If the mind could be stopped, what would happen?

I keep a little homunculus suspended between my ears to do that job.

All seriousness aside, consciousness is the universe watching/waking up to itself.

Maybe.

Yes, that's the function of Atman, of your true Self or Big Mind ('the universe watching/waking up to itself').
But it's not the little homunclus; that's ego or small mind.

Atman, True Self, Big Mind, none of those concepts have ever been very useful to me. I can see where they could help some, tho. I avoid them because I've seen so many people take them so dogmatically and literally. Anyhoo, to each his own...

Edit: No, wait. Actually, Big Mind was useful to me for a while, way back when.

Nothing can't "happen". "Happen" is a moment in time. All things move in time. A thing can't be nothing so therefore...

Have you heard of an old band named Gong? I am not a big fan, but there is one song they have that I listen to often. It's called Wise man in your heart.

Wise man in your heart - Gong

I met a man, a wise old man, the day I lost my pride.
He told me he belonged to me but from me he would hide.
And that I would not hear his voice until I learned to sing.
Now every time I sing I know that I belong.
belong to him.
Singing O why...Singing O why...

He told me he would teach me everything I tried to know.
He made me see that you and me are dreamers in a show.
And when the days were darkest then he lit them with his moons.
And then we crossed the rainbow bridge but we came back...
Came back too soon...
Singing O why...Singing O why...

He showed me where he was Atman that man I could not see.
He pointed to the sky until a ladder I could see.
I climbed for many lives to find the secret golden flower.
And then I woke and found I'd slept for less than half...
Than half an hour.
Singing O why...Singing O why...

He brought us back together then when I was all alone.
He made me see I was not just of earth and skin and bone.
O it makes you feel so beautiful you can tell your Self apart.
Everytime you listen to the wise man in your heart.
Singing O why...Singing O why...

I wish that you would have shared this thread with me earlier so that I could have made a fool of myself! LOL

Yes, FBM, they are only metaphors that sometimes serve, sometimes don't.

Their particular God dies for starters.

By this I assume you mean when we pass on?
Im going to be optimistic and say re-birth, hey we manifested here once so why can it not happen again =)

If god were a particle, do you think he could wave?

I'm rife with uncertainty...

Good for you.

If the mind stops, doesn't the brain crash into the skull?

In principle, I suppose...

edgar,
I don't know why, but your comment brought up an old memory. I once saw a dog tied to a metal trashcan while it's owner was inside a shop. For some reason the dog moved enough that the can turned over and fell with a crash, which naturally scared the hell out of the dog.
So the dog started running, but the sound of the metal grating on the pavement as the trashcan was pulled along was loud and obviously terrifying to the dog, and it started running even harder. But he couldn't escape the terrible thing chasing it, which made it run even harder. Luckily the owner came out of the shop within moments to untie the dog and end it's terror. But for a few moments it was very dramatic.
But we had a good laugh when it was all over.

For some reason, that makes me think of theists being afraid of their god(s) and hell(s).

I see that association

Me too!

heh heh... Cue the nearest rabid fundie to chime in...

While on the subject of dogs (I love dogs), here's another episode I witnessed.
It was early winter and a thin layer of ice had formed on a water near where I lived. I was out walking with a friend who brought his dog along, and this dog loved chasing the ducks that live in that water. They were sitting on the ice that day, and the dog ran out onto the ice after them. The ice was thin, but it could support the weight of the running dog. But naturally the ducks saw it coming and all took flight, and when the dog skidded to a halt, mildly confused out there on the ice, the thin layer could no longer support it, and the ice broke.
It was dramatic, but we managed to save the dog, who was unable to get out of the water. Five minutes later it was running around as if nothing had happened.
But if the mind could be stopped, what would happen?