The existence of god terms

design argument

the argument that God designed the universe, because everything is so intricately made in its detail that it could not have happened by chance

theist

a person who believes in god

athiest

a person that believes that there is no god

agnostic

someone who believes that there is not enough evidence for the belief in God

first cause / cosmological argument

the argument that there has to be an uncaused cause that made everything else happen, otherwise there would be nothing right now

eternal

without a beginning or an end

creation

the act by which God brought the universe into being

miracle

a seemingly impossible event usually good that cannot be explained by natural or scientific laws and is thought to be the action of God

proof

evidence that supports the truth of something

evil

the opposite of good, a force or the personification of a negative power that is seen in many traditions as destructive and against God

sufferring

when people have to face and live with unpleasant events or conditions

ulimate reality

the supreme, final, fundamental power in all reality

the divine

god, gods or ultimate reality

revelation

God showing himself to believers, is this is the only way anybody can really know anything about God

special revalaion

God making himself known through direct personal experience or an unusual specific event

vision

seeing something, especially in a dream or in a trance, that shows something about the nature of God or the afterlife

enlightenment

the gaining of true knowledge about God or self discipline

general revelation

God making himself known through ordinary, common human experiences

nature

the physical world including plants, animals and landscape

scriptures

the sacred writings of a religion, for Christians these are the Old and the New Testament

omnipotent

almighty, having unlimited power

omniscient

knowing everything

benevolent

all loving

immanent

the idea that God is present in and involved with life on earth and the universe 

transcendent

the idea that God is beyond and outside life on the earth and the universe

personal nature of God

the idea that God is an individual or person with whom people are able to have a relationship or feel close

impersonal nature of God

the idea that God has no human characteristics, is unknowable and mysterious, more like an idea or force