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Ypunday, as I was re-reading some of these comments, I saw I had not
responded to yours, regarding that feeling at celebrations that one is on the inside, but not of the inside, so to speak... It took me many years to sort out a better reason for celebrating Christmas than the loot or for the mere tradition of it. Yet, I did not have the sense of glory in it, or the sincerity of joy that I needed to truly join in, to feel I was not lying, in making a celebration of this birth. What I finally sorted out was that whatever else Jesus was, or was not, he was a great teacher of vital spiritual truths. I don't need him to be born miraculously, nor to have been resurrected to believe in the truths he taught, and I can celebrate with sincerity that he came along to tell us and show us such things.
posted by
Ciel
on April 9, 2007 at 5:29 PM
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Truth orbeauty, Welcome to Blogit!
I have written quite a bit about what I recognize as god, or God, especially in the earlier pages of my Universe blog, if you want the big answer. The small answer is that I believe that there is a consciousness in everything--and that the Consciousness of Everything is God. Sort of like The Force, but with a sense of humor...
posted by
Ciel
on April 9, 2007 at 5:13 PM
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What god do you believe in?
Dear Ciel
I believe in the god from within. It is a silent strength that many dare not access because it is too powerful.
posted by
truth_orbeauty
on April 8, 2007 at 1:23 PM
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I agree, Bhaskar:Heaven and Hell are states of mind and experience.
The human pereptual filter is so pervasive, and to humans, so persuasive! But through that kind of questioning, skepticism, insistance that things make sense with what we know to be true, and reserving conclusions for the last possible information-gathering moment, it is possible to perceive around it.
I think this is the very thing that Hinduism and Buddhism teach: maya, the illusion that this is all, in an ultimate sense, real. Christianity, too, teaches it: to give over wealth on Earth, and store up one's treasures in Heaven; to give over the world to elevate the soul.
posted by
Ciel
on March 21, 2007 at 9:22 AM
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Ypunday, My personal belief is that those allies are always with us,
but we just about always forget they are there, and are too busy and noisy to notice them consciously. And that Death, like God, is not what we have been led to expect.
posted by
Ciel
on March 21, 2007 at 9:12 AM
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Ciel
It's a fine article in belief, disbelief, and the natural questioning that follows as to whether there is any God or some intelligent power that overlooks the doings of man. I hope that these are the discussions that one should ask and find out from as many sources as possible. But I firmly assert that there is no geographical location of hell or heaven.
posted by
Bhaskar.ing
on March 21, 2007 at 8:09 AM
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Your last words are an effective argument for belief. We all pass through
stages of belief and disbelief...gradually merging into each other. How often have we celebrated a holy day with others, enjoyed the sacred moment/s, knowing clearly that we/U/I was there for the gist of it, not believing as much in the details as the others?
But I also think, while we live we find allies anywhere to fend off death and ITS MEANING! Or lack of meaning in death. Shalom, Neil
posted by
ILLUMINATI8
on March 20, 2007 at 7:09 PM
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Sannhet, it is possible, I believe, to grasp enough.
posted by
Ciel
on March 20, 2007 at 12:27 PM
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Xeno-x, whether something is believable depends on what other information
you have, and already believe. It's easy to dismiss as unbelievable a thing one doesn't have enough data to see how it could possibly be true. But if we look from different angles, or with different filters and lenses, or on a different electro-magnetic wavelength, we can suddenly see whole new sets of factors that challenge disbelief.
"Disbelief" means, to me, a more committed conclusion than "unbelief." It suggests a decision as opposed to a simple state-of-mind.
posted by
Ciel
on March 20, 2007 at 12:26 PM
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But what do you mean by "Almighty God?"
posted by
Ciel
on March 20, 2007 at 12:06 PM
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thanks, Kripayne-- I remember hearing that before somewhere, now...
posted by
Ciel
on March 20, 2007 at 12:05 PM
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I'm glad you found your way here...
It might mean something, Gepruitt-- that we are not alone on this wavelength or in this playground, whichever metaphor you like! (A ways back, there was something about playgrounds...)
I took a look at your profile-- we do have some things in common... I could even vote for a liberal Republican over a conservative Democrat!
posted by
Ciel
on March 20, 2007 at 12:04 PM
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Ciel -
I'm with you. It can't be nothing, but it probably can't ever be defined by us.
posted by
sannhet
on March 20, 2007 at 11:40 AM
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its not disbelief
it's the matter of something being believable
don't you think?
posted by
Xeno-x
on March 20, 2007 at 9:17 AM
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ciel
I believe in the Almighty God.
posted by
richinstore
on March 20, 2007 at 7:16 AM
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Per special relativity
The conservation of mass
is the conservation of energy. There is no difference, only a change of state. Interesting read.
posted by
Kripayne
on March 20, 2007 at 6:47 AM
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Ciel
I confess. I, til your last, have never before read your posts. This has been my error. I shall not fail to do so hereafter. I was thoroughly taken with your most recent post, and could not help but notice the similarities in yours and my beliefs (which, of course, doesn't mean anything, but still ...).
Very obsorbing post!
posted by
GEPRUITT
on March 20, 2007 at 2:17 AM
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