<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><br><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div class="gmail_default" style=""><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"></font><font size="4">Yes, they say things like "I believe in a force more powerful than myself" and to tell the truth I believe in that too, gravity and electromagnetism are examples of 2 such forces. But that sort of argument comes from people who have rejected the idea that God is a intelligent conscious BEING, in other words they are perfectly willing to abandon the idea of God but flat out refuse to abandon the English word G-O-D. They redefine the word to mean a sort of generic amorphous grey blob, and its so generic, amorphous and grey that if that's what the word means then even I would have to say "I believe in God". But that's no more informative than saying "I believe in stuff". I don't want to brag but I'm more intelligent than some run of the mill grey blob, so if I'm smarter than God then it's a pretty third rate God.<br><br> John K Clark</font></div></div></div></blockquote><br><div>I don’t mean to nitpick, but I actually feel like you didn’t understand what I was trying to explain. I’m trying to say that there is something “less” than the Abrahamic idea of God (the all-knowing, all-mighty creator/judge) and this very vague metaphysical higher power. </div><div><br></div><div>There are other views of gods besides these two views. </div><div><br></div><div>For example, they can be viewed more in line with how fae were/are viewed, as able to affect our world but generally disinterested.</div><div><br></div><div>A “worship as power” view, where when gods are not worshiped they slowly die. And when they receive sacrifices they become powerful.</div><div><br></div><div>As extensions of a “spirit of the place”, having a somewhat limited knowledge and power over a specific geographical area. </div><div><br></div><div>A covenant Lord, having power mostly within his own people.</div><div><br></div><div>A god would not have to fit the Abrahamic view in order to be a god, but at the same would not have to be watered down into a nothingness like you suggest. </div><div><br></div><div>You can envision a being, with a still-limited intelligence and power, however being still smarter and more powerful than yourself, can’t you? I’m sure you could find a human who would fit that criteria actually. </div><div><br></div><div>Now I’m not saying God or gods are real, because I can’t think of any way to prove/disprove their existence. But what I am saying is that there are more than just these two extremes you are using. </div></body></html>