god

[artificialflavors]

is there 1 god, or a variety of demigods

[Sovereign]

Hi Artificialflavors
 
Here is something to ponder about how Shakyamuni Siddhrtha Gautama known by his followers as the highly exalted Buddha of his time who was just a man who became enlightened but had no religion yet people to this very day worship this individual as a god since he is not a god gave his answer on the question of god. He willing gave his life to teach others how to achieve enlightenment by following the middle path. He started the order of Buddhist Monks and Nuns which is where the Catholic church got the ideal from including the Catholic Nuns utilizing the mantra counting beads for counting the mantras which to this day is known as their holy rosary and counting the beads of the rosary when saying hail Mary full of grace over and over a mantra. The Mantras is a tool used to help the Buddhist monks and nuns focusing on a word to keep them from falling a sleep. Counting the beads while chanting the mantra was a measure of the discipline of the monks or nuns mind by focusing on the mantra and of not falling a sleep in order to reach a deep meditation by listening to the eternal spirit within. Controlling of ones thoughts is essential to meditation since a wandering mind leads to one becoming drowsy and easily falling a sleep. After he died his followers got a hold of his most secretive esoteric writings that only the Buddha truly understood himself but his followers misinterpreted his teachings and as result formed two schools of thought or a religion which he would of been against. He knew he was powerless to help most of these people because they just did not get it and knew they would have to learn how to find the truth out with in themselves without no one helping them since he had no help from others when he was deeply pondering questions that no one had answers to but in his persistent quest he found enlightenment within himself that he had no words to explain to others what it is and is not. Since it is ineffable.


The Buddha Explaining Existence of God.

Buddha entered a village. A man asked him as he was entering the village, "Does God exist?" He said, "No, absolutely no."

In the afternoon another man came and he asked, "Does God exist?" And he said, "Yes, absolutely yes."

In the evening a third man came and he asked, "Does God exist?" Buddha closed his eyes and remained utterly silent. The man also closed his eyes. Something transpired in that silence. After a few minutes the man touched Buddha's feet, bowed down, paid his respects and said, "You are the first man who has answered my question."

Now, Buddha's attendant, Ananda, was very much puzzled: "In the morning he said no, in the afternoon he said yes, in the evening he did not answer at all. What is the matter? What is really the truth?"

So when Buddha was going to sleep, Ananda said, "First you answer me; otherwise I will not be able to sleep. You have to be a little more compassionate towards me too. I have been with you the whole day. Those three people don't know about the other answers, but I have heard all the three answers. What about me? I am troubled."

Buddha said, "I was not talking to you at all! You had not asked, I had not answered YOU. The first man who came was a theist, the second man who came was an atheist, the third man who came was an agnostic. My answer had nothing to do with God, my answer had something to do with the questioner. I was answering the questioner; it was absolutely unconcerned with God.

"The person who believes in God, I will say no to him because I want him to drop his idea of God, I want him to be free of his idea of God -- which is borrowed. He has not experienced. If he had experienced he would not have asked me; there would have been no need.

"The person who believed in God, he was trying to find confirmation for his belief from me. I was not going to say yes to him -- I am not going to confirm anybody's belief. I had to say no, I had to deny, just to destroy his belief, because all beliefs are barriers to knowing the truth. Theist or atheist, all beliefs, Hindu or Christian or Mohammedan, all beliefs are barriers.

"And the person with whom I remained silent was the right inquirer. He had no belief, hence there was no question of destroying anything. I kept silent. That was my message to him: Be silent and know. Don't ask, there is no need to ask. It is not a question which can be answered. It is not an inquiry but a quest, a thirst. Be silent and know.

I had answered him also; through my silence I gave him the message and he immediately followed it -- he also became silent. I closed my eyes, he closed his eyes; I looked in, he looked in, and then something transpired. That's why he was so much overwhelmed, he felt so much gratitude, for the simple reason that I did not give him any intellectual answer. He had not come for any intellectual answer; intellectual answers are available very cheap. He needed something existential -- he needed a taste. I gave him a taste."

[Diogenes]

nice story and a good answer,but there is one mistake in it, Christianity and Islam didnt exist at the time Siddharta Gautama :)

And also the nun story is not exactly correct since there have always since the start of organized religions been similar groups of worshippers, in many religions thru the world. Every thing else is spot on

[Sovereign]

nice story and a good answer,but there is one mistake in it, Christianity and Islam didnt exist at the time Siddharta Gautama :)

And also the nun story is not exactly correct since there have always since the start of organized religions been similar groups of worshippers, in many religions thru the world. Every thing else is spot on

That is true Diogenes about the paradoxical reference of Siddharta Guatama supposed references to christianity and islam since they did not exist in his time. Since from my understanding he was born around between 500 to 600 BCE. I used a cut and paste from a website that said it was from the OSHO book collection.

http://www.oshobooks.com.au/oshobooks_002.htm

This modern day mystic seems to be student of many religions and has his own ideals about enlightenment. He has a following and may imply a cult like group just be wary about retaining your own individuality and use discernment.

 The reference to nun is my speculation of the apparent similarities of when the Catholic nuns chant the "Hail marry mother of god the lord is with thee blessed is the fruit of thy womb blah blah blah". They repeat this many times while counting the rosary beads. The buddhist monks and nuns also chant their mantra and count on their prayer beads as well for each mantra recited. As I explained the mantras are used as objects of concentrations to help keep the mind focused and from not wandering which results in the body shutting down and going to sleep. This is a primary area of work in which one has to have mastery over their mind in order to control ones thoughts before one can venture into deeper meditation and go deeper into mystical type of works on oneself. Since their are many types of distractions in life that seek to thwart even the most determined and persistent who seek to discipline their mind as well as their physical body which is also an integral part of the process of connecting to the divine spirit within oneself.

[Sifter]

god

anything worthy of worship which means "worth ship", usually an Idea of something above and beyond your grasp and measure of self.

That's my own definition... and it just came out just now.

I no longer know how to answer the question if someone asks me "do you believe in god" because I've contorted my mind's capacity toward an understanding of the word, so much that I can no longer connect or return to address such a basic question.

Mindful though that the thread title states "god" and the first post asks is there ONE god or a variety of demigods? which is telling on yourself because demi gods mean god like or one who is part god and part human... meaning that you are differentiating and believe in one god.

You did not ask if there is one god or many gods but one god and a variety of imposters"... lol.. that's what I get you wrote... but I've been wrong in my interpretations before so pardon me if I am again.

Thus far, no one has answered your question.
There is no way for me or anyone to verify that anything exists outside my point of observation, so I will chance to say that God is Me... not "I am God" . There is a difference.
God is living me.

hey, you asked lol.... chuckles.

[xanthas]

AF, I don't know whether you actually read your other posts' replies (...), but 'God' is an intellectual concept...

The idea of 'God' is beyond the mind. In order to 'know' what this is ('God'), you have to get out of your head - outside the realm of consciousness....towards eternity, infinity and end-less-ness...

The concept of "a 'God'" is way out of date. But people like to put labels on things aas well as in boxes, in easy, digestible, little and simple conceptualisations that make them incline towards an "either/or", but not both, much less beyond duality.

The indigenous tribes (the 'primitives') know more about this than all the scholars, gnostics and theologists put together which is why they have been consistently erased, killed, eliminated and extinguished continuing to this day. They are the true holders of spiritual knowledge beyond the indoctrination and 'teachings' of the left-brained cultures.

If 'it' can be explained, it is a mental construct. As such, the 'concept' of "God" surpasses the human vocabulary. Language or words will never give you the whole Truth, it can only ever scratch at the surface of how big this is.

The moment you 'describe' something, you limit and restrict it towards your definition (understanding) which never is complete. It cannot be because it is a direct reflection of your awareness and level of spiritual evolution. Make of it what you will, but 'God' is but an "idea" that gives the less evolved something to 'look up to' and 'adhere life by' but it doesn't necessarily contain 'Truth'.

Beyond that there is something much bigger, so vast that you would never be able to 'explain' "It" - intellectually analyse and "present" it, much less 'grasp' it via the mind. 'God' is a human made concept. Once you're outside of the human-made 'frame of reference', that's when you're beginning to "see" but you can't explain. You know but you can't convey the knowing.

[warbler]

The indigenous tribes (the 'primitives') know more about this than all the scholars, gnostics and theologists put together which is why they have been consistently erased, killed, eliminated and extinguished continuing to this day. They are the true holders of spiritual knowledge beyond the indoctrination and 'teachings' of the left-brained cultures.

xanthas, good morning and I want to know what indigenous tribes you are referring to, any in particular?

My teacher (an Alternative Medicine Doctor) studied with a Mexican-Indian Shaman, also shaman from South America. She taught me energy work using some of their techniques, plus combinations of other energy work modalities. This led to meeting Native American friends who include me in their ceremonies now and yes, I find that indigenous people have spiritual beliefs, experiences, practices that resonate deeply with me whereas nothing in the church I attended ever 'spoke' to me. 

[One exception to that last comment: when my Dad let me sit in the choir loft on the days the men's choir sang gregorian chant. I was very little then, but that singing always transported me somewhere quite lovely. Those days I loved being in church.]

[xanthas]

Well hello warbler!:)

when my Dad let me sit in the choir loft on the days the men's choir sang gregorian chant. I was very little then, but that singing always transported me somewhere quite lovely.

Gregorian chant is one of the purest expressions of spiritual communication - the universe vibrates with frequencies, colours and sound (colours, too carry their own vibration, frequency as well as 'speed of light').

There is a saying: "Music is the language of the angels".

(For clarification's sake - I do not necessarily adhere to the 'idea' of angels - that is a very Western concept ;).) But, classical music and also classical vocals carry the divine 'spark' within them, that essence that cannot be captured but is immediately felt...transmitting the energetic response like the ethereal sound of a harp. It can literally 'take you' to different spheres, closer to that which is Divine in its purest form.

Sound is one of the most overlooked tools in spiritual work... Whether it is working with the voice - breathing, tonality, ex-pression (leaving an energetic im-pression on our etheric and energetic fabric) of sound via the human cords or whether it is working with music to heal or destroy (...). Sound triggers processes buried deep within the sub- as well as the unconscious. Drums earth you but also transport you into a 'in between' world.

meeting Native American friends who include me in their ceremonies now and yes, I find that indigenous people have spiritual beliefs, experiences, practices that resonate deeply with me whereas nothing in the church I attended ever 'spoke' to me.

Church doctrine was 'installed' to keep the "masses" from knowing the Truth, thus, naturally, and as a consequence, the words of a priest might've sounded very hollow to you indeed, devoid of substance and genuine depth (sometimes, listening to blabber of priests rambling on forever, they remind me of mind-controlled robots) - which is probably why, quite a few people fall asleep during mass. icon_sleep

The difference between the tribal, indigenous traditions and practices is, that these peoples have never forgotten that they form but a part of a much larger hole of the entirety of existence, and, of the universe, the star systems and galaxies, the flowing in and out of the cyclical nature of energy (going round in circles...) whereas the doctrines of most religious teachings always somewhere put the hu-man in the 'centre of the action' so-to-speak...thus 'inviting' ego and all that which comes with it, the trappings, 'maya', the darkness, the exaggeration, the need for (fill in blank as appropriate...) ;).

Even Hindu religion or Buddhist teachings don't get you 'out' of your mind - meditation can make you alleviate a tremendous amount of negative energy but it will not cure or help you heal from traumas, sexual child abuse, torture, gang-raping, female circumscision or such like. Buddhism can make you 'forget' your body by negating it 'feeding it properly' (poverty is seen as a means to get "faster" to your spiritual 'enlightenment' by not 'feeding' the body and giving in to "glutony").

The indigenous tribes across the globe have different ways of living their traditions but the deep, cosmological knowledge has always been transmitted orally, whether it is the Aborigines in Australia (their dreamtime), the Hopi of Nevada, the Kogi in Colombia, African shamans, or the Inuit of Alaska, or Siberia. Wherever hu-man has not forgotten the connection to something beyond himself, these traditions have survived - they are specific to that region intrinsically connected to their spiritual heritage and tribal ancestry.

Nature is the biggest teacher there is - even if its 'language' cannot be grasped via the classic 'mind' concepts... Animals 'speak', they are still very much more in tune with the electromagnetic frequencies of earth, and their true inner instinctual Selves. They can help heal, too, absorbing negative energy and neutralising it when working with a patient.

It is the connection with nature that gives the indigenous, the natural healers and homeopaths their knowledge, nature - the plants 'teach' them - their (ever decreasing) environment 'shows' them what plants heal and how to use them and when practicing, shows them, too, how to 'see' energy, where the "malaise" is located and what the source of this malaise is. The physical manifestation of an illness is the final stage of a soul's 'not being well'...not feeling heard or understood...even if it has been caused by someone else's black magic. It is the imbalance that causes the malaise.

All indigenous tribes have their knowledge, and for the West, that has lost its 'shamans' (its natural herbal men and women due to the inquisition), that trauma has never been completely alleviated, healed and much less, 'cured'. Thus, 'white man' is returning to the Origins of something beyond the mere 'causal', physical or 'mental' (i.e., left-brained).

The return to Source is shown to them via traditions that have survived the eons and millenia but have never been written down.

[warbler]

[user=1307]xanthas[/user] wrote:

"Gregorian chant is one of the purest expressions of spiritual communication - the universe vibrates with frequencies, colours and sound (colours, too carry their own vibration, frequency as well as 'speed of light').

"Music is the language of the angels" ... can literally 'take you' to different spheres, closer to that which is Divine in its purest form ...Sound is one of the most overlooked tools in spiritual work..."

Where did the quote box go? Oh well ... Your reply just made me smile. Funniest thing: I began career/work in music, ended in wildlife/outdoor education. Haha. This is so cracking me up. And, yes, I use sound/music in healing work. : )

Xanthas wrote:
"Even Hindu religion or Buddhist teachings don't get you 'out' of your mind - meditation can make you alleviate a tremendous amount of negative energy but it will not cure or help you heal from traumas..."

Now this is me talking ... and it's in a box. Hmmm ...  anyway, Yes ... I've noticed that but yoga meditation has helped heal traumas, although since I combined it with Native Ceremony and practices ... hmmm.

[warbler]

Nature is the biggest teacher there is - even if its 'language' cannot be grasped via the classic 'mind' concepts... Animals 'speak', they are still very much more in tune with the electromagnetic frequencies of earth, and their true inner instinctual Selves. They can help heal, too, absorbing negative energy and neutralising it when working with a patient.

It is the connection with nature that gives the indigenous, the natural healers and homeopaths their knowledge, nature - the plants 'teach' them - their (ever decreasing) environment 'shows' them what plants heal and how to use them and when practicing, shows them, too, how to 'see' energy, where the "malaise" is located and what the source of this malaise is. The physical manifestation of an illness is the final stage of a soul's 'not being well'...not feeling heard or understood...even if it has been caused by someone else's black magic. It is the imbalance that causes the malaise.The return to Source is shown to them via traditions that have survived the eons and millenia but have never been written down.

Well, my Native friends would just be smiling at you. Very much. They are at the big summer 'event' and I am not so went to the woods yesterday to connect. Arrived and two hawks greeted me in the parking lot. Then a doe, followed by a buck and then a fawn came out on the path. Now, erm, bucks don't hang out with does in the summer, or with fawns either. Then ... a beautiful turtle was in the path, wearing the brilliant orange colors of mating season. And ... you are right. There were NO words spoken, but there were messages nonetheless.

Thanks for my smiles this morning. Somewhere I read that walking in the out of doors and not knowing what is there, not having any understanding of it ... would be like walking through an art gallery where all the paintings were hung backwards.

For some reason I am five years old right now and I'm going to go dance in my yoga/energy work room ... have a great day!