I see religious people in this forum sometimes use the existence of intangible concepts to prove their God. It’s not a unique case here, as my first debate with my father regarding God went a little bit like this:
Dad: You can see your brain, you can touch it, you can scan it with machines. But can you see ideas in themselves? You can see a man and a woman procreate and care for their child. But can you see love in itself, or can you only see how it’s expressed?
I was young, and it left me speechless. Sometimes, I wish I could go back and answer that question to my father, but we don’t talk much anymore since the day he disowned me. Also, it could be useless as he’s just one of the many people who actually use such reasoning.
So here’s my answer right now for everyone who has the same mindset as my dad.
Intangible concepts like love, energy, or ideas to “prove” God is but a flawed attempt to redefine God using terms for things that already exist. Like saying God is love, or God is energy, or God is existence, or whatever intangible thing that is already defined.
The primary problem with defining God as being synonymous with things that are already proven to exist in reality (such as love, energy, nature, or the universe) is that we already have words for those things and don’t need to use God to describe them. The word God comes with extra baggage because most theists think of God as conscious, smart, and involved in the world, answering prayers and judging people. There is no evidence whatsoever that energy has consciousness or self-awareness. Ideas, faith, love, morality, and other societal constructs are related to the human brain. All of which arise from evolutionary strategies that enhance survival through teamwork, cooperation, and altruism.
But creation and existence are not connected to the brain, you say? But we already have words for them. Creation and existence in itself do not burn, punish, and persecute homosexuals and other “sinful enemies” of a faith. People do that in the name of their fantasy.
God is everything, God is you and me, God is all around us. Tell me, do they all pass judgement to others for not aligning with their agenda, or is it just you?
Ultimately, if the word “God” is used to mean anything to anyone (such as love, energy, or nature), then it essentially carries no meaning and undermines effective communication.
