God

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the belief in a supreme being in monotheistic thought. For the
general faith in a supreme being, see Deity. For God in specific religions,
see Conceptions of God. For other uses, see God (disambiguation).
Representation (for the purpose of art or worship) of God in (left to right from
top) Christianity, Islam, Atenism, the Monad, Balinese Hinduism, and Zoroastrianism

In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and

principal object of faith.[1]
Views regarding God vary considerably. Many notable theologians and philosophers
have developed arguments for and against the existence of God.[2] Atheism rejects
the belief in any deity. Agnosticism is the belief that the existence of God is unknown
or unknowable. Among theists, some view knowledge concerning God as something
derived from faith and God is often conceived as the greatest conceivable existent.
[1]
 God is often believed to be the cause of all things and so is seen as the creator
and sustainer and the ruler of the universe. God is often thought of
as incorporeal and independent of the material creation[1][3][4] while pantheism holds
God is the universe itself. God is sometimes seen as the most benevolent,
while deism holds that God is not involved in humanity apart from creation.
Some traditions attach spiritual significance to the relationship with God and see God
as the source of all moral obligation, with acts such as worship and prayer.[1] God is
sometimes described without reference to gender, while others use terminology that
is gender-specific. God is referred to by different names depending on the language
and cultural tradition with titles also used to refer to different attributes.

Etymology and usage

Main article: God  (word)
The Mesha Stele bears the earliest known reference (840 BCE) to the Israelite God Yahweh.

The earliest written form of the Germanic word God comes from the 6th-
century Christian Codex Argenteus. The English word itself is derived from
the Proto-Germanic *ǥuđan. The reconstructed Proto-Indo-European form *ǵhu-tó-
m was likely based on the root *ǵhau(ə)-, which meant either "to call" or "to invoke".
[5]
 The Germanic words for God were originally neuter—applying to both genders—
but during the process of the Christianization of the Germanic peoples from their
indigenous Germanic paganism, the words became a masculine syntactic form.[6] In
the English language, capitalization is used when the word is used as a proper noun,
as well as for other names by which a god is known. [7] Consequently, the capitalized
form of god is not used for multiple gods or when used to refer to the generic idea of
a deity.[8][9] The English word God and its counterparts in other languages are
normally used for any and all conceptions and, in spite of significant differences
between religions, the term remains an English translation common to all.
El means God in Hebrew, but in Judaism and in Christianity, God is also given a
personal name, the tetragrammaton YHWH, in origin possibly the name of
an Edomite or Midianite deity, Yahweh.[10] In many English translations of the Bible,
when the word LORD is in all capitals, it signifies that the word represents the
tetragrammaton.[11] Jah or Yah is an abbreviation of Jahweh/Yahweh, and often sees
usage by Jews and Christians in the interjection "Hallelujah", meaning "Praise Jah",
which is used to give God glory.[12] In Judaism some of the Hebrew titles of God are
considered holy names.
Allāh (Arabic: ‫ )هللا‬is the Arabic term with no plural used by Muslims and Arabic
speaking Christians and Jews meaning "The God",
while ʾilāh (Arabic: ‫ِإ ٰلَه‬ plural `āliha ‫ )آلِ َهة‬is the term used for a deity or a god in general.
[13][14][15]
 Muslims also use a multitude of other titles for God.
In Hinduism, Brahman is often considered a monistic concept of God.[16] God may
also be given a proper name in monotheistic currents of Hinduism which emphasize
the personal nature of God, with early references to his name as Krishna-
Vasudeva in Bhagavata or later Vishnu and Hari.[17] Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa is the
term used in Balinese Hinduism.[18]
In Chinese religion, Shangdi is conceived as the progenitor (first ancestor) of the
universe, intrinsic to it and constantly bringing order to it.
Ahura Mazda is the name for God used in Zoroastrianism. "Mazda", or rather the
Avestan stem-form Mazdā-, nominative Mazdå, reflects Proto-Iranian *Mazdāh
(female). It is generally taken to be the proper name of the spirit, and like
its Sanskrit cognate medhā, means "intelligence" or "wisdom". Both the Avestan and
Sanskrit words reflect Proto-Indo-Iranian *mazdhā-, from Proto-Indo-
European mn̩sdʰeh1, literally meaning "placing (dʰeh1) one's mind (*mn̩-s)", hence
"wise".[19] Meanwhile 101 other names are also in use.[20]
Waheguru (Punjabi: vāhigurū) is a term most often used in Sikhism to refer to God.
[21]
 It means "Wonderful Teacher" in the Punjabi language. Vāhi (a Middle
Persian borrowing) means "wonderful" and guru (Sanskrit: guru) is a term denoting
"teacher". Waheguru is also described by some as an experience of ecstasy which is
beyond all descriptions. The most common usage of the word "Waheguru" is in the
greeting Sikhs use with each other - Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki
Fateh "Wonderful Lord's Khalsa, Victory is to the Wonderful Lord."
Baha, the "greatest" name for God in the Baháʼí Faith, is Arabic for "All-Glorious".[22]
Other names for God include Aten[23] in ancient Egyptian Atenism where Aten was
proclaimed to be the one "true" supreme being and creator of the universe,
[24]
 Chukwu in Igbo,[25] and Hayyi Rabbi in Mandaeism.[26][27]