BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Buddhism Discussion on A supreme Being, Higher Power, God

"there is no place anywhere for demeaning comments, insults, superiority or condescention."

I regret my condescending sarcasm. It offered nothing to this rational discussion. I was just PO'd at the time. Again not an excuse. Thank you for this forum.

That's cool and fine by me. You're very welcome. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

In regards to the "parenting" issue, I believe that the higher power has provided man with the tools needed to grow and survive--intelligence and discernment. We are given free will then to do with life as we may. Should we choose to use the tools provided, good. If we choose not to, that is our choice. It is not up to the parent to intervene once the child has learned enough to responsibly exercise free will.

It seems that many of you have missed the point I was trying to make.

My references to 'parenting' were in response to this:

> An example of this belief that God 'sends us trials' and the more He loves us, the greater the trials is this comment from a very spiritual nun I know. She knows about all the pain and anguish in my life, and her words of 'comfort' (?) to me recently went something like this:
>
> "You must be a very special friend to God, and his love for you must be very great to have trusted you with all this pain, which you can offer up, as Jesus did. This is why He keeps sending you more. You are one of His trusted friends."

I was trying to show that good parents don't do this to their children, so why should God! Does God have less love and respect for His children than we have for ours/? If He DOES treat those He loves in this way, then either He is NOT a loving God at all, or He doesn't exist! I prefer to believe that He doesn't exist because I could have no respect for such a God.

I hope this clarifies what I was saying.

What an interesting thread I wandered into, thank you Alexandra for starting this! I have much more reading to do since there are a few more pages here. Usually I am more of a lurker type as I am not handy with words, feelings are my thing.

I am fascinated by religion. I don't follow any one path, more of a pagan/witch. I try to live my life well and be nice to people and treat them right. I fail miserably when it comes to my boss, therefore wind up creating my own "hell" there because I am still learning to control my emotions from blurting out of my mouth.

Patience, you are an amazing and strong woman!

p.s. I like Aing's humor <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Isn't she....?
I have corresponded with her privately - she's even more amazing than you think!

A very good friend of mine in the UK is wicca, and has been a pagan for twenty years or so...She has attained quite a position of power and authority...Yet, through her own choice, decided to leave such things to one side, because she realised that most - if not all - of what she was practising, and holding dear to her heart, was actually Buddhism. Or as close to it as she could get. She has ben talking to me for some time now, and has decided to 'Take Refuge' officially, in the summer...

Buddhism has been around a long time, and has stood the test of time. There is still much I do not know, an awful lot I do not understand, but Boy! I'm having so much fun being 'ignorant' - !!

Welcome to you, and nice to meet you! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

SUPREME BEING?

Hello Everyone,
I saw something on the TV news tonight that made me feel quite ill!

Some of you may have heard about the mining accident in Tasmania, Audtralia.. It was originally believed that the three remaining men who had not been rescued were dead. After 5 days down there, there seemed little hope.

Well, the sad news is that one is dead, but the good news is that the other two are alive. [they still have to dig them out, and that will take time, but they are alive and well.] Now, I can hear some of you saying 'Praise God' - Fine!

What upset me, and actually made me feel very angry, was that there were several people there, dancing for joy and singing "He is a miracle" and waving their arms around, saying how they had been praying to God and He had answered their prayers and performed a miracle and how merciful He was in saving these two men.

That is fine BUT, standing by, was the family of the man who died - with tears rolling down their faces, and yet being grateful that their two friends had been spared.

The 'praises' went on, and I felt like throwing up!

What would the parents, wife, children of the dead man be feeling? Was God only merciful to the other two, but not to their loved one?
Was this 'miracle' not for all three, and why not?
Is God selective with His mercy and miracles?
Does God play favourites?

I felt my heart breaking for the family whom God had seen fit NOT to bless, and there were these good Christians dancing and singing with joy while this shattered family looked on in their grief - knowing that their loved one was not included in the 'mercy' or the 'miracle' and that their lives had been shattered forever.

The fact of the matter was that the two men who lived through the mine collapse were fortunate enough to be in a metal cage when disaster struck, so they were proteced from the cave in. The third man was not, and he died. It was an accident of nature, and it was the two survivors' inner strength and mutual support of each other which enabled them to survive the five days down there. God, if indeed He exists, may have given them strength to survive, but it certainly was no miracle. And I don't believe it had anything to do with His mercy either. This is a testimony to the human spirit and survival instinct.

Will the other man's family, if they are Christians, ever get over the idea that their loved one was not included in Gods miracle, and God's mercy? I wonder what thoughts of doubt and torment are now passing through their minds? I saw their faces, and I have a pretty good idea, - and THAT'S what makes me feel sick.

Sorry, that should have been 'AUStralia'!

Also, one little thing to add to this is that one of the people told the TV reporter that "God's miracles aren't just performed up here, but 'down there' as well." Oh boy!

I do not believe that "God" tries us. I think we do a good enough job of trying our selves on a day to day basis. We don't really need help with that.

I don't believe that the higher power actively intervenes in the lives of man. Things happen. We make choices and place ourselves in situations where the likelihood of something bad happening (working in a mine--cave ins; building homes in flood plains--floods; etc.) is very high.

Some things defy explanation (or more likely, there are some things for which we haven't yet found an explanation and may not in our lifetime)--an innocent child dying of a rare, untreatable, painful illness, suffering tragically.

In my view, "God" would view these incidents with as much pain and tragedy as those who suffered here on earth--but "God" would not interfere. Its sort of in the contract. When you give someone total freedom, you step back completely and let them have at. And in the end, when all is said and done and we die, returning to the dust from whence we came, "God" awaits us. Perhaps for all eternity, perhaps for a short-time as we wait to be reincarnated, perhaps only fleetingly as we transition from this plane to another... I haven't really made my mind up regarding what happnes to our souls after this life.

Lynn, very wisely spoken. I can certainly relate to that.

Thank you for your caring response.

Bless you!