[Vexx]

Simple enough....

Originally Posted by Reckoner

Question for all of you in this thread, because I really want to clarify how each of you view God (Does not really apply suppose if you cannot believe in God).

I don't categorically rule out the possibility (that wouldn't be scientific ) so I'll answer.

Do you all view God as a single entity (monotheistic) that is conscious of itself and what it has created?

No, I see no evidence at all for a conscious monotheistic entity.

Do you view the universe as having many Gods (ala Greek and Roman Gods)?

I view the universe as containing many forces, each with different levels of "intent" (e.g. humans have "intent", a swirl of breeze much less so). Calling them "gods" seems to confuse monotheistic believers - you don't worship these entities so much as simply respect or acknowledge them. One could easily call it playful anthropomorphism or animism. That's one reason I resist translating "kami" as "god(s)".

Do you think man was created in God's image?

Taking that statement literally is misleading... I think the only way it can be taken seriously at all is to realize the "image" is that of a self-aware entity capable of choice .... not some particular number of fingers, eyes, body shape.

Or is God some kind of life force, some energy that is source of creation and perhaps the big bang?

That would be taking the label "God" and applying it to a natural event or process with no conscious intent. I think that is overloading the label a bit and simply confuses some. It more an indicator of needing better vocabulary for discussion purposes. The "Gaia hypothesis" is what I'd use probably instead for that idea (or Deism).

Is your God tangible, or is he some corporeal existence that is omnipotent?

Not applicable (and not even meaningful I'm thinking if I start dissecting "omnipotence" in an enclosed entity).

Or do you all simply consider God to be some concept that is utterly unconceivable by man in any such matter to the point that it is something that exists, but we cannot really be concerned with due to a lack of understanding?

I'd probably sign up for that if it were the only choice -- most monotheistic religions don't actually seem to think *big* enough when expressing their god.