What is God?

[3daygetaway]

Do you believe in the Western Tradition's version of right/wrong? Or is there more? I just experienced an extreme closed-minded sharing of GOD with someone I believed to be open-minded. Please; you are my peeps, remind me that the Western "tradition" of sin and guilt is flawed!

ps, I'm so drunk, I could barely tyoe this...

[Lone wanderer]

Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah.....it's all up to you.

[Sexecutioner]

I am he, the one true God! Bow unto me

Oh yeah not remotely hobby related.

[cinnamonshark]

Well, it is an interesting topic. I realize that you were drunk, but I think this should belong in the Sandbox area of discussions.

[Spacemtn]

Moved to proper Forum


Spacemtn
AustinModStaff

[David.Douchehurst]

Buckle up, Buttercup.

[Loxly]

Experience has taught me that regardless of a person's religion they will follow it up until it conflicts with their "basic needs" and then they'll diviate. Some may even go to confession...LOL

[Lone wanderer]

“Religion has convinced people that there's an invisible man ... living in the sky. Who watches everything you do every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a list of ten specific things he doesn't want you to do. And if you do any of these things, he will send you to a special place, of burning and fire and smoke and torture and anguish for you to live forever, and suffer, and burn, and scream, until the end of time. But he loves you. He loves you. He loves you and he needs money.”

[Loxly]

^^^^ That's not what George Burns told me! LOL

[Guest021414]

Originally Posted by Lone wanderer

Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah.....it's all up to you.

X's 2 I agree blahhhhhhhhhhhhhh sthu

[Viola]

I have been listening to a song lately-the gist of which is "Maybe there is a loving God"

Its pretty... interesting, I think, to how much loving = forgiveness.

Viola

[shayla84]

Although this topic obviously is gonna bring negitive responses, I believe in god just not everything that the bible says. I believe god is a higher power and he loves love, hes not judgemental, hes a forgiving god. I believe as long as you truely try to be a good person, and try to show love to all you met, thats all he cares about. Just my opinion.

[Beagle]

Hmm, doubt anyone would take the subject seriously on this board....but I'll bite.....it's been ages since I visited the topic......

My first in-depth exploration into the spiritual/religious was through Eastern religion/teachings. I considered myself to be a fervid pursuer, living my life in accord with the ultimate goal - to understand the meaning of existence/achieve the highest spiritual understanding. Delved to varying degrees some of the different approaches - Jainism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, "New Age", among the ones that I can remember. Looked up Satanism and Wiccan, too.

My understanding in all the aforementioned belief systems is rather superficial except for Buddhism. I'd spent several years living the Christian lifestyle, and even got baptised, but probably because of my prior beliefs, I'd never truly accepted a lot of the bible contents.

What is god? I don't believe god to be an entity separate from each individual; nor do I buy into the concept of an anthropomorphized god who distinguishes right from wrong. I think the popular concept within Buddhism of viewing actions in terms of good/bad karma is superficial. It's only one of several level of realities.

A recurring "definition" among the various belief systems is that "God" is unfathomable, indescribable, mystical, undefinable, inconceivable, etc. The only reasons through which I relate to that are that:

1) We do not yet have the vocabulary to represent the nuances of our experiential existence.

2) Our conscious mind is limited and is incapable of grasping or interpreting God. Good examples of how little control most of us have through our consciousness - absent-mindedness, loss of temper, poor control of sexual urges........all of which can be simplistically attributed to the "monkey mind".

I equate God to enlightenment, the ultimate numinous experience, union with the Supreme Atma. In other words, it is a state of being; not to be comprehended but to be realized/experienced for oneself.