God is a broad word that mean different thing to different people. It comes with different forms, attributes and concepts. In all these dimensions, God is seen as a divine entity which is worthy of worship either by proxy or directly. But when we look closely, those things that are been called God exist independently either as an idea (Law and Justice) or Natural entities (River, Sun and animals) or both. We found out that much reverence is given to these entities in the part of the world where they are seen as God while on the other end, these entities attracts little or no value.

I grew up just like every other people to know that there is a dedicated shrine for a river. A tiny stream in my street is revered by devotees as a deity with the name Omisebo. A shrine is built very close to a big tree which serve as the source of the stream water. Another river in Igbekebo Ese Odo becomes a deity called Oborowe. There is a designated shrine where a lot of devotees worship, lot of people troop there for divination and spiritual consultation. Rituals and sacrifice can be found in front of the altar and at the bank of the river. While these rivers are believed to be powerful deity worthy of worship by it adherents, to me and non adherents it is just a body of water. I remember the only purpose it serves me is that it provides me food, water and place to defecate in. What I seem not to understand is why some people make it a god. The reasons it changed from H20 to supernatural deity. What makes it any different from the water that run in the tap. What are the qualities that make those rivers God? This deification does not applies to rivers only. In many cultures, tress, animals, celestial bodies and lot of many natural entities are worship as God. What make these objects God?

Humans are also subjected to this form of worship. Alot of cultures have Men and Women who at a point attained a divinity status and became a God. Jesus for example is a God for Thomas and Trinitarians while the Jew recognise him to ordinary son of Joseph. Agemo of the Ijebus were originally humans according to history but becomes Gods with annual festival dedicated for them in Ijebus. Obatala, Sango and Ibeji are historical figures but are served Gods (Orisha). Guru Maraji insist that he is God. Yet the question of what makes them a god persist.

Law, Justice (Sango and Iustice) became God. Disease (Saponna) became God. Money or wealth (Orisha Aje) became God. Earth is worshiped as God. Death became a God. Almost everything (Idea or object) is a particular God to some particualr people.

So at what point does a mere River, Stars, human or just any natural objects become God?

How does Obatala or Jesus go from powerful person to supernatural creator of earth?

What qualities must a person or entity have before he/it becomes a god/gods?

At what point do they receive or who decides to give them these qualities?

Can these qualities be lost or removed? Will they loss been God?

Apart from worshipping, is there any difference between these Gods and what they represent?

unthinkable

HE is the OCEAN DIVIDER

I don ask this question tire o! Abeg helep me to ask them again.

the Gospel of John says 'in the beginning ... the word was a god'. To answer what is meant by that now, na wahala for people. Could it be just a simple case of people running about saying 'god god god' but they really have no idea what they are talking about.

My own take on it though is that God is an Authority. So we have all sorts of Gods and levels of Gods. So a judge that can send you to prison just be commanding it is a God in the legal sphere. Me, I'm a god in the sphere of my work and my expertise.

With authority comes the ability to create. To make a situation so just be willing it. and to destroy.

PastorAIO:
My own take on it though is that God is an Authority. So we have all sorts of Gods and levels of Gods. So a judge that can send you to prison just be commanding it is a God in the legal sphere. Me, I'm a god in the sphere of my work and my expertise.

With authority comes the ability to create. To make a situation so just be willing it. and to destroy.

I agree to some extent that God is authority. We can also assume power and dominion is also features of God.

But what authority does a Tree (Iroko) have over Man when we can simplyy pull it down but still people troop to offer prayers and sacrifice to it? What authority does a river have over men? Why this same authority is not awarded to well water?

hapheeyxz:
unthinkable

You need to think about this pls.

Ask yourself why people are not worshipping you just like Guru Maharaji Ji as the God-man? What makes you different from him? What qualities does he possess that you dont have?

You need to think

FOLYKAZE:


I agree to some extent that God is authority. We can also assume power and dominion is also features of God.

But what authority does a Tree (Iroko) have over Man when we can simplyy pull it down but still people troop to offer prayers and sacrifice to it? What authority does a river have over men? Why this same authority is not awarded to well water?

There are holy wells too.

What authority does a river have? It can have the authority to heal diseases. It can have the authority to confer children. But it must be approached in the right way. same with the Tree.

Authority is the same as dominion.

God is nothing but a title given to individuals by low self esteemed individuals. When you are good at a craft in which no one could beat you,perhaps the word "God" could be used. You do hear "Messi,God of football" Shango was labeled a God because he exhibited mind blowing skills/attributes.

We are victims of ancient cave men who passed the ideology of God to their offspring and here we are today still believing in God when it is absolutely clear there is non.

Ain't we all Gods? Yes we are! Most of us are Gods with low esteems who see an Arab dude as a God rather than ourselves.

ifeness:
God is nothing but a title given to individuals by low self esteemed individuals. When you are good at a craft in which no one could beat you,perhaps the word "God" could be used. You do hear "Messi,God of football" Shango was labeled a God because he exhibited mind blowing skills/attributes.

We are victims of ancient cave men who passed the ideology of God to their offspring and here we are today still believing in God when it is absolutely clear there is non.

Ain't we all Gods? Yes we are! Most of us are Gods with low esteems who see an Arab dude as a God rather than ourselves.

you're totally missing the point. No one asked: Why do we refer to other people or beings as Gods?

The question is What makes a God a God? i.e define God, what are it's attributes?

Low self esteem people might call Messi a God of football and be wrong if Messi does not fulfil the criteria required to be a god.

PastorAIO:


you're totally missing the point. No one asked: Why do we refer to other people or beings as Gods?

The question is What makes a God a God? i.e define God, what are it's attributes?

Low self esteem people might call Messi a God of football and be wrong if Messi does not fulfil the criteria required to be a god.

I wasn't missing the point. I do not believe in a God,therefor I cannot give it attributes. I was only adding what I felt could be added to the article.

ifeness:
God is nothing but a title given to individuals by low self esteemed individuals. When you are good at a craft in which no one could beat you,perhaps the word "God" could be used. You do hear "Messi,God of football" Shango was labeled a God because he exhibited mind blowing skills/attributes.

We are victims of ancient cave men who passed the ideology of God to their offspring and here we are today still believing in God when it is absolutely clear there is non.

Ain't we all Gods? Yes we are! Most of us are Gods with low esteems who see an Arab dude as a God rather than ourselves.

Low self esteem.

That is a point but how does low self esteem makes a river God? Can you pls explain this?

ifeness:


I wasn't missing the point. I do not believe in a God,therefor I cannot give it attributes. I was only adding what I felt could be added to the article.

I don't believe in unicorns, but I can give them attributes. I can say they look like horses, but they have a horn coming out of their snouts. This is a description of a unicorns. That doesn't mean that I believe one exists.

when one asks 'what makes god a god' he is asking about those attributes that define a divinity whether or not a divinity actually exists.

As I said in the other thread, God is a concept, a notion based on the understanding and imagination of Man. ..hence man made God in his image. .not the other way round

macof:
As I said in the other thread, God is a concept, a notion based on the understanding and imagination of Man. ..hence man made God in his image. .not the other way round

But you can describe the concept.

PastorAIO:


There are holy wells too.

What authority does a river have? It can have the authority to heal diseases. It can have the authority to confer children. But it must be approached in the right way. same with the Tree.

Authority is the same as dominion.

Cure disease and confer children? This is funny and hillarious. How pls?

Is disease cured by the River and Tree by praying and making sacrifice to it or by devising a method of using it for curing? If it is by the former, how is it possible? If it is by the later, well I dont think the so called Gods should be revered because we applied our own wisdom.

PastorAIO:

But you can describe the concept.

What makes Olomitutu ( Osun ) a God? Her importance to the world, her role as a giver of fresh water which sustains humans in many ways like soil fertility, healing, human fertility.

The river itself is not the God but the importance of the river drives people to develop a concept around it. .and they explain this concept in personification

macof:
As I said in the other thread, God is a concept, a notion based on the understanding and imagination of Man. ..hence man made God in his image. .not the other way round

God existing independently as a concept, entity or Idea is one thing, making it appear in our own image (anthropomorphizion) is another thing. We all know that something was perrsonailized and raised to divinity statues. So the question is what makes that deified object worthy of people's worship?

What makes Olokun, Yemoja, Osun, Yemowo and Oba Gods? Why are they worshipped, prayed to while the body of water in swimming pool or in Geepee tank does not attract such reverence?

Why is rain water wasteful but the little water that flows through my street have dedicated shrine?

FOLYKAZE:


You need to think about this pls.

Ask yourself why people are not worshipping you just like Guru Maharaji Ji as the God-man? What makes you different from him? What qualities does he possess that you dont have?

You need to think

aiit, maybe later.

FOLYKAZE:


God existing independently as a concept, entity or Idea is one thing, making it appear in our own image (anthropomorphizion) is another thing. We all know that something was perrsonailized and raised to divinity statues. So the question is what makes that deified object worthy of people's worship?

What makes Olokun, Yemoja, Osun, Yemowo and Oba Gods? Why are they worshipped, prayed to while the body of water in swimming pool or in Geepee tank does not attract such reverence?

Why is rain water wasteful but the little water that flows through my street have dedicated shrine?

You should read my last comment. It answers this
And to add to that: When people acknowledge the importance of a thing, they tend to honour it, respect it, nurture it.
Animists don't do worship, but veneration.
Hence My mother is venerated by me, the river is venerated by many due to its importance in their lives, some venerate their smartphone, cars etc

Some people actually honour rain water.
How Do You Know the water in GP tank isn't venerated By anybody? That shiit saves lives you know

macof:


You should read my last comment. It answers this
And to add to that: When people acknowledge the importance of a thing, they tend to honour it, respect it, nurture it.
Animists don't do worship, but veneration.
Hence My mother is venerated by me, the river is venerated by many due to its importance in their lives, some venerate their smartphone, cars etc

Some people actually honour rain water.
How Do You Know the water in GP tank isn't venerated By anybody? That shiit saves lives you know

The Omisebo in my street is not serving any importance other than accumulation of waste. People dont drink it, there is no farm close it, the fish there is not serve little kids who do not recognise it is God, and it chase people away and destroy properties when it rain heavily. So why is it worshipped when it is not serving any importance?

I think you understand what I mean when I said worshipped as God. There is a temple for worship, adherents/priest/priestess, there is a special sacrifice, prayers and rituals directed to this body of water which happens to be God. Why?

FOLYKAZE:


The Omisebo in my street is not serving any importance other than accumulation of waste. People dont drink it, there is no farm close it, the fish there is not serve little kids who do not recognise it is God, and it chase people away and destroy properties when it rain heavily. So why is it worshipped when it is not serving any importance?

I think you understand what I mean when I said worshipped as God. There is a temple for worship, adherents/priest/priestess, there is a special sacrifice, prayers and rituals directed to this body of water which happens to be God. Why?

Then those who venerate it should tell u why they do so. It's madness to venerate something that you cannot identify it's importance
The case here maybe the river has a history of being venerated or the river itself is a shrine housing something you don't know


I believe all these questions are you joking around cus you know what pagan priests do

Finally!!! God exist, He/she "O" always exist, He/She will forever exist. "O" (He/She) has always been Blackman and Blackwoman. The God that we call on is the Eldest of us all, exactly the same as I will postrate for my Father and my Uncles, Mother and Aunties and those that are Elder to me.
The Eldest is the best knower and the wisest.
Do not for a second think the earth alone is what is there in existence amongst several planets, stars, galaxies within the universe.

Second is the unit with which we count or measure time, it is "second"(2nd), which is First?

ifeness:
God is nothing but a title given to individuals by low self esteemed individuals. When you are good at a craft in which no one could beat you,perhaps the word "God" could be used. You do hear "Messi,God of football" Shango was labeled a God because he exhibited mind blowing skills/attributes.

We are victims of ancient cave men who passed the ideology of God to their offspring and here we are today still believing in God when it is absolutely clear there is non.

Ain't we all Gods? Yes we are! Most of us are Gods with low esteems who see an Arab dude as a God rather than ourselves.

gatiano:
Finally!!! God exist, He/she "O" always exist, He/She will forever exist. "O" (He/She) has always been Blackman and Blackwoman. The God that we call on is the Eldest of us all, exactly the same as I will postrate for my Father and my Uncles, Mother and Aunties and those that are Elder to me.
The Eldest is the best knower and the wisest.
Do not for a second think the earth alone is what is there in existence amongst several planets, stars, galaxies within the universe.

Second is the unit with which we count or measure time, it is "second"(2nd), which is First?

Which God did I say exists?

YOU, and you didn't not evolvefrom no primate or organism. Everything exist within you that you can bring out anytime you want it. oops! You don't possess such knowledge now, you will definitely grow into it. The only requirement is the dorminant Black germ.

ifeness:


Which God did I say exists?

gatiano:
YOU, and you didn't not evolvefrom no primate or organism. Everything exist within you that you can bring out anytime you want it. oops! You don't possess such knowledge now, you will definitely grow into it. The only requirement is the dorminant Black germ.

I know I am a God,but I need to stay humble unlike the lousy bible God. A true God is always of service to others and not the other way round.

The human spirit is eternal and cannot be created nor destroyed. but the human body which is a vehicle to the spirit can be manipulated(I hope you know that too).

macof:


Then those who venerate it should tell u why they do so. It's madness to venerate something that you cannot identify it's importance
The case here maybe the river has a history of being venerated or the river itself is a shrine housing something you don't know


I believe all these questions are you joking around cus you know what pagan priests do

Can you pls tell us the historical reason why a particular river you know about is been worship and prayed to?

You should understand that I am not saying veneration. Everyone can venerate their natural environment without much importance derived from what they do. This is quite different from praying to or making sacrifice to something. Those who venerate appreciate nature while those who worship and pray do it for a favor.

Veneation is not necessary for a deity but worship and prayers to a river or tree indicates these entities are deity.

So tell us sir what makes them a deity.

Why Iroko is perceived as sacred while the bamboo is not?

While do people go into the thick forest to pray to Iroko and place sacrifice on it foot while Mahogany tree which is more important for construction is not revered.

Pls note the word importance.

Those that cut wood from the forest barely cut Iroko tree. They either reject the contract or make serious ritual before cutting and another when hauling out. People often reject it for roofing. Yet you will see big and small Ebo surrounding the tree unlike "meelaina" that is very impotant.

I am not joking here. . . .I really want to know the qaulity which makes Iroko a sacred tree whle Mahogany is not

The Creator informs us in His revealed Word to man:

21 because, although they know who God is, they do not glorify him as God or thank him. On the contrary, they have become futile in their thinking; and their undiscerning hearts have become darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they have become fools! 23 In fact, they have exchanged the glory of the immortal God for mere images, like a mortal human being, or like birds, animals or reptiles!

24 This is why God has given them up to the vileness of their hearts’ lusts, to the shameful misuse of each other’s bodies. 25 They have exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, [size=14pt]by worshipping and serving created things, rather than the Creator — praised be he for ever. Amen.[/size] Rom 1:21-25

There's a difference between those things created by the Creator.

PastorAIO:
I don ask this question tire o! Abeg helep me to ask them again.

the Gospel of John says 'in the beginning ... the word was a god'. To answer what is meant by that now, na wahala for people. Could it be just a simple case of people running about saying 'god god god' but they really have no idea what they are talking about.

Bros , you are very right o ; many just say "god god god" they dont even have a clue of what they are talking about .

Emusan:
The Creator informs us in His revealed Word to man:


There's a difference between those things created by the Creator.

Brother , who is God ?

True, humility is one of the many attribute of God. An Original man's consciousness can never die but can be killed so are the other races. The Original man's unconsciouness can never die neither can it be destroyed or killed; And this unconsciouness is the real YOU who is called GOD. The unconsciouness creates the consciousness and also creates the purpose with which the consciousness would fulfill. Thus, You keep creating You, You will never stop creating You until the end of this universe and another universe is ushered in afresh with the combined unity of all the Blackmen and Blackwomen (unconscious/spirit). You can create everything except you can't create another Blackman or Blackwoman, you can procreate as it's seen.

Your unconsciouness create the universe from the very beginning with every other Blackmen and Blackwomen in UNITY who is called THE ONE GOD (in every languages). The universe been created to expand and it is expanding revealling new things and all, who is to witness and study them? You might say the white people, No! They can't, It is You who will study what you have created and the non-blacks are one of those people that one from amongst of us made that we should all study.

What I am trying to say is that, You are right, we die in flesh and then transform, but you can only be transformed back into a man at all times with different and extremely unique seperate consciousness.

ifeness:


I know I am a God,but I need to stay humble unlike the lousy bible God. A true God is always of service to others and not the other way round.

The human spirit is eternal and cannot be created nor destroyed. but the human body which is a vehicle to the spirit can be manipulated(I hope you know that too).

gatiano:
Finally!!! God exist, He/she "O" always exist, He/She will forever exist. "O" (He/She) has always been Blackman and Blackwoman. The God that we call on is the Eldest of us all, exactly the same as I will postrate for my Father and my Uncles, Mother and Aunties and those that are Elder to me.
The Eldest is the best knower and the wisest.
Do not for a second think the earth alone is what is there in existence amongst several planets, stars, galaxies within the universe.

Second is the unit with which we count or measure time, it is "second"(2nd), which is First?

is there any other humans in other planets?