Above all else, "God" is a word. How we think about that word and the meanings we associate with it change from person to person. I wonder if it is long overdue that we reconsider what this word should mean.
In my opinion, the established religions are a load of malarkey. The contradictions are endless. The bigotry is ever present. Let's use the Catholic Church as an example. Jesus said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God," and yet they adorn their cathedrals with golden statuettes. The obvious question for them is, "Why don't you use that funding to feed the hungry or something of the like?" After all, didn't your God say blessed are the meek? This isn't limited to only Catholics, greed is present all throughout Christianity. So goes the saying, "I like your Christ, but not your Christians."
Judaism is considered, even by some of its followers, to be just a tradition. I can't say I agree with the inherit superiority complex, even though I have some Jewish heritage.
I am not going to go into all of the religions because, honestly, I don't know enough about them. Buddhism is more of a philosophy, and all I know about Hinduism are the names of some of the pantheon. Similar patterns are seen throughout all of them.
So what about God? If we can't trust what the spiritual leaders say, how can we find out about him? Does he even exist? (I am using the masculine pronouns because that's how the English language works. Christ, I am not going to write he/she all of the time. :P)
Here's where we need to consider what, "God," actually means. I think in its most simple form it means, "The Creator," or the thing which came before. Well, what came before the known universe? The best answer is the singularity. Before the Big Bang space, time, and energy were compacted into an infinitesimally small point, which in the laws of physics broke down. Is this our God? It is from where we were created.
Consider this, what if the universe were God? Meaning, the word, "universe," and the word, "God," mean the same thing. With this, God would have created himself, or the Universe would have created itself. This idea would resonate with atheists and religious peoples alike. The ordered laws the universe follows could be the sentience. I wouldn't go as far as to say God or the universe loves you, but it is an interesting way to think about things.
Existence, in its own right, is incredible. Incredible enough to be a God by itself.
Replies
"Judaism is considered, even by some of its followers, to be just a tradition. I can't say I agree with the inherit superiority complex, even though I have some Jewish heritage".
Sadly, the Jews often seem to believe in the antisemitic propaganda about themselves.
My experience is that others will only love and respect us when we love and respect ourselves.... then we don't need anyone else to love or respect us... as God or Spirit already does.
We cannot change others - we can only change ourselves.
Perhaps it is the path for the Jews to show us this now.
I'm sitting on a couch.
The word "God", is a term that is used to explain the massive reality we don't yet understand, but what if it was the other way around, what if God was created from chaos into "order".....
God would be beyond any human understanding, most likely, but perhaps also "simple" in a sense as well...
The most complex being and the most simple at the same time....
I always thought that we were like gods (coming into understanding more) in a sense, or that we are working towards being "god-like"....
I guess we'll find out someday, and I mean these things in the most humble way, even though I know it doesn't sound like that :)
It's definitely something to ponder upon.... I would think that from what my life has shown me, that we have MUCH to learn, I look forward to being a student of higher learning....
It's an honor to be a part of this existance!
I do see the beauty in these things, but if "God" were to speak, it wouldn't just be one book, God would always speak forever and ever, and it would never be contained in just one book....
I believe that it goes beyond anything we can currently fathom....
Someday we'll know for sure :)