Ok, so maybe I should be making my way through the giant pile of books I need to get through for my dissertation. But I’ve been thinking about notions of god, universe, and religion lately.
Profound, I know.
I was having a conversation with a friend recently, and suddenly a random comment on monkeys led me to realise very suddenly and startlingly, that despite the years and years we’ve been friends, we actually believed very different things. She didn’t think that humanity should be demeaned by a belief that dictates we evolved from a “lesser” (no neither one of us was being specie-ist) being, but is part of a grand divine plan. Hand in hand with my post-modern cynicism and personal belief systems centered on individual license floating around in my confounded head, I respectfully disagreed.
It hit me like a bus.
Simply, I can’t get my head around the faith some people seem to have in a higher power. The very thought of it is mind-boggling, since I couldn’t have that sort of devotion, even if I tried every single day for the next three decades. The sheer number of people who are at peace with this notion of a single omniscient being, makes me the odd one out almost. Then, yesterday I watched this really interesting Iranian documentary called Bassidji (dir. Mehran Tamadon) which dealt with faith and martyrdom in the Iran-Iraq War. Left me thinking.
Hence, the superstitious existentialism, for the lack of a better word. Personally, I would think of humanity as too complex, too individual for a divine hand to have moulded. Science and evolution makes sense in my head, but that doesn’t mean I don’t disregard completely everything religions say about creation. I also appreciate that science doesn’t have all the answers.
Maybe the universe’s own power of creation and continuance is personified in what people understand as god. The omnipotence of the chemistry, the physics, the biology which connects us, culminating in a sort of cosmic energy. All of these things have been gnawing at my brain lately, and I’m still not sure where any of this is heading. I’m not on track to become devout, or join a cult or anything. But these things, just blow your mind sometimes.
Bit of a ramble, but yes leave thoughts. I’m interested.
I have various ideas and feelings concerning this matter.
But one thing I have realized is that people tend to believe in “something” for different reasons. Some believe because it was embedded into their minds from an early age, while others find faith later on in life (these people tend to be those who have survived a horrific incident or have lost someone, and without faith would have no one. partly because they NEED to believe they will see them in the next life/heaven, and secondly because it distracts them from reality)
For years, I too, struggled with the beliefs, but have now come to a solution (it may be an easy way out, but it works for me) – I do not “subscribe” to a specific religion, but rather I surround myself with walks of faith from all parts of the world and take from them the parts that suit me: teachings of Buddha, being good to your neighbor as Christ taught, the respect and deep love of many middle eastern religions, etc.
Good luck to you on your Journey …
Derek
http://dtdaily.wordpress.com/
It’s important for people to have something to believe in. It’s what keeps most folk going. I believe that there is some kind of cosmic consciousness – that has it’s own life form. And it’s something that we can all tap into and make use of if we so wish.
Personally i feel, GOD is mans creation….my own experiences in life, has erased me belief in external entity called GOD, and reinforced my inner knowingness that, there is divinity in every living being, be it a flower, creepy insects or somebody who demeans and hurts you with cutting words.
The purity of your thoughts, deeds and action, is GOD.
Fasting, devotional songs, chantings, ultimately are all means to an end, to purify ones thought. The day you start having a feeling of onenness towards all, you dont need GOD.
Please see my post below.
I’m in the same boat you are… it baffles me to think that some higher power created all of this. Being interested in science, astronomy, and evolution, I really struggle with believing in what is called God. I just don’t know… It’s a very interesting topic though!
Hi,
Just stumbled upon your blog, and I must say, I too feel that the whole concept of God and religion is man-made.
Sometimes I wonder why people believe in a higher power when we ourselves are so great…as in, mankind, nature, science, etc…are so beautiful in themselves…we don’t really need to believe in a higher power.
I can understand why religion came into existence, before we knew how things worked, before we knew much about science, then to explain the working of the world, they created a god…but we are past that now…in today’s world we no longer need a god…
Anyways, keep posting
I’d like to share this quote with you that I came across one day, and I dont remember it exactly but it has always stuck with me..
“no belief if valid unless one has integrity in the belief”
..Mainly meaning that the reason many religious people are so offended by other religions or things that may shake their beliefs (ex: A book challenging beliefs of the Catholic church may be denounced by the church) is because they genuinely do not believe the things they claim to, and are deeply scared and that is why they choose to put their faith in such a religion so strongly.
Your thoughts you have shared are beautiful, I enjoy reading your blog. and your right, these type of things can be mind blowing to consider..! Sometimes I have to convince myself not to give up on thinking about it all together haha.
Hi,
Some of the things you (and theses comments) said are interesting. I see where your pessimism comes from, but I think it is too large of a decision (deciding a faith, whether in Christianity, Atheism,..) to just listen to stereotypes. For example: just hearing about God with almighty power, that is a major turn off, but should you honestly look into it by reading the bible or talking to a priest, you at least aren’t “blindly” ruling anything out. I beleive everyone has a place, and when you explore you will find it.
I think it is not so much WHAT you believe that makes a positive differnce in a person’s life, but rather, whether whatever it is that is going around in your head and heart makes you more present and mindful of your actions and places you where YOU can be your be your best self.
Thanks for sharing and good luck on that dissertation.
cheers
Hi,
I just pass by to say Hi and I like your writings. Thanks for sharing.
Take care,
Jia
Belief in God is called faith. Belief in science is rationality.
On the same boat. I was embedded with religious stuff when a kid I was not very convinced with – felt very robotic.
Our ego is so overwhelmingly huge we tend to think there’s some meaning to our existence. Having made that assumption, we then tend to think that science somehow falls short by not being able to answer the question, “Why are we here?” Logically speaking, the question is based on an erroneous perception that there is such a thing as meaning.
Of all the complex intricacies found in the natural world known and unknown, near and far how can we assume that is all just some big accident that man made or that we just happen to be a part of (the only part as far as we can tell so far) Given, there is a need for a god that we can turn to in mysticism and in hard times but there are many instances in which the natural world cannot provide an acceptable explanation. Can we say Love is man-made or doesn’t exist because we cannot measure it? How do you know your dog loves you?
exactly, you feel it
Well religious people get together and feel god’s love in worship and in deeds. How can this be wrong?
To answer my own question (Bill O’reilly style) It can be wrong when we give religious power to a human being who then manipulates it for money or sexual conquest and then some get angry at god or religion because he allowed them to be fooled by some Mephistopheles, when we never needed these people to access the divine love that God represents anyway!
May I quote Siashia above? And put a new twist on it?
“The day you start having a feeling of onenness towards all, you dont need GOD.”
Well, the day you start having a feeling of oneness towards all, you have FOUND God.
When we can become quiet enough and still enough and open enough, we connect with that feeling of oneness.
Just be still, and know.
Hi,
The nature of your reflections seem to be in the air right now for some reason…not sure exactly what the “what” is, yet my sense is there is something powerful taking place in the world at the moment. I am right there with you. It is a very challenging place to be for it asks us to question everything we have been taught about what is real and perhaps to begin a new dialogue based on “what if…” What if the spirit of God speaks to us through all of these things? What if our preference for individualism prevents us from living in true community and in deep connection with others? What if each of us is being called to bring our true authentic self into the world after living for so long in the shadow world?
What if the feelings you are experiencing are shared by many others? What if we become connected to these people simply by becoming willing to share the perplexity of it all? You played your part in this by posting your thoughts. Many others are feeling what you are and it is very confusing at times…what if this greater awareness will result in another Renaissance? Who knows? What if?
Blogging has been on my mind recently and so this morning I ventured out to start one. And wouldn’t you know it, this is the first place I landed. There really are no coincidences…when an idea is meant to grow into something larger people will naturally come together to help nurture it into something beautiful.
Thank you for your courage and willingness to share this with all of us.
Wishing you peace as you begin yet another leg of this fascinating journey called life.
hi rob
please post your blog here, would love to read more of you
The term ‘universe’ literally means “one song”. We, and our beliefs in whatever god we choose to believe in, as well as everything that exists now or at any ‘time’ as we know it is all part of that song. So, my interpretation is that that ONE thing that we seek to find and revere (‘god’), is actually all of it- that ‘one song’, the universe. It’s not something out there, or up there, or in us- it’s every aspect of everything, even the things we can’t see, hear, touch, taste, or smell.
Why? Why must you continue to eradicate what is left of the unknown. Why can’t the riddle just be a riddle? Why must it have a reason, why do you need to know?
LEAVE IT ALONE!
Why can you not wait to find out? What is the rush, let it be as it would be and learn the answer when your time comes. The answer is never as good as the puzzle so embace and enjoy it while the mystery lasts.
But no. You would rather kill it. You prefer the limp lifeless fact to the the pulsating perplexment provided by the puzzle. We now know the chicken came before the egg (evolution) but what does that leave us with but an empty explanation and a hollow feeling?
Every attempt we make at divining an answer is a shot aimed at the head of Jesus, Allah, God, Zeus, Indra, excetera, excetera, excetera. Eventually a bullet will strike its mark and when it does they all will fall like great glass dominoes, shatter, and scar the faces of those who look to them.Why? Why must you continue to eradicate what is left of the unknown. Why can the riddle just be a riddle? Why must it have a reason, why do you need to know?
LEAVE IT ALONE!
Why can you not wait to find out? What is the rush, let it be as it would be and learn the answer when your time comes. The answer is never as good as the puzzle so enjoy the puzzle, embace and enjoy it.
But no. You would rather kill it. You prefer the limp lifeless fact to the the vibrant
What awaits us then when our gods and fantasies are gone? Why the cold hard truth of course. It will be like discovering Santa clause isn’t real, only it will be
Hi
I very much enjoyed reading this. First off, I would like to note, that I very much respect your openness to everything posted here (ie religion, science, creationism, evolution, etc) It’s nice to see a blog post on here today dealing with religion that isn’t filled with resentment and/or “cold hard facts”, if that makes any sense. Either way, I applaude your writing style.
The idea of God can be thought of in many different ways. Many people think that it is, or rather, He is, just something that man has made up. It’s very easy to bring in our sciences of psychology and sociology. A believe was either programmed into the belief from an early age, or they hit rock bottom in some way during their life that brought them to a point where they need to believe in something greater than themselves, they needed to find purpose, or they just needed a crutch to get them through.
However, let me offer a Christian point of view on this subject (yes, I’m a Christian). A believer would need to have knowledge of God, and the gospel, if they were to make the decision to follow or live for their God. So being raised in a religious environment would definitely be one way falling into that. I know many great people, Christians as well as other religions, who have chosen that path because they were raised in a home environment that permitted them to learn that that was right for them.
On the other hand:
People that have to hit a rough point in their lives. From a Christian perspective…We are beings that look out for ourselves, our wants and desires. Some call it survival, others call it selfish. But really, we do think about ourselves most of the time. How does God grab our attention? Many times people need to be brought down to a level where they would be willing to give up their independence and “selfishness” before they’re able to follow God.
Also…from a Christian perspective (I feel the need to stress this), someone finding salvation after going through a trial can be a great testimony to others. God can use those hard experience to show how, with Him, we can get through those tough times.
Just my two cents, plus a little more
I wish you the best of luck on your journey, and on your dissertation
Blessings,
-TiA
Very inspiring posting…
I just thought earlier today, that either The Creator of all this is incredibly brilliant, or we have just been incredibly lucky. Both options are just as mind blowing.
I am doing some writing on evolution, religion and life myself at the moment, so, I’ll get back to you with more on that.
Until then,
i wish you something good!
which according to quantum consciousness theory might have a real effect in your life
- with or without (goddess)God or magic -
Susan
Hi,
I’ve had the same feelings about my friends. Some people’s minds just aren’t at the maturity level to cope with concepts like these and will be offended when you express them. I’m finding this to be isolating when I can’t express and refine these ideas by talking to people about them. Having a blog helps!
wow. congrats on being on the wordpress homepage!
nicep post too
There are many angry bloggers posting because religion can hurt. To be remain open to possibility is critical. After all scientists should always be the ones saying first “what if? It could be possible!” It seems many questions are answered from the heart and then we seek justifications, which ever side we come from. Is anyone ever 100% rational like Mr. spock or Data? So a basic heart question is; if there were a creator would I want to acknowledge it? If there were a creator wouldn’t it be logical to live in harmony with it, taking my place in nature? Maybe the larger question mankind could be asking is; if there is a Creator does it reveal itself?
Hey, it’s been ages since I stopped by. My Bad.
Just saw your blog featured on wordpress.com. 
coz i told u
I feel the higer force has nothing to do with any religion. Religion is man made but the higher force that creates and controls this universe is something that crosses all boundries. In order to give it an identiy so that we can relate to it we give it a name “God” .. We as people have a tendency and urge to own everything. Thats where religion steps in. These days its ruled moreover by politics demeaning its meaning further. . .
For me . . . i dont believe in any religion or God in particular… but yes i do have faith that there is something higher in this world that is controlling us. Think of this, we all have a body consisting of hands and legs and a brain and etc etc etc.. our body doest he same function as everyone elses . . and thats scientific. . . but what is it that makes you and I different? The soul . . which is a part of the higher being. How does science explain that?
hello! you know, all questions of religion always were very difficult. and it is impossible to find the one right answer to all those question. all this is very controvercial and both sides (i mean believers and non-believers are right somewhere).
as for me, i agree with those one who thinks all conception of religion were made by a person for him (or maybe here?) to rule easier.
Hello everyone!
Thanks for your very insightful comments and stories. Much appreciated!
Vindi,
Well written and I congrat you on your openness!! I think if you follow the way of life of sakkya prince, (lord Buddha ) a man who went forth saw and he did not say “Follow me.What I say is the ultimate truth” He said “Come and see for yourself” – (ehi passiko!) plai version!
To do that we have to go beyond what we were taught during our ‘religion’ period in school and then see whether it is true for ourselves. It is nothing but you who could see for your self of the reality of life !!!
If you find it true doors will open to the knowledge!