God Is The Source Of Seeking

New Haven, What I see is selective seeking of something I'm hard pressed to determine what. What I observe are all manners of conflict between different sects of religions, and those professing to be one religion or another doing dastardly things against their fellow humans. I don't see any benefit. Maybe you can enlighten me/us. I speak as a one time buddhist, a christian, and now an atheist. c.i.

c.i
There is a vast difference between the belief in God and the religions of which you so fondly speak . Religions are man made abominations which were devised to control people. God I do not believe sanctioned any one of them.

ci:

This quote comes from Rumi. Those who seek God, should know that God seeks them.

If you don't believe in God, than perhaps you might not agree with Rumi.
This type of approach to spirituality is found in Sufism and also with Hassidic Judaism.

Do you remember Rumi's tale about the moth that seeks out the flame, and as a result is consumed by the flame. I think we're driving at the idea of merger. The believer seeks out God to permit a merger of his/her soul with the Divine.

Similarly the Hassidim will often mediate on an open flame and during this meditation experience the sensation of a merger with the Divine.

NH, All in the imagination of the believer. c.i.

c.i., of course there is "all kinds of conflict" between everything and everyone on this planet. We are hear to learn lessons. Without challenges who would be learning anything at all. There is no Utopia on Earth and we can't refuse to learn the lesson of wherever we find ourselves, or to suffer while learning it.

Anyone who doesn't feel, and know, that we are constantly being "led," through our minds, to the right way (for us as individuals!) doesn't have much self awareness.

When one of us becomes aware that religion is made up of just common ordinary people, well, I guess we can create our own, or simply leave for higher learning. There is no ceiling on knowledge.

Tex-Star


"Stay away from people who are loud and aggressive, as they vex the spirit." Anonymous

Your last statement says it all; "There is no ceiling on knowledge." That knowledge does not necessarily emanate from religion. Philosophy, logic, and science are good beginnings. c.i.

God needs us more than we need him/her.

People approach most anything from different places. Philosophy, science and logic helped me to understand religion. My kids didn't attend religion past 4th grade. Right now they are both married to catholics, my grandaughter married a Mormon. I'm not sure if one must back up and pick up what they didn't get in earlier years, so neither am I sure how I would be thinking if I hadn't been educated in "religion."

Actually, what IS religion? I think it's a history of our spiritual nature which I guess we can get elsewhere. Maybe there are some who don't think they have a "spiritual nature." Don't think there is any "right" sort of "way." Maybe the only "wrong" way is to not even be curious about all these things.

williamhenry3, God needs us more than we need him/her? Isn't that like saying our parents need us more than we need them?
hmmmm.

Tex-Star

Tex, I think you hit onto something when you talk about "spiritual nature." I think it's a common nature of man to seek and find a spiritual nature in their life. That's the reason why man has created 'religion' in all cultures and races. When they practice their religion, they get some spiritual feeling that they are communicating to a higher power. c.i.

c.i., yeah, I keep saying that it's probably time for an earth-shaking change or replacement of "religion" but I guess that will happen when the people bring it about. Funny, when Christians point out the negativity in the muslim religion, yet about the same is found in Christianity.

I wonder when religions will begin talking about the thing they are most frightened of, our siritual nature. That's about all any of them have in common. The last "religion" I attended for about 8 years taught the 12 steps. Eventually, this extraordinary man who built this "church" renamed those teachings to "12 steps to a spiritual experience." That's because hundreds of thousands came to listen to him who didn't necessarily have an alcohol problem but other things to overcome.

WilliamHenry:

I've heard that statement before. Without us, who would acknowledge, on this earth, the presence of God in Heaven.

But why did God create man?

Tex-star:

Our parent's existence does not depend on our having been born.

Darn ancient Greeks.

NH, Oh? c.i.

NH
God created man for good works. (Ephesians 2:10) Man is not here to do his own thing, but to do the work that God gives him to do.

God created man for fellowship. He created man, male and female, in His own image. (Genesis 1:27) Each person is created for fellowship with God. (1Corinthians 1:9) This fellowship was to be based on obedience. (Genesis 2:15-17)

God created man for eternal life. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) When man rebelled against God, he lost both his fellowship with God, and his eternal life. (Genesis 3:24) Jesus came to restore us to life and fellowship. (John 10:10)

In God's presence alone can you find the joy and fillment you were created to experience. He alone can make you whole.(Psalm 16:11)

If god created man for good works, he's a big failure. It's not that god is the source of seeking. It's that man is the source of seeking gods, and have created many of them. c.i.

ci:

I sincerely doubt that God is a "failure".

Whatever we cannot easily understand we call God; this saves much wear and
tear on the brain tissues.