Finally! a 'definition' of god that I understand.

Are some members missing the cut and thrust of inflammatory postings and sarcastic ripostes, then? I can't say I am...

Off you go then. #chocolatecakeawaitsme

I think it's a great shame that straightforward, non-insulting comments are interpreted as such. The inert gas in question is helium and its presence in the universe is fascinating. The thought of the creator of the universe, if there is/was a creator (the time dimension is probably not as we understand it too) as something akin to this basic universal element is not snide nor in bad taste. It is just a thought. It's a thought I had in my teens – or something very like it. It is vague and unformed but it is there. It insults nobody and nothing so I'm truly perplexed why people who have different ideas about gods have a problem with it. It's almost as if people are looking for something to be offended about. Why is beyond me.

Why should I and others not discuss what we find interesting? I may not be able to express my ideas very well, but that is not a reason for so much negativity towards them. I'm beginning to wonder if people who simply don't understand what I'm trying to say (possibly don't want to either) just want to tell me to shut up because what I say disturbs their tranquillity.

I'm also mystified as to why people think there is something wring with gransnet at the moment. I'm clearly not seeing the same things as I've taken part in several interesting threads lately. I've glanced at others and decided I didn't want to add a comment because it didn't interest me or because I didn't want to share my thoughts, if I had any on the subject.

There's nothing wrong with gransnet. There might be something wrong with some people's tempers.

The way you phrased the original post was in bad taste.

Never mind if you can't see it.

I'd be happy to hear your thoughts, Ariadne. I'm interested to know if anyone else likes the gasbag creator idea.

It's you who are doing the minding. I'm just saying it's tough if you mind, and please stop trying to make me shut up and stop a good discussion. That's in bad taste on an open forum.

OK. Bye!

There's a comment on the underwear thread that is highly suited to this thread too, change underwear dilemmas for inert gasbags and leave this thread alone if you only want to complain.

ariadne, my comment at 19:17:55 was not directed at you! I thought you said you wanted to join in a discussion.

Dear, oh dear! Confusiontastic.

B You've prompted me to look up what Helium is, and to scroll down to your OP, which I hadn't done, having jumped in much later.
Certainly something to think on.

Thanks for your straightforwardness, butty, as always! Much needed in such discussions, I think.

I want to point out to everyone, just for clarity, that the opening post was not phrased by me. I was quoting someone else. The phrase is in inverted commas to show that and it is in blue to show it is a link to something else.

I really am quite upset at the way some people thrust their own personal touchiness on certain subjects into philosophical discussion, the way it is apparently assumed that someone or something is being attacked in a nasty way when, in truth, the whole idea is to discuss an idea. Sometimes a strange idea, certainly, but still just an idea. I do NOT post things in order to offend people but it really seems sometimes that you can't say anything about gods or the god idea without someone taking offence. This seems more and more like a deliberate ploy just stymie discussion. I hate that.

Nobody has to take part in a discussion that they don't like but they could at least leave others to get on with it.

Bags I didn't find your OP offensive. I read it, thought what a good definition of God, and then came to the final line. ...and laughed. In suprise? at myself? I'm a committed, if slightly confused catholic.

I think you express your ideas extremely well. Sometimes I've already thought them.

Bags I thought it an interesting use of words and a case of false argument. It wasn't offensive at all.
Butty my next door neighbour (the old git) would say that was wasted energy and planet polluting, contributing to global warming. (Unless the electricity was generated by people on bicycles)

Bags do you ever read anything other than odd articles gleaned from Twitter? Never see you on a book thread. You could give it a go.

The final line made me

eglantine leave Bags alone. She's interesting.a lot of us like her gleanings. They certainly stimulate my old brain.

Which one?

Just seen this as have been busy with other stuff so not squeezed GN in until now! I liked the thoughts expressed in the OP.

I don't understand at all why it would be viewed as offensive by anyone who believed in God. It is quite a clever piece spiritually and has the added dimension of clever word play!

Keep posting them bags

Who is eglantine ?

Quite!

baubles That's Galen's affectionate name for jingle.

I see, thanks absent

'Rose' - penny dropped!!

PakistaniAtheistists Wasn't saying that God is like helium. It was a pun. The piece of writing refers to helium. The replies to the tweet were just laughing at the pun. It was 't really anything to do with God. Just a joke.

Bags I for for one like the pun. "He" = helium doing all the things in that poem.

I have had a profound probably non-original thought that Energy is everywhere, is invisible, has immense power but can also be effective in very small, focussed ways.

Within the smallest atom are protons and electrons with positive or negative energy charges, and neutrons with none (trinity?).

Each of the elements that form the Periodic table is furnished with a different number of these subatomic particles with their energy charges. The known universe is made up of combinations of permutations and combinations of elements, all held together by the glue of energy. The big bang that started it all was pure energy.

If energy had never existed, the universe could not have come into being or coagulated into matter. Our cells function thanks to minute power stations and when the electrical charges in our brains cease, we are no longer alive.

Could the concepts of God and the soul be interpreted as pure energy - and vice versa?