• hunter_boyce_chandler said on Jul 16, 2006....

  allaround, I think this is a question that everyone has to struggle with on their own. I've come to the conclusion that there is none and have come to a sort of peace inside over the whole issue. But keep in mind that there are billions of good people who have come to a different conclusion than mine and have found peace and comfort in their belief. I dont think the question should be [i]"is god real"[/i], I think the question should be [i]"is god real to me."[/i] HBC

• ALIENated said on Jul 17, 2006....

  I hear this over and over and over. Bad people somewhere are killing other people, there are wars, there is hunger, therefore God does not exist, or if He does He is a bad God for letting it all happen. Am I missing something? Some logic twist? Wait, I just thought of something. When sports teams are staying out of town and they tear up the hotel they are staying in, the coach gets fired. Is that it? God you are fired. Thanks for not observing that free will clause. By the way, I liked your dad's example. We parents have a way of wanting our children to join us in heaven. Silly us. Write on.

• hunter_boyce_chandler said on Jul 17, 2006....

  I'm still worried about you allaround, I think the cutting really upset me. I have read your thoughts and I can find nothing that justifies self loathing. Please seek a friend. If I knew who you were I would take you in to the "Familiar House". My sons started an "EMO" band called Familiar. It has become pretty well known in Kentucky. I as the "Familiar Dad" have taken in several kids that had no home or were kicked out by their ultra religious families. I provide a safe place to crash, great food and laundry service to them. Its kind of funny but I've had several church people tell me that god would bless me for what I was doing but then they walk away not contributing anything at all.

• FaithMatters said on Jul 17, 2006....

  The argument goes this way: The world is not as I would have it Therefore God does not exist. I don't buy it. What causes such dissonance within us is that we generally define God a certain way - good, just, loving, forgiving, etc. But the natural world we live in appears to be anything but. Living creatures from the tiniest parasites to the largest predators eat each other alive. Everything that means anything to us - including this Earth and this solar system - will eventually die off and be lost in the vast black void we call a universe. Quite frankly, it doesn't matter a whiff to the Universe whether we all kill each other off or eventually populate other worlds. Humans very often behave in the most vicious of ways, invoking whatever particular faith they follow as they commit their sins against one another. The writers of the Old Testament - meaning the people who spoke it far earlier than it was written - struggled mightily with their vision of God and of themselves. On the one hand, God is a jealous God, punishing not just sinners but the generations that follow. On the other, God is just, and God rewards those who follow His principles even to the thousandth generation. The authors of the Old Testament looked on all this and still [i]chose[/i] to call it "good". Why, in the face of all the worldly evidence to the contrary, would they do this? Because calling it all "good" - even the suffering and war and death - gives people hope, a vision of better things to come, a belief that this existence has meaning, that we as individuals have a unique role in this existence and that we are all - everyone - precious and special and loved. Yes, God is good, evil, good and evil and neither good nor evil. God is male, female, male and female, and neither male nor female. God is all things and nothing. God is, in a nutshell, undefinable. The Old Testament writers say this over and over and over again. We [i]choose[/i] to define God as loving and just because those qualities are what we'd like to see in ourselves. Otherwise, what's the point of living even for one more minute?

• davaoguy said on Jul 17, 2006....

  I have never seen an air in my whole life, but it to conclude it doesn't exist is utterly non-sense.

• allaroundgirl said on Jul 17, 2006....

  Dear hunter I appreciate your concern. The cutting is something of my past. i had it rough for a couple of years and some of it still hurts. Maybe sometime I will be able to express it here but for now snippets are all I can muster. Since then I have received help and have not resorted to that in a long time.

• anonyme said on Jul 17, 2006....

  There are things in life we can't see or understand but we can witness their effects. In many cases this is enough to validate their existance. For a long time atomic particles were only theories because we could only measure their effects not actually see them. I see a lot of people using personal reasons for not having faith in God. Including on a lot of these comments and blog entries on SoulCast. They may drudge up all of these facts and historical accounts of the evils of religion etc. But when you start to read enough of them they have a common thread. There is a hint of something that happened to them in their lives that made them bitter towards God. They use everything they read, hear or expierience from that point on to justify thier bitterness. I used to do the same. "See, if God were real that wouldn't happen" is what I would say. I would confuse people with God. People have free will to do what they choose. If you feel comfortable and your life is going the way you want it to believing in what you believe in then excellent. Otherwise, you may try looking in places you once thought were not really there.

• redrubies5000 said on Jul 17, 2006....

  allaroundgirl, I wanted to talk with you about your post. You raise a very good question and valid one. Most of us wonder, Is there a God? and if so, why has things in our world transpired the way they have? All very valid and reasonable objections as to if God really exists. However, there is an answer and there is an explanation. I particularly like the example your father had quoted, about the barber, that is a very accurate and realistic viewpoint of the very nature of God's existence. I understand that you may feel a certain way because of the way the world is and also understand that you may feel like there is no one there with you, I've been there a few times myself. But I always tell people that I would rather go through this life and existence believing in something. And that something is knowing that there is a supreme-being that keeps watch over us. Now, just because he keeps watch doesn't mean hes going to stop things from happening, because He gave us free will to do as we please, and granted, its not the best thing in the world to do, but if they so choose to kill, rape, or whatever, then God isn't going to stop that from happening. Because, as we are today, we are living in our last days, meaning that eventually there will be a stop put to all of this madness and things will be set straight, according to God's will. I always urge people to seek out their own way of understanding, but I wanted to give you some clarification to your query. I hope that you do find what you are looking for and wish you the best. Even though you may not believe in God, I will keep you in my prayers. Thank You, Nick

• allaroundgirl said on Jul 17, 2006....

  Nick Thank you so much for your comment. My quest in search of God may not be over yet. It is people like you and my parents that keep me from completely giving up on the idea of God. if so many have felt his love and truly believe then maybe I shouldn't be so quick to discard him.

• rahatx1 said on Jul 17, 2006....

  i would suggest u all read my post God Destiny Ghosts. well i m a Muslim and i believe in God i have seen and experienced miracles, there were occasions when i had lost hope in everything and then at the last moment everything was totally changed,tht was becasue i prayed.

• lidstrom82 said on Jul 17, 2006....

  For as much is said for or against the existence of God, the question seems to come up an awful lot on this site. Some question how God could exist on the basis of everything around them - wars, judgmental Christians, that evil exists, etc. But the thing is, the most purposeful and loving part of knowing God is not because of external proof - it's because of how He has affected us inside. By this I mean, presonally healing us, speaking to us, working miracles around us, and such. Many (not all) nonchristians have never allowed themselves to be vulnerable enough to experience God, because to live for Him means giving up a lot of control in your life. Living a Christian life is very hard in particular. For this reason, many fall away, because it's just too painful. Or they don't fully trust God, so they buy into information and wisdom from other sources that don't always encourage faith in God. Eventually, the earthly wisdom wins out over faith in God. No matter what you believe, life is hard, and I've heard a few in my life express both that they don't believe in God, and yet they blame Him for the evils of this world that is actually our fault as mankind. Some sects of Islam open the door for violence against non-Muslims, Hinduism has the same god in multiple visions, Scientology was run by convicts (Hubbard and his wife) and was borne from science fiction, Jehovah's Witnesses spent over 50 years predicting the coming of Christ (though the Bible says it's impossible to predict), Mormons subscribe to Jesus at your doorstep but believe in Joseph Smith while sitting on your couch, Christianity has inspired brutalities and atrocities (many know that Hitler publicly endorsed his faith, though he did admit it as little more than gaining favor with the people), Judaism has largely (but not completely) given up on awaiting a Messiah, Buddhism apparently does not answer the questions of where we came from and the nature of our existence, and other religions function more as good luck charms or part of culture. All religions have some degree of success because they have a shred of truth to them to make them valid. But where did that shred of truth come from? Isn't there one source of truth that is clearly spelled out for us, that serves as a guide for right and wrong, and tells us the true story of where we came from and what we're here for?

• varada said on Jul 17, 2006....

  Just the galaxy, no, let us talk about the solar system. With so many planets going around the sun in such clocklike precision, causing day and night in each plant, temparature, climate unique in each planet. In earth we have land, water and air basic requirement for the existance of life. Filled the earth with millions of variety of animals and plants, each finding on its way its basic requirement of food. Man one of the creatures, claiming superiority above all the creatures destroying the environment to suit to his own convenience. Yet, it rains when it should rain, sun shines when it should shine. Who else could control all these things other than a god? The seed germinates, our scientists could not yet find how and why it happens. In spite of using it up for all these millenia, water still exists in this planet for us to drink, wash our clothes, grow trees with, etc. Can there be a single object like water which has multifarious uses, other than the one created by god which we take pride to pollute. There are so many things happening which we cannot help. We breath fresh air, when we get up in the morning our eyes open and vision is available, our ears make us hear sounds. Can there be better miracles than this. Many people die in sleep. For no reason at all. All evil thoughts come to man. He is greedy. He cheats others and earns more than his requirements. No other animal has this habit. Just because you prayed more than your neighbour, no boon is going to fall on you. A non believer is also lives happily. God cannot make any difference between people. Everybody gets clean air to breath and clean drinking water. What more proof is required for the existance of god?

• varada said on Jul 17, 2006....

  I believe god not as the religionists propogate. He does not live in temples, churches, or in mosque. His presence is there everywhere. He comes in the form of water to the thirsty, in the form of food to the hungry. When your urgent needs are met, you thank god. That is god. When you have breathing difficulty, a good whif of air gives you relief. A whif of exygen gives relief to an asthmatic. Can you tie him up in some relgious place as captive of some religious people. He has to be omnipresent and omnicient. People may bribe him, may cajole him, may build mansions for him, if he is a separate individual. Godliness is in each one of us. Dont search for him elsewhere. He is there in each of us. We are all his manifestations.

• truthblogs said on Jul 18, 2006....

  The problem with the whole 'god' idea is that people think of god as this guy who sits in the sky and makes decisions. This is obviously a lot of cobblers, no wonder so many people are jacking in their religions. God can only ever be conceived when the correct 'scientific' knowledge of existence is understood. I shall be speaking in more depth about this subject in my blogs /truthblogs In short, god is the psychic unconscious of man and all life on earth. This has to be conceived to be understood, some call it the holy spirit. However, the word spirit conjours up images of a 'conscious' spirit. This is not the case. It is an unconscious spirit. Think of it as a wave frequency, like radio waves. We know they exist, but cannot see them. By unconscious, we mean it cannot knowingly make decisions as it does not have a singular brain, but is the collective brain of man. The same frequency we tap into whilst dreaming. The ideas and dreams we create are the god within us all filling in the viods of possibility and keeping life turning and evolving.

• truthblogs said on Jul 18, 2006....

  The problem with the whole 'god' idea is that people think of god as this guy who sits in the sky and makes decisions. This is obviously a lot of cobblers, no wonder so many people are jacking in their religions. God can only ever be conceived when the correct 'scientific' knowledge of existence is understood. I shall be speaking in more depth about this subject in my blogs /truthblogs In short, god is the psychic unconscious of man and all life on earth. This has to be conceived to be understood, some call it the holy spirit. However, the word spirit conjours up images of a 'conscious' spirit. This is not the case. It is an unconscious spirit. Think of it as a wave frequency, like radio waves. We know they exist, but cannot see them. By unconscious, we mean it cannot knowingly make decisions as it does not have a singular brain, but is the collective brain of man. The same frequency we tap into whilst dreaming. The ideas and dreams we create are the god within us all filling in the viods of possibility and keeping life turning and evolving.

• truthblogs said on Jul 18, 2006....

  The problem with the whole 'god' idea is that people think of god as this guy who sits in the sky and makes decisions. This is obviously a lot of cobblers, no wonder so many people are jacking in their religions. God can only ever be conceived when the correct 'scientific' knowledge of existence is understood. I shall be speaking in more depth about this subject in my blogs 'truthblogs' In short, god is the psychic unconscious of man and all life on earth. This has to be conceived to be understood, some call it the holy spirit. However, the word spirit conjours up images of a 'conscious' spirit. This is not the case. It is an unconscious spirit. Think of it as a wave frequency, like radio waves. We know they exist, but cannot see them. By unconscious, we mean it cannot knowingly make decisions as it does not have a singular brain, but is the collective brain of man. The same frequency we tap into whilst dreaming. The ideas and dreams we create are the god within us all filling in the viods of possibility and keeping life turning and evolving.

• truthblogs said on Jul 18, 2006....

  The problem with the whole 'god' idea is that people think of god as this guy who sits in the sky and makes decisions. This is obviously a lot of cobblers, no wonder so many people are jacking in their religions. God can only ever be conceived when the correct 'scientific' knowledge of existence is understood. I shall be speaking in more depth about this subject in my blogs 'truthblogs' In short, god is the psychic unconscious of man and all life on earth. This has to be conceived to be understood, some call it the holy spirit. However, the word spirit conjours up images of a 'conscious' spirit. This is not the case. It is an unconscious spirit. Think of it as a wave frequency, like radio waves. We know they exist, but cannot see them. By unconscious, we mean it cannot knowingly make decisions as it does not have a singular brain, but is the collective brain of man. The same frequency we tap into whilst dreaming. The ideas and dreams we create are the god within us all filling in the viods of possibility and keeping life turning and evolving.

• Heartwalker said on Jul 18, 2006....

  Hi Allroundgirl, Nice to know that you are thinking about God.The point here is you don't like your parent appearing smart at your expense, right? It sort of makes you feel so not very bright. God is something that each person has to experience for himself or herself.Its like sweetness, no amount of explaining the sweetness of sugar or its chemical properties can make or give a person an idea of what sugar is.But the moment he tastes it, he can identify what it is.This is an example. Let me know what you think of this. yours friendly Heartwalker

• FaithfulDisciple said on Jul 18, 2006....

  Heartwalker does make sense. A person's interpretation of who God is based on his/her own subjective experiences. Different situations for different people can account for the acceptance or rejection of God. God touches people in different ways and at different phases in our lives. Don't worry God will also touch your life when you least expect it the most. The fact that you're searching for answers is already a start. May you find God in a way most meaningful and rewarding to you. :-)

• FaithfulDisciple said on Jul 18, 2006....

  Heartwalker does make sense. A person's interpretation of who God is based on his/her own subjective experiences. Different situations for different people can account for the acceptance or rejection of God. God touches people in different ways and at different phases in our lives. Don't worry God will also touch your life when you least expect it the most. The fact that you're searching for answers is already a start. May you find God in a way most meaningful and rewarding to you. :-)

• FaithfulDisciple said on Jul 18, 2006....

  Heartwalker does make sense. A person's interpretation of who God is based on his/her own subjective experiences. Different situations for different people can account for the acceptance or rejection of God. God touches people in different ways and at different phases in our lives. Don't worry God will also touch your life when you least expect it the most. The fact that you're searching for answers is already a start. May you find God in a way most meaningful and rewarding to you. :-)

• truthblogs said on Jul 18, 2006....

  Heartwalker does indeed make sense, however I believe FathfulDeciple is missing the point Heartwalker was trying to make. God doesn't and can't 'touch' anyone. To say that would imply that the person in question and God were two seperate entities. Seperation is a negative action, and negative actions can only be thought not experienced. The only way one can experience god is to remove everything in-between, thus 'becoming' god. That moment is what some call enlightenment or awakening. So a person's interpretation of god can only ever be described as their lack of knowledge of what god is. With lack of knowledge, all that is left is belief. Belief can never be real, as it's not something one can experience. I am a scientific person. Question everything, make your own minds up. Find out what god is for yourselves, then and only then you will be able to confidently write about the subject.

• lidstrom82 said on Jul 18, 2006....

  I agree that one must experience God for themselves in order to experience Him, but I also believe that most of what people believe about God is also missing the point. He isn't a mystical force conjured by our brains, nor is he a "good wish genie" to fill all our needs. Many of us can confidently assert our understanding of God, but in light of what is plainly stated in the Scripture, most interpretations fall short. I think varada had a great point in stating that God has a hand in everything that fills our needs, whether we acknowledge Him or not. He also creates and sustains us, but nature itself. Additionally, science can easily prove God's existence just by acknowledging that we cannot even explain many things around us. The Holy Spirit does act as a conscience of sorts, but it also reveals the heart of a very true, real God.

• babyextreme said on Jul 18, 2006....

  No offense but somehow i believe there is LovinG GOd out in dis world~ there maybe hard times and also good times but . . bare in mind at times da hard times are challenges or test we need 2 face whereby it helps us learn something from failure and nevertheless making us strong. . God has been kind to u? lolz than of course he's there . . y not try praying 2 him and share wif him ur problem even including his existance on this planet earth? *just a suggestion, no offense*

• maggie02mae said on Jul 18, 2006....

  Wow, allaround, you've had so many responses! That's quite impressive! By now you don't need my 2 cents, but why not? I liked what HBC said: "I dont think the question should be "is god real", I think the question should be "is god real [i]to me[/i]." I think he's right. What does it matter if God exists, if God isn't real to you? I'm Catholic, and if you were Catholic, or christian for that matter, I'd encourage you to, well, just start praying a little bit. There's no right or wrong, way -- do whatever works for you. My best prayer is when I'm alone, usually outside walking, and I just talk to God out loud, as if He/She were right there next to me. Some people meditate, or do Lectio Divina. The Divine Office, perhaps...whatever. Maybe you find God in music. Just start the conversation between you and the Big Guy, and see what happens. If you're not christian, my advice is to keep seeking. Keep searching, keep questioning. Read, talk, listen. You have nothing to lose, and information to gain. If nothing else, you can be well-versed on the topic in the future. And hell, if you don't know where to start, try asking God to give you what you need to believe. The God I know wants us to ask for what we need, and never tire of asking. And, well, even though it is [b]never[/b] in the way I want or expect, God always answers. Be alert, search your world for God, and most importantly, be open to whatever comes at you. My own experience has been that I had difficulty believing in God when I had my own preconceived notions of what God is supposed to "look" and "sound" like. Open the eyes of your heart, and never stop seeking wisdom. I guess that was a little more than 2 cents. sorry! Good luck! I wish you all the best!

• Rupees2Freedom said on Jul 19, 2006....

  Follow this logic! By Ligarius, he posts at SoulCast. God is love Love is blind Steve Wonder is blind STEVIE WONDER IS GOD !!!! ------------------------------ I'm nobody nobody is perfect then, i'm perfect but, only God is perfect then, i'm GOD if Stevie Wonder is God I'M STEVIE WONDER !!!! SHIT I'M BLIND !!!!

• Rupees2Freedom said on Jul 19, 2006....

  More on logic: Just because long hair exists, doesn't mean barbers do not exist. Just because barbers exist, doesn't mean long hair can't. Extending this logic to the existence of God is not logical at all! That is a different issue, you can't compare oranges and apples.

• Rupees2Freedom said on Jul 19, 2006....

  This is in continuation of my previous post: I've seen proponents of the existence of God use this kind of 'illogical' logic time and again. The truth is, there is not even a common definition of God. If you mean a benevolent and omnipotent God, then He cannot exist- If he is benevolent, then he cannot possibly tolerate the misery in the world, and if he is omnipotent (all powerful) then he obviously has the power to remove the misery from this world. So why doesn't He? If you read the works of Bertrand Russell, you would perhaps appreciate this point of view better - not that I agree with him cent per cent. Any comments?

• puriz said on Jul 19, 2006....

  You forgot one point. He is also "all knowing". He knows how you are thinking also.

• truthblogs said on Jul 19, 2006....

  lidstrom...you very nearly hit the nail on the head (excuse the pun). Just one thing though...I keep saying this, but no one seems to be taking it in. By continuously speaking of god as 'him', 'he' etc, we reflect this imaginary image of a person. This is possibly one of the most misleading issues of all time, which has over time distorted man's(and woman's) idea of what god is. With this idea in mind, people who 'believe' in a god, expect 'him' to be there in hard times etc. This is utter ignorance. God is out there, but no in the form everyone expects, which is why it's so hard to discover. When Jesus said, I am the son of god(I'm not a Christian by the way), and that god is within every one of us - he was not only speaking of himself, but actually what is possible of all of us. We CAN all experience godliness and being god, this is the only way to know what it actually is. At that moment, all will become clear. The path is through self-discovery. It's easier than you all think.

• truthblogs said on Jul 19, 2006....

  puriz - by 'all knowing', this term describes how the universal psyche of man has over time experienced everything 'up to this point'. There is a big difference between knowledge, memory and thought(which uses memory to project possible futures and ideas, some of which we follow and others we don't). All three have to be fully understood and not mixed up.

• truthblogs said on Jul 19, 2006....

  rupees2freedom, there cannot and shold not be any kind of definition of god. Godliness is a state, which can only be realised through experience. To attempt to define what god is, will only ever push us further from the truth. This is why when I speak of this subject, I always say, I cannot tell you what it is, I can lead the way, but you must essentially open the door.

• StupidGenius said on Jul 19, 2006....

  Its all about personal choice, You dont "find God", you choose to accept a religiouse pyramid scheme with him at the top. My advice (take it, or leave it) is that nobody needs religion, nobody needs to worship any one as we are all equal. Live to fulfill your dreams and never think that there is anyone in the universe that will punish you for making your own decisions. Religion is the greatest mind control device ever created. We are gradualy seeing the truth about religion and i urge you all to open your eyes and regain your individuality and self worth. You do not need anyone telling you how to live, you know what is right and what is wrong so live by that which you believe to be ritouse.

• lidstrom82 said on Jul 19, 2006....

  Hey truthblogs, I appreciate your point of view and basic understanding of the Christian view. I must respectfully disagree with the point that since God lives in us, we have the capacity to be God. Yes, we can be holy and live according to His Word, but we cannot attain God's power for ourselves. If we could, there'd be no need for God, since we'd all be little gods running around. Basically, we're too flawed to be considered gods by anyone but forest animals. Second, the Christian God promises to be with us in times of trouble - mind you, He never promises to take the bad times away, He promises to never give us more than we can handle. I and many others have gained comfort from the fact that God is greater than the situations we find ourselves in. I pray, and a door opens up - it can't be explained any other way other than to dismiss that as "luck", which many do. In the end, I know I'm no better or worse than anyone else, and that who I am is flawed and not too good. I won't put God in a box, but to claim to attain godliness and be God is a goal I will fail to reach because it's not possible. And SGenius, before I was a Christian I was probably just as skeptical as you are about a religious pyramid scheme. Truthfully, much of it is. But I find that the crappy parts of religion are the pale imitations of what is TRUTH. That truth is being helped and loved by people whose lives have been turned around by God Himself. In all honesty, there ARE people out there who need to know God is at work for them because no one else is in their lives. Living your life for God lets you keep your free will, and allows grace to still live freely even when we do mess up. Individuality and self-worth are two things connected to God, not things He takes away or spits upon. I agree that everyone must make the choice for themselves about what to believe - but in a world of millions of voices saying different things, there IS truth. It doesn't have to be nebulous or vague, and our greatest challenge is to let go of bitterness or anger or misconceptions because, most of the time, we don't believe in God because of other people, and we blame Him for things others did. If we stopped blaming Him and started believing in Him, we'd be much better off than the world would give us credit for.

• favored said on Jul 19, 2006....

  hey all@girl, has anyone answered your question yet? 'Have you seen GOD?' fill me in... this is too much blog to read

• bhalah said on Jul 20, 2006....

  it s very dificault to see haw confuse whit god people are...dasent make me feel confortable... is so intimo to me to speak abaut, with all this blacky holy...But same agree whit cuple...hi.

• hunter_boyce_chandler said on Jul 20, 2006....

  AllAround, Back to your original question. "Have you seen god?" 1) I saw the moment my son opened his eyes for the first time. 2) I saw my wifes eyes tear and felt pain in my chest from someone elses heart. 3) I have seen the orange sky color the green Gulf ocean and ripple towards me as if to say I belonged. 4) I saw lightning hit the ground in front of me and fire fly back into the sky. 5) I saw a tornado touch the ground and suddenly go silent. 6) I have held another in my arms as they passed into death and saw my reflection in their eyes fade. So my answer to your question is "Yes I Have."

• anonyme said on Jul 20, 2006....

  Damn Hunter, that was moving, seriously!

• ebalaj said on Jul 20, 2006....

  No worries now, I have seen the light. Thanks be to all who dropped their pebbles of knowledge into the vast pool of my ignorance. Even now the ripples are expanding, touching every corner of my benighted existence, gently inundating my soul with understanding and making me a better person. Sure, that's the ticket. Does God exist? Only God knows. Does the cream filling in an oreo understand the corporate entity known only as Nabisco? The burning need to prove/disprove God is only a form of control, a way to place oneself in the scheme of things. It is a basic part of "who am I?" By the way, I have kids so yes, I have seen the face of God and it's beautiful.

• truthblogs said on Jul 21, 2006....

  lidstrom - Sorry I misled...I have a better understanding of Catholicism than I originally let on...I was christned and brought up a Roman Catholic. When I said I'm not a chrisitian, I was refering to now. I haven't lost or changed faith, but my understanding through self discovery has meant I no longer need to stereotype myself and belong to a religion which I know to be largely distorted and misconcieved. It seems I am not getting my points accross. I have tried, so I have done my bit. I will say only one more thing though...the bottleneck to your understanding of god is simply in your misconception of what god is. You need to look within to find god, for the world I percieve is created every moment in my own mind. Being the constant and immediate creator of my own life(hence all life) - if I'm not here, then nothing can exist to me as I'm not her to experience it. Too many people like to 'cherish' and keep the idea of this all powerful being, in order to have someone to rely on or blame when things go wrong. In short an imaginary friend for grown-ups. People need to get past this, find out for themselves what god really is and then they will really grow up and lose the need for their imaginary friend, as they will realise they already have everything they ever need.

• Rupees2Freedom said on Jul 21, 2006....

  truthblogs - If you do not define God, you cannot have any understanding of Him. Could it be you do not want to have a restrictive definition out of any fear of being hemmed in by your definition? If you do not conceive a shape, a definition for God, then how can you discuss God? Liberate yourself, I say! If you do not define any problem, just give it a nebulous shape, how do you propose to get anywhere? Not that God is a problem! And I guess you cannot define everything....... Be that as it may, I too have Roman Catholic roots, but a very liberal agnostic/atheistic upbringing, which allows me to think without blinkers on, for which I am extremely grateful ....

• lidstrom82 said on Jul 21, 2006....

  Truthblogs, I think I've had some difficulty understanding your beliefs on the issue, and you've stated your points just fine, but the sticking point is that fundamentally we believe very different things. Also, you have stated your beliefs as fact, and gone on to say how people should essentially go along with it, along with how God is just an imaginary friend. As well, you've claimed my position to be bottlenecked. You must be careful because you run the risk of offending people's faith - whatever it may be - in a God that, to them, is proven and real. I think many people, Christian or not, have a desire to know if God's out there. This blog post proves that, actually. To answer the original question, I have seen God. To know God is not a bottlenecked point of view. To assume my brain gives meaning to the existence around me just gives me too much importance. So truthblogs, feel free to state your thoughts, by all means. It's just that in stating them, do well not to assume you're right - arguably, some in this world believe in God more strongly than you believe in your own perceptions. To me, "truth" is Jesus Christ; but to many truth is themselves, or what is real around them. Which truth is actually true? That's what we need to answer for ourselves. One final thought to everyone: what is constant in this world? Some would say death and taxes. There isn't really anything. There comes a time when money, friends, family, and even our own strength fails. What do we turn to when every secure thing is gone? What hope do homeless people, prisoners, corporate executives, or immensely strong athletes do when they're kicked out of a park, tortured, go bankrupt, or succumb to injuries, respectively? God is designed in part to BE hope and to GIVE hope because, when all our comforts are stripped away, we need it. When life is painful and desperate, or even incredibly joyful, God is more real than anything secure or comfortable we surround ourselves with.

• StupidGenius said on Jul 22, 2006....

  Wow there realy are some messed up poeple in this world... " I have seen the orange sky color the green Gulf ocean and ripple towards me as if to say I belonged. " What the hell is this guy on about, I did find it "moving". It moved me to the toilet so I could PUKE! Some of you guys live in some kind of dream world where God exists. Well guess what.... He DOSNT! It is all made up bullshit. Christians, Muslims, Jews... etc. YOU ARE ALL FULL OF SHIT. Ive got a new religion for you all... Its called "WAKE UP" Realise that you have been fed bullshit by anyone who talks to you about there religiouse beliefs and experiances. Basicaly anything that involves any kind of god. The fact is you are all spending your lives in fear of something that you dont even know exists??? Just live your lives right and when you die you will find out all the answers. I am going to repeat myself one more time... WAKE UP!!!!

• hunter_boyce_chandler said on Jul 22, 2006....

  Hi there Stup.... Have you ever seen the Gulf of Mexico on a calm day during a deep orange sunset??? Well I have. It is a magical thing. If you have the capacity to read and understand, the images I listed are not a pie in the sky. They are here..now.

• lidstrom82 said on Jul 23, 2006....

  Stup, true religion calls for unconditional love of others, not the intolerance your words teeter dangerously towards. Think a moment on what you've said - to tell people with varying beliefs to "wake up" to the "bullshit" we've been fed. That's not only disagreeing, that's discrediting, and truly does border on intolerance. Some religion is an illusion and is bullshit - stuff with shreds of truth that appeals to us but really pales in comparison to what is the full truth. My Christian faith doesn't tell me to live in La-La Land - it requires that I be real about the horrors and pain of the world around me - and work to change it by bringing people messages of hope and acceptance. That's what Jesus Christ is all about. That is not junk fed to me. I dare anyone seeking answers to read and know Jesus, if they want to see God. If you really want to, you will see Him. Many don't, though, because it goes against much of the common wisdom and sense we live by each day. If there is no God, it's because we don't need Him - but if we didn't need Him, there'd be no war, pain, sickness, tears, bitterness, anger, murder, and anything else like that. But there is. And though most of us are above such things, the whole of humanity is not. Again, when honest with ourselves, we need outside help to overcome the worst parts of living our lives. Stup, I've heard words similar to yours come from different sources - one of which is my own father. Those sources have been hurt in some way and have anger and resentment brewing in them. I don't presume to know what you've been through in life, but your words ring similar to those of other wounded people. Hunter, your patience and understanding of others has grown by leaps and bounds recently. Please don't stop sharing what you have seen and felt, regardless of the response.

• StupidGenius said on Jul 23, 2006....

  Ok here we go again... "Have you ever seen the Gulf of Mexico on a calm day during a deep orange sunset??? Well I have. It is a magical thing. If you have the capacity to read and understand, the images I listed are not a pie in the sky. They are here..now." What the hell has this got to do with God? Just because you felt all soppy when you saw a sunset dosnt mean there is a god. Base your argument on fact please. secondly "My Christian faith doesn't tell me to live in La-La Land - it requires that I be real about the horrors and pain of the world around me - and work to change it by bringing people messages of hope and acceptance. That's what Jesus Christ is all about." "That is not junk fed to me. I dare anyone seeking answers to read and know Jesus" What hell are you on about. Have you even researched the christian faith. Your beliefe in God comes from a religion that has rewritten "Gods" word countless times to make it sound more interesting and understandable/relevent. The bible you read today is proberbly 2% of what was originaly written. You are basing your faith on something you cant see, hear, touch, smell.... etc. I repeat my self, Religion is the biggest and best mind control technique in the world. And yes you do live in La la land... example... "If there is no God, it's because we don't need Him - but if we didn't need Him, there'd be no war, pain, sickness, tears, bitterness, anger, murder, and anything else like that. But there is. And though most of us are above such things, the whole of humanity is not. Again, when honest with ourselves, we need outside help to overcome the worst parts of living our lives." Surely if there was a god then he would make sure these things didnt happen otherwise he is just like the people who slow down while driving past a car crash so they can see whats going on.

• lidstrom82 said on Jul 23, 2006....

  I do know where you're coming from Stup, but I have been researching Christianity (and will continue to). I'm well aware of minor inaccuracies in Scripture and how different translations have been better or worse than others. I do disagree that religion is the biggest and best mind control technique in the world. It can be fairly powerful, but I believe that human pride is the best mind control technique. If we think we're so great, others around us are peons, and using/oppressing/hating others out of pride is what makes religion so dangerous. It can make politics dangerous. Pride leads us to think ourselves greater than we are, and often we think ourselves greater than another. That's how dangerous pride CAN be. I think religion is one of the biggest ways pride comes out, but religion is not the source of mind control - we deceive ourselves with our own greatness most of the time, but we are clearly not in control. Whatever ideas you have about religion, Stup, I won't discredit, because you believe it for a reason. The least you could do is to extend us religious folk here the same courtesy.

• lidstrom82 said on Jul 23, 2006....

  allaroundgirl, when it comes down to it, we can't understand an infinite, all-powerful God, but He came to Earth to redeem us from the evils we commit. That's Jesus Christ. Seek Him, and your search for God will soon be over. Maybe you resented your parents growing up, and thus resented their religious beliefs. You've been through some hard stuff in life. A loving God wouldn't have allowed that, right? He is loving, but He's not the only one working in our lives. Satan wreaks havoc on this world and, to some effect, God is blamed instead. To commit true evil, you must appear good, to accuse others of the wrong you committed, and seek to destroy all honesty and replace it with deceit. Is that so far-fetched? Maybe it is for most, but I would argue that too much evil occurs in this world for just humanity to be responsible. Some evils occur apart from human hands. And it is only God's work that keeps this world from destroying itself. 9/11 was traumatic, but it did unite a disjointed nation - enough to give Bush an amazing approval rating (how fickle we are - we're so eager to get him out of office now, many of us who hung on his every word that september). God works good in things intended for disaster, allaround. That means that every weakness, shortcoming, or failure in your life has the potential to become a place you are healed and made strong. No one else in your life has the power to do that. Hunter was 100% right - the real question is, is God real to you?

• anonymous said on Jul 23, 2006....

  There appears to be a lot o GAPS- Communion and Comprehension helps even Knowledge plane. Search: Cosmology Vedas- interlinks You will find a lot more interesting information

• StupidGenius said on Jul 23, 2006....

  "allaroundgirl, when it comes down to it, we can't understand an infinite, all-powerful God, but He came to Earth to redeem us from the evils we commit. That's Jesus Christ. Seek Him, and your search for God will soon be over." Where do you get this stuff from, if you have researched christianity you will know that there are more than small errors. It is full of contradiction and nonsense. You obviously have been influenced by this rubbish or you wouldn't say things like the above. How does he come to earth? is it in a spaceship??? does elvis travel with him for companionship??? To me it is clear that there is no point in believing in something unless there is even a smidgen of fact involved in it. About the most that can be proven is that there was a man called jesus and he walked the earth... the rest as far as i am concerned was put together in a big world wide game of chinese whispers. It started with one man saying, "you should listen to this guy I met called Jesus, he talks alot of sense" and ended with a group of men saying "Jesus is the son of god and he is amazing and heals people but dont cross him or you will go to hell" Why would you put your faith in something that obviously is a load of crap? why not put your faith in yourself to succeed in life instead. Belief in yourself is all you need to succeed, not an imaginary God and a rule book written many years ago. Fact: God dosnt show up when people are dying of starvation and desease. Fact: God dosnt cure children that inherit Aids from there mothers and fathers. Fact: You may as well worship some T.V personality who gives money to charity... because in actual fact he is doing more for the world than God has ever done. If God is so great why does he need a church in every street filled with people telling him he is great, surely he knows this already? And what are you actualy praising him for doing? Dying on a cross? is that the most he did? COME ON! seriously. If you want to believe then fine but most of the people who have not realy educated themselves on the faith. If you did you would have a completely different poin of view on it. Dont comment on something if you are commenting blindly, I know my stuff and I have done plenty of research. As a Human being you owe it to yourself to do the same. Dont just accept something becasue freinds or family or society tells you it is true, decide for yourself. Im not asking anyone to agree with me on this. Im simply asking you to find out for yourselves.

• StupidGenius said on Jul 23, 2006....

  You might find this interesting. It is about the bible and is written by a scholor who researched it for many many years. its on my blog. here is the link. http://www.soulcast.com/post/show/2372/The-Story-of-Jesus-the-magician leave comments on my blog regarding it or on here i dont mind.

• princesse_ingenieure said on Jul 23, 2006....

  He exists. Though sometimes it's just so difficult to feel Him.

• truthblogs said on Jul 31, 2006....

  Woah...lots been happening here since my last visit I see. Insistence on ignorance thriving as usual. I seriously do fear that we shall never move forward as an intelligent species, until people start opening their eyes. The truth of all these issues is right in front of you all. You must see it for yourselves though. I cannot awaken anyone, you must do it for yourselves. All the prophets, gutama, jesus, mohammed and many more since who haven't gone on to create their own religions have successfully awoken themselves and thus shared their power and knowledge with us all. The most overlooked fact is that we can all experience this awakening and continue to evolve as a more intelligent generation. The problem is, everyone is too ignorant of the fact that it is possible, because they have never stopped to look at themselves and go through some serious self exploration. The other problem seems to be comfort. People are comfortable attached to their ways, religions and beliefs and are afraid of what the truth might bring. Grow up, wake up and help humanity evolve into something truly great.

• vini said on Jul 31, 2006....

  No..i havent! still i believe in HIM...why? coz i have faith... Faith is a brilliant thing, it can do miraculous things and mak u believe in anything and everything seemingly non-existent! its very important to be spiritual..try to explore, try to believe..its blissful!

• StupidGenius said on Jul 31, 2006....

  I'm with you, truthblogs... Not quite sure why people don't have the same faith in themselves that they do in God. You have the power to control your life's direction, not God. You have the power to do right or wrong, God doesn't control force you to do things. More self-acceptance and self worth are needed to push beyond the boundaries religion sets for society. Religion is merely the object that cages the freedom of the soul.

• LongGun said on Oct 13, 2006....

  Hi allaroundgirl,
  Wow!! It took so much of my time going thru' all those comments both positive and negative.
  But it was good to read it all as it has given me a better insight of my beliefs.
  For starters, God, religion, etc, are only coined words to enable us distinguish it from others, just as we have coined all other words to relate to something invisible such as air, sin, emotions, etc, etc.
  So let's make the word 'god' into something concrete.
  The best way to describe 'god' is ourselves, we are 'gods' in person. So both you and I and everyone else in this world is a 'god'.
  So to answer your question, "Have you seen God?" the answer is a resounding YES!!!! but with a small 'g'
  And we are to respect the 'god' in us.
  To achieve this is to treat others the way we ourselves want to be treated.
  But since this is not so, the world is what we have today.
  So we have none but ourselves to blame.
  To worry about the world and its badness will not change anything.
  The best way is worry about the 'god' in you, and you will have done your share.
  Only when you have achieved this, you can start looking beyond and see the greatness, beauty, designs and plans of the real God who goes by the name "I am, who is".
  Hope this helps you in your search.
  LongGun
  

• moonriver said on Oct 29, 2006....

  Barbers do exist. They work in their millions each day, and would run after more customers if we allowed them. And yes, it's up to you whether to let a barber cut your hair, or perhaps learn to trim it yourself. If God exists, then maybe the barbers are more effective in cutting people's hair than He is in answering our prayers. As George Carlin said, when he prays to Joe Peschi, at least he gets a 50-50 chance that Joe will answer his prayers, and with clear and definite answers too, via cellphone.
  

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