Has anyone ever truly considered the intelligence and understanding of God?

Question

God.

Have we ever considered that maybe, just maybe He appears differently to different people and cultures?

Maybe He is the Abrahamic God (and Jesus) to Christians and Jews.

Maybe He was Zeus or Odin, a couple thousand years ago.

Maybe to the Pagans She is a Goddess.

Maybe to the American Indians and New Agers He/She is in everything, and in everyone.

Does that truly change all the rules of what the Lord is? I don't think it does, necessarily...

What are we all taught? Christian, Jew, Pagan, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Humanist, Universalist....we are taught to be "good". Good thoughts, good deeds. Don't lie, cheat, steal or kill. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Material posessions aren't everything. Hell, Kharma, Purgatory, Threefold...

So if the very core of our beliefs are all basically the same, is it so crazy or illogical then to think that maybe God just IS, no matter what name you call Him by? All Gods are one?

Answer 1

I'm surprised how too few people agree with you on this. This is a fact. It's the basic foundation of Hinduism which I practice. God is without form like an ocean and can appear in innumerable forms. There is no limit to God's expression via a form. We're all connected like waves on top of an ocean. We have the illusion that we're separate when we look at our physical bodies, but in reality it is our spiritual body that is never ever separate from God.

To say that one God or religion/path is the only correct way is like telling others that eating American food is the only way to live. All kinds of ethnic foods are just as sustainable as another. The same applies for whichever God we worship. There is nothing in this Universe that is not of God.

I'll share some quotes from my guru Amma (Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi) on religion:

"There is good in all religions. People believe in and worship the same Truth. In fact, religions hold the Truth that is meant to destroy the ego. Religion is something that a person has to choose for him- or herself. It cannot be forced upon others. Everyone has their own faith and set of beliefs, and they should hold onto them. To forcibly try to convert others from one religion to another is wrong."~ Amma

"Different religions are suited to different people for their spiritual development, and therefore, no one religion is superior to any other.

A manager once appointed four people to plant a tree. One was to dig a hole in the ground, one to plant seeds in the hole, one to water the seeds, and the fourth to fill the hole with soil. But the person who was supposed to plant the seeds never turned up. Still, the three others did what they had been told to do. A fence was then built around the area. But of course no tree ever grew out of the patch of soil.

Most of the preachers of the different religions are like the men in the story. They are ignorant of the underlying principles and purpose of religion. They focus only on the superficial aspects of their religion; they do not even bother to practice the teachings of their faith.

Different religions... have become like business companies trying to increase their sales by competing with one another, because they view all other religions as their enemies.

We are like chocolates wrapped in different colored wrappers. When the wrappers are removed, all the chocolate is the same. If we light a green and blue candle, the flames will be the same color. The nectar of different flowers is all the same to the honeybee. And though the shapes of ice may differ, it is all just water. So too everyone in this world is the one Atman [Soul]. We are all God's children." ~ Amma

And from Gandhi:
"Religions are different roads converging on the same point. What does it matter that we take different roads so long as we reach the same goal? I believe that all religions of the world are true more or less. I say "more or less" because I believe that everything the human hand touches, by reason of the very fact that human beings are imperfect, becomes imperfect." ~Mahatma Gandhi

Answer 2

What does each religion define as good? To a lot of pagans, human sacrifice was good. To Christians God is a seperate being, to New Agers God is everything. Which is true? Don't say that no one knows because even if that is true, someone must still be wrong. Buddhists don't believe in a God, Hindus have millions, Christians, Jews and Muslims have one. Atheists have none. Who is right? The religions are not the same. Their core beliefs are not the same. If you are seeking truth then you must get out from the apathy that says ' she'll be right mate' and actually seek knowledge. I am a Christian and I believe there is enough evidence to prove that. But at least seek for something because this belief that all are the same is utter rubbish.

Answer 3

That's a bit dramatic, no? What makes you think we humans are finished evolving? We are still selecting mates based on certain criteria so we are still evolving. What makes you think you know exactly what 'God' did? In the last 250 years we have created a great and advanced civilization. Imagine what we could have done by now had the church not become a tyranny of repression and terror over the 1500 years it led the world through the dark ages? We are idiots because of pagan beliefs. Adam and Eve weren't a literal couple that ate a literal piece of fruit, but early humans believed in 'wise' snake gods and believed in a cosmic war between good and evil (fruit of good and evil), and we continue to pass on this 'fruit' to the next generation. We left paradise behind because we chose to believe in animal and man/gods and we've been delusional ever since. There is no such thing as a character names 'satan' or 'lucifer' nor is there a mythological 'hell' in Judaism, so how are those mistranslations tolerable in the xtian 'old' testament? How are evil 'jinn' and further mistranslations tolerable in the muslim quran? There is no such thing as creation starting from nothingness, that's xtian ideology. Science tells us that from the evidence, the universe goes through a cycle or expansion and retraction. Right now, our universe is in expansion mode. The only way to answer questions is science - the only way to discover what is responsible for the laws of the universe is science. xtianity has never answered any real question and will never answer any real questions. Judaism, when confronted with scientific evidence that contradicts beliefs, allows science to trump beliefs - in Judaism reality (tree of life) is God's kingdom, but has no definition for God. Can anyone honestly deny that mystery? xtians call their god(s) a mystery, but 'believe' they have the knowledge of his history - that is not what mystery means.

Answer 4

I see what you are saying, but that's not possible. God does not change, as taught in the Christian and Jewish traditions, so how would it be possible for Him to be all of these different things? Don't give up on finding the truth about God... it is possible. He is our Father and He cares about us.

As far as the cause for the common principles that are taught in many religions, it's true that many religions teach truths that help people to live good lives. Some teach more truth than others.

Answer 5

I agree, the only logical religion is the things all religions have in common... otherwise it is more likely to be wrong,,,,
pure numbers and logic point this direction


i see god as the force that pushes evolution towards unity and diversity,
note that unity and diversity (rule of nature) sounds a lot like love and acceptance of others.....


actually redknight you are wrong about your perception of every other religion,,,,, keep studying,,,,

Answer 6

No, but it does speak volumes about the human psyche. In the absence of knowledge, we try to explain the world around us however we can, often by attributing natural phenomena to supernatural characters like a god.

Answer 7

there is nothing that has escaped mankind but you're onesideness is an insult to it.Maybe we should just grow up and learn to accept reality and learn to deal with serious real problems outside the realm of fairy tales. One can spent countless hours endulging in the vain pursuit of lip service to high ideas but what comes out of it with out taking action to do something which anyone can do with or with out god to get hung up on . life is to short for day dreaming in lieu of planning real things .

Answer 8

No all gods are not one, all paths do not lead to one

We do not have the capacity to even comprehend

No offense but isnt it better to choose a religion and hope that its the right one? i mean this is a little sarcastic but in all seriousness lets take a little gamble and see

Answer 9

Then why do our different versions of God teach such diametric lessons? If my God says do not murder and another's God says they demand human sacrifice, then how can you say that we believe in different manifestations of the same God?

What you say is what pantheists believe. Monotheists believe that there is one God and his will is supreme to all. And different Monotheists believe in a different version of God.

It's possible, I suppose, but assuming God exists, I doubt that it is that way.

Answer 10

You're really grasping at straws, there. Yes, pretty much everyone has considered it. No, it's not a plausible concept. There is no "god". Only mathematical physics, taken to its logical conclusion.