What it comes down to is that if one makes of "gawdo" that he is all wise, all knowing, the greatest thing that can exist, then when examining the logical contingencies of this 'nature of' (gawdo) concept -- he must exist. That is the crux. (no symbol intended)
The real question is what characteristics must a god have, a. in order to exist at all, or b. in order to be god. If one endows him with enough super-natural characteristics, then he can spring into logical life like so many little green men with ray guns - all of a sudden - and right in the middle of a serious Western.
We simply have to be very careful to examine what a gawdo must be in order to question whether or not he can be presupposed to exist. Unfortunately the horse escapes the barn door all to easily. Infinite, all powerful, creative of all, above all things, infinite minded etc.. What else could it be? And that is where you get stuck. To imagine a lesser god, is to deny it right away, so the greater god steps into that intellectual vaccuum with aplomb. Very soon he demands an empty seat at the dinner table, all sorts of human sacrifice, and has one completely incapacitated in a sticky web of ethical (un)certainties that are impossible to verify or adhere to except by a more and more tortured conscience.
The problem in attempting to avoid or aver the necessity of gawdo, is that you then begin wondering where the tracks of the deity may be your jello sandwich.
God requires almost god like powers to detect, as the mind closes to the awfulness of the ultimate realization with infinite swiftness. To know god exists for absolute surety would be tantamount to insanity. How would you relate the obvious proof of it everywhere to the busy herd? Imagine talking to the deity. Then tell all your friends. He manifests as a lame sewer rat, speaking Albanian, his presence decodeable by the constellations positions. The universe would hinge on that. Faith would be an absolute necessity for those without TV.
This is all wonderfully related in the book "Avoiding God, Tricks for Would be Athiests" by Luther Martino. Pergammon Press.
A good point is that gawdo can only exist if he is known to exist, as to not be realized by sentient life.. what is the point?
EC<:-} |
