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God is a feeling. 'Love' as rev 111 says. That's why I had to post. She is right. God is Love, but also Love is God. If love is just some evolved feelings that we have pulled together under a single heading, then that's all the God is, too.
I also subscribe to the idea that God is Love. But I don't think of Love as a feeling, although Love can and often does create a pleasant feeling. Love, to me, is a force that transforms how one thinks and, as a consequence, one's actions. And because of the nature of Love, I do tend toward a belief that it is a conscious and relational force. I also wouldn't consider it unlikely that it is the Creative Source of the universe.
I don't know beyond doubt that this is true, and I can't say that I've "chosen" to believe this, as much as it is simply what makes the most sense to me. Also, I do think that at the core, most religions/philosophies share a value of Love (though it sometimes seems distorted almost beyond recognition by those same religions/philosophies) that leads me to believe that they all have, in some sense, the same view of what God is, murky though it may be.
As far as how best to experience or understand Love in my lifetime, since I was raised in the Christian religion, I still find that the writings of Christianity are probably one of the most comfortable places for me to look for inspiriation. But I also am appreciating what little I know of Buddhism to be inspired and very helpful as well.
I'm not selling anything so you have misread what I wrote. I never tell others to believe what I believe. I give my opinion and I let it go. If you choose to agree or disagree then it's on you. Don't blame others for your lack of understanding.
Love is not a belief. It's reality. God is reality. What you are living on earth is only an illusion created by humans. We create our own world. If you wantto blame others for your lack of understanding, don't let me stop you. I can point you to some very enlightening and unreligious books if you'd like. By your response, you either have never been in love or you have never felt the Divine Love of God. I'd say you have never felt the love of God, which is entirely different than the love you would feel towards a brother or spouse. When you can love the entire world without condition, with understanding, with compassion, without control or judgement, with letting go and with humility, with innocent perception and have enough faith to actually know that things are as they should be, then and only then tell me I'm wrong. Otherwise, don't judge a book by it's cover. All you see here is the cover of a child of God that you've never read.
Love is the name of God and Love is your name as well. In that, you were created in His likeness. You are known and shall always be known by the nature of your Love. God is the definer, not the defined. You can say all you want about a nonbelief in God and, personally, I don't really care, but He believes in you and that is something you cannot change.
I like you. Still an not religious, still think all religious holy books are about as likely to be true as Scientology. By the way, never trust anything made by a science fiction writer, but I like you
After much research I’ve come to find that truth lies in the mystery schools, not the major world religions. Growing up catholic, I used to think that anything kept secret must be evil. That is not necessarily true. For example, when I was younger I experienced something I do not tell anyone and it definitely wasn’t evil. Most people aren’t ready to hear and wouldn’t understand what occurred to me, so keeping quiet just makes sense. Which now I’m realizing is the same with secret societies.
If I'm honest with myself, searching for truth is a life long endeavor.
After much research I’ve come to find that truth lies in the mystery schools, not the major world religions. Growing up catholic, I used to think that anything kept secret must be evil. That is not necessarily true. For example, when I was younger I experienced something I do not tell anyone and it definitely wasn’t evil. Most people aren’t ready to hear and wouldn’t understand what occurred to me, so keeping quiet just makes sense. Which now I’m realizing is the same with secret societies.
If I'm honest with myself, searching for truth is a life long endeavor.
See, now what you are doing here is the equivalent of dangling a ham in front of a starving person and saying "I might give you this, or I might give you something else." Everyone who reads your post will be eternally tortured by curiousity.
After much research I’ve come to find that truth lies in the mystery schools, not the major world religions. Growing up catholic, I used to think that anything kept secret must be evil. That is not necessarily true. For example, when I was younger I experienced something I do not tell anyone and it definitely wasn’t evil. Most people aren’t ready to hear and wouldn’t understand what occurred to me, so keeping quiet just makes sense. Which now I’m realizing is the same with secret societies.
If I'm honest with myself, searching for truth is a life long endeavor.
The only thing to fear is fear itself. Be true to yourself no matter what anyone else thinks. Would love to hear of this experience so when fear no longer guides you, please, do tell.
People join religions because they "want" to all the time. In fact recent Pew studies show that Americans on average change religion more often than they change cell phone provider.
Reasons they found were reasons like... for example.... marrying someone of a different faith and switching to their faith.
I guess peoples willingness to change religion for arbitrary reasons shows that many of them take their own religion about as seriously as I do. Read that as: Not at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticPhD
Knowledge of science in no way precludes belief in God . . .
Sometimes it does in those for whom ignorance WAS the reason they started thinking there was a god in a "god of the gaps" style way. There are many reasons people think there is a god. Each person differs. Those people who operate on a god of the gaps style reason for thinking there is a god will of course have that belief removed when the gaps are filled in with science.
For example we once did not know how something as "complex" as us could arise so some people thought "god did it". Then the Theory Of Evolution explained it nicely and so people for whom that gap was their reason for thinking there was a god would lose that faith.
Of course those people for whom ignorance is NOT the reason they think there is a god will not have that faith precluded by science.
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By your response, you either have never been in love or you have never felt the Divine Love of God. I'd say you have never felt the love of God, which is entirely different than the love you would feel towards a brother or spouse. When you can love the entire world without condition, with understanding, with compassion, without control or judgement, with letting go and with humility, with innocent perception and have enough faith to actually know that things are as they should be, then and only then tell me I'm wrong. Otherwise, don't judge a book by it's cover. All you see here is the cover of a child of God that you've never read. 
