Talk about who is God....

[sky]

Originally Posted by Maisy

I don't think there is a religion that does not believe in powerful beings

Religion can be 'Spiritual' and yet belong to the class of religions without gods.....

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Maisy

I don't think there is a religion that does not believe in powerful beings that exist.

What some claim is the oldest religion, and seems to have aspects of that religion in apparently all other other religions, is Animism.

The word is generally foreign to the West but when I lived in Asia, it resonated in so many ways. I lived in a predominate Buddhist country in which ex-pats would mention their love for Buddhism except they disliked the Animism aspect.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by sky

I'd percieve it as being beautiful when I hear it and know it existed before I heard it....
Nontheist's know what they're talking about...

Nontheist

According to Google:

"What religion is considered non theistic? The most famous and widely considered nontheistic religions are Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Jainism. Hinduism is sometimes considered nontheistic because it emphasizes following one's dharma, or duty, more than worshiping deities."

[Maisy]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

"What religion is considered non theistic? The most famous and widely considered nontheistic religions are Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Jainism. Hinduism is..."

That's why I worded it like this: "I don't think there is a religion that does not believe in powerful beings that exist." I said powerful beings instead of God.

Buddhism has tons of beliefs dealing with demigods and deva's in pure land etc. The demon Mara. Confucius himself is worshipped as a powerful spirit. But then Confucianism is not considered a religion. Taoism has three deities associated with the three highest heavens or “pure” realms. Jains believe in superior powerful devas. These beings direct or are in charge of one's life and future incarnations based on Karma. Hinduism has tons of Gods and Goddesses. There are a bunch of Native American deities listed here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...erican_deities

I think to be on a spiritual path in itself means one believes one can become greater spiritually and believes that some others have already achieved these higher states. Using the word "powerful" here loosely as power can be applied different ways. Being able to be free of ego for example can be described as a powerful ability as it may result in a profound change in ones consciousness or being.

Catholics have so many saints. Spiritually powerful people who lived. Many are worshipped. I think it logical to assume I am at this level of spiritually and others must be higher than me and others must be lower than me. If others are higher than me, then they are a more powerful being than me. They are more able to be aligned with our powerful source and align less with negative energies.

[Maisy]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Psalm 46:10: Be Still...
And I will say - it is a stillness most can not imagine.

Right, not a physical stillness, an inner one. It could be an awareness so great one focuses wholly on the source as all else is not important.

[Runecaster]

In different manifestations. I donät like to box myself in but I have an animistic view of god.

[Goldcup7]

Originally Posted by Runecaster

In different manifestations. I donät like to box myself in but I have an animistic view of god.

Never box yourself in, for sure. We are not limited, yet we seem to limit our being.

[JustBe]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

If a person never heard about God(s)/god(s), would they ever come to know about God(s)/god(s)?

Exactly so.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Maisy

It could be an awareness so great one focuses wholly on the source as all else is not important.

Oh, do I love THAT sentence!

[Runecaster]

Originally Posted by JustBe

Exactly so.

My take is that a huge portion of humans would look at nature, the stars etc and ask. Who made this. Where do we come from etc and probably come up with something very similar to most pagan / Nature folk religions.