as many of you know here
I am a spiritualist
I believe in a deity , and I call that deity simply God for arguements sake
because the God i believe in has no identity , and I dont try to seek it because I believe I will never find it
I dont feel the need to put a face to the name so to speak
but in R&S i feel very strange answering questions directed to God believers only to find it is a certain God they mean ( the biblical )
does anyone else feel troubled with not having a persona to represent their God ?
is it important to ?
is it more important to acknowledge and accept that we will never know ?
thoughts , ideas , discuss please
( atheists & theists opinions also appreciated )
thank you
2007-02-14
09:35:34
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27 answers
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asked by
Peace
7
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Society & Culture
➔ Religion & Spirituality
that is my very issue strangelove
thank you
2007-02-14
09:39:27 ·
update #1
i directed the question at agnostics as i felt they may understand where i am coming from and may offer some advice...
i also opened it to others thought static
2007-02-14
09:42:51 ·
update #2
I suppose this is why I too avoid using the 'G' word.
"The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao;
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.
The named is the mother of ten thousand things.
Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations.
These two spring from the same source but differ in name;
this appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery."
Are we talking about the same thing? I don't know. Does it bother me? No. Will I ever know? I don't know.
But what I do think is that naming restricts something. It creates images, ideas and therein lies division because my image is bound to be different from somebody elses.
I also remember a story by Arthur Clarke called 'The Nine Billion Names of God' where a computer was created to collect all of the possible names of god. When it had finished, the stars started to go out, for the purpose of man and so of the universe was also done.
Perhaps "I am that I am" should be enough after all?
.
2007-02-14 10:05:30
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answer #1
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answered by Nobody 5
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It isn't important to me, Whatever the Christians/Muslims believe in is irrelavent. I am confident that monotheism has no basis in reality however when that is transposed to polytheism you immediately run into the problem of defining what a deity is;
eg. If we go for the origins of the Earth, we find the Sun, which is also the source of the energy for life on Earth. Many cultures regarded it as a deity and some still do. I accept that the sun exists, do I therefore accept the existance of a deity?
Another example is Mother Earth, various Earth goddesses across many cultures. Again does this constitute a deity?
2007-02-14 10:08:12
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answer #2
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answered by Red P 4
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An agnostic thinks that the question of Gods realityt is unprovable either way and is moot foier that reason.
An ignostic thinks that if you have not got a clear definition of what you mean by the term God you have no idea what you are arguing about anyhow so the agnostic position is moot.
I have found noboddy with a clear definition of God and when people try to define it they find that it makes no sense.
The decision to define God as undefinable is totally hilarious in my opinion.
Since underneath the flag of ignosticism I am an atheist I score double points on this question, OK. (2*0=00)
2007-02-14 09:45:17
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answer #3
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answered by U-98 6
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Right now i have adopted the belief that what ever 'god' or 'god persona' you project into the 'spirit' of the universe, the universe will give back to you. For example if i was to pray to Allah, the universe will act as Allah and will ask me to follow the rules of the Quran, or if i was to pray to Satan the universe would act as Satan and will empower me with lawless self gratification, or if i was to commune with Thoth, the universe will grant me more powerful magic and writing abilities etc.
...but, even though I believe all 'gods' are from the same 'source' I do understand that they work independent of one another. It's like a spiritual Internet, no one can really claim the Internet since it is too broad and well, in a way too chaotic. That's the way I see the universe or 'soul' of the universe (God, if you will).
What you put in (by your beliefs) is what you get out.
2007-02-14 11:10:37
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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Religion is the worshiping of death.
In all religions one must die first to enter the hereafter or paradise etc. Religion is very old and goes back to the beginning of mankind and consciousness, it was like a fairy tale to the person in the process of dieing. It was a way to comfort this person going into the unknown, the transition from one state to another.
Don't feel bad about not having a face for God, NOBODY has ever seen God, it is symbolic in all religions.
Religion is therapeutic, believing and practicing it can create a sense of peace and well being. . .unless you have to plant bombs and kill to convince others that your religion is better, oh that must be stressful.
You made a confession of some kind, well I have been an Atheist since age of sixteen, I have high morals, do not do crime and respect all other religions. . .even my beliefs is a form of religion
2007-02-14 10:07:20
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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No, and I'm a Happy Pagan Person. I've always just called God "God" for a name's sake. We talk like regular people, not like a suppliant to a king, but like two people who love each other. We always have. I have no problem with God not having a persona. What I do have a problem with is all the rest of the world wanting the other rest of the world to have their idea of God. That's wrong. I figure, just be kind to everybody, be nice.
If we don't know something, maybe we'll know it later, or maybe we'll never know it. Can't tell. You might find what you're looking for under that rock over there or in the next book you pick up or from the mouth of a stranger. (that's why it pays to be kind to people.)
Blessings, my Dear One. You're not alone. There's more of us than you think.
2007-02-14 09:47:19
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answer #6
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answered by Mama Otter 7
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Gods generally carry the persona of their creators and the society that adopts them. Roman and Greek deities are a well known example of Gods created in mans own image, Hinduism reflects Indian culture, as do tribal or aboriginal deities. We in the West have an image of our own creation, a bearded, intelligent WHITE, all-powerful MALE. Strangely, although there is not one shred of physical evidence to support the physicality of our `own God`, believers take offence if you suggest that God is a pygmy, or an Iranian ! ........ emucompbo.....The response to Moses," I am that which I am", reflects an old Pagan belief system, in which Moses was well versed, as follows. Any God who can be fooled into revealing his NAME, loses his power over the asker. This idea can be found in fairy-tales and children's games. The God was too clever for Moses and answered ,"I am who I am". Moses the Egyptian, Moses the murderer, Moses the Pagan.
2007-02-14 10:37:50
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answer #7
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answered by ED SNOW 6
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The more you study the universe and our galaxy and the more you study life and the process of evolution the more you feel that there must be some super intelligence behind the whole wonderful process. But also the more you do this the more certain you are that human beings are never going to know the nature of that super intelligence so it is best to accept what is happening. Find out as much as you can about it and enjoy the knowledge you obtain but don't worry about who or what is behind it because you are never going to know and nor is anybody else no matter what they try and tell you
2007-02-14 10:20:47
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answer #8
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answered by Maid Angela 7
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I was raised Catholic and now practice Buddhism so I have deep compassion for the questions you are asking. I do not think it's important to have a specific 'face' when it comes to God. Believing that God isn't separate from you or me or anyone else for that matter, I see God all the time. I think it's important to question and to question again. I think truth comes through questioning and reflecting/meditating on the issue. The answers are within you.
Blessings and Namaste
2007-02-14 09:41:42
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answer #9
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answered by Yogini 6
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If I believed in god, I would require proof of existance. And that would probably require a face, but maybe not. A big booming voice from the sky would be a good start. I'm a scientific person, I need evidence. And I think everyone should.
2007-02-14 09:39:24
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answer #10
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answered by Gene Rocks! 5
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