God 1.0

[decafaholic]

This time last year, something inside me clicked on and I was able to believe in god for a while. And it was what I needed at the time. After a few months, it clicked off and returned me to my previous atheistic state. Which was fine for a while.

 

Lately, I've been longing to believe in something, but I just couldn't. I think faith is something that happens to you outside of your own will. I do not think a person chooses to believe or not believe in God. If there is a God, it's up to God to initiate the relationship, you know what I mean?

 

All this longing culminated in a long talk with a close friend last night. He's only recently felt a need for something spiritual in his life, and for him, Christianity is working. He doesn't believe in pushing his faith on others, though, which is why I felt comfortable talking to him.

 

By the end of the night, I felt like I was ready to have faith in something again and I asked if we could pray together because the idea of faith still holds some anxiety for me, and I would feel better if he started this process with me.

 

My prayer was just saying "God, I'm not sure if you're real or not, but I guess it won't hurt to give this prayer thing a try. If you exist and if it would be a positive thing in my life for me to know you, then I would like to know you."

 

I read "Tomorrow's God" a while back and I subscribe to Neale Walsche's theory that god can be anything you need god to be at any given time. God can be male, female, or neither. God can be a feeling or a person or whatever. And if someone doesn't need to believe in god, then to them, god doesn't exist and that's perfectly okay.

 

I think all I need at this point in my life is God 1.0

God 1.0 is the basic model, no list of commandments, needs, heaven or hell, expectations, holy books or special prayers included.

Just a spirit. that's all. Just a presence to take away the loneliness.

 

Anyone else using the God 1.0 system or something similar?

 

I'm having a weird feeling that I have written this all before, and if I have, forgive me. My spiritual quest operates in cycles.

[Shyone]

This time last year, something inside me clicked on and I was able to believe in god for a while. And it was what I needed at the time. After a few months, it clicked off and returned me to my previous atheistic state. Which was fine for a while.

 

Lately, I've been longing to believe in something, but I just couldn't. I think faith is something that happens to you outside of your own will. I do not think a person chooses to believe or not believe in God. If there is a God, it's up to God to initiate the relationship, you know what I mean?

It was more like this for me:

 

Pretend: I'm holding an envelope that contains the results of a paternity test for my father. Either he is my biological father, or he isn't. I'm not into denial, and if the results clearly indicate one way or the other I will be unable to unknow those results.

 

Well, I opened the envelope to God. I studied, researched and gained knowledge, and I couldn't believe in God if I wanted to, and in fact I find the evidence against God conclusive.

 

So I am not in a position to say, "Let me try to believe again that my 'father' is really my father when the DNA test shows that he is without a doubt not my father."

 

Sincerely praying to Rah, or Vishnu, or Yahweh is just silly once you have really grasped that the natural world is all there is.

 

Maybe the key for you is not to open the envelope. Don't do the work. Blindly accept that there is a spirit that will comfort you and fix your problems. Talk to the spirit, and even when there isn't any answer you can pretend there was an answer, or look for coincidences to support your faith. Accept the excuses for the lack of response (God answers all prayers; sometimes the answer is silence).

[Houndies]

sounds to me like maybe you are just lonely and trying to fill the void with the notion of a god who will always be there to listen and so you will always have someone to talk to. a dog or cat could do the same thing and probably the results (answered prayers) would be the same. i would try having more conversations with people, reading lots of books, and making more friends. this keeps your mind open, active and always learning. when your mind is busy you probably wont be lonely.

[decafaholic]

I think a big part of the reason I'm spiritually searching right now is because i'm in a place of transition and transitions tend to stir up latent problems or desires. I just graduated college and am living in several places trying to find full-time employment. Everything is pretty up-in-the-air right now.

 

I've taken up tarot cards again, which is an alternative to prayer that usually works for me.

[Franko47]

Sometimes "faith" is just a thing that we put toward that unknowable future. If it helps by engaging in fanciful things like prayer or tarot cards, then fine. I sometimes look for "good luck" omens myself when dealing with a precarious time; such things can sometimes add to the "hope". Keep in mind though the process you're using, and why.

 

All the best, though, of course. I have "faith" that things will work out for you.

[lunaticheathen]

I love tarot. There, I said it. I have around a dozen decks. I love the art and the calm, meditative state that reading puts me into. I believe in makes me very receptive to inner conversations and energies that I normally would filter out. Whatever you want to call it, whatever words you choose to describe what is happening, it works for me, and I love my tarot cards.

I think as long as you are true to yourself, there is nothing wrong with looking for a deity, spirit, or just a more spiritually-inclined life. What has hurt most of the people on this forum, it seems to me, was not being true to themselves, only clinging to some silent being completely outside of themselves. Most spiritual practices (not religious/dogmatic) involve listening to your inner Self. Just stay true to your own journey, and no one can fault you for anything. Even if they try, kick them. :-P

[SEEtheScorn]

I've been talking with my husband about the inner spiritual desire lately. He's a psychology graduate, so he tends to be able to give more information that otherwise. We've been discussing in the direction of the spiritual "hole" (God shaped hole?) being a human mechanism for happiness.

 

Instead of asking, "why I want to believe in God" as yourself this, "Why does mankind imagine, and wish to believe in things beyond themselves?"

 

Look at our science fiction, our fantasy books, why do we imagine so fantastically?

 

Because it makes us feel better. We like when stories end well. When the human race wins. How many movies and books do we really read (and enjoy watching/reading!) where everyone dies? Not many. We like it when aliens come to earth to destroy us, and mankind joins together and fights, or proves that we are capable of good, and love, and compassion. We like to see stories like Dr. Who where this fantastical man traverses time and space to save the human race because he loves us so. We love to see stories of mankind traveling through the stars in search of new galaxies and new civilizations.

 

It gives us a fuzzy feeling inside. To imagine.

 

Imagination is nothing but an evolutionary mechanism to help us cope with the stress of higher abstract thinking. Nothing else. That's why religion is so nice. Aren't the sermons on miracles and signs and wonders just grand? I STILL get fuzzy feelings when listening to them! But detract God from the miracle equation, and you still get a fuzzy feeling, don't you?

 

God was stripped from me by research. I can't believe in it anymore. And to try to would be a fool, and to be lying to myself and no one else.

[Shyone]

 

It gives us a fuzzy feeling inside. To imagine.

That's it. I've been wondering why people like fiction, fantasy and religion. I hadn't thought to tie them together.

[oddbird1963]

You seem like a good person, hard-working. Sincere. I think one thing you can have faith in is that as the future unfolds your character, compassion, good social skills and training will lead you to more positive, permanent places.

 

Trust in life to work out for you as you work at finding and taking the opportunities that come your way.

 

I've got faith in you! I think you will do well for yourself.

[Legion]

Trust in life to work out for you as you work at finding and taking the opportunities that come your way.

Oddbird I thought that was a really cool thing to say.

 

I also think it would make a great fortune cookie.

[oddbird1963]

Trust in life to work out for you as you work at finding and taking the opportunities that come your way.

Oddbird I thought that was a really cool thing to say.

 

I also think it would make a great fortune cookie.

 

Thank you, Legion! I just wish I could supply the winning lottery ticket for the back of the fortune!

[Hungrydingo]

Something similar happened to me. It was the last time I ever went to church and it was with my father. I was already an atheist at this point for a few years and I was very, very upset over some personal matters, probably one of the lowest points in my life. I even prayed, I more or less said the same thing you did, "god if you're really up there and do exist help me out here, I know I haven't been very faithful but I am at a turning point in my life... blah blah blah etc. etc." and wouldn't you know it I got exactly what I prayed for, the person I sought to make amends with came to me and the whole situation with everyone involved in the deep personal dramas that was occurring offered to fix itself and I had very little work to do to fix things. However, I realized I didn't want that. I walked away from those individuals, laughed at myself for using a religious crutch to try and make myself feel better and later that day I flew down the road at well over 15 MPH over the legal limit blasting the heaviest playlist on my ipod and it felt really really good. It was a beautiful spring day and I immediately felt better in the sun knowing I am strong in myself and I don't need to entertain thoughts of magical spirits working behind the scenes magic to make everything better. I found piece of mind in myself, I am a strong enough individual capable of dealing with stress and problems on my own and I don't rely on fairy tale beings to compensate for me because I am not so weak as to need them to do so. This might not make a whole lot of sense, but it's late and I'm kind of rambling here but I hope you can try to understand what I am getting at despite my not being very clear.

[PandaPirate]

This time last year, something inside me clicked on and I was able to believe in god for a while. And it was what I needed at the time. After a few months, it clicked off and returned me to my previous atheistic state. Which was fine for a while.

 

Lately, I've been longing to believe in something, but I just couldn't. I think faith is something that happens to you outside of your own will. I do not think a person chooses to believe or not believe in God. If there is a God, it's up to God to initiate the relationship, you know what I mean?

It was more like this for me:

 

Pretend: I'm holding an envelope that contains the results of a paternity test for my father. Either he is my biological father, or he isn't. I'm not into denial, and if the results clearly indicate one way or the other I will be unable to unknow those results.

 

Well, I opened the envelope to God. I studied, researched and gained knowledge, and I couldn't believe in God if I wanted to, and in fact I find the evidence against God conclusive.

 

So I am not in a position to say, "Let me try to believe again that my 'father' is really my father when the DNA test shows that he is without a doubt not my father."

 

Sincerely praying to Rah, or Vishnu, or Yahweh is just silly once you have really grasped that the natural world is all there is.

 

Maybe the key for you is not to open the envelope. Don't do the work. Blindly accept that there is a spirit that will comfort you and fix your problems. Talk to the spirit, and even when there isn't any answer you can pretend there was an answer, or look for coincidences to support your faith. Accept the excuses for the lack of response (God answers all prayers; sometimes the answer is silence).

 

I'm not sure you can compare a DNA test to prove paternity to belief in a Higher Power. For starters, we have no such test to prove or disprove in a HP, so, people are left to decide for themselves, based on their own personal evidence and experience.

 

I've been believing in a Higher Power on and off for three years and I'm okay with that. There is one God I know I DON"T beleive in and that is the one in the Bible.

[Shyone]

I'm not sure you can compare a DNA test to prove paternity to belief in a Higher Power. For starters, we have no such test to prove or disprove in a HP, so, people are left to decide for themselves, based on their own personal evidence and experience.

A single DNA test is not the equivalent, but sincere study of all aspects of the natural and supernatural including ancient gods, demons, the natural world, the Bible, psychology, theology and many other disciplines is all in the "faith envelope."

 

Study enough, and lose your faith. Stay ignorant, and hold on to what you can (if that is your desire).

 

You opened the bible. And the bible god is no longer believable. I went further and the path back is as impossible for me as belief in the bible god is for you.