What makes you believe?

reply to post by zroth
I did get it just fine.





However I do have some questions,

Number one- What your saying is god is omnipotent, he is in everything, he is everywhere. That is very hard for me to believe considering I don't think there is one god, I think the astro planes philosophy sounds the most plausible, like maybe there are higher astro beings (it should be noted that I can't prove any of this because it may very well not be true, but I personally know someone that has astro projected, and it sounds like the coolest possibility to me.) astro planes and all that are really not my opinion it just sounds the most plausible. So my question is why do you think god is omnipotent? Why does this sound logical to you?

Number two- are you saying it is just an omnipotent being like Jesus Christ? Or are you saying thats his name and the bible is correct on that.



Number three- Do you think god created us from his image?





Number four- You didn't say anything in your post about this I know, but i'm just curious if god is omnipotent then why do Pentecostals speak in tongues when the spirit of god enters their body, wouldn't god already be in their body considering he is omnipotent?




If any of my questions are unclear just tell me and I will try to explain them better.

I like the question made by OP and I would want to see many answers on this because it might bring new views to see the world, for many of us.

On my behalf I can only answer through unanswered questions.

Simple thought of quantum word and anything beyond that. in my opinion there is no need for empty as we see it, theres just some delay with interactions of 'matter'. What matter is and where it comes fom? How anything can even exist, Where is the universe, as we see it, located in existence?

To me the simple answer is that there is something much greater than we can see. I can't say if it is good or bad for us, but I feel that there must be some really good reason. Maybe there is also reason for us not to understand. It is just so impossible to even imagine how everything began to exist.

That's how I see it. No magic, just what I see and feel.

Originally posted by XxRagingxPandaxX
However I do have some questions,

Number one- What your saying is god is omnipotent, he is in everything, he is everywhere. That is very hard for me to believe considering I don't think there is one god, I think the astro planes philosophy sounds the most plausible, like maybe there are higher astro beings (it should be noted that I can't prove any of this because it may very well not be true, but I personally know someone that has astro projected, and it sounds like the coolest possibility to me.) astro planes and all that are really not my opinion it just sounds the most plausible. So my question is why do you think god is omnipotent? Why does this sound logical to you?

Good questions. There are Asian creation myths that speak of existence being the outward breath of Brahma (creator of the universe) and the inward breath being the destruction of the universe. This is said to have occurred infinite times. The hermetic doctrines state the “all is mind” which would run parallel to the Asian doctrine aforementioned. IMO there is one creator that wanted to experience itself. That separation (duality) created opposition as force. From there the four cardinal forces where created and in turn pressed forward creation. So your assumption that there are higher beings is documented in most religions. Christianity has God, the devil, the son of man, angels and demons for example. All of which are higher realm beings that have made an appearance to humans that could tune in, for lack of a better phrase.

So the creator remains the single source of creation and subsequently everything created by the creator’s opposition of Self falls within the realm of omnipotence, presence, etc.

Originally posted by XxRagingxPandaxX
Number two- are you saying it is just an omnipotent being like Jesus Christ? Or are you saying that’s his name and the bible is correct on that.

I am saying everything on our plane of existence is the physical incarnation of the etheric imprint that serves as the highest expression of the form. Some beliefs hold Adam as the original man while others hold Adam as the perfected man, in the etheric realm that serves as the blueprint for man in the material world.

Originally posted by XxRagingxPandaxX
Number three- Do you think god created us from his image?

This is an interesting question. I can’t really answer it.

Originally posted by XxRagingxPandaxX
Number four- You didn't say anything in your post about this I know, but i'm just curious if god is omnipotent then why do Pentecostals speak in tongues when the spirit of god enters their body, wouldn't god already be in their body considering he is omnipotent?

My belief is that Pentecostals speak in tongues because the Catholic church made symbols demonic in the minds of believers. The reason symbols are effective is because they link the laws of creation to the collective subconscious of man. There is not ability to confuse the pure symbolism with words. Sure a student can have a poor teacher provide a poor explanation but through meditation the true meaning can be revealed as if it were magic! Since symbols were banned early on, there had to be a pure method to pass through communication from the body to mind to spirit to God. Speaking in tongues, as I understand it, allows for the purest intent to be communicated to God. Because god knows all, or is omnipotent, he is able to receive the pure intent in the prayer without language as a hindrance. Tongues are an interesting topic and according to Pentecostals doctrine are not to be spoken, in public, without a bonafide interpreter to translate to the crowd. Considering this is a contradiction to the intent I am not sure what is right or wrong. Most rituals are performed without anyone understanding the original meaning.

This answer is not limited to religious beliefs by any means.

All belief stems from, is rooted from, emotions.

From an engineering standpoint, for some idea or concept to take root & become embedded in the psyche it needs the emotional hooks/glue to attach.

'Reality' [as we each might see it] is a belief that has become so intrinsically [deeply?] embedded that we don't even distinguish it from ourselves.

I will also say that many act like religion is a [shallow] cultural overlay on our minds.

I think it really is more of a facilitator & utilizer of our genetic predispositions.
Which is why some intellectual argument against it rarely has much effect.
People have to recognize their own biological/genetic biases & try to rise above them with real work, effort & commitment.

I am not sure we have the power of conviction of intellect over our congenital animal instincts.

It remains to be seen.

[edit on 20-7-2010 by slank]

What makes me not believe? The fact that I have no indication that there is any reason TO believe. I don't believe in God just the same as I don't believe in the infamous Flying Spaghetti Monster or Santa Claus.

I think religion (and Santa Claus) is a story told to the people in order to control and manipulate those who believe the story.

I DO believe that there's more to us than the physical realm. I have had personal experiences that indicated to me that there's more that goes on after we die. I don't expect other people to agree with me or believe as I do. But it's something I believe. I don't KNOW it, but I believe it.

reply to post by kevinunknown


well..i believe in faith, but there is also this thing called the soul and the spirit. there are way to many sighns that God exist...Angels holy feels our spirit and soul ect......

reply to post by slank


yes emotions of the brain, heart ect.... but you have to understand the emotions of a soul

Originally posted by XxRagingxPandaxX
reply to post by kevinunknown

 

I understand that, but do you think faith is logical?

Do you you think life is logical?

easier question. - Does life make sense?

This is why we have religions...

For me, I believe in God because it makes sense for me to believe, with the experiences that I have had, the life that I have led, and the community of believers that I participate in. I wasn't "born and bred" in the church -- never went until I was about 12, then to a fairly Fundamentalist one. Later looked into Evangelical, decided that the excesses of the 80s televangelists and politicos was proof enough that organized religion wasn't for me. I continued to believe in God, but as I looked into various faiths, nothing really spoke to me.

Although I didn't choose it as a career, I have multiple degrees in the sciences, and I have always taken a very rational and pragmatic approach to life, so it was probably inevitable that, as I looked at the world around me, thought about what it meant, and tried to get at a meaning besides "that's all that it is", I found myself going back to God and, eventually, back to the church. As I said, personal experiences with encountering God have confirmed my beliefs to me, and whether they are deemed real or imaginary, they are real to me.

I am a Christian, as opposed to a Buddhist or Muslim, because that is the religion and theology that is most in harmony with my faith. I continue to harbour many suspicions about organized religion, particularly those who use religion to further a cause which is not religion. I am tolerant of other people's beliefs, and have little interest in converting anyone to Christianity. If they know what it's all about, my duty is done, it's up to them to opt for it, and I don't think badgering people into it is the way to go. I am annoyed with the tendency of some Christians to use fear as a motivator.

For that reason, and others, I reject the Fundamentalist views that I once held, believing that, while it is possible that God created all of this 6000 years ago, fossils and all, that seems highly unlikely. Christ said that he came to fulfill the Law, and his commandment was to love God and to love your neighbour as yourself. The second is certainly noble enough, and maybe some can manage to do that without loving God and having him help you, but I sure can't.

It may be a good idea to define some words and go through the sequence of how the human brain works.
Belief is "an idea that one considers to be true".
The usual sequence of human brain (frontal lobe especially) function is as follows:
1. Ideas - may be from the environment but sometimes from within the brain - the eureka moment. No-one knows where ideas come from.
2. Thoughts - generally divided into love and hate thoughts.
3. Feelings - good feelings are divided into gratitude, acceptance, trust and honesty. Bad feelings are opposite to these feelings i.e. self-pity, resentment,fear and dishonesty.
Faith is defined as excessive trust related to ideas, thoughts and feelings.
4. Behaviour.
5. Habit.
6. Character.
7. Personality.
8. Position in society.

Power is defined as "something that causes change".

In summary everyone has beliefs i.e. ideas they consider true. When people "believe in a higher power" it means they consider whatever that power is may cause change. It might be the boss, a religious figure or money for example.

www.associatedcontent.com...

[edit on 20-7-2010 by dr treg]

[edit on 20-7-2010 by dr treg]

Panda keep in mind the point I was trying to make in my posts. I came to my belief by myself and only by myself. As a solipsist, the only thing true for me was my mind, so naturally it was the only thing I could trust. It helped shaped my thoughts and feelings over the years to be able to answer a question such as "what makes me believe"

If you are gonna believe in God, do it on your own feelings, not someone else's. If you are gonna be an atheist, agnostic, nihilist. Fine, but do it on your terms. I think its ironic how people limit themselves to what someone else discovers in a lab, or someone else teaching, like a priest. In truth, both of these limit your scope of reality. I dont care who says anything different, in fact, anyone who disagrees with this above statement, only proves my point.

Do not live your life vicariously through someone's discoveries. You are only perpetuating a harmful cycle. If you wanna educate yourself. Go learn philosophy and ontology. At least these things allow for open mindedness and thought methodology.

To thine own self be true