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It's not globally apparent because people are distracted by material things. God answered my question. If I wouldn't have asked, I wouldn't have received an answer. Rather than focusing on other people's suffering, it is best to concentrate our efforts on improving our own soul's condition, which we are each ultimately responsible for.
Can you explain how a starving child in Africa who strives each day simply to find enough food to allow him/her another day of searching for a live-saving morsel is in any way "distracted by material things"? You claim this divine love but now you are advocating we concentrate solely on ourselves and our own responsibilities and not on other peoples' suffering? What kind of love is that?
I've got to say, SoCal, this idea that someone has to basically beg and strive to receive the love of God
does not make sense. You're essentially saying that God desires to give people divine love, but they've got to prove something to God first, prove they really want it, prove they are worthy, prove they are willing to look hard, and perhaps prove they believe God even exists? That doesn't make any sense to me.
I'm curious, AmazonJohn ... if you believed that there might be a God who was love and that somehow receiving divine love into your soul would cause you to live in peace and harmony with everyone and everything, and to have joy and happiness, would you desire that? Frankly, I find it hard to believe anyone wouldn't, and if that is the case, it doesn't make sense to me that anyone would need to prove that to God.
Now, I could see that there might be things blocking people from actually desiring divine love. Emotional/psychological wounds, harsh life circumstances which don't allow someone to think much beyond survival mode, and mistaken ideas about God ... all of that might cause someone to be closed down to love. But those people would need healing and/or a change in their circumstances in order to be open to it. A God who is love isn't going to require they prove their earnestness before being willing to help ... I'm not buying it.
The short answer is yes I would. I did believe that at one time, but eventually realized that such a God doesn't exist.
The short answer is yes I would. I did believe that at one time, but eventually realized that such a God doesn't exist.
Thanks for the response. I'm not convinced that such a God doesn't exist, I'm simply not convinced it does. Either way, imo, the fact that we would desire such a thing should be enough. Any maybe it is.
Can you explain how a starving child in Africa who strives each day simply to find enough food to allow him/her another day of searching for a live-saving morsel is in any way "distracted by material things"? You claim this divine love but now you are advocating we concentrate solely on ourselves and our own responsibilities and not on other peoples' suffering? What kind of love is that?
The reason why it's important to not dwell so much on other people's suffering is because it's not good for our soul's condition. It causes much sadness to our soul and this sadness needs to be removed to allow Divine Love to take its place. I have had soul cleansings for this removal and it's extremely painful.
Well, what can be done in love to let these children know we care? We can pray, we can donate to a worthy cause which will feed him or her, we can go over there and help. In my small way I have done the first two. I've prayed for God's children wherever they may be. I personally know a beautiful woman from Namibia who is raising money to build an orphanage, and I have donated to her cause.
I had said....empty yourself of concepts and incorrect beliefs...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pleroo
How?
Well, everyone will offer diff ways...and all will be great for 'them'.
That said, what works for me is a deep understanding that I was fed bs......
From people who didn't know anything....people who interpreted things that they themselves
didn't practice, experience directly or test out, even!
Idiots believing idiots trying to make ME into an idiot.
They taught me about God being scary/about some Garden paradise, that we were banned
from bec of something someone did wrong/but I will GO to this place AFTER death, if I believe that Jesus DIED for MY sins/that this God wanted blood sacrifice/that there is this thing called sin... see?
Are you getting the picture?
If a person can start from scratch and understand so many things are completely untrue...
Whoa, does a door open to freedom!!
We are so teeny....our brains receive such a small portion on the electromagnetic scale...
Why, a dog hears more than us...we take in so little information...that to form concepts based
on these limited senses would be preposterous.
So to be still...quiet....listen to the silence, with earplugs...meditate...open
...be innocent like a child...well, that's when things start cookin'!
3) omnipresent (he/she is everywhere in the universe)
4) omniscient (all-knowing)
I was also taught lots of other things about "God."
Were you taught that "God" was all of those things? What else were you taught about him/her?
I was taught that God is love.
The Bible sort of suggests otherwise. At face value, the Bible says he's benevolent, all powerful, omnipresent, and definitely a man. I'm totally on board with the power and present thing, and I guess the man thing, but the love is a bit different. See, we have examples of his power and presence; his love is a bit different. The Bible say's he all loving, but that's according to him. Frankly, I don't see it.
If any thing, God has a rather tragic existence. Only one of his kind, totally alone, and largely misunderstood. I mean, the ego on this guy is enormous. He burned down a city for some vague crime of "wickedness." He flooded the world and killed everyone but one dude's family for the same charge. He may very well be a paranoid schizophrenic. He seems to be in a constant mental battle with himself and doesn't really know what he himself wants.
Also, probably a closest homosexual.
If this guy exists, I have to say, I feel a bit sorry for him.
I've got to say, SoCal, this idea that someone has to basically beg and strive to receive the love of God
does not make sense. You're essentially saying that God desires to give people divine love, but they've got to prove something to God first, prove they really want it, prove they are worthy, prove they are willing to look hard, and perhaps prove they believe God even exists? That doesn't make any sense to me.
I'm curious, AmazonJohn ... if you believed that there might be a God who was love and that somehow receiving divine love into your soul would cause you to live in peace and harmony with everyone and everything, and to have joy and happiness, would you desire that? Frankly, I find it hard to believe anyone wouldn't, and if that is the case, it doesn't make sense to me that anyone would need to prove that to God.
Now, I could see that there might be things blocking people from actually desiring divine love. Emotional/psychological wounds, harsh life circumstances which don't allow someone to think much beyond survival mode, and mistaken ideas about God ... all of that might cause someone to be closed down to love. But those people would need healing and/or a change in their circumstances in order to be open to it. A God who is love isn't going to require they prove their earnestness before being willing to help ... I'm not buying it.
The God I encounter is pure love and acceptance . . and I didn't seek or want or expect God to even exist, so Like you, Pleroo, I cannot countenance any such notion that God requires us to prove we are worthy of love. It is ours for the taking and all we have to do is love to gain it. When our consciousness is in the state of mind we would characterize as love, we are in contact with the very source of all love, God. Some of us needed to go to extreme measures to achieve altered states to become aware of it (like me), but once you are aware of it, the love is the easy part. Some people can make loving them very difficult, however.
The God I encounter is pure love and acceptance . . and I didn't seek or want or expect God to even exist, so Like you, Pleroo, I cannot countenance any such notion that God requires us to prove we are worthy of love. It is ours for the taking and all we have to do is love to gain it. When our consciousness is in the state of mind we would characterize as love, we are in contact with the very source of all love, God. Some of us needed to go to extreme measures to achieve altered states to become aware of it (like me), but once you are aware of it, the love is the easy part. Some people can make loving them very difficult, however.
I encounter God after a few 7 and 7's. Perhaps it's the alcohol that causes it?
I encounter God after a few 7 and 7's. Perhaps it's the alcohol that causes it?
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