Â· Alpha and Omega Â· The Lord
Creator deity

General practices
Animism Â· Esotericism Â· Fideism
Gnosis Â· Hermeticism Â· Metaphysics
Mysticism Â· New Age Â· New Thought
Philosophy Â· Religion

God, as a male deity, contrasts with female deities, or "goddesses" while the term 'goddess' specifically refers to a female deity, words like 'gods' and 'deities' can be applied to all gods collectively, regardless of gender. They don't necessarily refer to male gods in specific. This article focuses on the last category. The most prominent triad of Hinduism Trimurti (which can be seen as three aspects of the same god) is usually depicted as all male (Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu). In most polytheistic religions, both in history and in the present, male deities had the more prominent role. The Greek and Roman pantheon was ruled by Zeus and Jupiter, while Wodan had a similar role in the Germanic religion. When Ancient Egyptian religion developed closer to monotheism, it was Amun, a male god, who rose to the most prominent place. War gods were, like the rulers of the pantheon, typically male, too; Ares/Mars and Toutatis are obvious examples. Woden was both king of the gods and a god of war. Athena, a goddess also often associated with war and strategy, is a notable exception. Sekhmet also is an exception, as is Ishtar. Gods have taken several different forms including animals, and elements of nature.

for God's sake pour l'amour de Dieu for God's sake! pour l'amour de Dieu (excl) God Almighty Dieu Tout-Puissant God forbid grands dieux, non God help avec l'aide de Dieu God knows Dieu sait God willing avec la volontÃ© de Dieu God's gift to (se croire) le/la meilleur(e) qui ait jamais existÃ© (iro) in God's name au nom de Dieu man of God un prÃªtre play God jouer au Bon Dieu

Deutsch (German)
n. - Gott
int. - Gott

idioms:

for God's sake um Himmels willen for God's sake! um Gottes willen God Almighty AllmÃ¤chtiger God forbid Gott behÃ¼te God help Gott stehe .. bei God knows weiÃŸ der Himmel, weiÃŸ Gott God willing so Gott will God's gift to ein Geschenk Gottes in God's name um Gottes willen man of God Priester, Geistlicher play God sich zum Gott aufwerfen

Î•Î»Î»Î·Î½Î¹ÎºÎ® (Greek)
n. - Î¸ÎµÏŒÏ‚
int. - Î˜ÎµÎ Î¼Î¿Ï…!

idioms:

a man of God Î¬Î½Î¸ÏÏ‰Ï€Î¿Ï‚ Ï„Î¿Ï… Î˜ÎµÎ¿Ï for God's sake Î³Î¹Î± (Ï„') ÏŒÎ½Î¿Î¼Î± Ï„Î¿Ï… Î˜ÎµÎ¿Ï! God Almighty Î¿ Î Î±Î½Ï„Î¿Î´ÏÎ½Î±Î¼Î¿Ï‚, Î˜ÎµÎ ÎºÎ±Î¹ ÎšÏÏÎ¹Îµ! God forbid Î˜ÎµÏŒÏ‚ Ï†Ï…Î»Î¬Î¾Î¿Î¹! God help Î˜ÎµÏŒÏ‚ Ï†Ï…Î»Î¬Î¾Î¿Î¹! God knows ÎÎ½Î±Ï‚ Î¸ÎµÏŒÏ‚ Î¾ÎÏÎµÎ¹ God willing Î˜ÎµÎ¿Ï Î¸ÎÎ»Î¿Î½Ï„Î¿Ï‚! God's gift to (ÎµÎ¹ÏÏ‰Î½.) Î´ÏŽÏÎ¿ Ï€Î¿Ï… ÎÎºÎ±Î½Îµ Î¿ Î˜ÎµÏŒÏ‚ in God's name ÏƒÏ„' ÏŒÎ½Î¿Î¼Î± Ï„Î¿Ï… Î˜ÎµÎ¿Ï play God ÎºÎ¬Î½Ï‰ Ï„Î¿ Î˜ÎµÏŒ

Italiano (Italian)
Dio

idioms:

a man of God uomo di Dio, sacerdote for God's sake per l'amor di Dio God forbid Dio non voglia God help Dio mi aiuti God knows Dio solo lo sa God willing il volere di Dio God's gift to dono di Dio per in God's name in nome di Dio play God fare il padreterno

PortuguÃªs (Portuguese)
n. - deus (m), Ãdolo (m)
int. - Meu Deus!

idioms:

a man of God sacerdote (m) (Rel.) for God's sake pelo amor de Deus God forbid Deus me (te, nos) livre God help Deus me (te, nos) ajude God knows Deus sabe God willing se Deus quiser God's gift to dÃ¡diva (f) de Deus para in God's name em nome de Deus play God fazer o papel de Deus

Ð ÑƒÑÑÐºÐ¸Ð¹ (Russian)
Ð‘Ð¾Ð³

idioms:

a man of God Ð±Ð¾Ð¶Ð¸Ð¹ Ñ‡ÐµÐ»Ð¾Ð²ÐµÐº, Ð¼Ð¾Ð½Ð°Ñ… for God's sake Ñ€Ð°Ð´Ð¸ Ð‘Ð¾Ð³Ð° God forbid Ð‘Ð¾Ð¶Ðµ ÑÐ¾Ñ…Ñ€Ð°Ð½Ð¸! God help Ð‘Ð¾Ð³ Ð² Ð¿Ð¾Ð¼Ð¾Ñ‰ÑŒ God knows Ð‘Ð¾Ð³ ÐµÐ³Ð¾ Ð·Ð½Ð°ÐµÑ‚ God willing Ñ Ð‘Ð¾Ð¶ÑŒÐµÐ¹ Ð¿Ð¾Ð¼Ð¾Ñ‰ÑŒÑŽ God's gift to Ð´Ð°Ñ€ Ð‘Ð¾Ð¶Ð¸Ð¹ in God's name Ñ€Ð°Ð´Ð¸ Ð‘Ð¾Ð³Ð° play God Ð²Ð°Ð¶Ð½Ð¸Ñ‡Ð°Ñ‚ÑŒ

EspaÃ±ol (Spanish)
n. - Dios
int. - Dios

idioms:

for God's sake por Dios, por el amor de Dios for God's sake! Â¡por Dios!, Â¡por amor de Dios!, por lo que mÃ¡s quieras! God Almighty Todopoderoso, Omnipotente, Dios Todopoderoso God forbid Â¡no lo permita Dios!, Â¡Dios me libre! God help con la ayuda de Dios God knows sÃ³lo Dios sabe, Â¡sabe Dios!, Â¡vete a saber! God willing si Dios quiere, con la voluntad de Dios God's gift to un regalo inesperado, cosa llovida del cielo, lo mejor que hay in God's name en nombre de Dios man of God hombre santo, siervo de Dios, cura, rabino play God darse aires de superioridad, jugar a ser Dios

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - Gud, avgud
int. - Herre Gud!

ä¸æ–‡ï¼ˆç®€ä½“ï¼‰ (Chinese (Simplified))
ç¥ž, ç¥žåƒ, ä¸Šå¸

idioms:

a man of God åœ£å¾’, ç‰§å¸ˆ for God's sake æ‹œæ‰˜, åŠ¡å¿… God Almighty å…¨èƒ½çš„ç¥ž God forbid ä½†æ„¿ä¸Šå¸é˜»æ¢è¿™æ ·çš„äº‹!, ä½†æ„¿ä¸å‘ç”Ÿè¿™æ ·çš„äº‹ God help æ„¿ä¸Šå¸ä¿ä½‘ God knows å¤©çŸ¥é“, å¤©æ™“å¾— God willing å¦‚æžœä¸Šå¸è®¸å¯çš„è¯ God's gift to ä¸Šå¸ç»™...çš„ç¤¼ç‰© in God's name ä»¥ä¸Šå¸çš„åä¹‰, æˆ‘çš„å¤©å“ª play God æƒ³å½“ä¸Šå¸è£…åšæ— æ‰€ä¸èƒ½

ä¸æ–‡ï¼ˆç¹é«”ï¼‰ (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - ç¥ž, ç¥žåƒ, ä¸Šå¸

idioms:

a man of God è–å¾’, ç‰§å¸« for God's sake æ‹œæ‰˜, å‹™å¿… God Almighty å…¨èƒ½çš„ç¥ž God forbid ä½†é¡˜ä¸Šå¸é˜»æ¢é€™æ¨£çš„äº‹!, ä½†é¡˜ä¸ç™¼ç”Ÿé€™æ¨£çš„äº‹ God help é¡˜ä¸Šå¸ä¿ä½‘ God knows å¤©çŸ¥é“, å¤©æ›‰å¾— God willing å¦‚æžœä¸Šå¸è¨±å¯çš„è©± God's gift to ä¸Šå¸çµ¦...çš„ç¦®ç‰© in God's name ä»¥ä¸Šå¸çš„åç¾©, æˆ‘çš„å¤©å“ª play God æƒ³ç•¶ä¸Šå¸è£åšç„¡æ‰€ä¸èƒ½

í•œêµì–´ (Korean)
n. - ì‹ , ìˆë°°, ìž…ì„ ê´€ëžŒê°

idioms:

a man of God (ê¸°ë„ì˜ ë ë§) ì•„ë©˜ God's gift to í™•ì‹¤ížˆ ì¢‹ë‹¤ê³ ìƒê°í•˜ë‹¤ in God's name ì‹ ì˜ ì´ë¦„ìœ¼ë¡œ! (í™”ê°€ ë‚¬ì„ ë•Œ ë¬´ì–¸ê°€ë¥¼ ë‹¨ì–¸í•˜ëŠ” ë§)

idioms:

God Almighty å…¨èƒ½ã®ç¥ž God forbid ã¨ã‚“ã§ã‚‚ãªã„ God help ã‹ã‚ã„ãã†ã«å“€ã‚Œãªå¥´ã‚ God knows ç¥žã—ã‹çŸ¥ã‚‰ãªã„, ç¥žãŒçŸ¥ã£ã¦ã„ã‚‹ God willing ã‚‚ã—äº‹æƒ…ãŒè¨±ã›ã°

Ø§Ù„Ø¹Ø±Ø¨ÙŠÙ‡ (Arabic)
â€(Ø§Ù„Ø§Ø³Ù…) Ø§Ù„Ù‡, Ø±Ø¨ (Ù†Ø¯Ø§Ø¡) ÙŠØ§ Ø§Ù„Ù‡ÙŠâ€

×¢×‘×¨×™×ª (Hebrew)
n. - â€®××œ×•×”×™×, ×”×‘×•×¨×, ××œ, ××œ×™×œ, ××œ×•×”×•×ªâ€¬

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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read

Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/ Read

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