BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality New Age What Is Your Concept of God?

Hello!

God/the Divine may mean different things to different people.

What is the God of your understanding? How does He/She work in your life?

I'd love to hear your experience and insights!

I always think of God as He although He certainly can't be limited to a gender.

I think of Him as creator, life giver and sustainer and big enough to handle every situation I bring to Him.

He is at the same time incredibly awesome and mighty and personal and tender.

He is definately too big to be confined in this insuficient defintion.

My understanding of how the world works is closest to Buddhism, i.e. a human can achieve enlightenment, karma, reincarnation,etc.

Do you believe in a type of "Divine Intelligence" Ice?

Do Buddhists believe in a supreme Deity? I glean Zen Buddhist thought for my path, but don't know a whole lot about it other than what I was taught in High School.

Hi Janet,

This is such an interesting question. I've always had a difficult time with this concept. It's also not always been an easy one (for me) to discuss with others because one the one hand, I try not to offend anyone and on the other hand, I can't always articulate my feelings and thoughts in a clear way.

I think that we are brought up to believe one way (our parents' way) and usually, we accept that notion of god and religion unless something comes along to change our mind or redirect our experience. At least, that's how it was for me. Neither of my parents were religious at all yet they tried their best to give my brother and I some sense of tradition and religion. Still, I have always had a difficult time understanding god as a supreme being, an omniscient power. I have read and studied about many religions, both on my own, out of interest, as well as in courses in university, yet feel no closer to an understanding.

And so, over the years, I have come to develop and adapt my own sense of what I feel and describe as spirituality. I was once having a discussion with a friend about fishing. That person told me that there is something almost mystical about fishing that is difficult to understand unless one fishes. But, in fact, although *fishing* does not appeal to, or interest me in any way, I DO understand being out in nature, being quiet and still in nature and I do understand that spiritual sense that envelopes your soul. I have always, in my heart, felt that *nature* is my religion; it's the beauty and vastness and mystery and solace of it that others seek and find in their religions, that I find in nature. Fishing or no fishing.

So I guess that's my answer to your question. I just don't call it *god*, that's all.

Shelley

I think God has been one of the most discussed "topics" of all time. Especially about what or who He is.

In my own humble opinion, God is someone who knows me inside and out. He catches me when I fall, and I fall often. He carries me through some of lifes rough spots, like when I had to go to a neurologist for my headaches and it's not over yet... He knows what life is like because He has walked in my shoes so I can turn to Him as one would a friend. He is the consummate listener and He is willing to take on all of my burdens and offer solutions to problems when I am at the end of my rope.

God is always there. I can all Him and He is never away from His phone. I never get voicemail. He has all the time in the world. My tears are not lost on His shoulders and when I need a physical hug He brings someone into my life who will hold me and comfort me physically while He comforts me spiritually.

Knowing God is the best thing in my life. I have never been so loved and I have never been so accepted for just myself. This world is cold and lonely, but with God I am never alone and I will never be left behind or left out. I always belong.

Just a few thoughts from Jenna!! <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Okay...I'm going to "out" myself. I've been keeping this quiet for many, many years. I was an agnostic. Didn't believe. Wouldn't believe. Wanted proof. Then, one day, I got my proof. I was walking down the street, about to cross the busy intersection, when a hand grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me backwards...just before a car that I hadn't seen flew by me. I looked back to thank the person who had saved my life...and there was no one there. Now, being an agnostic, I looked for every possible scientific, physical reason and I came up short. From that day forward, I wondered. A few days later, I was sitting in a diner reading an article on Mother Teresa when (this is very hard to explain) I felt like a light was pouring into me. I felt warm and loved and special...and I believed.

Marian

Awesome experience Marion!

I know this is probably going to seem weird, but I'll still say it, because I've come to this understanding after a long road of spiritual discovery, and I believe it's worth sharing. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> My understanding of God is somewhat similar to the Tarot Fool card, which is my favorite one. :rolling: I think of God as of the most joyful being in the Universe, full of everlasting interest in life and always experimenting with it on a great scale. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> To me, He is the One having the ultimate sense of humour and the youngest heart around. That's why the moments when I feel the closest to God are those full of laughter and joy, and energy. Whenever something unwanted happens in my life, I always think of it as of one of the unpredictable turns of His grand experiment, and this sort of inspires me with optimism and energy to go on and solve this new puzzle.
Hope this was more or less clear. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Love, :love:
Elena

Shelley, Jenna, Marian, and Elena--thank you so much for posting your experiences and insights about that "Something" that is beyond ourselves. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Elena, what a neat way of looking at God! I often share that perspective, too. I have a video series that portrays Jesus as reported in the gospel of Matthew. For the first time, an actor portrayed Jesus as the "laughing one"--smiling, radiating love, etc. Even the text "take out the log in your own eye before you judge the toothpick in your brother's" was made to be comical...showing that although Jesus spoke some difficult truths, it was out of supreme love for those he came in contact with. That was the beginning for me to see God as someone with a sense of humor...and who was really the God of love I'd had been hearing about...but never seem to see or understand. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Please keep sharing additional thoughts if you'd like, everyone! I'm enjoying this beautiful discussion. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Me -- no. Buddhism -- don't know. I do believe in some kind of supreme order (such as karma), but not an individual-specific divine intelligence.

Out of curiousity, Ice, if there is an "order" would that mean something is orchestrating it? Some intelligence? Because it seems like the natural state is chaos...and something inserts itself to interject order, laws of the Universe, etc.

Of course, I might just be thinking of all the toys that end up on the living room floor in a days end. LOL <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

No, not intelligence. Consequences of choices.

Ah, OK. Thanks!

I was walking down the street, about to cross the busy intersection, when a hand grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me backwards...just before a car that I hadn't seen flew by me. I looked back to thank the person who had saved my life...and there was no one there.

I myself had a similar experience. I was in a car accident where my car rolled onthe freeway. I rolled three times and slid across the freeway to the other side. I should have died. Just when the car began to go over, I felt this pressure on my head and shoulders pushing me into the steering wheel. I could fell and hear the car crunching and smashing but I was not hurt. I repeat I was not hurt at all. I had one small cut on my ankle. To this day I believe that this was not my time to die. God had a mission for me. It took many years after this for me to come to the understanding that I had a purpose. I still don't know what that is...lol...but I definatly was not ready to die then. When I felt the pressure on my head and shoulders I remember saying out loud Thanks God it's been a great life... and I think He answered me by saying I'm not done with you yet.

To me, He is the One having the ultimate sense of humour and the youngest heart around. That's why the moments when I feel the closest to God are those full of laughter and joy, and energy. Whenever something unwanted happens in my life, I always think of it as of one of the unpredictable turns of His grand experiment, and this sort of inspires me with optimism and energy to go on and solve this new puzzle.
What an insopiring perspective!! I also see Him this way. In the Gospels I always hear the laughter in the voice of Jesus.

I say a 'god' is someone/thing that creates realities and 'sculpts' them. Therefore we are all gods waiting to achieve our truest potential (or as said enlightenment)

I've been wanting to post my feelings on this subject for a while, yet i've often asked myself if an understanding of God can be confined to words alone.

What I feel about God, is a knowing that words could never describe, a feeling so deeply embedded within me that just to even try to describe it brings so much emotion to my soul and my eyes well up.

I do not know any other word other than love to descibe God, yet it seems insufficent in itself. Unconditional love, no matter what. A presence that is always there, a friend beyond comparison, a beauty beyond belief a loving beyond understanding, hope beyond hope.

It's my belief in God that makes God what God is to me. I am the one that allows myself to experience the wonder of God by opening myself up and saying, hey, this is me, I'm not perfect, I've done things that I'm not proud of, yet you are still with me, arn't You.

I felt like I was an orphan child before I acknowedged God's existence. And yes, I continue to battle at times with this life, yet I know that I must find the answers on my own and defeat the battles in order to grow. I see a method a design a purpose.

God to me is all He is to everyone else, an almighty Lord, a supreme being, yet it is the personal relationship that i have with God that touches me like no other. I only wish I could find the words, perhaps if you had the ability to look into my eyes you would see, and you would know, where words fail, the window of the soul reveals.

Yet I am saddened, saddened, that if so many of us would describe God as love, why we cannot see that we also are love. I am saddened that we can paint a beautiful picture of God, yet forget that he is with us all the time and helping us on our journey. Am I not my brothers keeper? Are we not all one and the same?

I once heard a wonderful quote, it said, that God is the world's largest jigsaw puzzel, because within us all exists a small part. I often wonder what a wonderful thing it would be if one day that jigsaw puzzel could be completed.

When I love my fellow human being, whether it be just a smile to a stanger in the street of a look of love to my husband, I see God more then than at any other time.

What is love, if it cannot be shared?

I love you my Father, even before I was born.

x

That is very beautiful, Goosie. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> You echo many of my own experiences with the Divine.

Jenna, have you ever seen Matthew: The Visual Bible? I have it on video and love it. The actor who played Jesus portrayed him as the "laughing Jesus". It's awesome.

Thank you Janet.

Your comment about a laughing Jesus, I have to be honest and say I cannot relate. Not only does the Bible never state that Jesus laughed, but moreso, it tells of the many times that Jesus felt the hurt and cried. I often wonder if Jesus was saddened when He came to visit us all and this is why He wept. I do not see Jesus as laughing, full of love and compassion yes but not laughing in a joking way.

Perhpas that is just my perseption, yet I would be interested to know where it states that Jesus laughs or whether this is merely the state of being portrayed by the video.

Lucy

I never related to a laughing Jesus either, Lucy, until I got therapy for depression while in College, came across a fantastic radio minister with a show called "Let's Talk About Jesus", and got free from the fearful and contricting trappings that often accompanies the religion of Christianity (as opposed to the direct experience with Jesus.)

Texts of the Bible have been corrupted by translations, and if you have a dry, uptight, and unhappy person translating the texts (not to mention demonination, let's say) you'll have that flavor of the texts.

I see Jesus as very happy and joyful, welcoming children and loving to spend time with people--and alone. Like any human, I'm sure he had a full range of emotions. Jesus' irony can be seen in many texts (like saying to Nathaniel "I've not seen a more honest man..." when Nate says "Can aything good come out of Nazareth?"

It's in the subtext. I guess it depends on what you bring to the table, as well as what you want, and are ready and willing, to see. Much like interacting with and experiening any other human, methinks! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

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Thanks again janet for the time you have given to this reply.

I did not ask the question because that is how I view Jesus but rather because I had a conversation with our local Bishop last week and this very same topic came up and it was our Bishop that mentioned to me about Jesus not laughing or joking.

Yet if I seek truth within, I do of course see Jesus as a joyful being, moreso full of love, almost bursting through.

You make many valid points and I guess it's down to interpretation.

Yet I also ackowledge that laughter does not necessarily mean love. If Jesus came to save us, then not only does that show real love but a huge sacrifice. this was the purpose of His coming. Much like a parent saving their children from a life threatening event, taking on the sacrifice through love, no laughter required to express this.

Still, laughter can be so soothig to the soul.

Many ways to look at it huh ... still in thought.

Thank you

Lucy

There's a great book that I'm sure many of you have heard of. It's called "The Name of the Rose", and it was made into a famous movie. Well, in this book the characters devote a lot of their time to discussing the same subject we're talking about on this message board - is laughter characteristic of God or not. It's a pity the profound dialogues given in the book are not repeated in the movie! I'd just like to strongly recommend this book to everyone who hasn't read it, as a bit of a wonderful (and very spiritual <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ) reading. And I'd also like to quote a line from one of these long dialogues on God and laughter: "The Devil is not the victory of flesh over spirit. The Devil is the arrogance of spirit. It's faith without a smile". What do you think about it?
Love,
Elena

Janet and Fellow Members

God is creator of this universe and considered by me to be "Perpetual Motion".

For those of you that do not know the definition of a Perpetual Motion Machine, here it is.

A Perpetual Motion Machine is a device, which once having been started will run forever. Therefore the fuel that keeps the universe in Perpetual Motion is: Hydrogen Atoms. Hydrogen continuously produces Stars, Planets and life, as we know it.


God computes all things in nature and controls this world by providing two powers - the first is our EMOTIONS we are born with, the second is GREED, which represents the Devil.

Greed is within us all and together with our emotions, bring forth social and anti-social behavior patterns, which ensure that the people of this world, continue to develop towards peace and harmoney.

God know that many people, throughout the world suffer but also know that perpetual life awaits us, when our bodies die.

God is a "Perpetual Motion Machine" that created this universe and one day will recycle its atoms to yet again create another universe and worlds such as ours.

God created nature to compute all living things and as nature computes, we all communicate with each other.

We are all TEACHERS and LEARNERS in God's eyes.

Warm regards Joseph.

What is the God of your understanding? How does He/She work in your life?

I call the God of my understanding Goddess. She is the universe, she is everything, she is dark and light, male and female, all the dualities integrated and whole. She is life itself, and all its cycles, she is the creative force. I have a personal relationship with her and it's a direct line, I don't rely on anyone else as a mediator. She helps me grow into who I'm supposed to be in this lifetime. She helps me be strong and courageous and compassionate.

Heather

That's a great concept, Mermaid! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I've always thought that God is at least a hermaphrodyte (not sure about the spelling <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> ), since (S)he is the creator of this world, and it's woman's misssion to give birth and create new life, not man's! If God was 100% masculine, then, I guess, men would deliver babies! But I still think that my concept of God involves two sexes merged into one Supreme Being.

No problem Elena, I'm not trying to convert anyone. Just answering the question that was posed. It's fun reading everyone's different points of view. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Heather