Children's Book Explains Meaning of God: What does God mean to you?

Mark Macledo, an Australian author, has written a book called "God Is" that is meant to explain the meaning of God. This book, according to Macleod, is a non-denominational picture book that is sup... Mark Macledo, an Australian author, has written a book called "God Is" that is meant to explain the meaning of God. This book, according to Macleod, is a non-denominational picture book that is supposed to appeal to everyone from children to adults. "God Is" teaches children to search for God in everyday things and encourage everyone to find spirituality in simple things. One excerpt from the book reads like this: "God is in the light of the moon and the stars that chart a shining course above the dark that never seems to end." (more)
To me, God means...
I don't believe in God.
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  • +5 raves Iamfree July 08, 2009 21:42:26

    To me, God means...

    He is my Father in heaven, the One I turn to for answers. He spoke the universe into existence and knows everything that ever has happened and ever will happen. He is the Chief Justice of the Universe, the perfect witness and perfect judge.
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  • [-] Jim September 14, 2009 15:58:46

    To me, God means...

    The result of such a book will be worshiping the creation over the creator. Something Christ predicted in the last days.

    God is a Spirit and He is Truth and He must be worshiped the same, in spirit and in truth or our worship is in vain.

    He gave us the Bible so we could know Him and know what He expects of us. We don't need "picture" books that lead to idolatry and glorifies the elements of creation. We need the Bible, the Word of God, that's all.
  • [-] SassySIOUX September 12, 2009 01:04:57

    To me, God means...

    My God is my refuge and my strength with out him I could not and cannot get through this crazy life. I think this book will be good, unless some crazy ass Athiest or such decides that it will offend them.Children need to be taught not threatened about right and wrong,they need a foundation so that as they get older it is up to them whether they want to follow Christ or not. I was raised SDA but I don't practice now. God is not about religion, God is too big for just one religion. People are always asking where was God when that shooting took place in that school, well you took God out of school where do you think he went.
    We are in the final days, look around the chaos, evil is hovering.

    "yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou are with me"

    I feels sorry for people that don't know GOD. God is everywhere.

    GOD BLESS!
  • +1 raves [-] pdshanny July 26, 2009 22:15:22

    I don't believe in God.

    Childern have a better idea of god than we do. I don't beleave in the god most people put out there. I would spit in his eye. He is a hate filled a-hole.
  • [-] krystal silas July 15, 2009 03:01:08

    To me, God means...

    a biblical charecter tht u belive in- tht helps the needy and the lost...
  • [-] tomem July 14, 2009 19:18:49

    To me, God means...

    Everything...nuf said.
  • [-] INDO_420 July 14, 2009 03:18:03

    To me, God means...

    our creator.
  • [-] Bob July 11, 2009 19:16:43

    I don't believe in God.

    That doesn't mean there isn't a god, but...

    Suppose no one told children there was a god; do you think that somehow god would whisper about his existence in the ears of children. If that did happen, do you think that god would tell those children to go to the same church, temple, or mosque that their parents visited for their spiritual guidance?

    My guess is that children would choose the church, temple, or mosque where they were likely to encounter their friends, or where they were most likely to have a good time... if the choice were left to them without influence from their parents or other adults. Our inclination as humans is to choose the best deal, the most logical option, or the option for which there is ample evidence supporting that choice. Consequently, those choices are best made when children are adults when they make such choices.

    Don't you find it a little silly when anyone defines a child's religious choice. This baby is a muslim, or a Jew, or a Catholic, or a Christian, or... That is a form of child abuse at best!

    Churches, temples, mosques, and religion in general, need adults to indoctrinate children to be religious. Since there is absolutely no hard evidence to recommend, let alone support, belief in any religious doctrine, and since there isn'...
    That doesn't mean there isn't a god, but...

    Suppose no one told children there was a god; do you think that somehow god would whisper about his existence in the ears of children. If that did happen, do you think that god would tell those children to go to the same church, temple, or mosque that their parents visited for their spiritual guidance?

    My guess is that children would choose the church, temple, or mosque where they were likely to encounter their friends, or where they were most likely to have a good time... if the choice were left to them without influence from their parents or other adults. Our inclination as humans is to choose the best deal, the most logical option, or the option for which there is ample evidence supporting that choice. Consequently, those choices are best made when children are adults when they make such choices.

    Don't you find it a little silly when anyone defines a child's religious choice. This baby is a muslim, or a Jew, or a Catholic, or a Christian, or... That is a form of child abuse at best!

    Churches, temples, mosques, and religion in general, need adults to indoctrinate children to be religious. Since there is absolutely no hard evidence to recommend, let alone support, belief in any religious doctrine, and since there isn't any evidence suggesting that anyone will be punished for either belief or non-belief in any religious doctrine, the religions of the world would have no followers if adult members stopped supplying their children as new members. Now isn't that a curious version of using children as replacement parts?

    There is absolutely no verifiable or documented evidence that God has ever spoken to any man, woman, or child, nor is there any verifiable evidence that God requires us to believe that God exists. So, even if there is a god, he/she/it doesn't give a rat's neck whether or not we know or care about his/her/its existence. And that regard of god for beliefs of lower level beings is just about equal to our (human) regard for the beliefs of lower-level beings (whales, fish, birds, insects, or microscopic animals, or even plants) hold about humans.

    You see, I don't give a rat's neck about what lower level animals think about humans. And that is just about what god would be thinking about us... if there is a god!

    Religion is just big business in its worst form. It's a big expense with no profit.
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  • [-] tomem Bob July 14, 2009 19:22:51
    In my church we pray daily for all non believers. Not just that God will speak to them, He already has, but that they will stop listening to their own meager intellect, and listen instead to the one that knows all. God Bless you and yours.
  • +1 raves [-] Eric Bob July 16, 2009 21:03:43
    So, to paraphrase your answer, you see God the same as Christians, Jews, and Moslems, right? I mean, you don't believe in that god but you use the same definition as they do. I would hope that more people develop a more inclusive view of god and get away from your judeo-christian definition. We need to separate church and state and when your definition gets into public policy, we can't.
    A more inclusive definition of god would be "the sum of all knowledge" or what existed before the Big Bang. That is the deist definition believed in by Einstein, Jefferson, and others. What do you think existed before the big bang?
    And some of us do give a rat's neck about "lower" level animals.
  • [-] Bob Eric July 17, 2009 18:56:09
    Hello Eric. A few thoughts in response to your comments:
    I wrote that I have no regard for what lower animals think ("I don't give a rat's neck about what lower level animals think about humans. "); I have substantial regard for lower animals and care about their welfare though certainly not as much as I care about the welfare and behavior of my own species. I don't believe that lower animals are capable of much more than elemental thought, and none regarding anything other than survival; certainly no animals, other than homo sapiens, show any interest in god, the existence of god, or in being or becoming religious.

    Next, you have made absolutely no attempt to paraphrase my comments. I stated that I do not believe in god. That assertion does not embrace the existence of god, but, rather, admits that there is no evidence supporting the existence of a god, nor is there an explanation for our existence or for the circumstances that permit our existence or presence on this planet. As to what existed before the 'big bang' or any other phenomenon that accounts for what now exists, there was time. Time was and is irreversible. And, there was something else. That 'something' and what happened to 'it' is the real mystery that causes some men to look for clues and others to s...
    Hello Eric. A few thoughts in response to your comments:
    I wrote that I have no regard for what lower animals think ("I don't give a rat's neck about what lower level animals think about humans. "); I have substantial regard for lower animals and care about their welfare though certainly not as much as I care about the welfare and behavior of my own species. I don't believe that lower animals are capable of much more than elemental thought, and none regarding anything other than survival; certainly no animals, other than homo sapiens, show any interest in god, the existence of god, or in being or becoming religious.

    Next, you have made absolutely no attempt to paraphrase my comments. I stated that I do not believe in god. That assertion does not embrace the existence of god, but, rather, admits that there is no evidence supporting the existence of a god, nor is there an explanation for our existence or for the circumstances that permit our existence or presence on this planet. As to what existed before the 'big bang' or any other phenomenon that accounts for what now exists, there was time. Time was and is irreversible. And, there was something else. That 'something' and what happened to 'it' is the real mystery that causes some men to look for clues and others to surrender their beliefs to the fables created by other men. I am with the 'seekers of clues' group.

    I believe that all religious beliefs are fraudulent, largely because the 'prophets' and the believers resist asking and answering serious questions about their beliefs. I also believe that religion is just business, often, sadly, monkey-business, always linked to money moreso that the public welfare!
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  • [-] Eric Bob July 17, 2009 19:32:09
    Thank you for your reply and sorry for not fully reading the lower animals sentence.
    I was attempting to distinguish the deist god and the theist god. We don't have to have the same definition of god. When the separation of church and state crowd wants to ban god from public I think that they use the theist god (or Judeo-Christian/Moslem god). And therefore are actually forcing church and state together. I am not troubled by Boy Scouts saying "duty or god" or "under god" because the deist god is hardly even "religious". The deist god just is shorthand for all that stuff that we don't know. The separation of church and state people seem to be saying that my definition of god, the deist definition, is not the real definition and therefore they are interferring with my beliefs.
    I have always been either an atheist or agnostic (of the theist god) but I am very troubled by what seems to be anti-christian bigotry in this country and this has resulted in hate crimes. I also believe that religions provide some with a sense of fulfillment or happiness or something and that this is a good thing. The UN declaration of human rights has it right when article 18 says "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion ...
    Thank you for your reply and sorry for not fully reading the lower animals sentence.
    I was attempting to distinguish the deist god and the theist god. We don't have to have the same definition of god. When the separation of church and state crowd wants to ban god from public I think that they use the theist god (or Judeo-Christian/Moslem god). And therefore are actually forcing church and state together. I am not troubled by Boy Scouts saying "duty or god" or "under god" because the deist god is hardly even "religious". The deist god just is shorthand for all that stuff that we don't know. The separation of church and state people seem to be saying that my definition of god, the deist definition, is not the real definition and therefore they are interferring with my beliefs.
    I have always been either an atheist or agnostic (of the theist god) but I am very troubled by what seems to be anti-christian bigotry in this country and this has resulted in hate crimes. I also believe that religions provide some with a sense of fulfillment or happiness or something and that this is a good thing. The UN declaration of human rights has it right when article 18 says "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."
    Many institutions are "just business". Unlike in parts of Europe, church profits are from voluntary giving, I believe. They must provide some people with some peace or provide some value.
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  • [-] Bob Eric August 03, 2009 22:27:06
    I appears that we are more alike than different in the way we perceive the mysteries that religions seek to explain with preposterous fiction. I understand your viewpoint of using god as the linguistic term to account for all that that we do not know but consider in our curiosity about what happened when we weren't looking; still, with the usual and very troublesome "meaning" of god in the collective mind of most of our countrymen, I don't want my perceptions and questions about the unknown to be confused with the mythology of religion.
  • [-] Jim Eric September 14, 2009 16:30:54
    Your so-call "inclusive" god is NOT the GOD of the Bible. He is merely a god of mans imagination and is no profit to anyone in death. He may make one feel better about them self in this life but such a god is powerless to help in the next.

    This Nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and our Constitution was written for a Christian people. Separation of church and state is a fantasy and not in the Constitution. The Constitution merely limits Government from ESTABLISHING a church or dictating an "official" church.

    I don't know what Einstein believed but I do know what Thomas Jefferson believed.

    "To the corruptions of Christianity I am, indeed, opposed; but not to the genuine precepts of Jesus Himself. I am a Christian, in the only sense in which He wished any one to be: sincerely attached to His doctrines, in preference to all others; ascribing to Himself every human excellence; and believing He never claimed any other." THOMAS JEFFERSON, letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush, Apr. 21, 1803
  • [-] Jim Bob September 14, 2009 16:19:38
    You wrote: "...the religions of the world would have no followers if adult members stopped supplying their children as new members."

    I disagree as does the Bible. God has put His law into the heart of every child to know right from wrong and to crave fellowship with Him. You obviously are among those who have rejected Him and His revelation to your spirit. Therefore I only wonder what you seek after everyday to fill that void. Is it alcohol, drugs, sex, money, possessions, or perhaps fame? If we stop and listen, those yearnings, whatever they be, are simply that innate hunger to know God, which have been perverted by the devil and our refusal to bend the knee to the Almighty.

    Romans 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
    20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
    21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
    22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools

    1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hav...
    You wrote: "...the religions of the world would have no followers if adult members stopped supplying their children as new members."

    I disagree as does the Bible. God has put His law into the heart of every child to know right from wrong and to crave fellowship with Him. You obviously are among those who have rejected Him and His revelation to your spirit. Therefore I only wonder what you seek after everyday to fill that void. Is it alcohol, drugs, sex, money, possessions, or perhaps fame? If we stop and listen, those yearnings, whatever they be, are simply that innate hunger to know God, which have been perverted by the devil and our refusal to bend the knee to the Almighty.

    Romans 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
    20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
    21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
    22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools

    1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
    10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
    11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
    12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
    13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
    14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

    There has been a time in your life when you stood at the crossroads and rejected that which God has shown you. As long as you have breath in this world there is time to go back to that intersection and take the right path.
    You don't need "religion" with all it's hypocrites and money lovers, you need Jesus, and He comes to us when we believe, repent, confess, and submit. May He bless you is my prayer.
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  • [-] Cat July 10, 2009 14:58:10

    To me, God means...

    that i am not alone in this vast wilderness called earth. people come and go - either because they want to leave or due to death....but God is a constant - even if he doesn't make sense all the time
  • [-] Bob Cat August 03, 2009 22:29:39
    How can god be anything but constant? If there is no evidence that god exists, the absence of evidence is certainly a constant that is dependable.
  • [-] Cocktails July 10, 2009 14:32:51

    I don't believe in God.

    What a bunch of crap we feed our kids and then we can't understand why they are screwed up!
  • -1 raves [-] USA-1 July 10, 2009 03:22:37

    To me, God means...

    When I was in the U.S. Army in the sixties, I saw atheist men facing death call out to God. Please do not wait until you face Jesus and hear the words, I never knew you. Follow God Not Obama.
  • +1 raves [-] GrandGizmo July 10, 2009 02:19:54

    To me, God means...

    God is Love, Mercy, Justice, Truth, Power, Glory and a million other things all in one. He remains a mystery and unfathomable. But, He loved us enough to send His Son Jesus Christ to die for the sins of the world.
  • [-] Bob GrandGizmo July 17, 2009 19:04:36
    What proof do you have that this is true? What proof do you have that there is a god? Not writing by men. Hard, irrefutable evidence provided by god! Not your thoughts. Evidence!
  • +1 raves [-] GrandGizmo Bob July 17, 2009 21:31:10 (edited)
    Faith does not come by seeing. The Apostle Paul said, “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Some people say, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” But the trouble is that our eyes can so easily deceive us. We do not see in order to believe; we believe in order to see. Even when Christ walked the earth, people doubted Him. How do you think it would be different? The eyes and mind deceive. The Apostle Thomas (i.e. doubting Thomas) even had to touch his crucifixion wounds. Faith goes beyond our human perceptions. Even our senses shall fail us, but the Word of God will never fail. Simply put, if you need evidence to have faith in God, then how weak is your faith? If you must see to believe, where does faith reside? And, faith is accounted unto righteousness. If you don't know that Jesus loved you enough to pay the price for your sins, then I suggest opening your Bible and seeing that He loves you beyond the scope of human understanding. Is there any greater love than that? No one else died for the sins of the world. Only Christ Jesus.
  • [-] Bob GrandGizmo August 03, 2009 22:36:02
    Faith is what you have when you don't know what happened. God doesn't say anything. God doesn't listen. God is not on your side or mine. God doesn't even exist. Ask questions. Don't recite someone else's written ideas. Use your intellect. Make the most of your life; that is all that you will have!
  • [-] GrandGizmo Bob August 04, 2009 16:21:48
    If this life were all there is, it would be a very disappointing thing. Do you really think this world is that admirable? Look at all the evil in this world.
  • [-] Bob GrandGizmo August 04, 2009 21:37:36
    Admirable? What does that have to do with anything. This is it. Your last thought ever will be just before you die. Death is the end of your existence. Nobody, but nobody, has come back to tell how it was on the other side! Why? Because there is no other side. Reward and punishment are contrivances of man. If your book were not fiction,don't you think that god would have silenced people like me or the other guys who don't believe what you believe? You, no matter how good or bad you are, you are a big improvement on god. That's not much necessarily. I am sayinng here that you are much better than nothing!
  • +1 raves [-] iheartk.w. July 09, 2009 21:24:02

    To me, God means...

    life
  • +2 raves [-] captkirk999 July 09, 2009 21:00:56

    I don't believe in God.

    I am starting to think that most reglion is mind control. I am leaning to becoming a atheisist.
  • [-] Bob captkir... August 03, 2009 22:39:39
    You cannot become an atheist (please note the spelling!). You believe there is a god or you do not. If god speaks to you, you will be the first. If you believe all religion is fiction and that there is no creator, you are an atheist. We don't recruit! There are no dues to pay. You are in or out.
  • +2 raves [-] Eleanor July 09, 2009 18:45:57 (edited)

    To me, God means...

    God is there for me when I need to lean on Him. He is in the room with the PET SCAN, with the MRI, He's there during surgery; when I have pain and I need HIm, He's there. I must be His most imperfect child, BUT, I keep trying because He is there.
  • [-] Bob Eleanor July 17, 2009 19:05:58
    And you believe in fairy tales!
  • [-] Eleanor Bob October 17, 2009 18:27:03
    No, I believe in what I know. I feel His presence and that gives me the courage and comfort that I need to go on.
  • +2 raves [-] Blythe Spirit July 09, 2009 17:50:46

    I don't believe in God.

    I don't believe in book banning, but I might reconsider my position for this book. Children don't need indoctrination. They need freedom from indoctrination.
  • [-] Eric Blythe ... July 16, 2009 21:07:51
    What is the difference between indoctrination and education? Aren't people smart enough to think for themselves? Isn't education beneficial, even if it is proven wrong in time? Half of what I learned in college has been disproved or greatly expanded. Don't fear education/learning/reading.
  • +1 raves [-] Cassandra July 09, 2009 17:11:41

    To me, God means...

    my lord and savior, my father. :)
  • [-] Bob Cassandra August 03, 2009 22:41:24
    God is a delusion.
  • +2 raves [-] Kitty Lady July 09, 2009 16:21:06

    I don't believe in God.

    I am not sure that the god that everyone talks about exists. If there was a truly kind and loving god, he /she would not allow people to be so crruel.
  • +1 / -1 raves [-] Eleanor Kitty Lady July 09, 2009 18:42:21
    God gave us free will. People are cruel to people, He has nothing to do with it.
  • +1 raves [-] Shahnaz aka Naz July 09, 2009 14:07:11

    To me, God means...

    Sovereign..He protects us from harm and danger. and Love. God is Love. :)
  • +2 raves [-] Sabrina July 09, 2009 13:33:38

    To me, God means...

    HE is the author of true "change and hope". Without HIM I am nothing ---HE is my best friend, my physician, and my teacher. I can talk to HIM about anything and HE always answers --- maybe not the way "I" wanted it, but the way that is "best" for me. I am always amazed that HE loves this sinner and always has my back no matter what. A child once asked "How big is GOD" - the reply was---think of a small fly trying to get a drink of water in the middle of the Pacific Ocean----GOD is bigger that the ocean!!!!
  • +2 raves [-] Magic Kid July 09, 2009 08:11:58

    To me, God means...

    Creator, Sanctifier, Savior. I would not approve this book for my children as it places God "in things". God is not nature, he created it, although one can certainly "see" God in his creation. Likewise he is not a part of the universe (light of the moon - although it is a beautiful thought) he is the Ceator of the universe.
  • +1 raves [-] Xinea July 09, 2009 05:07:41

    To me, God means...

    This guy that may or may not be real and if he is, he sure likes to screw around with our politics.

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