God

[karen]

"Matthew" doesn't really tell us who asked, it just tells us the name of who asked.

[enigma]

I remember once in my teens thinking, 'If there is a God, the only thing my integrity will allow is for me to hate you with every fiber of my being.' Lucky for God, there isn't one. Hehe.

[zendancer]

May 20, 2010 15:07:15 GMT -5 @cabinintheforest said:

Cabin: If you asked me, "Do you believe in God?" I would answer, "Who wants to know?"

Ok Zendancer let's say the guys name who asked you was Matthew. Now you know who want's to know, how will you reply?

Cabin: The question is designed to make you look within, not regurgitate a conditioned response. "Matthew" is both a name and, more importantly, an idea. Those are both superficial distinctions.

I know who and what is asking the question, but Matthew doesn't. If Matthew understood, he wouldn't be asking the question. When I ask, "Who wants to know?" I am asking the questioner to do some self-inquiry--to look inside and find out who the REAL questioner is.

People walk around and think "I'm John Doe" or "I'm Jane Doe." They are totally lost in a dream of personal selfhood--a dream that they have been conditioned to dream since early childhood when their parents said, "You're John" or "You're Jane." I am saying, "Wake up!" Who you are is what is regulating a trillion biochemical/electrical events every second in order to keep the body alive. What does "John" or "Jane" have to do with THAT? How does "John" or "Jane" grow hair, teeth, or toenails?

Matthew? What a laugh!

[divinity]

I think I experienced that which is called "god" when I was 4 years old. I know god. Cabin, I like how you think!

[BobTheBuilder]

Zendancer how do you define God?

As oneness?

[zendancer]

Jun 16, 2010 10:34:00 GMT -5 @BobTheBuilder said:

Zendancer how do you define God?

As oneness?

I do not try to define the infinite. It is what it is.

[synapticrythms]

Funny how things work. My first name is Matthew... LOL... and I am asking constantly "Who Am I?" LMAO...

[sherry]

cabinintheforest, I think my answer would depend on the moment and the apparent 'who' is asking. For many, I would answer simply 'yes' to emphasize the sameness of myself and the questioner. To some, I might further go into the onesness/sameness of the concept of 'god', the apparent 'questioner' and 'me'.... whether we call this 'god', 'All-that-is' or anything else is of no importance and many people don't want to enter into a deep discussion.

[Myself]

Zendancer do you believe people exist? Yes or No?

[divinity]

I think that this life is all a wonderful halucination and am working on my book which explains that.

[zendancer]

Jun 21, 2010 12:02:54 GMT -5 @Myself said:

Zendancer do you believe people exist? Yes or No?

Myself #2 (I know you're not Myself #1 because of the nature of your question): Your question is too funny for words. Have you read anything on this forum?

Look, most beliefs are inconsequential. For example, I believe that there is a city called "Moscow" even though I've never been there. I believe that the sun is 93,000,000 miles from earth and that it takes 8 minutes for light to get to us from the sun. I'm willing to take other peoples' words for these things.

I consider existential issues, however, the most important thing in life, so I always verify the truth through direct experience. I know, as a result of direct experience, for example, that reality is a unified whole and I am one-with THAT. People may call me "Bob Harwood," but that is not who I am. Bob Harwood is imaginary. Who I am cannot be imagined. Bob Harwood has nothing to do with the trillions of electro-chemical events happening in the body/mind that people mistakenly refer to by that name.

As for your "yes" or "no" question, here is why it is so funny. If someone asked you, "Are you still beating your wife? Answer yes or no." How would you answer? If you answer "no," it means that at one time you were beating your wife. How do you answer a question in which neither yes or no is correct? A yes-or-no mind is a very narrow mind. It is too small to perceive the infinite.

If you're happy with your understanding, then that's great! Everyone on this forum wishes you the best of luck. Seriously! Our interest, however, lies with a different kind of understanding that comes through direct experience rather than ideas, thoughts, and beliefs. We are more interested in meeting God face-to-face, than reading holy books about God. This is neither good nor bad. It is simply what we are interested in. Cheers.

[lobo]

May 16, 2010 17:16:41 GMT -5 @cabinintheforest said:

To people on this forum.

If someone came up to you and said 'do you believe in God' how would you reply?

cabin, this is such a great question.
I haven't read all the posts in this thread, but this is such a good and meaningfull question that I want to give an answer.

Before I give the answer from this personal viewpoint, I want to offer you this link www.contemplativeoutreach.org/site/DocServer/2010JuneNewsletter.pdf?docID=1901

That website and Fr Thomas Keating is a resource for those looking to the ultimate mystery I hope you find that usefull.

Do I believe in God? as in a me here and God out there? a God making decisions? no way. I don't use the word God much because I don't want to have to explain where I am coming from. I do believe in God, this, the mystery, oneness, and I only do in the sense of oneness. All and everything. Call it whatever you will. Burning bush, fantastic enlightenment story, none of it is needed. The experience is available right here, all the time, within ones own experience. I do experience it, not continuously, but often. It really comes down to recognizing it in everything. Too much attention is placed on big expeiences, but the oneness is always here. It is a blessing to recognize it. The I cannot do it. It is a gift. Gratefullness is the response

Here is a favorite saying from you know who....
"The ultimate act of faith is to allow oneself to just be with what is without manipulation of any kind".
that guy isn't a christian formally, but he speaks the truth

To me that is faith in what is. You can call that God. Someone may say "God is in control". I say yep. Someone may say, "there is no you, only the one", I say yep

The name that Jesus used for God was "Abba" which has a tone more like "daddy" a loving daddy than a stern rule making father.

I don't call myself a christian any more.
But I believe in God, yes, in this way.

peace and freedom

[lobo]

One last point cabin. I wouldn't take all this non-dual language too seriously. It always gets mushed up when trying to describe an experience that is beyond words, with words.

One has to be quite skilled to evoke the sense of it within another using the written word.

[lobo]

here is a link to another article by Fr Keating called "the four yous"

Here is a trappist monk, essentially saying that you are god, and god is you.

And this organization that has grown around the chriatian contemplative tradition does teach the experiential path called "centering prayer".

This is very rich, very deep stuff.
If one is inclined towards christianity at all this can be quite, well, brilliant, great, true, revealing
the good stuff LOL
enjoy

[zendancer]

Burt: Excellent posts. Well stated.