Thinking about God

[swiv2D]

I guess the older i'm getting the more desperate i am and the need for comfort, i think about god alot. If he exists, if he's listening. I know it's selfish i mean if there's anyone he should be listening to then he should be listening to those suffering the most in countries like Africa, Chetchnia, India and so on. I know the idea is that everything is meant to be a test but i guess i just want some hope that he exists or are we just a form of bacteria that's slowly coevering the earth.

[FairleighCalm]

We may be one of many, but that does not diminish the divinity of your spirit or relevance to your world or community. It helps me to remember that I'm a perfect image of god's creativity and love, and so are you. Each moment, even if it's not "pretty" or even if we don't behave well, is divine, and it holds great potential. Potential for affirmation, curiosity or learning. God is love, never anything else.

[FairleighCalm]

^I have said the same thing at times. But really it's our world we create. God not only created a world, but invented a world that can create itself. I think our frustration with that world is really our feeling helpless to affect it. That is an illusion, we can affect our world no matter how small for the better.

[natevines]

If it comforts you, the power to you.

I wish I could delude myself into believing in a god, but I can't.

[formaltide]

Originally Posted by swiv2D

I guess the older i'm getting the more desperate i am and the need for comfort, i think about god alot. If he exists, if he's listening. I know it's selfish i mean if there's anyone he should be listening to then he should be listening to those suffering the most in countries like Africa, Chetchnia, India and so on. I know the idea is that everything is meant to be a test but i guess i just want some hope that he exists or are we just a form of bacteria that's slowly coevering the earth.

Well, if he's as omnipotent as he says, listening and watching everyone in the whole universe shouldn't be a problem for him.

I'm not really sure what god you're talking about, though, I'm just assuming you mean the one that's named God.

[Parnatian]

Dear Swiv,

May I suggest that what ever the word G-O-D points to is not at all about "everything being a test". If there ever was a situation to feel extreme stress and angst, that would be it...wouldn't it.

Does anything in nature attempt to force itself to be a certain way? It seems to me it all just unfolds. Even if a bud is damaged by a little frost, and the flower blooms to our eyes un-perfect, does the flower worry about it? No, it's a perfect frost-flower.

Who told you God is always testing you? Nature doesn't give witness to such bs.

I have found that being silent with nature is a far, far, far better teacher of the Divine, than any book or magazine ever printed or any deity ever carved in our mind. Nature has taught me that when there is tightness and stress in body and emotions, then it is time to rest again -- silent in the arms of the beloved teacher.

p

[kpiper0101]

I believe a higher power exists. I believe he IS listening, and is capable of listening to the entire universe at once. I don't think at all that everything is meant to be a test. We have free will -- which may be our downfall, but love isn't worth much if not freely given. Life is no test, just an invitation to love and be loved. It's hard to comprehend the magnitude of God's love because we are confined to what are human minds can grasp just as it's hard to grasp the concept of eternity when we're confined to time. If I really look around myself or even within myself, there is more than ample evidence to me that something greater than ourselves exists. One thing I know for sure is that those who gravitate towards darkness will find darkness, just as those who gravitate toward light find light. Not so much a test, just a choice. Some are so accustomed to clinging to the darkness that they've become afraid of any light. Their fear should in no way diminish your hope, for it certainly can't diminish God's love for you or for them. . . . I assure you you're not a form of bacteria! :O)

[Neptunus]

Originally Posted by Parnatian

Dear Swiv,

May I suggest that what ever the word G-O-D points to is not at all about "everything being a test". If there ever was a situation to feel extreme stress and angst, that would be it...wouldn't it.

Does anything in nature attempt to force itself to be a certain way? It seems to me it all just unfolds. Even if a bud is damaged by a little frost, and the flower blooms to our eyes un-perfect, does the flower worry about it? No, it's a perfect frost-flower.

Who told you God is always testing you? Nature doesn't give witness to such bs.

I have found that being silent with nature is a far, far, far better teacher of the Divine, than any book or magazine ever printed or any deity ever carved in our mind. Nature has taught me that when there is tightness and stress in body and emotions, then it is time to rest again -- silent in the arms of the beloved teacher.

p

You needn't always turn to the "corporate religions" to find divinity.

[LostInReverie]

I'd give the Bible a try, if you haven't already (New Testament).

[FairleighCalm]

The book Kitchen Table Wisdom has a strong spiritual component to it and it's all true stories from the Oncology field. It was fascinating.

[jenkydora]

Originally Posted by swiv2D

I guess the older i'm getting the more desperate i am and the need for comfort, i think about god alot. If he exists, if he's listening. I know it's selfish i mean if there's anyone he should be listening to then he should be listening to those suffering the most in countries like Africa, Chetchnia, India and so on. I know the idea is that everything is meant to be a test but i guess i just want some hope that he exists or are we just a form of bacteria that's slowly coevering the earth.

He is close to the broken hearted and saves those crushed in spirit.

That is such a comfort to me. He particularly has us real close, those suffering.

[Paul'sBunyon]

Originally Posted by natevines

If it comforts you, the power to you.

I wish I could delude myself into believing in a god, but I can't.

I don't think he's "deluding" him/herself. It's just what he believes. I could say you are deluding yourself into a spirit-less existence. I'm curious if you've ever sincerely searched for a spiritual practice?

[striker]

There are 2 aspects to our existence. The inner self and the self that projects outward.

If you dig deep into any spiritual tradition, past the noise, past the main god head(s)
then they all point to the same source.

The Outward projecting self is what we sense with our 5 Senses. This is the physical world. The goal of spiritual traditions is get past these senses and get past the Ego which makes us identify with these 5 senses strongly to give our identity in the physical world.

Now as you can imagine, how difficult the process of disassociating from these senses as well as the Ego could be.

Now there are 2 ways in which this is done. One is through Mediation. The other is through prayer focussed on a God. The path you choose depends on the personality.
There is a also a third one which is based on doing service to others.

There are specific skills which you have to learn if you choose the meditative path.
Practice these skills, become pure in thought word and deed and one day the you may no longer be a slave to your senses or your Ego.

If you read any scriptures, this is the aspect they are talking about when they tell you a story. Its a metaphor for crossing this barrier.

Now what happens when you cross this barrier is, you unite with the energy or the consciousness that runs through everybody, you can call it God or whatever.

There is also another interesting thing that takes place, there is a coiled energy that resides at the base of your spine which merges with the global consciousness. at this point you become enlightened

I can go on.. but basically.. explore your religion, dig deep, the answers are there.
If it interest you, then learn about it otherwise help someone in need, that will come back to you for sure

[Neptunus]

Originally Posted by Paul'sBunyon

I don't think he's "deluding" him/herself. It's just what he believes. I could say you are deluding yourself into a spirit-less existence. I'm curious if you've ever sincerely searched for a spiritual practice?

Well said! Love your username, btw.

[natevines]

Originally Posted by Paul'sBunyon

I don't think he's "deluding" him/herself. It's just what he believes. I could say you are deluding yourself into a spirit-less existence. I'm curious if you've ever sincerely searched for a spiritual practice?

My apologies, I realize that came off with more than a bit of condescension (unintentional, I assure you!). What I meant was that for individuals like myself, it would be purely delusion to convince oneself there's a god, albeit a comforting delusion. I don't really believe in god an am generally pretty apathetic to all things concerning religion, so no, I've never 'searched for a spiritual practice'.

[swiv2D]

Whoa! Guess it was the wrong subject to bring up, don't get me wrong I'm not a religious person but am open minded to all ideas, whether there is a god or not. It's a question we've all asked all our lives, and I've always thought about it now and again and have always been two minded, sometimes I hated him and didn't want to believe in him, sometimes I'd think he was just a lie to give people hope, and how he only seems to help evil people these days then those in need like in Africa and so on, but whenever I'd feel upset I'd talk to someone in my head whether I was talking to myself or not I just kept talking hoping that someone would listen so maybe I could be desperate. I wasn't saying that I was in search of a religion or some spiritual hope but was wanted to talk about him or her cause it's been on my mind a lot, and I guess i can say that I believe there is one whether I'm crazy or not I want to believe in him..or her. Thanks for your comments some of them were very interesting.

[Paul'sBunyon]

And I did not mean to offend you either. It's an interesting topic. I'm glad you brought it up.

[Anxiety75]

I don't think it makes sense if (hypothetically) if we were just accidentally put here for no reason by some impersonal force.What would the point be? There has to be a reason we are here. The problem is that there is so much wickedness people wonder if there is a God why does he allow it. If there were no God then all my faith and efforts would be in vain. All the answers to my prayers would just be my imagination. It would be hopeless for me to pray because it would do no good in coping with my anxiety.

But that's not the case because I know there is someone higher and knows more than us. We are like ants compared to God. Yet he helps those who put faith in him.

We cannot begin to comprehend the answers to why, how, etc when it comes to why God exists and how he is not a creation. That boggles my mind but we are not to question that because we are just dust from the ground.

It's a higher understanding that we may never know.

I like the example of trying to get an ant to explain the anatomy of ther human body. He has no comprehension of such design. We barely understand our own bodies and how they function .