Your God? My God? Our God? No God?

Want to ignite a lively and spirited conversation with another individual or a group of people?  Start talking about God.  Perhaps one of the most debated, most mysterious, and most widely misunderstood topics of all time revolves around who God is, what God is, where God is, and what God wants.  And many conversations, as well-intentioned and even like-minded as they may be, have a difficult time sustaining themselves in light of the differences that inevitably arise.

So I would like to open the conversation up to all of you and invite you to share your thoughts and ideas and perspectives surrounding God.  Your God.  My God.  Our God.  No God.  This is not an exercise in making anyone wrong or making anyone right, but rather an opportunity to share and explore what is true for you.  Why do you have those deeply held beliefs?  Where do they originate?  How have they changed throughout the course of your life?  Are your understandings open to adaptation or change?  Or are they firmly etched into the part of you which drives your thoughts and choices?  Do you hold a set of beliefs as true now which at an earlier time in your life you did not?  Why is that?  What caused you to change?

I often hear people talking about “my God” or “your God,” and it causes me to pause and want to know more about that.    I also on occasion hear others who say there is no God.  I want to know more about that, too.  How is it that there are so many diverse and deeply held beliefs about God?  If it has taken years and years for humanity to splinter off into so many unique ideologies, where does it go from here?   Further separation?   Reunification?

Could it be that the greatest opportunity for all of us to cohabitate more peacefully in our world might begin by just creating a space for larger understandings to grow into?  Might it be that our own innate desire to be heard might only truly occur when we allow ourselves to hear someone else?   Do you oftentimes feel like you are talking but nobody is listening?

If somebody was listening — intently listening — to your thoughts about God, what would you say?

I invite you to share them here.

(Lisa McCormack is a Feature Editor at The Global Conversation and lives in Orlando, Florida.  To connect with Lisa, please e-mail her at Lisa@TheGlobalConversation.com.)

Comments

15 responses to “Your God? My God? Our God? No God?”

  1. Christopher Toft Avatar
    Christopher Toft

    Hey! Who have you been watching??!:) Huge topic, you asked for it!
    I am no longer a user of the concept God. I grew up church of England with a small C, with a pinch of Catholicism from my grandmother and a splash of “is anybody there” style spiritualism from one of my aunts. I also got a large dose of secular humanism and a love of science from my dad. I was one seriously confused kid:) I never felt the concept of hell made sense & I felt that god was basically an all round good guy in an Easter Sunday biblical epic kind of way(Saw one again recently & I was a little surprised by how much it still moved me). I was always for some reason “a seeker”. I was the only one at school who was interested in religion & I actually came top of the class because my level of apathy was slightly lower than anyone else’s I guess. My friends joking referred to me as “vicar Chris”.
    My interest in religion and god remained into adulthood and my friend lent me a book on mental health. I found it a revelation, because it explained clearly to me why “being good” was never enough. Good and evil evolve as human beings grow wiser. A few months later i saw a newly published book in WH Smith’s called “Friendship with god”. It seemed to say “Read me, you know you want to”. Over the next few months my hungry soul devoured all the CWG books and I joined a study group in London. Over time I decided to return to education and I got the GCSE’s I didn’t get at school and an access to higher education certificate. In the early to mid 2000’s I did a degree in Psychology & Religious studies. My ideas changed drastically and I began to see god less as a person and more as a star wars like force. Since leaving University my ideas on god became less and less personal and then I read a book by Erich Fromm called “Fear of freedom”. It was then that the idea of god as a person with needs and desires really became utterly untenable. Spirituality for me is no longer about “being good”, or having a relationship with a super being, it is about developing awareness, compassion and overcoming my fears. My boyfriend has been a Buddhist for a long time now and spent a few years as a monk on retreat in Scotland. I have got clearer now about what my life is about and two weeks ago I finally took the plunge and became a Buddhist by taking part in the refuge ceremony. I have no issue with the idea of god as used by mystics, but for me the term is no longer accurate as a description of divinity

    1. Kristen Avatar
      Kristen

      Vicar Chris,
      My story in here is at your request in a different thread. You won’t like it, but you asked. Lisa will like it even less. Neale will die. I also have studied psychology (not a full degree) and have done my Masters in Psyche-ology from home under my invisible Teacher Michael – this is all the human behaviours and aspects of our lives that are bestowed on us from above deliberately as opposed to man made reactions and behaviours. My speciality/thesis was the different aspects of hoarders/collectors/preppers/strong self control/household OCD etc. I have all of these aspects in a mild form which I can clearly see but all combined together neutralise eachother and make me relatively normal. With lots of stuff. But stuff I want, limited with no clutter, organised into collections of things but not ‘anally’. A perfect example of psyche-ology (of the soul and from above) at work. Every aspect of us is a bubble with lots of mini bubbles inside.I chose to look at the little bubbles as these are what differentiate us from primates. The outcome is balance. Hopefully!!!!! Manmade psychology is what screws the balance up! Fun if you want to start analysing deeper than Uni teachings.

      So anyway…….
      Family history of French Jews emigrated to England, faced persecution for their religion so faked conversion to Catholism, along with some family killings. They then became active Protestants and loved the English reforms and England in latter years. Many immigrated to NZ as poor people, all then Anglican as this is the Official Church of England, and remained loyal to the Anglican church for years. My grandparents and parents were never religious, just sat in church bored on Sundays until probably 1980 when we were old enough to make our own choices. Went to Sunday School as a kid, more to play bulrush with the boys and wear pretty dresses (for a tomboy), but I was friends with the Ministers daughter for many years so probably knew more than Sunday School taught me (nothing). Fathers a staunch atheist purely as he’s spend his life travelling the pacific Islands and witnesses churches closing the doors to people during cyclones etc and keeping aid funds for themselves. No religion anywhere after Sunday school.

      As a psychic piscies in my 20’s I had a fascination with anything supernatural, could feel a well trusted Guide around, and as far as I was aware my Guide worked for the Biblical God. As I hadn’t read the Bible I didn’t know God forbids mediumship, and that the Guides were from the Afterlife. This was a case of mistaken identity as last they heard one of theirs was reincarnated into my body, but as I am an Israelite this is punishable by execution so it got removed and executed by Gods Angels when I drowned at 18mths old. I wondered why the Guides were so proud of me and so loving. Apparently it had been a bit of a shite and they hadn’t really had high expectations. But I was left with ‘it’s’ ex husband etc that they had arranged and worked out why my life really didn’t suit me but I had trusted guides knew what they were doing. Anyway, 5 years of drama and trauma and major abuse when I refused to trust them and become a Medium and healer as they had trained me to to. And do well. Insider knowledge comes in handy sometimes!!! As I could communicate with guides with words and hear and see them, they encouraged me to read the CwG books amongst others. I disputed the books, and asked who the real channeller was, with the reference of 2 Thessalonians 2 as a reply. Time to buy a bible to read it. Thanks guides – He of Lawlessness. I then asked WTF and they drew my eyes to another CwG book in a bookshop which I opened to the one line “I am a new God”. They were all told to fork off in no uncertain terms. They attacked bigtime including possession, all my cats run over, illness for a year for which I have suppressed memories, but I struck gold when I prayed and asked for the protection of ‘The True Biblical God and His Angels Only’. Just like that everything changed overnight. I heard to words “You are one of ours, finally returned home. You are very loved and wanted, and we are very sorry for what has happened to you but you had to break free yourself”. I stopped being a ‘seeer’ and since they had trained me up well, I was able to switch to hearing my new real Guides as telepathic thoughts rather than words. Huge relief. I sent my daughter to a Christian School so she would be fully protected and never subjected to Afterlife attacks or deception as I knew those in the Afterlife ‘wanted her’ and know how dangerous they can be. I spent at least an hour each night psychically and visually protecting my kids with prayer until I could eventually trust again, and trust I was safe.

      Decided to actually read the Bible. I asked God for a new path, but I would not be doing religion at all as I don’t agree with it and I’m a goat not a sheep, and my interests were in Law, medicine and people. Unbeknown to me I became a Kabbalist at this point, as it is completely automated as the journey to be a complete human, complete with lots of tasks, on the path to immortality. God had activated my interests via intuitive instincts and I naturally threw myself into studying Law, medicine, reading anything about anything, became a Truth Seeker, studied every religion and especially reincarnation, did all the tree of life tasks (crochet etc – every leaf on the tree is a task – it’s a macadamia by the way). During this period my teacher was Michael, but Kabbalic teachers only give one word prompts for you to study something for yourself. When I finally read about Kabbalah by accident when researching the Tree of Life I realised I was a Kabbalist and was at the very top under The Source and undertook my Masters in Universal Law which is the definition of over 500 different Laws deliberately bestowed on Earth from above that must involve people. If I was a guy these would be the Christ qualifications. My majors were psyche-ology, language aspects and differences. Thank God I’m a girl so I just get to be a Princess!!. As fighting evil are Kabbalic and Israelite requirements, and on the Tree of Life for everyone, I chose to testify against Neales God, and entity that channells as The Awareness, deceptive Guides and those who impersonate those in higher realms to ensure that when their innocent victims are either dead, unaware of the deception or brainwashed that they are at least bought to justice. Everyone on Earth are latest holograms of reincarnated souls, not the actual reincarnated soul, and are completely unaware that they are mere pawns and playthings a lot of the time. Neale is not at fault for anything, he is following the reincarnation path like everyone, although I have told him no-one has to honour them and only have to say they want their own path to attain freedom from these illegal bonds.

      Well Vicar Chris – told you that you wouldn’t like it. I’m a reverse CwGer. I had Neales God – but then I found God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Not proof reading this as I will really regret it.
      Later.

      1. Christopher Toft Avatar
        Christopher Toft

        Sounds like you’ve had a very interesting, challenging, frightening and complicated journey so far. I can relate to that!

        1. Kristen Avatar
          Kristen

          The past five years have been fun! Kabbalah is me, and my home. I hope Buddhism is for you. Home is not just where the heart is, home needs to be US, wherever we are, wherever we go and whatever we do – a bit like a snail taking home with them on their adventures and escapades (yes I’m sure they must have very exciting lives and parties when we are sleeping, hence needing a motorhome). It’s just finding it that a lot of people struggle with. And I like controversy and differences, something has to fill the rebellious streak in us all. Even if it is bombarding someone elses website!! Home will often fill us with joy, fulfil many needs in our lives and bring a tear to our eye.

          Yes, I know you can relate to my journey. That is why I did not comment about yours! I’m always wary of breaching privacy because anyone who has any training in psychology knows that what the person is not saying is as important as what they are. And will understand the importance of the precise words people choose. Online peoples language is a bit like reading clothes, facial expressions, body manifestations, medical conditions etc as you would when you can see the person. Like your statement of “took the plunge” – this tells me a million things! This is why I am so open in here, I think people have a right to be able to ‘read’ me if they choose since I am reading them! Your one little comment about relating to my journey tells me so much more than your original text. Although I am not commenting much, I am hearing you, and understanding.

          1. Christopher Toft Avatar
            Christopher Toft

            ” Like your statement of “took the plunge” – this tells me a million things! ”
            It’s a fair cop!:) Taking refuge is a huge step for me, happily it is one that feels right for me and that I am ready for.

          2. Kristen Avatar
            Kristen

            I’m not meant to still be in here!! Nothing good is easy, and taking the plunge is the perfect description of any destination toward home. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and jump right in the deep end.

            This will not sound believable I know, but I have a Buddhist worshippy home temple area in my house. There when I bought the house many years ago, downstairs had been completely done up but there were immigration problems with some members of an Asian family. They have spent a fortune on it, with wooden panelling in the entire room and much dearer windows than everywhere else but the temple area in one corner is solid marble with alters, a shelf and a triangular chimney like huge structure that is closed at the top, presumably for incense.

            Glad it was probably never used because unfortunately its the play station rockband area, which would be disrespectful if used for the purpose. Unused it’s an odd marble corner!

            Gotta go, I’ve done a deal not to stay in here!!!!

      2. Michael L Avatar
        Michael L

        Wow Kristen,
        Thank you for sharing your path.
        This 3d life has so many different perspectives for the same Now, we live in!!!

        1. Kristen Avatar
          Kristen

          Thanks Michael L. It’s all I know, so my normal.

          I mentioned to Mewabe months ago that I can feel you have an interesting story. Care to share? Please?

          1. Michael L Avatar
            Michael L

            Hi Kristen,
            I’m not ready to bare my “story’ just yet. At least not on this site.
            I do admire your zest to let it all hang out. A welcomed change in a world that is trained to just watch.
            I’m here because I desire to draw from my soul’s voice, the “me” that can love all these folks with all their different points of veiw.
            And after years of resiting what shows up around here…I’m loving it all instead.
            My story is an evolution as a callus narcissus to loving Being without the Gift of dreams or beyond the Vail voices.
            Thank you for holding the space for folks to express,Who They Are.

          2. Kristen Avatar
            Kristen

            Thank you for sharing your story Michael. Haha. Never trust females!!!!!!

            I am well aware that it is easier for me, I have no baggage, regrets, former addictions or very personal aspects of my life. When you are OK with people seeing your clean washing on the line, the dirty washing is no longer an issue, merely a transitionary phase. Marko explains this above with his sore knee.

            I was raised with humour on my fathers side, generally through teasing or laughter at our own expense. My dad would be an amazing stand up comedian, his genere would probably be language and words. My hoarder grandad would pretend not to know us or be expecting us when we arrived and set up a broken bed in his garage which was floor to ceiling with ‘man cave crap’. We would respond by just telling him to have a nice sleep in the garage and we would be in his bed inside and lock him in!.I think serious childhoods, religion and spirituality ruin this natural part of kids, and prevent their quick thinking responsive parts of their brains from developing. America is bad for this, including lovey dovey almost worshipping kids upbringings – toughen ’em up kindly! Cracking into humour, and the ability to laugh at ourselves is the breakthrough I personally think works best with narcissism, but like all major breakthroughs, it is really hard. For this reason I am going to tease you – you had me getting my dictionary out this morning, I love language and words, but have learned never to assume what people mean, especially with written language. I am really glad for you that you are evolving from an area of hard thickened skin on a yellow, orange or white flower related to a daffodil inducing numbness with it’s narcotic properties. Huge progress, that is not a place many would want to ever be in. hahaha. This is how I was raised, and why i cannot take anything seriously, there are deliberately so many little things in life to make us laugh, this is a Law from The Source. It produces the strongest form of positive energy communally shared which is joy. Thank you for joy. Everyone has negative traits under the Law of Equality, imagine a world of perfection – that would suck and there would be no joy or laughter. Look at how most wealthy and famous people are too useless to even dress themselves, organise their own finances, so their own make up etc.

            Narcissists are actually fun, from the perspective of strong people that they cannot hurt. You have made huge advances in actually learning to like others views and differences. I especially love the special mirrors they have – no matter what anyone else sees, narcissists will see an image of great beauty, hotness, genius and perfection which is expressed in their lives. The fun part is, you can actually say to a hardened cruel narcissist “you are really fat, ugly and nobody likes you” and they will think you have some delusional problem. Congrats on getting past this. In working with one once, he said “the problem isn’t me, I love my life, love the things in it and love the world, and I may even love some people cos I love what they give me – the big problem is that there are other people in my world whom unfortunately I need stuff from to fulfil some of my wants and needs, and they just will not accept that their purpose in life is to serve me and take all the crap I want to fire at them. What the hell is wrong with all these people?” – this was his breakthrough moment of learning to laugh at his own expense and realise what a douchebag he had been.

            Take care.

  2. Kristen Avatar
    Kristen

    Um – where are the rest of peoples stories??. We all know no spiritual journey is easy, that is the whole point. Learn the hard fast way, and you are half way there. This is what differentiates a spiritual journey from a normal mundane life, and a spiritual journey is the only way to pass through all the different aspects of being human as shown in the colours of a rainbow, until we reach our own personal pot of gold. This is real and the ultimate goal, and our own personal idea of perfection and happy ever after, whatever that may be. Come on people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Share, it’s not that hard. Observers who don’t comment???

    Lisa, yes I know I am one of those who use the terms my God, your God, Neales God etc to differentiate between the different ones but I am unsure if people are shy, do not realise everyones stories are interesting, want to stay hidden behind a wall of words and not reveal themselves as human or real people (which is hard online with strangers), but I for one would love to read peoples stories especially the regulars in here. I know of three in here with psychology training and two others who have advised they are very interested in people, rather than just the facts they know.

    I know people are not permitted to post under different names or identities but perhaps allowing this may bring out some more people, or a bit of a recruitment drive and push in the main headlines thread????

  3. Marko Avatar

    Here’s my stab at it: Defining God, my current understanding.

    God is the system of life & it’s operating procedures, the creative energy behind all physical life. The energy is always there, though it can & does change form.

    God is the ocean, we are the waves. However, we are paradoxically both wave & ocean simultaneously. Both distinct, individual & the same.

    We have chosen to be the wave in order to see, feel, experience our magnificence as the ocean.

    When you look out at the stars & Universe we see both ourselves & God.

    We are the size we are so we can experience the magnificence of the Universe which is both God & us together yet distinct individuated like fingers on our body but not separate from it.

    We are distinct from the Life Energy in physicalized form but never ever separated from it any more than fingers on our body are always distinct but connected to the body. We are connected to the body of life known as the Universe or God Energy in physicalized form.

    Animals & nature are more specialized energy forms, also distinct, but not separated from the Life Energy Source.

    God as the system energy behind physicality has no preset values, judgments on anything, but through free will allows us to make, create and have our own values based on our current evolutionary perspective.

    God has no wants, or needs per sae. God’s self esteem & self worth are not validated or invalidated by what any of us say.

    How we live is how we define God or more accurately, life.

    Ultimately the God or Life Energy, like electricity, is a neutral energy. We can use it for good or less good as we define those terms.

    As we evolve, we use it more for good, for love & give up & outgrow our addiction to negative drama & condemnation. In its place we have great good drama & love as our dominant state of beingness. We can keep as much negative as we desire, but eventually we will out grow it in place of something more marvelous, interesting & fulfilling.

    That’s the ultimate freedom to experience it all.

    As we evolve, we realize we can (if we choose) to let go of most of the bad & experience mostly good. Later we can decide we only want to experience only good & the bad is now only in history books, lesser evolved societies or simply a memory we hold but no longer experience.

    I bruised my knee last summer but it’s now only a memory, no longer an experience I have.

    For us, the best use of the Life Energy we call God is Love, as that expresses our highest version of ourselves & God or life. Love is infinite so it’s not limited. Neither are we.

  4. Christopher Toft Avatar
    Christopher Toft

    Lisa I am curious as to how your own spiritual journey unfolded and how your ideas of divinity have developed over time? Thanks!

  5. Gina Avatar
    Gina

    I have no conceptualization of God. If there is any spirited conversation, it is to pull someone out of their extremely constricted untruths about God. It is not the best use of my time, so I’m trying to do it as little as possible, but in a way that returns the most on time and energy vested. For example I target those on the fringe, not at the core, as far as their religious certainty is concerned. Those who have some influence (a lot of contacts etc.) who are not hard core. Other than part time reverse converting, I don’t feel the need to have ideas about God. Those thoughts usually don’t register. What is usually in my awareness; the weather, what’s for lunch, sense feelings and what I’m feeling about them, and music in my head.

  6. Terri Lynn Avatar
    Terri Lynn

    Great conversation, Lisa. I enjoyed reading all the posts and particularly like Marko’s intricate expression. For me, God is all there is. I see the human race as separate cells of the One and that God is present in each and every cell. If all of us could just let go and allow the power within us to drive I believe we’d all be happier and be living in peace.

    If someone were listening to my thoughts about God they would most likely hear a conversation with many words of gratitude. I am so grateful to be alive. Grateful for the life I have. Grateful for the ability to serve. And most grateful that I have taken the time in my life to have a relationship with God. For me, there is no question whether God exists. The question for me is: How do I get closer to this power within?

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