Continuing from last time, I have continued to think on this presence. These aspects I hold to be certain:
1. It permeates time, but is absolutely by no means restricted by it. This is similar to the infinite, omnipotent views of God.
It is impossible to limit the infinite or omnipotent.
2. It is not teleologically determined, rather seems to flow endlessly in all directions, hence the non restriction by time. If it is
not restricted by a beginning it cannot be restricted by an end. This is still going along with Tillich's view of God being pure
existence that we simply participate in.
3. I feel quite certain this force is God, but in a very different sense than has ever been determined. It is certainly different
from the Judeo-Christian God, one of extreme personification, and seems more in tune with Buddhist or Tao concepts. This
is extremely ironic considering neither religion/philosophy accepts of acknowledges any monotheistic or even polytheistic
ideologies.
a. However, this would be a foreign concept at the outset of their establishments. What I do find intriguing though
is that Buddhism was a response to Hinduism, a religion/philosophy that had grown so prolific with its use of the term "god"
it still today borders absurdity.
4. To understand this, you must completely distance yourself from any preconceived notions of God. It is an enlightenment
and understanding outside the realm of traditional Western thought, and in some respects, Eastern thought.
5. God is not an entity, God does not exist. An entity requires a separate existence, which I refuse to believe could have
interaction with another existence. This does not imply levels of existence, there is an equality about it all, about God. The
separate existence that the term entity implies surrenders us completely distant from God, regardless of God's debatable
interaction with our lives. God must be inexplicably involved with us, no matter of "free will" or not.
These aspects I am still relatively unclear on:
1. Exactly what is our role with respect to this force?
2. If God could be viewed as the universe, all encompassing, then this would draw new assumptions, though very well accurate,
about the universe. The universe is infinite, not restricted by time, and arguably, omnipotent. There is argument over how the
universe began. I would present a different view to coincide with my theory: What we have come to know as the "beginning" or
"creation," is just that, but instead of a complete outset I see this as simply an evolution of the universe to what we know it as now.
This in turn also works for a technical "end" of the universe, which would most likely occur long after our presence has ended, again
just another changing moment in the infinite nature of the universe.
3. At least in our thought, everything must have an antithesis. For black there is white, for good there is evil, and so on. Although I
am almost completely sure this is a human derived concept, I cannot help but wonder if there is an antithesis for this presence or
notion of God I am sensing.
More to come.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
5/19/2008
I have come across several revelations in the past couple of days, particularly dealing with God, and the nature of God. First and foremost is the personification of God by the vast majority of Christians and the Bible. This is not to criticize either the Bible or Christians, however personally I raise several unsettling questions:
1. If God is omnipotent and omniscient, all powerful and all knowing, and as most Christians would agree, has an overall plan for Earth, life, humans, everything, then why pray? If we are simply on a teleological track headed towards a predestined finale, I cannot help but wonder what difference prayer makes. What particularly bothers me about this is concepts such as PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens). I fail to believe this is how it works. Instead, I believe prayer should be used more in the Buddhist sense, to refocus, examine our lives, and internally find peace in the face of external problems. Prayer in the Christian faith has lost its initial meaning.
2. Pulling from such fantastic philosophers as Paul Tillich, I am convinced God does not exist. Follow me here. If God is infinite, which most would agree on, then this implies that God cannot have a beginning or an end, otherwise God would not fit the criteria for infinity. Therefore, it is impossible for God to "exist," at least as we know existence. Tillich believes that God is pure and absolute "being," and that we "exist" within God, we are simply players in a magnificent overall role that we could never even begin to comprehend.
3. My most intriguing revelation so far has been the realization of a certain overall force that transcends the past, present, and future. I feel that this is God, and continuing with the infinite notion of God, it would be impossible for God to simply exist(?) be(?) in one single notion of time, even though time is a man-made idea, self constructed. This force is strong and moving, it transcends everything. The attunement is like gears, its a mechanized constant flowing, not necessarily mechanical in structure but in function. However, it does not seem to be moving towards a telos, rather simply moving out of purpose.
4. The concept of time is incredibly interesting. I cannot help but wonder the outcome of a child born into a world where it is completely shielded from any notion of time. What would happen? Is there an inherent understanding naturally ingrained in our minds from birth? Would this child age at the same rate, or potentially age at all due to the lack of mental stress? If someone was never introduced to the idea of time, then their understanding of change would be very different.
More to come soon.
1. If God is omnipotent and omniscient, all powerful and all knowing, and as most Christians would agree, has an overall plan for Earth, life, humans, everything, then why pray? If we are simply on a teleological track headed towards a predestined finale, I cannot help but wonder what difference prayer makes. What particularly bothers me about this is concepts such as PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens). I fail to believe this is how it works. Instead, I believe prayer should be used more in the Buddhist sense, to refocus, examine our lives, and internally find peace in the face of external problems. Prayer in the Christian faith has lost its initial meaning.
2. Pulling from such fantastic philosophers as Paul Tillich, I am convinced God does not exist. Follow me here. If God is infinite, which most would agree on, then this implies that God cannot have a beginning or an end, otherwise God would not fit the criteria for infinity. Therefore, it is impossible for God to "exist," at least as we know existence. Tillich believes that God is pure and absolute "being," and that we "exist" within God, we are simply players in a magnificent overall role that we could never even begin to comprehend.
3. My most intriguing revelation so far has been the realization of a certain overall force that transcends the past, present, and future. I feel that this is God, and continuing with the infinite notion of God, it would be impossible for God to simply exist(?) be(?) in one single notion of time, even though time is a man-made idea, self constructed. This force is strong and moving, it transcends everything. The attunement is like gears, its a mechanized constant flowing, not necessarily mechanical in structure but in function. However, it does not seem to be moving towards a telos, rather simply moving out of purpose.
4. The concept of time is incredibly interesting. I cannot help but wonder the outcome of a child born into a world where it is completely shielded from any notion of time. What would happen? Is there an inherent understanding naturally ingrained in our minds from birth? Would this child age at the same rate, or potentially age at all due to the lack of mental stress? If someone was never introduced to the idea of time, then their understanding of change would be very different.
More to come soon.
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