Insight on God

[tayo]

..was hoping for feedback or arguments on this. 'twas posted elsewhere but i felt it deserved to be put in the right section.

just typed this up as it came to me, if you're religious i apologize if this is "BLASPHEMY!" ahead of time.

Personally, I don't like to think that anyone (god) has more control over my life than I do. It would be logical to accept "god" as yourself, but as a mortal that has limits, not an all powerful being but a being that has some power, and through empowerment of the mind one can shape hir world for the better. By believing in a god that can change the future or outcomes it can only set one up for disappointment like "oh god's on my side i don't need to shave for this interview", it may give you a false sense of confidence but will not change the way an employer looks at you. That will be followed by disappointment when you're not hired, and blaming god or satan will happen, and one will feel powerless without god and give him credit for something you earned on your own. This constantly lessens the status of the self and self-worth. If there were a god he/she just put us here to do our own thing, if god were helping in day to day lives no one would kill, there would be no poverty, there would be no such thing as hate, etc. God is just a symbol of the idea of good things/positive influences, and satan is a symbol of the idea of evil/negative influences. Accepting god could be seen as believing in yourself to "do the best thing". So why accept god at all?.. if you look at it like this you won't have god on your mind and spend however much of your life will be spent on thinking about god, talking to god etc.... to think about how you have the power to change things in life for the best. If you think of it like this there might be more weight on your shoulders, rather than god's, but when it begins to slip off you can take credit for balancing it.

Reputation Comments on this post:

great monologue. very well written and points well made.

[vantranist]

Some will argue Confidence will help you more than anyhting else, if infact there is no other forces at work.

Or possibly beliving there is a god and understanding you will go to heaven when you die might give one peace through out his life regardless of if its true or not, instead of knowing when you die its all over and being misserable about that you're whole life witch would be the only one you had.

Personaly i don't think it matters. Too me the evidence against all Gods that man has created (christianity, buddism, judism ect..) Is highly in favor of that its all bullshit. That doesnt mean there isnt a higher power at work here however i doubt no man has ever known.

[geophagus]

When it comes to my belief in God, I keep it simple.

I no longer make the mistake of confusing religion with God, or vice versa.

I believe that we are only as close to God as we are to each other.

Reputation Comments on this post:

damn good point

[Humanity]

Originally Posted by tayo

If there were a god he/she just put us here to do our own thing, if god were helping in day to day lives no one would kill, there would be no poverty, there would be no such thing as hate, etc.

This idea is not my own but yes, the Bible describes God as both benevolent and omnipotent.

Which raises the question: "Why is everything so fucked up?"

I do agree with most your points though...while I do believe in destiny, I don't in particular believe in any gods.

[beentheredonethatagain]

my Creator is my God. The same god that created the earth and Heaven, prove to me it could have been some accident or big bang, how could our body have been accidently made to perfectly work on earth, with the oxygen to carbon dioxide then from carbon dioxide back to oxygen via photosynthesis. just to name one perfect balance.

[Heretic.Ape.]

@Humanity: The bible describes god as being vengeful, jeaous, wrathful, merciful, and a host of other characteristics: a rather moody god like most of his creations (humans were made in the image of god). I believe the notion of god being omnibenevolent, omnipotent, and omnipresent is the philisophical description of god (made to reconscile the the overarching point of religion).
I don't think most Christians have actually read the bible. Fairly good book at points, some good advice, notably some of what jesus had to say, but a lot of it is a combination of sheer atrocity and barbarity mixed with pure nonsense (and by nonsense I mean that in the most literal way, not that the beliefs are unfounded, the words put together actually mean nothing in large portions of the book).
@Beenthere: The body works with the way the earth is because it adapted to work within that context, the earth did not adapt itself to the human body. Not to be argumentative, it's just the earth is older than humans so I think it makes sense.

[tayo]

Originally Posted by beentheredonethatagain

my Creator is my God. The same god that created the earth and Heaven, prove to me it could have been some accident or big bang, how could our body have been accidently made to perfectly work on earth, with the oxygen to carbon dioxide then from carbon dioxide back to oxygen via photosynthesis. just to name one perfect balance.

well okay, given some all powerful force created the big bang, things may have just worked themselves out from there. but there is more solid science to advocate that and evolution than the existence of a god now and definitely not one that just snapped his fingers and adam and eve popped out of nowhere.

[beentheredonethatagain]

okay some big bang and a little evolution and here we are with a brain we don't even use for the most part, and a balance of cycles, food chain, a body that heals itself and on and on. we have the ability to agree to disagree. But remember God is either everything or he isn't anything, there isn't a middle ground. so are you also saying then satan isn't real either?

[tayo]

right, just ideas fabricated to fuel human morale.

[augentier]

First of all, I think it is impossible for humans' limited minds to really KNOW what god is or is not; we cannot perceive something on that level - this is where drugs and trained meditation/spiritual practices come in to play - to give us a glimpse.

Since the beginning, people have been trying to find reasons for the things they don't understand..if they don't understand it, then it must be some higher form, or part of it..take the ancient earth-based religions for example..way back in the day before science, they saw the sun rise and set every day, saw that it gave life, realized that without it..everything would die. They didn't understand that the sun is just a big burning star and we're on a planet that's orbiting it, so it must be a god, or part of a higher power's big scheme.

The same can be said for all religions, they're essentially comfort zones for what people can't understand, or don't want to understand.

I think god must be some type of force, or energy, or even mankind's collective subconscious. God is not a big man in the clouds who is capable of becoming angry or jealous or happy..again, man created god..so of course man attributes human-like qualities to god, because it is familiar and we can't even imagine what god actually is.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Excellent post - I totally concur!

[Twiglet]

yeah, "mankind's collective subconscious" swim likes that one

[Sky Walker]

Originally Posted by augentier

I think god must be some type of force, or energy,

I think I agree but in that case, does that mean god is dead ?

[cyndi]

Hmmmm this is a question that is posed a lot. Religion, man try explaining it to a high strung teen. He always had a comeback for all I said. Boy how can I say no disrespect, one time swim was very "religious" attended church, prayed daily, taught her kids christianity is the right way, was not a dope fiend at the time of course. I don't know anymore swiy, honest answer. I wish a higher power could save me, stop the monster in me I hate so much, and make sense of everything. I can't in this point and time. According to the bible, God puts no more on you than you can handle right, then why was swim sitting on the bathroom floor busting a cap in her head? Why did she live and is living the vicious cycle again? I don't know....Why as swim is cleaning up all sorts of crappy things are happening and again today. It is just messed up you know. If there is a higher power, he is unforgiving and cruel. There I said it. Sorry if I offended a religious person in advance.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Blasphemy! haha i approve. ~t

[tayo]

Blasphemy!

Reputation Comments on this post:

You are too funny!!LOL

[beentheredonethatagain]

the rain it falls on the just and the unjust alike. I know that I am in bad situation again and this time worse than I have ever faced. lost marraige
may lose business, things are bad and going south. I have to ask my self why God? but I already know why, its me and the choices I should say bad choices. and the reason I am in a jam is because I was sprung , and the shit I get is because of the lack of attention to reality.

[cyndi]

Originally Posted by tayo

Blasphemy!

Oh crap I am going to hell!!!!

[Heretic.Ape.]

^ I imagine you'll be in good company

Reputation Comments on this post:

yes indeedy. LOL

[cyndi]

Originally Posted by beentheredonethatagain

the rain it falls on the just and the unjust alike. I know that I am in bad situation again and this time worse than I have ever faced. lost marraige
may lose business, things are bad and going south. I have to ask my self why God? but I already know why, its me and the choices I should say bad choices. and the reason I am in a jam is because I was sprung , and the shit I get is because of the lack of attention to reality.

Swiy is too hard on himself. That is the issue swim has with organized religions, they put those guilt trips on one that needs compassion, not oh you are a junkie get away from me!! Or the "good church" ladies will cut their eyes at you, or how to say, swim is talking slang again, like the judgementmental look. Doesn't it say in the bible that God is all that judges you, so wtf? Yes we have made some bad choices for sure, but know it is wrong so why continue? That is what swim is chewing on. One could sit in church all day singing and praying and all that but it doesn't change what happens or makes things ok in the eyes of a higher being be it whatever one believes in. AA is sort of like that again in swim's opinion, some treat AA as their "church" to be obsolved of their drinking even though they say beat the crap out of their wife or kids while drinking. Swim disagrees with those principals. I know one of the steps is to make amends but how when a drunk beat their wife and kids daily. How does one make up for that? I will stop with the 12 step stuff as I know it helps some. But again swim's opinion not a basis for an arguement. Back to God, still am seeking the truth. Swim doesn't know. Swim's mom had some wisdom, she said there is no hell, we live it now.

[beentheredonethatagain]

cyndi if hell is what we live in now, then why are we the only ones that feel that way, I know a number of people whos lives are very smooth and they arent going through the ups and downs over and over ? The difference is they arent users of drugs. drug abuse is the cause of many peoples problems. I am of the mindset of take responsibility for my actions, the poor decisions I make result in poor quaility of life. its not God 's fault for my mishaps or withdraw or light bill going unpaid or why my wife is now my ex wife, these are the direct results of me doing what I want to do , so I get what I get. The sooner I realize this , then the sooner I can have a better way of life , but only if I change my behavior.
Remember Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

[allyourbase]

"God does not play dice with the universe" - albert einstein

"not only does god play dice, the dice are loaded." - basic tenet of probability mechanics

what is mind? no matter. what is matter? nevermind.

[cyndi]

Respectfully disagree beenthere, just because one isn't an addict doesn't mean they are happy. Swim knows lots of unhappy peps for various reasons. Oh agreed we do bring on a lot to ourselves, but swim blames herself not a higher being or an excuse. Swim is clean by the way, not happy, but clean. It isn't due to cravings or the evil meth like was said by a certain person not you, just life you know. I do agree with you that changing lifestyles and oh habits help. Emmm things happening to me clean now, are not a result of the drug, ok I won't get into it as I don't want to be warned about off topic stuff. Also when truly clean, life will kick you in the butt over and over, it is how you handle it that is important. I had to respond sorry. As for God, just don't want to go there now. Swim stated how she feels about higher powers.

[bonaduce]

Originally Posted by augentier

First of all, I think it is impossible for humans' limited minds to really KNOW what god is or is not; we cannot perceive something on that level - this is where drugs and trained meditation/spiritual practices come in to play - to give us a glimpse.

Since the beginning, people have been trying to find reasons for the things they don't understand..if they don't understand it, then it must be some higher form, or part of it..take the ancient earth-based religions for example..way back in the day before science, they saw the sun rise and set every day, saw that it gave life, realized that without it..everything would die. They didn't understand that the sun is just a big burning star and we're on a planet that's orbiting it, so it must be a god, or part of a higher power's big scheme.

The same can be said for all religions, they're essentially comfort zones for what people can't understand, or don't want to understand.

I think god must be some type of force, or energy, or even mankind's collective subconscious. God is not a big man in the clouds who is capable of becoming angry or jealous or happy..again, man created god..so of course man attributes human-like qualities to god, because it is familiar and we can't even imagine what god actually is.

i agree
adding to that,

man created the concept of god when he was incapable of knowing what everything was scientifically, and now that we have discovered everything scientifically there is no need for god. i definitely think that god is based on something internal, since it is our conscience that tells us whether we feel good or bad about our actions. i don't think that good/bad/right/wrong can be proved. an animal's goal in life is to survive, and anything that deliberately interferes with survival would be considered bad, (ex. hurt, murder) and anything that aid's survival is considered good. everything else is questionable.
i think that some people feel better if they have an explaination for everything, a goal in life, and a place to go after life.
other people are content with just living, and whatever happens, happens.
i agree that things that are on another level aren't meant for us to understand, simply because that, they are on another level.
that's defintely where drugs come in, to give us a glimpse, and a reason why drugs are illegal. legal systems are set laws and restrictions for the first of the two types of people i just listed, only living their lifes on one level. the second type of people are interested in the other levels.

religion to me is just like what you tell little kids when they ask why, and how. except its something that a whole society believes.

i had a hard time taking that from my mind and putting it into words.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Intelligent post

[x cynic x]

For anyone interested in this thread, please cheack out godisimaginary.com


it simplifies the many contradictions of having a superior being.

[Kodi]

I do not believe in god, however, I do accept the possibility that their is some kind of alternate force that is beyond each of our individual control. I choose to not outright accept of deny it rather than remain open minded.

This is my problem with religion, as with the diverse group of them how to decide which one is right. The fact is that the system is designed so that one who needs a religion can pick the one that works for them. Religions are also interpreted differently for different individuals. I just think that if religion were to be 'true' it wouldnt evolve the way that it does.

Some people just get too into religion though and I think that is where the problem arises, when religion is pushed onto others.

This is a topic i can go on and on about so ill keep it at that. This guy I met before was telling me all this while he was really high, so if what he said doesnt all connect i apologize for him.

[hippieduster]

It's the infamous god question.... Everyone will always have there views and opinions on this subject. SWIM once wrote a post on the-hive after ingesting a fairly large amount of lsd. In which he had thought he died for 14 hours and watched his entire life from birth do death (at the point of ingestion) and consulted with God and Satan. Very creepy trip i might add. Anywho, think about it this way YOU NEVER DIE. It could just be an endless cycle in which when you die you go to another plane. Or on a further note you could consider life itself an array of scattered light and sound waves? Regardless what you believe there is always some sort of answer to prove something exists or doesn't exist.