[theorique]

Interesting point. As a teen-aged atheist and Ayn Rand fan, I was so determinedly atheistic that I couldn't use the word "god" even in a metaphorical way. Perhaps I was afraid of the concept (or afraid of what devout believers would do to me). My literalism probably interfered with effective communication at times.

Nowadays I aim to focus on the underlying intent, rather than the literal meaning. God is a fairly abstract, catch-all word that can mean a lot of different things to different people.

[ChuckMcM]

"God is a fairly abstract, catch-all word that can mean a lot of different things to different people."

Exactly right.

[nollidge]

But doesn't that make it meaningless? If we can't all agree what it means, then it doesn't mean anything at all.

[ChuckMcM]

It should, make it meaningless, and thus it should be possible to talk about the various meanings like you talk about kitten pictures on the Internet.

What I have observed however that talking about God locks some people up. Sometimes in an actively un-responsive way. So for them the word is associated with a meaning they are running away from. And you can't talk about their meaning because, well they are running away. The is the circle I alluded to in my original comment.

[nollidge]

> So for them the word is associated with a meaning they are running away from.

This is incredibly presumptuous.