Theists: What do you mean when you say that God is 'perfect'?

[Minimalist]

Actually when some religitard says that "god" is perfect they mean that god shares their own opinion about everything.

[Neo-Scholastic]

You suggest that his completeness consists in Him being essentially self sufficient in and of himself.  I think you're alluding to aseity here, and I would have to say that I think introducing this form of self-sufficiency as a form of completeness which might be described as a perfection is in some sense introducing a concept that is alien to our intuitions about perfection and so amounts to essentially redefining perfection to be something that it is not.  

I believe it's an archaic use of the word 'perfection'. Kind of like the way 'movement' is an archaic way of referring to change. So I do think you have a point in that referring to God as perfect now-a-days, given its contemporary meaning, drags in more concepts than it should. It does lead to confusion. That's part of what makes it so difficult to study Classical philosophy; I have to make sure that I am properly interpreting the nomenclature as it would have been understood back when it was written. That's also why I'm being a little circumspect about fully entering into this debate. I foresee the danger of talking past one another.

(Also, I misspoke. Divine Perfection is in Question 4, not 3. That's what happens when I don't have the text in front of me.)

[Catholic_Lady]

Maybe this is a good way of simplifying it into a quick answer:

"God is absolute in his perfection in that there is nothing lacking in his character or nature. He does not need anything or anyone to exist. He is complete within Himself."

[GrandizerII]

Maybe this is a good way of simplifying it into a quick answer:

"God is absolute in his perfection in that there is nothing lacking in his character or nature. He does not need anything or anyone to exist. He is complete within Himself."

And then insert theist preferences of what the God character and nature should be. Perfect God is still man-made God, and clearly so.

[Catholic_Lady]

Maybe this is a good way of simplifying it into a quick answer:

"God is absolute in his perfection in that there is nothing lacking in his character or nature. He does not need anything or anyone to exist. He is complete within Himself."

Just realized this is exactly what Neo said lol.

Ok, leaving thread now.

[GrandizerII]

Maybe this is a good way of simplifying it into a quick answer:

"God is absolute in his perfection in that there is nothing lacking in his character or nature. He does not need anything or anyone to exist. He is complete within Himself."

Just realized this is exactly what Neo said lol.

Ok, leaving thread now.

Neo saying it still doesnt prevent it from being vague nonsense. Theists need to work a lot harder to answer the OP question. Heres a subquestion that might help theists to ponder further on this topic. What is imperfect about God being one with the Cosmos, or what prevent the Cosmos from being perfect? Another subquestion: Does a perfect entity really need a mind to be perfect and function perfectly?

[Whateverist]

God sounds like a tool.

He does tend to fix things every now and then.

What was he thinking setting us loose with free will but no omniscience.  Couldn't he see where this would lead?

[The Grand Nudger]

Perhaps we could do with less tinkering, in that case.  It hasn't exactly gone well.

[Whateverist]

Actually when some religitard says that "god" is perfect they mean that god shares their own opinion about everything.

That's because some believers make God in their own mindset.

[ignoramus]

Maybe this is a good way of simplifying it into a quick answer:

"God is absolute in his perfection in that there is nothing lacking in his character or nature.  He does not need anything or anyone to exist. He is complete within Himself."

Cool story Bro!