God and my beliefs

[henrah]

First off I'd just like to say that I don't intend to offend or demean anyone or any religion.



I don't believe in God, but I believe God exists. I believe that God exists in those that believe in God, that he isn't a tangible entity in the sky and that he is in fact a part of everyone. I believe that God is really ourselves. When we ask God something, we are really asking ourselves; and when God answers, it is really ourselves answering our own questions. I believe that faith in God is faith in yourself.

I believe that when you listen to yourself, you and yourself are two separate people and you can often have a conversation with yourself. Now that isn't to say that everyone is schizophrenic, that everyone has two different personalities. I'm saying that each single personality has two parts, and those two parts work together to create you. Often you'll get the idea of saying or doing something, and that idea comes from the first part of you, which I will call Rigot. Rigot creates the idea and passes it onto Simto, the other part of you, the outer shell if you will, who then decides whether to go through with it or not. Most times Simto won't give any thought to an idea and simply enact it out. Direct one-to-one conversation is usually when Simto is in automatic mode as often conversations aren't as clear or precise as they would be if someone wrote them out before hand. This is why, when conducting an interview for a written media, the conversation cannot be printed unedited because it will make little sense to the reader. However sometimes, and this is mostly when it comes to relationships (in my experience), Simto will contemplate heavily over Rigot's idea and decide if it needs adjusting or if it should even be listened to in the first place. Sometimes Simto will decline and insult Rigot's idea saying "No, that's a stupid thing to say (or do)" and then Rigot will try to think of a new idea to present to Simto.

Rigot and Simto are simply placeholder names here. You may call them whatever you wish: Wyky and Koky, Ligmo and Harco, Toejam and Earl, you get the idea. I just thought it would be better, and easier to understand, if I referred to them as named participants than just 'first part' and 'second part'. Now back to the main point.

In those that are religious, God is part of their Rigot. When they are asking God for guidance, Simto is asking Rigot for an idea. Now the only difference I see between religious and non-religious people is that in religious people Simto doesn't take as active a role because it usually listens to and enacts any idea presented by the part of their Rigot they refer to as God. I haven't had the pleasure of living the life of a religious person, so I don't know if they would ever ignore their God, but I doubt that they would. However, God is only their Rigot when they ask God something. All the rest of the time they have a normal Rigot just like everyone else, thinking of ideas to present to Simto, like "Does this scarf go with the shirt I'm wearing?"



Remember these are simply my thoughts and ideas on the human brain and the way we think and go about doing and saying things. These have recently come to fruition because I've been doing lots of thinking and consequently lots of contemplating on whether to go through with what I thought and that accentuated both Rigot and Simto to the point where I conciouscly took notice.

If you have any thoughts or ideas on what I've said, please post them. I'll make sure that Simto will have a good hard look over my replies to your posts to ensure that I don't rabble and give out wrong messages.
Henrah

[pianistimo]

hmm.  may i present what i believe?

i do think there are many areas of our psyches that are unexplored.  but, the most unexplored is our spirit, imo.  the spirit is what connects us (like a cell phone) to God's spirit .  the Holy Spirit.  the Holy Spirit is said to lead us into peace and truth.  there are other spirits.  we are told in the bible to 'test the spirits.'  one of the ways of testing is mentioned by paul, i believe, as asking whether the person believes that Jesus Christ came and died for our sins and was ressurrected as the first fruits of many brethren.  if we are to be ressurrected and 'like him' at Christ's second coming (changed in an instant - in a 'twinkling of an eye' at the last trumpet)  - then we should practice being 'like him' NOW.

how to do this?  reading the bible.  knowing God's word.  and being able to sift the wheat from the chaff - as God does with our character.  we would not know what sin was without God's word.  when you know what it is - then you start trying to avoid it.  because sin =death.

imo, if you want to be really 'in tune' - try being that way with God.  our essence is in and through Him and not the other way around.  i mean - without Him, we wouldn't exist.

[pianistimo]

can i add something, too?  I cor. 12:7 mentions that this Holy Spirit is only for the common GOOD and not just for ourselves.  'but to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the COMMON GOOD.  for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues (language ability), and to another the interpretation of tongues.  but one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.'

[ahinton]

Methinks, chère Susan, that the questioner here has (either deliberately or unwittingly) played right into your hands! (and please note that I have not mentioned even his topic in my response here, let alone a certain other topic)...

Best,

Alistair

[mad_max2024]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

me bangs head into wall...

[pianistimo]

dear ahinton,

it is entirely possible that he played into God's hands.  i mean - when you ask a question regarding God and the psyche - it is hard for a christian not to respond.  the Holy Spirit prompts us, even when we do not want to share.  it is because God has a love for the entire world that goes beyond our type of love.  we tend to stick with family, locality, etc. --but can you imagine the entire world IN God's hands.  i mean - if people really listened to God and did what he said?  there would be peace through the entire world.

isaiah says that the problem starts with not acknowledging Him.  he calls entire nations sinful.  isaiah says 'the ox knows its owner, and a donkey it's master's manager, but israel does not know, my people do not understand...'  this is also why the prophets died at the hands of people who did not want to hear the truth about the discipline God brings on the world.  he says 'where will you be stricken again, as you continue in your rebellion?'  but, for christians - we don't want the world to be 'stricken.'  i mean- wouldn't it be much easier to skip all this and just get to the good ending?  jonah preached to ninevah and the entire city repented and turned to God and was SAVED.  from catastrophe.  the kind that happened to sodom.  i think God is merciful and would spare the earth and the things that are prophecied to happen if everyone turned to him and repented.  but will that happen?

[henrah]

Just a little thing I picked up on in your last post pianistimo. It seems God is a dictator. You don't believe or obey, and you get punished.

What about those that believe in a different God? Is the Christian God the same God of Islam and all the other religions that believe in an allmighty entity? If they are different Gods, then which God is the right one to believe in, and hence the one which will bring heaven to its believers?

Rigot just presented an idea to Simto. That idea is that atheism is a religion as it is believing in nothing. Nothing is something, and religion is believing in something, hence atheism is a religion. Therefore, the God (in the metaphorical sense) of atheism might well be the true God, for which then no Gods exist as even the God of atheism isn't a physical/tangible entity. Therefore, one would have less chance of going to hell by believing in atheism, as it is far easier to do nothing than live a life perfect in the view of whichever God your religion believes in.


Anyway, all that doesn't matter. What I'm interested in, pianistimo, is this: can repenting cover all manner of sins? Take an extreme example: if a Christian commits murder and they honestly repent their sin, will God forgive them? I'd really like you to answer this question please pianistimo, it has wandered my mind ever since hearing about God forgiving those who repent.
Henrah

[pianistimo]

of course!  the apostle paul had personally helped to kill many christians before he converted.  before he converted - his name was saul.  he helped to stone stephen.  God's mercy is so great - from what i read and comprehend in my own life - that there is nothing that can separate us from his love excepting sin that is unrepented of.  just like in this life - if you quit a race - you are effectively giving the prize to someone else.  God has rewards for those who serve Him faithfully.  and, punishments, yes...for those who don't. 

i think He is a benevolent dictator.  if God was easy - and just let us live life easily - we wouldn't appreciate anything.  he gives us trials and struggles in life - but they are much easier overcome with His help.  He offers this to us with the POWER of the Holy Spirit.  what we are unable to overcome on our own - His Spirit easily overcomes.  it is the power that created the ENTIRE universe.

there are many examples in the bible of one godly person or small groups of them overcoming large and impossible odds.

[henrah]

So when you say '...excepting sin that is unrepented of,' do you mean sin that one didn't repent? So I could live my entire life killing people, stealing their money, getting married and then commiting adultery, effectively breaking all 12 commandments, and as long as I repent them all I can still get into heaven? That doesn't sound good. Is it that easy to get into heaven after breaking all 12 commandments?
Henrah

P.S. How can we know if Paul got into heaven?

[pianistimo]

from what i understand there are 10 commandments.  where did you get the last two?  maybe the two that Christ gave?  to love God and your neighbor as yourself.  that is a summation of the 10, right?  i think the first four commandments deal with how to treat God and the last six - how to treat  a neighbor.

as i understand it - and this is how i read it in the bible, too - once you understand holiness - you don't like the smell of sin.  i mean - it repulses you.  you don't WANT to break the commandments.  king david was an example of a righteous man that made one or two mistakes - but the whole of his life was devoted to serving God (once he was called and understood his purpose before God).  everyone, at some point or other in their life hears the 'gospel' or the 'good news' of the kingdom of God.  when you hear it - you have a choice.  the choice is 'now' or 'later.'

later means that you are wanting to enjoy the pleasures of this life and exchange them for the rewards that you could have with God in the next.  and, in many instances - they don't even lead to a happy life (the pleasures) if they are illicit.  i mean- who goes around being proud that they broke up their family and are now paying alimony to two or three people?  or that tax time is now a nightmare.  not to mention their poor children.  and, how it must feel if someone has an illicit child (for the child to grow up not knowing parents).  of course, all of us sin at some time or other - and the sins are as diverse as our natures.  i think what God is looking for is humility.  to admit sin.  to change.  and to start thinking of others as number one.  to protect others and help them achieve good goals now in this physical life as well as the next.

i am grateful to my mother because she was always very close to God and taught me a lot of things that i wouldn't have thought of or known about the bible. we're so small.  just little specks on the earth.  but, God is so big and powerful.  he can throw our sins as far as east is from west.  and the pains and hurts.  i mean- when we sin - we usually end up hurting ourselves and others.  to give and obtain forgiveness is really a matter of truly believing that God FIRST loved us and gave us an example of this particular kind of love.  the one that forgets past misdeeds.

i think parents are the closest form of God (or benevolent ruler) that we know.  they look out for our good.  they forgive easily (or should).  and they don't keep a record of wrongs.  they do usually require respect.  and, in certain cases mete out punishment - but it is never that long term.  i think God is just like this.  He wants to be fair with us.  to give us the benefit of the doubt.  He says that it is Satan that is our 'accuser.'  Jesus Christ is our intercessor.  FOR us. on OUR BEHALF.

ps one thing i've found personally is that when you decide you want to radicalize your life by christianity - it sometimes takes a major change.  new friends, new environment,a nd new start.  don't continue doing the same thing over and over and expect to see change.  you have to start from a different perspective and switch to seeing things from a higher vantage point.  usually people only see from the ground level.  it looks good.

[henrah]

I have nothing left to say, other than thanks for writing all that. What you have said - although it doesn't lie within my religious beliefs - connects to a lot of things I've been thinking about myself.
Henrah

[teresa_b]

Henrah,

Try reading Freud.  You've done a lot of thinking, and that's great, but over a century ago Freud already came up with your alternate selves, and they are called the id, the ego and the superego. 

Teresa

[henrah]

Yeah my friend told me that when I explained it to him. I think I might read into Freud, though I remember being creeped out by the notion that we are all sexually attracted to our mothers (if male) :S

[teresa_b]

Well, never fear (your mother or anyone else  ), because most of Freud's theories have gone by the wayside as far as psychotherapy is done today.  He did have some seminal ideas, though, and is worth reading as an important figure in the history of psychiatry.

Teresa

[pianowelsh]

Ok so you believe there is a God but you dont trust him. Whats your question??

[henrah]

I don't believe there is a God, rather I believe God exists. I don't believe God to be a he, she or anything that gives character. I believe God to be a metaphor for the part of ourselves that everyone has. That is why I think that faith in God is faith in yourselves, and when someone asks God something they are asking themselves. If God answers a question (an answer comes to you), I believe it to merely be that person's Rigot (as I described earlier - subconscious seems like it might fit the bill too) answering the question.

An example that just came to mind is this: have you ever been doing work of somekind which involves answering questions and at the time you didn't know the answer, but later on when you're doing something completely unrelated (in the majority of cases) the answer suddenly comes to you? That's your subconscious working out the answer whilst you do other things, and it demonstrates what I believe God to be: the subconscious/Rigot giving you an answer.


I don't really have a question, and I wasn't seeking the answer to a particular question with this thread. I just wanted to pool my thoughts and ideas and see what other people had to say. Though I think it's more than likely my Rigot will come up with an idea (a question in this case) later on.
Henrah

[ahinton]

dear ahinton,

it is entirely possible that he played into God's hands.

I hadn't realised that he was writing to - oer even expecting any kind of direct response from - God...

i mean - when you ask a question regarding God and the psyche - it is hard for a christian not to respond.

Perhaps so, but you are one such Christian, not God, so how did the writer play "into God's hands" as the response came not from God but from you?

the Holy Spirit prompts us, even when we do not want to share.  it is because God has a love for the entire world that goes beyond our type of love.  we tend to stick with family, locality, etc. --but can you imagine the entire world IN God's hands.  i mean - if people really listened to God and did what he said?  there would be peace through the entire world.

Oh, here we go again! - we're back on the business of "God "speaks" to us all and we ought all to be able to hear Him doing so". Oh, dearie me!...

isaiah says that the problem starts with not acknowledging Him.  he calls entire nations sinful.

Who does - Isaiah? That's pretty nasty of him, is it not? He'd be branded as a racist if he did that sort of thing nowadays...

isaiah says 'the ox knows its owner, and a donkey it's master's manager, but israel does not know, my people do not understand...'

On the strength of this, it's pretty obviously a good thing that Isaiah's not alive today and involved in Middle Eastern diplomacy...

this is also why the prophets died at the hands of people who did not want to hear the truth about the discipline God brings on the world.  he says 'where will you be stricken again, as you continue in your rebellion?'  but, for christians - we don't want the world to be 'stricken.'  i mean- wouldn't it be much easier to skip all this and just get to the good ending?

Yes, Susan, it would. YES, P L E A S E , SUSAN!!

jonah preached to ninevah and the entire city repented and turned to God and was SAVED.  from catastrophe.  the kind that happened to sodom.

Then it's an even more fortunate thing that Jonah isn't involved in current Middle Eastern negotiations, for he'd surely risk bringing the wrath of the entire Islamic world upon him if he did that kind of thing...

i think God is merciful and would spare the earth and the things that are prophecied to happen if everyone turned to him and repented.  but will that happen?

Well, you should know, shouldn't you? Or have you not actually asked God that question (or, if you have, has He not given you the answer as He sees it?)...

Best,

Alistair

[prometheus]

Either God destroys the earth and the prophecy is fulfilled. Or god does not destroy the earth and God shows us how merciful he is.

Either way, it proves god exists...

[ahinton]

Either God destroys the earth and the prophecy is fulfilled. Or god does not destroy the earth and God shows us how merciful he is.

Either way, it proves god exists...

that's exactly right - just as it also proves (albeit indirectly) that I play the piano infinitely better than Rakhmaninov ever did...

Best,

Alistair