Do you believe in God and why

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎9‎/‎17‎/‎2019 at 8:21 PM, VincentRJ said:

They are absolutely not comparable. That was my point. The brick wall is real for every living creature, without exception, including spiders, tigers, elephants, and even religious zealots. ????

It's also real for photons of light which can't pass through it.

 

Religion, on the other hand, is real only for those who have an emotional belief or faith in it.

How do you KNOW that what you experience is real? Everything we are is caused by electricity, and what we see and feel is the result of electrical discharges in the brain. 

How do you know that you are not a battery in the Matrix? 

[mauGR1]

9 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

How do you KNOW that what you experience is real? Everything we are is caused by electricity, and what we see and feel is the result of electrical discharges in the brain. 

How do you know that you are not a battery in the Matrix? 

If fact, many if not most people think that "reality" can only be perceived by the 5 physical senses, while others, who dare to think outside the box, perceive a lot more realities, to the point that defining reality becomes purely subjective.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, mauGR1 said:

If fact, many if not most people think that "reality" can only be perceived by the 5 physical senses, while others, who dare to think outside the box, perceive a lot more realities, to the point that defining reality becomes purely subjective.

I'm not sure exactly what you are referring to, but some see rain and just curse because they'll get wet- I love it because rain is beautiful. Clouds are beautiful, the sea is beautiful, mountains are beautiful, stars are beautiful, but unless one has a sense of wonder in nature ( God ), they are probably nothing.

[mauGR1]

3 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'm not sure exactly what you are referring to, but some see rain and just curse because they'll get wet- I love it because rain is beautiful. Clouds are beautiful, the sea is beautiful, mountains are beautiful, stars are beautiful, but unless one has a sense of wonder in nature ( God ), they are probably nothing.

Actually i was referring to the independent thinking, and to the higher consciousness who makes humans different from animals, which you mentioned in your post.

For example, we have the ability to turn a bad experience into a higher consciousness, in that case both "good" and "bad" become doors of perception.

[Sunmaster]

"Do you believe in God and why?"

I already said that I used to be atheist and changed my mind after experiencing a Kudalini release.

Today I would like to talk about some things that happened following this life changing experience, which for me were further evidence (not that I needed it) for the existence of a higher force.
This one time for example, I was around 25 and in a complicated relationship. We were near the breaking point but neither of us could really let it go. One day I was pretty down, so I went to a nearby Hindu temple to find a bit of peace and clarity. I did ask (pray) to know what I should do. That same night I had a very clear dream that I was with my girlfriend and that I told her I wanted to break up. I had just finished dreaming this when I was awoken by knocks on my door. It was my girlfriend,..some flatmates had let her in at 3am! Not something that had ever happened before, or since! I told her the dream straight away because I knew it was the right thing to do and was not afraid of any consequence. There was no drama involved and we're still very good friends, 20 years later.
PS: I'm not Hindu, I just needed a peaceful location to collect and focus my thoughts. 

This is just one of the many times that help came to me in the form of dreams. But not only dreams give indications on what do to or where to go next. C.G. Jung called them synchronicities (meaningful coincidences). They always seemed to pop up more frequently when I was in distress or they were easier to spot when I was generally more open and in harmony with my surrounding.

 

I'm not saying that God or supreme sentient being answered my prayers and "saved me from Evil". I believe that the "I", the Ego, is just the tip of an iceberg, the visible part of something much, much bigger. The synchronicities, or bits of help, are in my opinion little nudges from the part of the iceberg beneath the surface, the "Self". This Self is not separate from me and there's nothing supernatural about it. 

The only difference between me and someone who isn't aware of these synchronicities, is that I accept them as real and try to be open to them. Christians would cite Matthew 7:7: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened unto you.
You don't need to believe in God or be religious at all to access this part of your-SELF. It's there for everyone to use, regardless of age, sex, race, culture, intelligence, religious belief or lack thereof. 

Will this also get a confused emoji from Skeptic?????

[thaibeachlovers]

Back when I only used my glasses for reading I left the mall still wearing them. I was using a bungee cord to hold my purchases on the back of the m'bike when it slipped and the end snapped into my glasses and broke them. Had I not been wearing my glasses, I'd have lost my eye. Remember, I NEVER wore my glasses outside before.

Co incidence, or intervention by a higher power?

I know what the disbelievers will say, but believers will have no doubt it was no fluke that I just happened to wear my glasses at that time.

I have more such examples, but not now.

[giddyup]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

How about the many unexplainable things that happen many times to most of us?

Can't think of any off-hand.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

Can't think of any off-hand.

How unfortunate that you missed out.

[giddyup]

12 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Back when I only used my glasses for reading I left the mall still wearing them. I was using a bungee cord to hold my purchases on the back of the m'bike when it slipped and the end snapped into my glasses and broke them. Had I not been wearing my glasses, I'd have lost my eye. Remember, I NEVER wore my glasses outside before.

Co incidence, or intervention by a higher power?

I know what the disbelievers will say, but believers will have no doubt it was no fluke that I just happened to wear my glasses at that time.

I have more such examples, but not now.

So, the poor b*stard who is driving along minding his own business when a container falls off the motorway above killing him instantly, is that divine intervention as well? I have many more examples, like floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis and hurricanes killing hundreds of thousands, guess they were pretty unlucky as well? Makes your glasses incident look pretty silly, doesn't it?

Edited September 19, 2019 by giddyup

[giddyup]

4 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

How unfortunate that you missed out.

No, it's just that I'd rather use a rational explanation, not some hocus pocus.

[mauGR1]

15 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Back when I only used my glasses for reading I left the mall still wearing them. I was using a bungee cord to hold my purchases on the back of the m'bike when it slipped and the end snapped into my glasses and broke them. Had I not been wearing my glasses, I'd have lost my eye. Remember, I NEVER wore my glasses outside before.

Co incidence, or intervention by a higher power?

I know what the disbelievers will say, but believers will have no doubt it was no fluke that I just happened to wear my glasses at that time.

I have more such examples, but not now.

Surely many people would call it a coincidence, yet, for many spiritual masters, coincidences don't exist, and i tend to trust the latter.

[giddyup]

2 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

Surely many people would call it a coincidence, yet, for many spiritual masters, coincidences don't exist, and i tend to trust the latter.

For every "good luck" story there's a million bad luck ones, countless people who have died with untold suffering, where was your god then?

[mauGR1]

6 minutes ago, giddyup said:

No, it's just that I'd rather use a rational explanation, not some hocus pocus.

I think that there is a difference between was is irrational, and what appears irrational ; a serious researcher doesn't stop at the appearance.

[giddyup]

Just now, mauGR1 said:

I think that there is a difference between was is irrational, and what appears irrational ; a serious researcher doesn't stop at the appearance.

Look, it's whatever makes you sleep better at night. I've managed to get through 77 years without believing in ghosts or spirits, can't see where I've suffered for it. Unless of course, I will condemn myself to a fiery eternity, as some here advocate.

[GarryP]

On 9/11/2019 at 7:30 PM, VincentRJ said:

That's an excellent and inspiring article. Thanks. There's a lot of profound wisdom in the fundamental principles of Buddhism. However, the religion of Buddhism, as practiced by most lay people who claim to be Buddhists, is something else.

 

Gautama Buddha did not create the religion of Buddhism. That came later, with all the exaggerations and mumbo jumbo nonsense which was created to appeal to the masses, a bit like the current 'climate change' alarmism. ????

Wasn't Buddhism simply a philosophy for life, not a religion? 

[mauGR1]

2 minutes ago, giddyup said:

For every "good luck" story there's a million bad luck ones, countless people who have died with untold suffering, where was your god then?

If there's indeed a God, surely s/he knows, and s/he knows better; sorry, i have no answer for your question.

I also wish a perfect healthy long life, plenty of money and adoring women, but i don't expect any God to give me that.

You'll also have to do with what is given to you, i think that being grateful for what you have improves your life.

[mauGR1]

3 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Look, it's whatever makes you sleep better at night. I've managed to get through 77 years without believing in ghosts or spirits, can't see where I've suffered for it. Unless of course, I will condemn myself to a fiery eternity, as some here advocate.

Here i completely agree with you, most of the people i know are honest, sincere agnostics, i respect them more than any religious fanatic.

[GarryP]

32 minutes ago, giddyup said:

For every "good luck" story there's a million bad luck ones, countless people who have died with untold suffering, where was your god then?

An acquaintance of mine was a devout catholic as a result of something that happened in his childhood. He was gravely ill for a long time and the doctors gave him only a few months to live. His family then turned from Buddhism to the catholic church and prayed for a miracle. Lo and behold, he got better very quickly without any signs of his former illness. The whole family became catholic as a result.

 

Now I am not going to argue with him or question the logic of his and his family's decision to convert, as that is his choice, it makes him feel good and it is not harming anyone, but what about all those other sick kids that don't make it? His case was not an act of god but something else. Perhaps a change in mindset, different foods, different environment (he went home to die), or something else that kicked off his recovery? He was simply one of the lucky ones.       

Edited September 19, 2019 by GarryP

[curious297]

who?

[Skeptic7]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'm not sure exactly what you are referring to, but some see rain and just curse because they'll get wet- I love it because rain is beautiful. Clouds are beautiful, the sea is beautiful, mountains are beautiful, stars are beautiful, but unless one has a sense of wonder in nature ( God ), they are probably nothing.

Congrats on almost finally having a solid, meaningful post (my fingers poised and twitching to strike the LIKE button!)...but of course just had to go ruin it inserting "God" into an otherwise lovely expression. 

[Skeptic7]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Back when I only used my glasses for reading I left the mall still wearing them. I was using a bungee cord to hold my purchases on the back of the m'bike when it slipped and the end snapped into my glasses and broke them. Had I not been wearing my glasses, I'd have lost my eye. Remember, I NEVER wore my glasses outside before.

Co incidence, or intervention by a higher power?

I know what the disbelievers will say, but believers will have no doubt it was no fluke that I just happened to wear my glasses at that time.

I have more such examples, but not now.

Yeah a 'higher power' spared you a potential eye scratch, but allows a thousand children to die of malnutrition each and every day? Turns a blind-eye to child abuse and allows kids to suffer horribly with leukemia and other awful diseases before they succumb in agony, but saved TBL's eye and made your fave team win too...all the while ignoring all the real suffering out there every single day. 

 

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING! How selfish, arrogant and ignorant can you be??? I've oft wondered how out of touch with reality you truly are and this has made it crystal clear for all to see. 

 

Shame on you and anyone who gave your pathetic post a Like. ???? 

Edited September 19, 2019 by Skeptic7

[Skeptic7]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

How unfortunate that you missed out.

Grossly arrogant and insulting. 

[GarryP]

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

How about the many unexplainable things that happen many times to most of us?

Just because something is unexplainable by you or me does not make it unexplainable. However, even if something is absolutely unexplainable, it does not mean some dude in the sky (if that is what you believe in) had any involvement whatsoever. 

 

I have had weird <deleted> happen to me, both good and bad, but to attribute that to some being, the existence of which is not supported by any evidence, seems to lack any sense of logic whatsoever.      

[mauGR1]

Apparently some people expect some higher power (God ?) to open a restaurant for starving children, or open hospitals worldwide to cure all illnesses.. What else ? Bring you a cup of coffee in the bed at morning, give you a pat on the back when you are sad ? Or invent some special potion for you to be forever young and happy ?

Methinks you are there for a long wait.

[giddyup]

2 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

Apparently some people expect some higher power (God ?) to open a restaurant for starving children, or open hospitals worldwide to cure all illnesses.. What else ? Bring you a cup of coffee in the bed at morning, give you a pat on the back when you are sad ? Or invent some special potion for you to be forever young and happy ?

Methinks you are there for a long wait.

Well, I know I don't, because I don't believe in a god for a start. That's why I find it incredible when people are claiming that god saved their eye, or they didn't die when that speeding car narrowly missed them, yet they choose to ignore all the other horrors that go on with no divine intervention whatsoever. Go figure.

[mauGR1]

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

Well, I know I don't, because I don't believe in a god for a start. That's why I find it incredible when people are claiming that god saved their eye, or they didn't die when that speeding car narrowly missed them, yet they choose to ignore all the other horrors that go on with no divine intervention whatsoever. Go figure.

Nobody ignores any horror in this world, and to expect God to solve your personal problems is childish.

You don't believe in God, that's fair enough, if God exists, surely is beyond good and bad.

To think that God should be good to humans is nonsensical, if not completely wrong.

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, mauGR1 said:

Nobody ignores any horror in this world, and to expect God to solve your personal problems is childish.

You don't believe in God, that's fair enough, if God exists, surely is beyond good and bad.

To think that God should be good to humans is nonsensical, if not completely wrong.

What I think is completely wrong is you assuming that you know what god (if one exists) wants. Of course we ignore the horrors of the world unless they directly affect us. Do you wake every day depressed about starving children in Africa, or an earthquake that killed thousands? The only people who expect god to solve their problem or cure their sick child are those who have been brainwashed into believing it.

[mauGR1]

3 minutes ago, giddyup said:

What I think is completely wrong is you assuming that you know what god (if one exists) wants. Of course we ignore the horrors of the world unless they directly affect us. Do you wake every day depressed about starving children in Africa, or an earthquake that killed thousands? The only people who expect god to solve their problem or cure their sick child are those who have been brainwashed into believing it.

well, i follow my logic, and you follow yours.

we both could be wrong, but the funny thing is that we both could be right.

[Skeptic7]

1 hour ago, mauGR1 said:

Apparently some people expect some higher power (God ?) to open a restaurant for starving children, or open hospitals worldwide to cure all illnesses.. What else ? Bring you a cup of coffee in the bed at morning, give you a pat on the back when you are sad ? Or invent some special potion for you to be forever young and happy ?

Methinks you are there for a long wait.

Apparently some people haven't a clue, nor understand sarcasm when it's spewing straight in their faces. 

 

To claim some nonexistent "thing" concerns itself with the daily trivialities of them-chosen-special-selves (which TBL recently did), while ignoring the real daily horrors going on all over the world EVERYDAY is flat out absurd, arrogant and oblivious beyond words. 

 

To not grasp this when it is spelled out and slapping you in the face is, in some ways, even worse. 

[mauGR1]

2 minutes ago, Skeptic7 said:

Apparently some people haven't a clue, nor understand sarcasm when it's spewing straight in their faces. 

 

To claim some nonexistent "thing" concerns itself with the daily trivialities of them-chosen-special-selves (which TBL recently did), while ignoring the real daily horrors going on all over the world EVERYDAY is flat out absurd, arrogant and oblivious beyond words. 

 

To not grasp this when it is spelled out and slapping you in the face is, in some ways, even worse. 

When one's so full of negativity it feels better to throw some of it around isn't it.

I think it's normal for everyone to feel a little 'special', i don't see much wrong with it, and i don't think that you are immune, i came to the conclusion that it must be part of the "survival instinct package".