Is God Supernatural?

[volcano rocket]

Is God Supernatural?

I got a surprising statement from an atheist who claimed God was not supernatural. I am wondering what your thoughts were.

[phaedrus]

Is God Supernatural?

I got a surprising statement from an atheist who claimed God was not supernatural. I am wondering what your thoughts were.

It really depends on your definition of what 'God' means as a word. I imagine pantheists would not see God as supernatural. If you're an atheist and you think that God is non-existent, then non-existence is not supernatural. Certain (but not all) theistic views of God would be supernatural. A bit tricky really.

[JimL]

Is God Supernatural?

I got a surprising statement from an atheist who claimed God was not supernatural. I am wondering what your thoughts were.

That is a surprising statement coming from an atheist since true atheist don't believe in God at all. My guess is that he is probably more of a pantheist or a Spinozan, whose understanding is that the natural world itself or the underlying natural substance from which the natural world emanates is the only necessary existent or that which we term God.

[Jaecp]

Bit of an odd question to ask since you have a very peculiar definition of supernatural

[Zombie]

i voted 'no', but i have my own definition of 'god'.

[Manwë Súlimo]

Since we're all channeling Bill Clinton and questioning the definition of words, I guess that depends on what you mean by "supernatural". If you mean that God's not something material that can be quantified or empirically tested, then sure. But He's still part of reality, no less than my computer screen.

[wolper]

Is God Supernatural?

I got a surprising statement from an atheist who claimed God was not supernatural. I am wondering what your thoughts were.

Much would depend on how you define "supernatural" (and a bit on how you'd define God).

[phaedrus]

Since we're all channeling Bill Clinton and questioning the definition of words, I guess that depends on what you mean by "supernatural". If you mean that God's not something material that can be quantified or empirically tested, then sure. But He's still part of reality, no less than my computer screen.

God is 'part of ' reality? This begins to bring into question some very interesting ideas. I'm just reading about apophatic theology. Does God 'exist' like a chair exists? Even some theists would say no. God is not a being, but rather 'being' itself. This sort of theology seems to have a long history in mainline Christianity and for me illustrates how difficult it is to talk about God.

[volcano rocket]

That is a surprising statement coming from an atheist since true atheist don't believe in God at all. My guess is that he is probably more of a pantheist or a Spinozan, whose understanding is that the natural world itself or the underlying natural substance from which the natural world emanates is the only necessary existent or that which we term God.

I am not sure, but his argument would go like this. Everything that is not directly observable is not supernatural. God is not directly observable. Therefore God is not supernatural.

[Mountain Man]

I am not sure, but his argument would go like this. Everything that is not directly observable is not supernatural. God is not directly observable. Therefore God is not supernatural.

That's among the stranger arguments I've ever seen.

[Psychic Missile]

Of course God is supernatural! I think there's a stigma of calling God supernatural because it pens him in with ghosts and psychic powers, or implies he's not real. But that's just connotation. By definition, God is supernatural. Some dictionaries even outright mention God specifically. Dictionary.com and Merriam-Webster.com do.

[Child_Of_Wisdom]

God is supernatural because he is not bound by any laws outside of himself.

[seanD]

I am not sure, but his argument would go like this. Everything that is not directly observable is not supernatural. God is not directly observable. Therefore God is not supernatural.

If what you mean by supernatural is that God is outside of the natural, then yes. If what you mean by supernatural is that God is "more" natural than just natural, then that would be debatable.

[JimL]

I am not sure, but his argument would go like this. Everything that is not directly observable is not supernatural. God is not directly observable. Therefore God is not supernatural.

Seems as though he is just denying the existence of anything immaterial or supernatural which would mean that if he believes in a God then that God is not separate from the natural world. Thats Pantheism.

[Zombie]

Seems as though he is just denying the existence of anything immaterial or supernatural which would mean that if he believes in a God then that God is not separate from the natural world. Thats Pantheism.

i claim god = nature

god is everything

the sum total of all

how that for pantheism?