[Guest]

So, I've seen alot of evolution speak and religion topics but my question is.. how real are words? I mean, we define that around us, before us and ahead by the words we use. The depth and substance of being has revolved around communicating an understanding that which we have definitions for or are able to define. The scope of our understanding is the scope of our knowledge. If someone is born and raised in the dark they know not of light although it may exist but not to their knowledge. How real are the words you are reading without the understanding of what they mean.... to you?

Anyways... your thoughts?

[Guest]

So, I've seen alot of evolution speak and religion topics but my question is.. how real are words? I mean, we define that around us, before us and ahead by the words we use. The depth and substance of being has revolved around communicating an understanding that which we have definitions for or are able to define. The scope of our understanding is the scope of our knowledge. If someone is born and raised in the dark they know not of light although it may exist but not to their knowledge. How real are the words you are reading without the understanding of what they mean.... to you?

Anyways... your thoughts?

Words are real. They are a mechanism for communication of thoughts, which are likewise real. The thoughts may or may not reflect reality, but if there's to be an interchange of ideas, if there's to be a sharing of knowledge, then there has to be a medium for communication, and words are by far the most flexible (e.g., pictures and sounds are good as well, but words are necessary for dealing with relationships and other abstract concepts). As you've probably noticed, much of the discussion and controversy revolves around the meaning of words like faith, belief, God, and supernatural. For the discussion to be meaningful, the words need to consistently represent the same thought to each person.

As to the limitation of words, I think it's fair to say that if humans are able to think of something, they are able to express it in words, even if the words don't always do justice to the thought. The limit of what we can discuss, then, is not the limit of our vocabulary, but the limit of our imagination. We can't speak in concrete terms about things we don't truly understand (in what sense is God a spirit? what is a photon made of?), but that doesn't stop us from imagining and discussing them.

[onetruth]

Even with a knowledge of words, people can mean completely different things and still use the same words. Since religion was mentioned, my example would be the difference between a Christian and a Mormon. They may use the same words, but mean completely opposite things. A Christian would say, "Jesus is God and died to save us" and mean the Jesus is the only God, and that there is no other God and no other way to a relationship with Him. A Mormon would say, "Jesus is God and died to save us" and mean that Jesus and Satan are brothers, and Jesus was part of the salvation process (Joseph Smith being the final player in salvation), and that Jesus is only the first being to become a god, while the rest of us still have a chance to become one as well.

For me, figuring out those (sometimes subtle or well-hidden) differences is extremely important to understand what's being said to me, make certain that I'm understood.

[Guest]

Words are real. They are a mechanism for communication of thoughts, which are likewise real. The thoughts may or may not reflect reality, but if there's to be an interchange of ideas, if there's to be a sharing of knowledge, then there has to be a medium for communication, and words are by far the most flexible (e.g., pictures and sounds are good as well, but words are necessary for dealing with relationships and other abstract concepts). As you've probably noticed, much of the discussion and controversy revolves around the meaning of words like faith, belief, God, and supernatural. For the discussion to be meaningful, the words need to consistently represent the same thought to each person.

As to the limitation of words, I think it's fair to say that if humans are able to think of something, they are able to express it in words, even if the words don't always do justice to the thought. The limit of what we can discuss, then, is not the limit of our vocabulary, but the limit of our imagination. We can't speak in concrete terms about things we don't truly understand (in what sense is God a spirit? what is a photon made of?), but that doesn't stop us from imagining and discussing them.

I understand that "words are real". I am not talking about the physical aspect of communication but how it came to be and what we define by communication. In other words... without words, define God.

[Guest]

I understand that "words are real". I am not talking about the physical aspect of communication but how it came to be and what we define by communication. In other words... without words, define God.

Do you mean trust and belief, no words just faith. Faith in something, someone or just those around you, family, friends, community etc. Real intentions of the spoken word all comes down to your trust/judgement

[Guest]

I guess what I was trying to say is that, through communication we are able to share ideas and concepts of what we think is going on around us. We began thinking about the past and now into the present of how everything became. Religion still holds strong but the depth at which we understand religion is by words and no more. From drawings on walls to objects on paper.. to forming a word and providing a definition relative to that word. Constructing words together to form a sentence to understand what it is we are trying to say or communicate. The entire atmosphere around us is understood to the point at which our imagination seems logical between parties in which no one is equal but lesser than a god, written and passed, taught and told.

Anyways.. I've almost forgotten where I was going with all this but its just one big loop like everything else.