What is God?

[Rayden_Greywolf]

@davidsun Well I have to say, you have me pretty figured out haha. At present, I do believe the only way for me to think differently on this matter would be for a miracle (a "mommy angel") to happen. The thing is...I don't think I can just force myself to have faith. to believe in something just because I want it to be true. I've tried that, for years. I earnestly tried, while keeping an open mind.

Again, I'm seeking truth. I know how easy it is to fool the mind into believing what it wants. I do acknowledge that my current understanding may be wrong, but if that's the case, then believing in the opposite is just as likely to be wrong. It all depends on which belief you feed...only the current belief I'm feeding is based on experience, which is the closest to truth I can come to.

So it would seem that my fate is indeed sealed, as you put it. But is that really so? Am I just doomed to a depressed existence forever, short of a miracle happening? What kind of loving God would do that?

[davidsun]

Originally Posted by Rayden_Greywolf

So it would seem that my fate is indeed sealed, as you put it. But is that really so? Am I just doomed to a depressed existence forever, short of a miracle happening? What kind of loving God would do that?

You've heard about things like peeps becoming and being "the masters" of their own "fate", I presume.

Let me tell you, back in my thirties things events had gone so 'badly' (unfortunately, whatever - details unnecessary) for me that I become so depressed that it literally felt like I had to consciously choose and 'work' to 'breathe' (in)!

The "God" that operationally changed that was "me", my engaging in positive visualizations, prayers, etc. believing that my focusing of my psychospiritual power (i.e. Life-Force) could/might and conceivably would 'revive' and 'heal' my (then) badly bruised and beat-down 'spirit'. I believed this because I had reseacrhed and seen data pertaining to the 'power' of belief (i.e. of focused attituded and intent), which is in everyone - no 'other' "God" was postulated or considered necessary.

Just look up and read about the 'power' of hypnosis, whether said hypnotic state and 'suggested' 'beliefs' were 'activated' by a 'hypnotherapist' or by one's 'self' as in 'autohypnosis' by 'autosuggestion'.

See http://www.ibshypnosis.com/hypnosisabout.html (for just one article on the subject). There are a lot of research findings relating to the 'power' of (adopted!) 'beliefs'.

As I said, no 'other' (otherworldy or supernatural) "God" is required or needs to be postulated for personal well-being etc. to be improved by way of prayerful (intentional and attitudinal) invokecation

I remember one of my mental prayer 'exercises' and set of autosuggestions related thereto which I feel quite sure were quite healing and supportive of my 'getting out' of my 'depressed' state. On my walks (exercise helps with depression because endorphins are then released in ones body, btw!) I would mentally and emotionally 'address' any and all 'impressive' looking trees as I went by them, projecting/believing that their 'spirits' were indeed benign conscious entities, asking them to 'give' me some of their (spiritual) energy, i.e. to 'bless' me, and promising that I would 'bless' others, including trees that I walked by, in return with my (spiritual) energy when I had healed (which I believed could possibly 'happen) and my energy had once again become overflowing.

Your albeit disbelieving insistence on ('pleading' for) a "God"ly intervention is just another version for an impossible to believe in 'mommy angel' to 'intervene' on your behalf, Bro. You've heard "Be the 'change' you wish to see," right? Well, be 'loving' and so 'take care' of Life (your own included, of course), instead of plaintively looking'hoping for a Mommy-God to 'love' and 'take care' of you, dude!

The power of belief (Itself) deriving from your own psychospiritual soul-'power' is real and once incontrovertibly experienced, will not need any further proof and validation.

Drop your "Help my 'helpless a**' - and legs - get up and carry their own weight, even though I don't believe such 'help' will be forthcoming" self-defeating circular-logic 'lamentation' which will get you nowhere except into more of the same, "I can't believe in "God", 'woe is me!" meanderings.

First things first: there will be plenty of time and opportunity for you to explore and possibly access the cosmic dimensions of said power as it pervades 'the Cosmos', once you have your 'act' reasonably together and are in a position to be a 'power-full' ally who can help IT full-fill IT's larger-than-you purpose, Man!

[Rayden_Greywolf]

Its interesting that you mention hypnosis. I'm quite familiar with it and actually practice it as a side job online. So yes, I understand how powerful belief and suggestion can be on the mind. However, such suggestions aren't necessarily the truth. They can lead to positive benefits, sure. I'm aware that I can reprogram my mind to think and act more positively. But is that the true nature of things? I could borrow energy from trees too, but that doesn't make that energy real.

Truth matters to me. I'm not satisfied with a world that has no benevolent God, and I refuse to allow my desperate mind to give in to a possible fantasy, even if it would allow me to be "happy". That's just who I am. And if there is a God, then I see no reason why it would allow completely avoidable suffering like that. It certainly doesn't seem benevolent.

I don't know what god is, god is the grains of sand.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Rayden_Greywolf

Hm, I suppose I should try meditating again. The last time I tried, I got a pretty bad headache. I have a fairly unquiet mind lol.

@Miss Hepburn and davidsun: What I seek is truth, and for me, that unfortunately causes me to discredit taking things on pure faith. I don't think I can approach such a task as making a space for God without having a fair bit of doubt in my mind.
Every time I've tried, I've felt extremely lonely, abandoned even, which is why I struggle with a belief in God at all.

I agree...I don't take anything 'by faith'.
If you have doubt and struggle with a belief in God at all...
I'm not much help.
Remember there is a healthy difference between innocent wonder and not knowing something like a child in discovery and
Opening to struggle, doubt, abandonment or disbelief.
If you can open to wonder and slight possibility..that helps a lot.

Edit add: I truly believe seeing is believing.
Why should anyone believe in anything they have not seen for themselves and tested?!

[Kerubiel]

God has been a powerful force in my life for many years. I read God's teachings and believed in them long ago. I realized that God was perfection and that God was hidden everywhere. I began seeing the hidden perfection that resided within all of reality. I prayed and prayed to God to help people and gave my life to Him. I began on a journey to save people and fight against evil and wrong doers. God has appeared to me many times, and many times I have discovered imposters pretending to be God in order to absorb the power I gave to Him. God is absolute knowingness. I can see very clearly reality and the objects within it, yet when I look at God I can see nothing. Just black. He shows me only what He wants to show me. He reveals that which he wishes to reveal. He is amazing. I love Him so much.

[davidsun]

Originally Posted by Rayden_Greywolf

Truth matters to me. I'm not satisfied with a world that has no benevolent God, and I refuse to allow my desperate mind to give in to a possible fantasy, even if it would allow me to be "happy". That's just who I am. And if there is a God, then I see no reason why it would allow completely avoidable suffering like that. It certainly doesn't seem benevolent.

I can relate to that. But let me say it only strikes me a making sense if one imaginatively projects that (a) God, to qualify for that title, must be completely controlling.

What if "God" is (merely) (a) 'creative' power which is 'intelligent' and this 'intelligent' 'power' is dispersed throughout 'creation' - that 'the created world' (which is the sum total of all of the power-expressing 'elements' in it) is 'creative', hence Godly- i.e. All That Is, which Isness just continues to unfoldingly express Itself in the every which way that you see It doing all around you?

And what if said All That Is is gradually finding It's way to a 'better and better' (i.e. more and more loving and more and more enjoyable) overall/conjoint experience by way of experimentally trying out this and that and then 'intelligently' deciding on better and better "that's" as it goes along?

Don't you think 'the world' has become, i.e. is now, a 'better' (more interesting and fun) place to hang out in than it was in 'the age of the 'dinosaurs' or 'the Incan age' (they tried to 'please' 'God' with human sacrifices then) or 'the age of the Roman Empire' (they crucified those who didn't toe the emperors' 'line' then), or during what are now called 'the dark ages' (history 1000 years ago)?

Not that there isn't room for a great deal more improvement still of course.

What if you imagined "God" to be a 'work in progress', gradually 'growing up' from being an ignorant and petulantly impulsive 'child', making huge mistakes but learning from them in the process?

Just imagine - what if the idea you have of what (a) God could or should be is totally unrealistic (in TRUTH!).

Whatever ... it looks to me like you are setting up an impossible (in reality) kind of God image (which others may be 'fed' you) as a kind of 'paer tiger' and then doggedly (nobly?) refusing to believe that that is or could be 'true'.

Should you ever perchance feel motivated to explore a totally different (more up to date, hence more realistic, IMO) idea of "God", I invite you to check out the 'updated' (for today's 'free-thinkers') God-concept which I have present in my book, called Godspeak 2000. Click here for a free pdf download.

Of course, if you'd rather keep on setting up an old (now waaay out of date!) God-concept as a shadow boxing 'partner' and beat it up as not being believable truth for the rest of your life, don't.

[Rayden_Greywolf]

Hmm, I'll give it a read actually.

Its not so much that I can't accept a God like that. I find that idea interesting, actually, and definitely more aligned with what I'd view God as (you still define it as a creative intelligence, which is what I was suggesting earlier). And you posit that one can connect with this kind of God as you mentioned earlier? Why the demand for total faith though? What purpose is there in that?

[blossomingtree]

I'm with Dan on this one.

That said, to me, the fact that you are asking the question so earnestly indicates to me that you will find the answers you seek.

(BTW) Everyone has an "unquiet" mind when meditating at first :)

BT

[hallow]

Originally Posted by Rayden_Greywolf

I probably have asked this question before, just with different words, but whatever.

So, what do you believe God is? Do you view God as an intelligent entity? Or maybe an undefinable field of "energy" throughout the universe? Is God pure awareness?

I'm having trouble coming to terms with what I've learned about God, myself. I want a God that is personal and relevant to one's life, but at the same time, how can this be so if God is more like awareness or simply the Universe itself? I want to be able to feel comforted in times of darkness, but how does one do that with an impersonal God?

I know what you mean, i always do my best to keep an open heart and mind and do my best for others. Maybe the parts i struggle with is following others, and the guilt that is often associated with many religions. I am sure i am going to get some people worked up on that one. But to feel comfortable in times of darkness? You'll probably never be comfortable if you did it wouldn't be considered darkness. I like to consider darkness a time of transformation. It forces you reconsider where your at and where your going whats really important and what is not. In my opinion comfort makes a person lazy. Once you get yourself through whatever darkness you'll have a better idea of who you really are.