Atheism Quote by George H. Smith
““If a supernatural being is to be exempt from natural law, it cannot possess specific, determinate characteristics. These attributes would impose limits and these limits would restrict the capacities of this supernatural being. In this case, a supernatural being would be subject to the causal relationships that mark natural existence, which would disqualify it as a god. Therefore, we must somehow conceive of a being without a specific nature, a being that is indeterminate—a being, in other words, that is nothing in particular. But these characteristics (or, more precisely, lack of characteristics) are incompatible with the notion of existence itself.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Nature of God by George H. Smith, 1975
A supernatural being cannot be exempt from natural law without losing its divine nature, because any specific traits impose limits that contradict true godhood.
In simple terms: God must be beyond specific traits.
Key Takeaway
Consider limits of defining divinity.
Themes
theology
philosophy
logic
Mood
inquisitive
critical
Type
theoretical
speculative
When to use this quote
- religious debate
- philosophical inquiry
- ethical reasoning
Key Concepts
determinism
indeterminacy
causality
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “God” mean to you?
- Can a deity be both specific and limitless?
A Different Perspective
The argument assumes a binary between natural law and divinity, which may be oversimplified.
![“The negative way [of describing God] is a cardboard prop of Christianity to conceal its unknowable God. When this prop collapses, theistic agnosticism emerges, complete with its package of contradictions and non-sensical utterances.” quote by George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/86f/george-h-smith-20207_agnosticism_the-negative-way-of-describing-god-is-a_433133.jpg)
