Anthropomorphism, Theism and Atheism
When the term “God” is mentioned, it seems it is generally assumed that everyone has a clear and common understanding of what it refers to.But is this really so?
Could it be that there are significant differences in what different persons perceive as God?
I think that it is very important to closely examine the answer to this question in fairness to those who consider themselves to be atheists, and also theists, since these terms are both related to the notion of God.
We define ourselves as beings, that is, human beings. A being is a living entity, endowed with some type of life force which may be termed spirit. Each human being is said to have such a spirit (or soul). God is also normally perceived as a spirit.
A human is viewed as a being at the natural level whereas God is viewed as a being at a higher level, referred to as the Supernatural level.
I wonder if viewing a human being as an entity at the natural or human level and viewing God as an entity at a higher or supernatural level somehow seems to suggest that God may be viewed as a superhuman being. In other words, God is viewed as having human-like attributes, but at a higher or superhuman level. Essentially, this is an anthropomorphism.
Anthropomorphism (Merriam Webster Dictionary):
an interpretation of what is not human or personal in terms of human or personal characteristics.
In the Bible, the book of Genesis states that God created man in his own image. George Bernard Shaw said: “God created man in his own image and man has returned the compliment”. That is, man has created God in his own image, with human-like attributes.
Is it possible that one can have a direct apprehension of that spirit (or force) which religion (theology) refers to as God, without viewing it in terms of human or superhuman attributes, that is, natural or supernatural? One simply views it directly as some phenomenon and is contented to apprehend it at that level.
I think most persons would agree that there is some sort of order or principle in the working of the cosmos. Perhaps having a direct awareness of this principle in action is having a realization of the very “essence” of what is commonly termed God. Scriptures or religious teachings attempt to put a “form” to this "essence" and view the essence and form as being synonymous and co-existing with each other. Both are essential from the religious perspective.
If a person has such a direct awareness, that is, of the “essence” without having an interest in the teachings or dogma of any religion, is such a person an atheist or “godless” - a term which, to many, has negative connotations such as evil-mindedness and an uncaring attitude towards others, etc.?
Does one need to believe in God as defined in the dogma of religion in order to love others and to have a caring attitude toward them and, more importantly, to express this attitude in action?
Some of the world's notable philanthropists are atheists. These include Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.
There are several well-to-do theists who profess a caring attitude toward others but do little or nothing to express it in action.
Do you view the term “God” as an anthropomorphism?
I have seen comments by some individuals mentioning the term “higher power” in this regard.
What is your personal understanding, if any, of the term “God”?
Comments (30)
What a blasphemy from the catholic point of view. Now i can be happy not to live in time of Spanish inquisition.
You are all that and a good mom.
For me a compliment is when somebody tells me something nice that i already know.
Thank you anyway.
Some new to learn every time.
A sincere compliment does not need my approval or yours.only it being true.
Though, I was already stoned once when slaughtering a goat , I think I could survive one more time.
Enough now of my divinity.
From your very brief comment, you sound remarkably 'Quaker'.
Some such folks have been called 'Natural Born Quakers'.
You might give 'em a look...
Note -
Some groups (such as the one above) use 'Silent Meetings' aka 'Unprogrammed Meetings'.
Others use 'Programmed Meetings' and are little different from mainline or conservative Protestantism.
You seem like the Silent Type.
I'm not proselytizing; just making an observation.
You may meet a surprising number of kindred spirits.
"I could never accept the god as white bearded, all mighty old man who appears in the image of Jesus or a pigeon. So i created my own god. For me, god is a state of mind connected with the energy of the universe that gives me tranquility and self confidence ...."
Jesus's old man with a white beard...
I suppose 'he' has been anthropomorphised that way...like Socrates brings up in the OP.
'...state of mind connected with the energy of the universe' might be a more accurate way of phrasing it.
Who are we to project OUR image onto the energy of the universe?.
We're a rather vain & arrogant species, are we not?
A copy of it was discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt in 1945.
It's been claimed that it may have been suppressed because it was a more 'mystic' take on the teachings of Jesus.
The church powers that were didn't like folks having a more direct mystic link to God...it undercut their authority/power.
Some claim it's a forgery written well after the other Gospels.
Others claim it might predate the Canonical Gospels.
They cite evidence within those Gospels that they expanded upon or gave different perspectives to concepts originally set out by Thomas.
One of its concepts - it brings out more fully than Luke's Gospel that 'The Kingdom of God is within you'.
If there's an afterlife there will be some red faces.
If there isn't, end of.
I personally believe that if there is a journey to be taken after death, how one has lived, and the harm one has done versus the good, will far outweigh which name, mental image, icon or set of values one ascribed to in life.
I do however enjoy serious and intelligent conversation with opposing viewpoints. When they are intelligently presented and civilly discussed and I like that I get a reasonable different viewpoint. I may not agree on all or even some but the information is never wasted. Please post more here as it is food for thought and we can always agree to disagree. That is what adults do. . .
Here's a corollary to the '...man returned the favor' quote...
" …you can safely assume you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do."
- Anne Lamott
“For me, god is a state of mind connected with the energy of the universe that gives me tranquility and self confidence .......means I am god.”
Thank you for stating your position on the matter.
I truly appreciate it.
Thanks for your kind remarks re my poetry.
From what you have posted, I assume you view the term “God” as an anthropomorphism as advocated by religion.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
Thanks for your response to my question.
Thanks for your comment.
I agree with you that no one really knows what takes place after death.
“I personally believe that if there is a journey to be taken after death, how one has lived, and the harm one has done versus the good, will far outweigh which name, mental image, icon or set of values one ascribed to in life.”
I share your view expressed above.
However, I would like to know your personal view on the term “God”.
Thanks for your input to the blog.
Sorry I unintentionally missed out responding to your comments.
With regard to the quote by Anne Lamott that you mentioned:
"…you can safely assume you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do."
I think that the phrase “when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do” is confusing.
Saying that it turns out that way is a categorical statement.
God is not supposed to hate anyone, (He is supposed to be a God of Love, isn't
Do you view the term “God” as an anthropomorphism?
I have seen comments by some individuals mentioning the term “higher power” in this regard.
What is your personal understanding, if any, of the term “God”?
Thanks for your reference to James Baldwin.
"Baldwin's God is a 'mysteriously impersonal' force he calls love- 'something . . . like a fire, like the wind, something which can change you."
regard,
There are some * soul searching persons and others are only reacting with guidelines of government and by social contracts.
It is rather curious that others by no
virtue of their earthly actions can perceive they can attain a "higher vibration", in which they ascend as a" master", through
earthly and non earthly realms.
By actions,I mean solely relying on an energetic field,within the body and leave the body vehicle behind.
Leaving me to ponder if they "ascend" to the level of God or God consciousness,leaving behind the earthliness,and physical body-
are they in possession of one soul,or multiple souls energetically converge.
"Harmonics" are often used to describe this convergence.The intent is to help others raise their energetic frequency.
Where is the kingdom of God,or souls in this interpretation.Then I would say
perhaps as messengers,angels,but they
say there are many earthly "guides"
personifications of Jesus,St.Germain,
Krishna.
If we evolve into transhumanism what
imaginings would there be then.Can people relate to energetic bodies if the
body hasn't any psychic functionality.
At the highest godly attainment do you
have a sacredness within the advanced
Earth and duty among Bots.
It seems unfathomable
To exist beyond this lifetime if I could
not serve humanity through my God.
If I understand reincarnation and karma one can serve as any earthly living thing,does this also work futuristically.
I don't need the 2511 characters left
to tell you how or by whom-but our souls are worth thinking about or
I believe they will be harvested.
Your suggestion re the sun as God is well noted.
Several groups of peoples in the past, including the Native Americans as you have mentioned, have paid homage to the sun as God (or a god).
Even today, this practice is continued or insinuated in the celebration of the Summer solstice by some groups.
I've now wasted more time on this, than it deserves.
Sure, there are powers in the universe, like gravity, radiation, density, mass, dark matter, atoms, electrons,
neutrons, magnetic fields, etc....
But, they aren't living beings.
Call me an atheist, or call me godless, or better yet, don't call me at all.
Thanks for your comment in which you raised some very interesting points.
My personal perspective is that we are part of Nature and Nature is part of us.
As the Desiderata says:
“You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars...”
There is an interconnectedness of everything in Nature.
One can experience an intense ecstastic state of the interconnectedness and unity of everything in Nature.
It is an experience of a dimension of consciousness that transcends the ordinary day-to-day reality.