My interest arose from two fronts. One is that most of the posters here seem the semantic, word-dueling sorts great for helping someone check for technicalities, logical issues, or errors(not to mention thick skin)

My second interest is from need for more humanistic and modern philosophical material. I did a paper last year for a seminary college using  Ayn Rand to drive home key points for my beliefs, for example. I need more!  The 'why won't god heal amputees' angle leaves much to be desired.

I've no intentions  of proving  God exists to anyone. Thats neither my job nor inclination. I am into proving what is or is not a part of religions, mostly my own. An outsider's perspective on if interactions between supposed figures in my little cosmology are irrational and why can be a great help.

Actually define what a god is or just point to which is mine? I would, like the rest of the horde, claim that my understanding of the bible was correct(until I'm proven wrong again) and all my assertions came from it.

As a heretic, its hard to make statements about where I'm particularly christian.

When I  say  god I'll be meaning: 1, Whatever someone dedicates their life to(perhaps not as useful here). 2,  Some sort of very impressive consciousness or entity...let's say of mythical proportion. 3, The god of the bible, Yahweh since the name's common here.

I identify with what I see in the early church in the bible, what I know of the historical church that followed soon after, and what was crushed over and over again by the bigger christian groups until...I think the last official christian execution of a unitarian was in the 1670's. I used to be more mainstream but was convinced of their errors and went digging, wound up affiliated with a small group descended from the Anabaptist strain. I was so impressed with what I found and had enough success in studying that I decided to jump into a seminary school they run.

Since I started asking questions, I haven't got on well with church  establishment. Christian  websites tend to ban me. You think they hate you guys... :p

Did you want me to take the meaning of God further or is that good?

well, as long as no one else is replying in this thread, then sure, please proceed. if you want we can make it a new thread? 

Sounds like you believe there is a god, am I right? 

I have to believe in a god to have said what I have in this thread I don't believe in magical ghosts in people's bodies that float off when they die or ethereal realms of ecstasy or torture. I believe that any existing god has to be a 'nuts and bolts' thing in some sense, and that the biblical god is much more of that then currently represented. I think that belief in a god and one's outlook on reality itself must be a part of rational thought...am I trying to say something akin to irrational beliefs must still be subject to rational understanding? I'm rushing myself right now. Will be a fun subject to talk more on later.

I don't mind a theist badge. Christian groups and websites don't like me and my peers because you crush their god outside of their holy book. I crush their god from inside their book I appreciate the work many various atheist groups do to promote critical and free thinking. I am a little disappointed with some of the choice ammunition here, but I do know how  effective they are with uneducated christians(from listening to the interventions on myspace).

By modern notions I could point out the differences between something like Sheol, the hebrew land of the dead or afterlife in the OT, and Hell as you hear it now. I'd argue use of the word hades as a synonym for sheol. But certain  bibles and teachers like to translate what they want into the bible. Bible tells me everyone who dies goes to the same 'place,' and in that place they don't think, know, act, plan, or do anything. They turn to dust and 'cease to be.' Thats why resurrection was a big deal instead of reincarnation or simply being happy with whatever spiritual dimension your essence relocated to.

I think  I found this site on youtube while recoiling from  some horrific  church's broadcast of their self written and performed song  about  how god  hates the world and everybody. As I said,  I  don't try to  prove god  exists. I  try to study and learn or teach what the bible actually says.
  I came here looking for good material on humanism, logical arguments against what I'm against, and to get some doubt and criticism to improve myself. I like to keep  my peers on  their toes. I need to know my Ayn Rand and the medical research that shows how electrodes in a human brain can force a subject to undergo  a  'spiritual' experience.  We need  this sort of perspective.

Ack! I'm late. Hope the above doesn't need edits.