Deity.

[fangedeshana]

If one sees 'God' as being the lifeforce, or the spirit of the universe... is it a vaild discription to call it "Deity"?

What really is Deity, or a Divine Being?

[Philosophia]

If one sees 'God' as being the lifeforce, or the spirit of the universe... is it a vaild discription to call it "Deity"?
What really is Deity, or a Divine Being?

Woah! Thats a very complicated and yet simple question.
Personally, I see Deity as the energy that surrounds and is within us. This energy is connected to everything living and non-living, its what makes us part of the universes and beyond.
I call it the Goddess because that is how I perceive it. Others perceive deity differently, but thats what makes humanity beautiful.
Deity can be classed as the "lifeforce" or "spirit of the universe". Its a very valid belief. :hugz:

[Cindlady2]

Yup.... A Deity represents a type of energy.... be it a life force or what ever... All things have energy... WE put labels on the types of energy they represent.

[Agaliha]

Well Panthiests believe in an energy of Earth and the Universe that is part of us and all around us-- but it's not a deity. Most Panthiests are agnostic or atheist, like me (agnostic).
There's no worshiping, only awe and honor of the world around us-- the Universe, Nature...."Nature is sacred, the Universe is Divine" is used to Panthesism. Nothing is there controlling what we see, it's just there. It just is. Nothing is higher than us, we're made of everything of the Univese and nature...it's a part of us.
This can explain it better than I can: http://www.pantheism.net/paul/beliefs.htm

de·i·ty
n. pl. de·i·ties

A god or goddess.

The essential nature or condition of being a god; divinity.
Deity God. Used with the.
any supernatural being worshipped as controlling some part of the world or some aspect of life or who is the personification of a force
It implies something greater and outside of us, seperate, interceeding...

So there are cases were belief in an energy in the Universe and Nature is not a deity.
In the case of your question it would be decided on by looking at this energy's characteristics...

[fangedeshana]

Thanks guys. That's some good food for thought. Any more thoughts on the topic are welcome.

I haven't got much time to post my musings as I have to dash to Uni. I'll post back later.

[Toby Stimpson]

IThat is a difficult question...if someone had one all encompassing and perfect answer I think we wouldnt need any debate...but Im somewhat weird when I think of God. Personally I think there are amny Gods, all seperate but at the same time all connected also. When it coems to the concept of 'God'...whatever it may be I think it's very much a subtle thing, half concept, half reality. Personally I see it as more a connecting presence than a thing...not as a divine energy or whatever more as what the idea of a god is. Just as there are different glasses of juice, each one seperate and absolutly different...they are still tied becasue they embody what a liquid is...they ARE liquid. I would like to think that there is an all encompassing divine energy, and although I think there is I dotn think its as powerful as some people say it is. I mean if Reality for example, is God...but this world is an illusion...what is God in the illusion? I think what we would call , God or Deity or HIGH BEINg...it isnt a thing...and I dont think it's the life energy in the world either...God is higher than that but also I think it can control perhaps affect things but they really are just examples and perhaps the place we all want to be...atleast in my own beliefs. :)

Namaste

Tobias

[cheddarsox]

Because of the way the word deity is used in my culture, I don't refer to something as a deity unless it is distinct and personified.

So a universal energy, or the divine universe, I would not consider a deity.

cheddar