Immanent

Is god an immanent or a transcendent being?

Source: tatoeba (12096800)

Is God the first cause or the immanent cause?

Source: tatoeba (12826930)

However, whether they are gods depends on definition. In many religious traditions, a god isn’t just powerful but also a fundamental source of existence—either creating the universe (transcendent) or embodying it (immanent). Extraterrestrials, no matter how advanced, might still be contingent beings—products of the same cosmic processes as us—rather than the ultimate origin of reality. So, they could be deemed gods by some, but philosophically, they might not fit the full criteria.

Source: tatoeba (13312011)

Extraterrestrials could be seen as gods if their powers dazzle us, but they’d differ from an immanent or transcendent God by being finite, physical beings within the universe, not its root. A hierarchy of beings—us, them, and beyond—fits both religious and speculative frameworks, potentially stretching from the mundane to the near-divine. Whether there’s an ultimate God atop it all, or just an endless progression of "higher" entities, depends on your worldview. What do you think—does the idea of a cosmic pecking order resonate with you, or do you lean toward a singular divine capstone?

Source: tatoeba (13312019)