What would Gods do if everyone stopped worshipping them?

[Anna B]

Can you explain what you mean by a 'spiritual dimension' to their lives?

 

And can you explain why so many with a spiritual dimension in their lives, go around rioting & murdering when they feel insulted.

 

I think it's different for each individual. For me it's time for quiet reflection and thinking about some fairly deep things, trying to find some answers. Acknowledging the vast mysteries of the Universe. Being grateful for what I have. Peace. Meditation and living in the moment.

 

It's quite difficult to explain, but it's so far removed from everyday life it's almost like a holiday. Then you return to earth and carry on with your everyday life... But it changes your perspective.

 

I really can't explain how anyone who claims to be a follower of any religion can go around murdering etc. But a lot of religions try to stop real thinking and questioning by blocking it with dogma and ritual which precludes active engagement with the original spirit of its faith. Brainwashing in other words. Then it becomes a question of maintaining its strength by eliminating other threats to its power.

[fake]

Religion gives God a bad name.

 

But I do believe people need a spiritual dimension to their lives, and the fact that they haven't is one of the great ills of our time.

 

With respect that is just your opinion. People can cope quite easily without all that unnecessary mumbo jumbo and it tends to be those who do have some sort of belief who think its a good thing for all. Its that latter bit that causes problems.

[Ryedo40]

I think it's different for each individual. For me it's time for quiet reflection and thinking about some fairly deep things, trying to find some answers. Acknowledging the vast mysteries of the Universe. Being grateful for what I have. Peace. Meditation and living in the moment.

 

I often think deeply about things & I acknowledge that there are a great many things we don't understand or have knowledge of. I'm also grateful that my life isn't as ****ty as the lives that some people have. I enjoy peace and I can't help but live in the moment.

 

Yet, despite all of the above, I don't consider myself spiritual. Maybe it's because I view the term 'spiritual' as a nonsense word; one that stems from mysticism and claims of spirits, gods, & souls, etc.

 

So it's a term I wouldn't really use or apply to myself.

 

I really can't explain how anyone who claims to be a follower of any religion can go around murdering etc.

 

I think I could... but it would probably take a very long post.

 

 

But a lot of religions try to stop real thinking and questioning by blocking it with dogma and ritual which precludes active engagement with the original spirit of its faith.

 

I would agree that a lot of religions discourage questioning with ritual and dogma, but I don't agree with the rest of your statement. After all, it is the founders of these religions who use dogma and ritual to define the nature of these faiths. So ritual and dogma can't prevent active engagement with the faiths original nature.

 

 

Brainwashing in other words. Then it becomes a question of maintaining its strength by eliminating other threats to its power.

 

Yes, brainwashing someone into someone else’s spiritual BS can be problem – especially when they go around eliminating potential threats with further spiritual brainwashing and violence.

 

But anyway, I'm still at a loss as to why you think someone without a 'spiritual' dimension is the greater ill?

[Anna B]

I often think deeply about things & I acknowledge that there are a great many things we don't understand or have knowledge of. I'm also grateful that my life isn't as ****ty as the lives that some people have. I enjoy peace and I can't help but live in the moment.

 

Yet, despite all of the above, I don't consider myself spiritual. Maybe it's because I view the term 'spiritual' as a nonsense word; one that stems from mysticism and claims of spirits, gods, & souls, etc.

 

So it's a term I wouldn't really use or apply to myself.

 

 

 

I think I could... but it would probably take a very long post.

 

 

 

 

I would agree that a lot of religions discourage questioning with ritual and dogma, but I don't agree with the rest of your statement. After all, it is the founders of these religions who use dogma and ritual to define the nature of these faiths. So ritual and dogma can't prevent active engagement with the faiths original nature.

 

 

 

 

Yes, brainwashing someone into someone else’s spiritual BS can be problem – especially when they go around eliminating potential threats with further spiritual brainwashing and violence.

 

But anyway, I'm still at a loss as to why you think someone without a 'spiritual' dimension is the greater ill?

 

I think we need a sense of something greater than ourselves to give us a sense of perspective. I don't think it matters what you call it, but I think we're better off for it.

 

I think a lot of the 'ills of our time' result from people with no conscience or sense of right and wrong. The Church used to din this into people, but has rightly lost the moral high ground through hypocrasy. So a lot of people seem to have gone in for a free for all. Would bankers for example have behaved the way they have if they thought fire and damnation were the end result? (I don't believe this personally, never have.) But this is a very emotive issue and only a personal opinion. I've no evidence to back it up.

 

It's an interesting point as to who lays down the rules of a religion. Would Jesus, or Budha, or Mohammed even recognise their own religions? Do the Churches that have been created by followers really represent their original intentions? When Jesus preached about turning the other cheek and loving thy neighbour what would he have thought of the situation in the Middle East, or the Crusades for that matter? When did he ask for huge expensive temples to be built in his name? (Though I personally think they're beautiful) Or insist on all the robes and rituals? 'Religion' is a man made power trip for men, and much of it bares no resemblance to its origins. But that's just my opinion.

[fake]

I think we need a sense of something greater than ourselves to give us a sense of perspective. I don't think it matters what you call it.

 

But what is greater that ourselves?

[Waldo]

I really can't explain how anyone who claims to be a follower of any religion can go around murdering etc. But a lot of religions try to stop real thinking and questioning by blocking it with dogma and ritual which precludes active engagement with the original spirit of its faith. Brainwashing in other words. Then it becomes a question of maintaining its strength by eliminating other threats to its power.

 

It's because people look at religion, through very literal eyes. They don't understand it as metaphor; or you could say, they have an inability to distinguish between the paradigm, and, the reality it attempts to describe.

 

The spiritual experience (which is in essence, your own experience of your own being), has nothing to do with any religious concepts or framework.

 

The very notion of 'god', if you examine what it is, very closely, you will find it is mental construct; it's a pointer, it resides within the context of the human mind. Which in turn, our own mind, body, everything about us, are a manifestation of the natural processes of an ever evolving and changing universe.

 

You are 'god'.

[Ryedo40]

I think we need a sense of something greater than ourselves to give us a sense of perspective. I don't think it matters what you call it.

 

I think a lot of the 'ills of our time' result from people with no conscience or sense of right and wrong

 

But a great many of those running around rioting and murdering do so precisely because they hold beliefs in something greater than themselves. Likewise, they - who I suspect hold similar views to you - also believe their actions are right - and that they are punishing those who do them, and their god, wrong. So their conscience is pretty much clear.

 

So I'm sorry, I just don't agree with you. Besides that, the evidence, both historical and contemporary, doesn't seem to support your faith based views.