Where's God (shorter follow-up to my previous question)?

Question

Here's the previous question for those who missed it:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AuDmT_oiWNmlzoo9F0w9BMnsy6IX?qid=20060826044240AAhZHGT

Several pointed out the absence of God in my beliefs. For me, the belief in God is optional, whatever helps you learn to accept the power of Love.

If you need a God, then God is the universe and all life within it. We are part of the eyes and ears and other sensory organs of that God. We, along with all life, contribute to God's awareness. We worship God when we Love. We reject God when we hate.

On the other hand, no belief in a divinity is required to believe in the power of Love. We experience that power when we love our parents, our spouse, our children, our friends. Love brings out the best in us and encourages us to find more within ourselves to give even better.

Is it Religion, Atheism, Agnosticism...something else?

Don: As my previous question indicated, I do not limit love to the groups I mention here. My reason for listing a limited group of people here was to choose those whom most people have some experience loving.

Answer 1

Hi Bob

You said, "We experience that power when we love our parents, our spouse, our children, our friends. "

Why stop there. There real power starts when we love the rest of the people that you did not mention. Jesus is said to have told us to love even our enemies. This is true power because it frees us for the poisonous influence that hate or indifference has on us.

It is not Religion, Atheism or Agnosticism.
It is spirituality, or recognition that we are all one within the spirit we refer to as God.

This is the truth of us.

Love and blessings
don

Answer 2

Following your lead, here's a link to my response to your other question, which asks "Religion or Atheism?".
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkxYaujDArEzrXCtvdwNiv3sy6IX?qid=20060826044240AAhZHGT
I provide it only because it directly applies to THIS question, as well.

You seem eager to have your beliefs categorized or labeled. Why? Simply believe what you believe and leave it at that. However, if you must be labeled, I wonder if you are, like many of our great forefathers were, a Deist; a belief there is an un-named power or force which controls fait and rules all.

But it also seems to me like you may be having difficulty accepting for yourself the label of "Atheist." If, unlike the Deists, you believe there is no Powerful Being or Force, other than science and mathmatical law, then you are NOT a Deist but someone who simply knows there are forces in nature that we do not understand, yet have power over the life we live. Much like Gravity, we know it is there, we know it controls our world and us, and we sort of know how it works, but not completely. And science is often disproving what it's own community once stated as fact.

That's just how it is. We are still learning and our ability to understand is, and always will be, limited by that with which we know to be true.

My own road to Atheism was a long, painful but liberating journey.
I won't go into that now, but it took me a long time to finally throw the baby out with the bathwater when it came to "spiritualism" and whatever other term a person may use to describe "one with the universe."

My opinion? You're in denile. But that's okay.
Denile ain't just a river in Egypt. :-)

Answer 3

"If you need a God" has a condescending tone that will cause some to become defensive and others to feel superior. Careful not to cause others to stumble on their path...not compassionate.

I do question where your understanding of love originates. Do you suppose that each one of us will, within our own hearts act in ways that all will agree equates to "loving"? This is where an authority beyond our human wisdom makes more sense than not. And I believe that leads to God...love without God? I can't comprehend that.

In your previous question, you said something to the effect that when we all perceive the interconnectedness of all that is, we will love because it is all a part of ourselves. Are you saying that love is necessarily selfish in its nature?

These are questions of clarification. I respect your thoughtfullness and especially appreciate your work at looking for a commn thread that can unite all. That's good stuff in my opinion. In a way, it reminds me a bit of the coming of the holy spirit at pentacost, giving the gift of languages to those present. The fresh interpretation for this day is that we need to find (be given the gift of ) words that can be heard by people of different backgrounds (Muslims, Atheists, Chrisitans, etc.) that will convey the essence of the truth. Does that mean framing the discussion a little differently depending on the audience, maybe. I'm still thinking about this one. But then, we must make equally sure of the message itself - that it is the true one...again that leads me back to a divine source.

I'm drifting, sorry. Your personal philosophy doesn't fit neatly into any of those catagories at this time without further tweaking, other than possibly agnosticism.

Answer 4

Plainly put, if you cannot rationalise the possibility of an omnipresent, omnipotent, deific being that controls the destiny of all things, you are Atheist.

If you hold inference that a such a being could be possible, due to the fact we simply cannot, through the presently chaotic and restraining medium that is our intellection, state conclusively that there "is no 'God'," in the sense of the aforementioned attributes, then you are Agnostic.

I shall not bother with you being religious, as we all know this not to be true in the strictest of definitions!

The "Something else?" Well, I consider what I have read from your questions to be the work of one who is philosophical; intelligent; has a profound love for humanity; is keen on metaphysics; is wise and seemingly in adequate control of their ego.
Perhaps, if I were forced to label you, I would consider something along the lines of you being Aristotelian, Confucian or maybe, leaning more towards being a Neoplatonist.

Either way, just keep thinking what YOU know to be right and you will not go far wrong.
If there were more like you, who thought as you do, this world would be a better place indeed!

:)

Answer 5

In my own belief system (or personal philosophy) God is an conscience rationalization of things science can't explain or a personal comfort. I was raised Catholic, and it's hard to take God away sometimes. But I am also conscience that it is there for my personal comforts when I am feeling particularly weak.

Labels are limiting. I say I am Agnostic, but that is just so that other people trying to understand my beliefs can have a one-word explanation. (I'm just lazy, in other words.) But there is more depth to it--definitely.

I admire your beliefs, since foremost is a Love for all those around you. Most religions preach this (at their roots) but many do not follow this cornerstone belief. I think you may have more in common with Jesus than many Christians do.

Answer 6

I believe that your question is one of true Faith - a force that has no man-made name (religion) or otherwise.

I agree with you that belief in God is optional. As long as you have love in your heart and in your actions, you are representative of being in the image of God.

God's word teaches to love your fellow man/woman. Most of us our guilty of not following this. This is very evidenced by what is going on in society today. People are very quick to judge others. Most people only have "half the story" and create the other half, thus fooling themselves into believing that they are right in their quest for hating/disliking another person or group.

Love is supposed to transcend everyone and everything and every situation. This needs to be put into the practice of actuality doing instead of just lip service, by reciting these pretty words.

Have a lovely rest of the evening.....Bright Blessings....

Answer 7

It sounds close to trickle down God theory, which in and of itself is pretty cool. Since it is all but impossible for us to comprehend the motives behind any higher intelligence, it is a safe bet to not worry about them.(if in fact a higher power exists.) As far as loving everyone and everything, that my friend is a wonderful idea. I wish more people thought that way.

Answer 8

It sounds like Shirley Maclaine's New Age spiritualism, or some form of it. I don't know if there's a particular name for it. "Animism" was the first thing that came to mind - the belief that God is in everything.

Answer 9

its a new wave of spiritual agnostocism that doesn't rule out a god and in fact thinks that through love we might get as close to god as we can here on earth

not religion or atheism, certainly not the traditional god but why do we have to all have their god there are different versions of god in people who truely try and understand the cosmos

Answer 10

""Is it Religion, Atheism, Agnosticism...something else?""


It seems to me that this is "something else".

More to the point, you are articulating a point that love and religion are independent constructs. There is no direct relationship between them.

as an aside, your mission to show people that Love doesn't conflict with or require religion is very analogous to MY mission to show people that science doesn't conflict with or require religion.

I wish you better luck than I've had! ;)