Our perceptions of god

[Euphoric Sunrise]

I understand what you are saying completely. If it does not feel right using god in a certain context, don't use it that way. Use it whichever way you feel like using it. If you don't feel comfortable using the word "god" because of all the attachments it has, use a word that represents your beliefs more. You seem to have a similar belief to me, that is a belief in the universe. Use it. Whenever i feel like i need to ask something supreme for help, i ask the universe, and even though i don't really think the universe is conscious, i still feel like i can talk to it and it will listen.
As far as relying on it for self defense factors, i have no experience with that so i can't help there.

I too do not have an established belief system myself either, but i think this can be a good thing because there are no boundaries or rules to stop you from exploring anything. All areas are open and everything is plausible until proven (to yourself) otherwise.

I hope this was useful in some way []

[kalratri]

A Hindu mystic, Swami Vivekananda, said:

     "In the same way that certain religions in the world call a man who does not believe in a God existing outside his person an atheist, we, for our part, say that an atheist is a man who does not believe in himself. Not believing in the splendour of ones own soul, that's what we call atheism."



I guess it really depends on which religious background you come from, but everyone has their "beef" about whatever their religion is sometime, you wouldn't be human if you didn't question the religion you were born into.  Sometimes only after you reject and question your system and search else where is when you either reject the system or keep the tradition refining your own understanding without using other people's definition:

The eastern systems are heavily energy/philosophical/mystical based systems:

In Hinduism, everything is the self, so praying to the Gods means praying to your higher self -- there is no other, yourself is God, God is you.
In Buddhism, everything is sunyata, finally going to a state of beyond thingness and nothingness, there is no separate God defined but rather sages  you call upon to guide you.
In Taoism you follow the way of the force which is the Tao which is the union of masculine and feminine energies.

The western Systems are heavily God as separate from self based systems and very organized since they had singular founders who put forth certain rituals that must be followed.  Although each has a mystical tradition that mystical tradition never allowed one to say that one is God,    Judaism never says "I am Yahweh"
                   Christianity never says "I am the Christ"
                   Muslims never say " I am Allah"
That would be considered blasphemy.

[aryanknight666]

eh, judaism/christianity/islam = eastern.
What I consider western religion is odinism, norse and celtic paganism, etc.

[daem0n]

i use kybalion as a guideline, so far i haven't found anything that would not fit into it
if i find something like that, i'll search for more appropriate theory

i treat "god" from a bible as an intrusion of a more advanced civilization in evolution of mankind

there are to many mistranslations and manipulations with the original script to treat it as a source that could be trusted

the GOD is all, but all is not god, the multiverse is mental construct of god (a dream, one may say, and here shamanism fits in), created and destroyed (and here buddhism fits in, with eons of incarnations without begging nor end, one universe after another)

or i'm just messed up, i'm open to debate

[]

[Li Yun]

I was wondering what people thought about this. I keep seeing in people posts that they use god and their belief in god to help them in response to a neg attack or similar. I have been 'there' with christianity but certain shifts in my life and what I see in the world today has left me with a profound mistrust of religion in general. Before I go on this is NOT an attack on peoples beliefs. What i find that I cant right now give myself up to anything such as religion as it seems to be a cause alot of the wars at the moment. Of course this is a sweeping statement as beliefs help people hugley and have many positive and goodt things to offer. However my belief in God is of the universe and of the very way everything works together to create it...that to me is god...I am not trying to sound like I know what im talking about..indeed i am rather confused (but happy) at the moment. I just cant bring myself to ask god to help me in this way when my belief is so ungrounded. I feel i would be hypacritical in doing so. My philosophy is that religions are all diffrent but are all aiming to the same thing in the centre. If you imagine what we percive as god in the middle of a circle and different religions suround this idea but they all come from varying point around this circle but all aiming towards the centre. It upsets me when there are so many conflicts between people due to the fact they dont belief in things in the same way and this im afraid is a main cause to alot of the conflicts going on. therefore this makes me mistrust the whole thing in a way and therefore find (due to a mildy christian upbringing) that I cant just use 'god' because im suffering from nasty attacks at night etc.
I feel i am a compassionate person with a genuine urge to help create a better world but for the last few years it has been without an established belief system, but just my own positive attitude (somthing i have had to work on) is this a plausable way to exist? Is this 'turning away from god' i do like to keep am open mind as i am still a young adult...anyway some might think im in the wrong forum but it is to do with psycic self defence in essence. Just a spu r of the moment post anyway i hope it isnt too much of a rant.

Take care Li Yun

ps this forum has been a massive and invaluable help to me since i joined at x-mas..thanks!!!