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

[SteveII]

Because he was flawed and lacking and therefore imperfect?

(or nonexistent)

Just a thought!

I guess that depends if you consider wanting more out of life when you're a 'perfect' being to be a flaw, deficit or lack of some kind. Did God want more or did God need more? (if we pretend he exists for sec ) And if God merely wanted more . . . is having a desire necessarily a flaw of some kind? Would God be more perfect if he had no desires?

See, that's why I find theology utterly pointless. It's like pretending Superman is real for a second and then having a super serious conversation about how important it is to know exactly how his powers work. And then you wake up like "Oh yeah it doesn't matter because he's not real."

Personally I think that a truly perfect being would be completely self-satisfied and wouldn't need or want anything. There would be no point in creating a universe. Him would be all that existed and that would be perfect. Nothing more necessary. And no more "better" to move towards, so it's not just that he doesn't need more . . . there's no point in wanting more because you already have it all. It's as good as it gets. It's perfect.

I guess one objection could be "he can do whatever he wants and he's still perfect." But my point would be that . .  . what's stopping anything from being perfect then? Can't God do things that are imperfect? I guess the answer would be "He could but he wouldn't". So then the question is "Are all the actions that God takes flawless? Has God even made a mistake?", etc. Round and round we go.

Theology: Study of an imaginary being.

If you want to have someone respond to the post that you obviously took time to write, you should stop telling them in every other sentence that their beliefs are nonsense.

In your conclusion "that a truly perfect being would be completely self-satisfied and wouldn't need or want anything" is obviously wrong.  The experience of a relationship with creatures of free would seem to add something of value that was not there before.