Whether God exists is not the BIG question.

Your opinion as to whether God exists determines whether you are a believer, an atheist, or an agnostic.

But for me the BIG question is whether we go o after we die. If we go on after we die, then it must be in a non physical way. So a spirit or soul is required.

If you don't believe we have a spirit or soul, you don't believe this is possible.

Personally, I believe our essential being is spiritual. But I know I could be wrong.

a reply to: droid56

From your other thread and this one, you are slightly concerning me I hope you are ok.

As to the content of this one, no one knows for sure so we ought to make this miraculous opportunity count.

a reply to: TechniXcality

Worry not.

originally posted by: droid56
Your opinion as to whether God exists determines whether you are a believer, an atheist, or an agnostic.

But for me the BIG question is whether we go o after we die. If we go on after we die, then it must be in a non physical way. So a spirit or soul is required.

If you don't believe we have a spirit or soul, you don't believe this is possible.

Personally, I believe our essential being is spiritual. But I know I could be wrong.

I dont think the question or answer matter, the main issue we would face as a collective is thus:

If undeniable proof was offered for one side or the other, what would the reaction be? Would people stick to their belief systems if proof was given to them? Or would non believers bow to a god if it was the other way around?

Honestly, its something I would prefer to stay sacred and unknown, mainly as it provokes so many interesting debates (no I am not talking about the flame wars, I mean non keyboard warriors talking about different ideas etc)

a reply to: droid56

Really? That's the big question? I could think of many more important things than that.
Like how can we fix the planet? How can we build a new society?
Think about that, because your thoughts show what you're thinking about.

There is a future, nothing stays the same forever. And who knows, maybe you got something important ahead of you? Something fulfilling. Maybe you will have the idea to fix one of our many problems? But instead you dwell in a sea of feeling detached. Or your one true love is out there longing for you?

Dead is not a part of life and it ends when you die.

Epicurus once said that mans two great fears are gods and death. But gods, by definition are serene and omnicent. Do not impose the virtues and vices of humans to that of a god.
Death. Life is a collection of sensation and perception. Death is the absence of that. So death is nothing. So death is nothing. Don't worry about it. It could be the greatest adventure. But it has nothing to do with life as you know it.

On another note. Look into dualism and opposing theories of substances of life. That's a rabbit hole although I am partial to spinoza's God. So was Einstein.

DO YOU KNOW WHO GOD IS?
Do you know who 'god' is? God is not Visnu (a deity) or Siva (energy) or Brahma (creator), not the wind, the sun nor the moon; not I or you; not Laksmi, or the mind (intellect).

God is without form and undivided (not in the objects); that splendor (devanam) which is not made and which has neither beginning nor end is known as god (deva) which is pure consciousness (awareness).

That alone is fit to be worshipped; that alone is all.

If one is unable to worship this consciousness, then he is encouraged to worship the form. The latter yields finite results, but the former (consciousness) bestows infinite bliss. He who ignores the infinite and is devoted to the finite abandons a pleasure garden, and seeks the thorny bush.

However, sages sometimes worship a form playfully.

Now for the articles used in worship: wisdom, self-control and the perception of the Self in all beings are the foremost among those articles. The Self alone is consciousness, which is fit to be worshipped at all times with the flowers of wisdom.

Indeed only infinite consciousness (cid-akasa) which alone exists even after the cosmic dissolution, exists even now, utterly devoid of objectivity. All these mountains, the whole world, the firmament, the Self, the jiva (individual) and all the elements of which the world is constituted - all these are nothing but pure consciousness.

Before the so-called creation, when only this pure consciousness existed, where were all these (heaven, etc)?

Space (akasa), supreme or infinite space (paramakasam), absolute space (brahmakasam), creation, consciousness - are mere words and they indicate the same truth, even as synonyms do.

Even as the duality experienced in a dream is illusory, the duality implied in the creation of the world is illusory. Even as the dream objects seem to exist and function in the inner world of consciousness in a dream, objects seem to exist and function in the outer world of consciousness during the wakeful state.

Nothing really happens in both these states. Even as consciousness alone is the reality in the dream state, consciousness alone is the substance in the wakeful state too.

That is the Lord, this is the supreme truth, that you are, that am I, that is all.

The worship of that Lord (consciousness) is true worship, and by that worship one attains everything. Consciousness is undivided and indivisible, non-dual and neither fashioned nor created by activity; it is not attained by external efforts. Its adoration is the fountain source of joy.

The external worship of a form (deity, holy personage) is prescribed for those whose intelligence has not be awakened, and who are immature like little boys. When one does not have self-control, he uses flowers in worship; such worship is futile, even as adoring the Self in an external form is futile. However these immature devotees derive satisfaction by worshipping an object created by themselves, they may even earn worthless reward from such worship.

I shall now describe to you the mode of worship appropriate to enlightened people. The Lord fit to be worshipped is the one who upholds the entire creation, who is beyond thoughts and description, who is beyond the concepts of even the 'all' and the 'collective totality.'

He alone is referred to as 'God' who is undivided and indivisible by space and time, who's light illumines all the objects, who is pure and absolute consciousness. He is that intelligence which is beyond all its parts, which is hidden in all that is, which is the being in all that is and which robs all that is of their being (i.e. which veils the truth of their Self). This God is in the middle of being and non-being (as awareness). It is God, and the truth that is indicated by 'Om'. It (awareness) exists everywhere, like the essence in a plant.

The pure consciousness which is in you, in me and in all the gods and goddesses alone is God. Holy one, eve the other gods endowed with form are indeed nothing but that pure consciousness. That is God, that is 'all' I am; everything is attained from and through him.

That God is not distant from anyone, nor is he difficult to attain: since he is forever seated in the body and he is everywhere like space.

Somewhere this consciousness functions as space, somewhere as jiva (individual), somewhere as action, somewhere as substance and so forth; but without intending to do so. Even as all the different oceans are but one indivisible mass of water, this consciousness, though described ain different ways, is but one cosmic mass of consciousness.

This consciousness is like a mirror which holds a reflection within itself, as it were, without undergoing any modification thereby. Without undergoing any modification in itself, this consciousness appears as all these countless beings in this universe.

In this body, thoughts and notions generate action in the light of this very consciousness. Surely, but for this consciousness even an object which is immediately in front of oneself cannot be experienced? The body cannot function or exist but for this consciousness. It grows, it falls, it eats. This consciousness creates and maintains all the movable and immovable beings in the universe. The infinite consciousness alone exists, nothing else exists. Consciousness alone has arisen in consciousness.

Consciousness does not undergo any modification nor does it become impure. The infinite consciousness which is unmodified and non-dual, can be realized by one in the self-luminous inner light (of awareness). It is pure and eternal, it is ever present and (being awareness) devoid of mind.

Consciousness alone is the reality in all forms (of existence) and all experiences. Action springs from thought, thought is the function of the mind, mind is conditioned consciousness, but consciousness is unconditioned!

Since the omnipresent infinite consciousness alone is present at all times, diversity is absurd and impossible. Belief in the existence of a goblin creates it. Belief in diversity establishes it. When the non-dual being is known, duality vanishes instantly.

That infinite consciousness alone is fit to be adored and worshipped. However, there is no use in inviting it for the worship; no mantra are of any use in its worship for it is immediate (closest, one's own self), and hence does not need to be invited. It is the omnipresent self of all.

The 'realization' of this infinite consciousness (which is totally effortless) is alone the best form of worship.

This infinite consciousness can be compared to the ultimate sub-atomic particle which yet hides within its heart the greatest of all mountains. It encompasses the span of countless epochs, but does not let go of a moment of time. It does nothing, yet it has fashioned the universe. Sustaining the entire universe, it does nothing at all. All substances are not different from it, yet it is not a substance; thought it is non-substantial, it pervades all substances.

The supreme being is formless, and yet the following five are its aspects: will, space, time, order (or destiny) and the cosmic unmanifest nature. It has countless powers or energies or potencies. Chief among them are knowledge, dynamics, action and non-action. All these are but pure consciousness; because they are called the potencies of consciousness, they are apparently regarded as distinct from consciousness, though in fact they are not.