As far as being an atheist, I doubt I'd adopt the philosophy with any certainty; maybe one day, but I doubt it. But one thing I have been pretty set on over the last few fews years is being an Adeist (lacking belief in a diety).


The way I see it, whether you be Christian, Buddhist, or just a God-goin' type of fella: if you believe in an omni-present God, it just doesn't seem logical for it to have any type of singular consciousness, central mind, a separate and distinct being in and of itself.


You see in Buddhist philosophy (and I'm just using this particular system as the perspective I'm most familiar with), to attain enlightenment is known as the "extinction of self". That doesn't mean you cease to exist, but you're ego does. The ego is what gives that distinct feeling of "you"; that you are a somehow in a separate and independant state of existence from the rest of the universe.
Living in a body that provides considerably supperior and more intimate sensory input to the brain, the undeveloped mind convinces itself that it's existence extends only from your mind to the limits of your physical form. Even upon developing the intellectual understanding that others exist outside of yourself, with their own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, you're mind ultimately believes that your existence is the truly real existence. So long as an individual puts their own hapiness, pleasures, and needs in general before that of others, actually placing their importance at a higher level for the self, I believe this delusion persists. Such action and belief is the product of a being still trapped in the delusion that their own reality is in fact the most real of all.

When Buddha attained enlightenment, he brought this delusion to it's final extinction. With the ego dead, he could see the equal importance of relieving the sufferings of all other beings as much as relieving his own. And hence with one individual's needs as real and important as his own, the few-hundred million (at the time of Sidhartha) people on the planet's needs, were a few-hundred million times more important as well. And thus, such self-sacrificing behavior, prophets and great folk like Jesus, also display such an understanding; that their own sacrifice is an incredibly small price to pay for the greater good of humanity, even under such horrid circumstances as crucifixion.



Now getting back to God: many of you believe that God is omni-present, right? Well an omni-present being would touch and be aware of all areas of existence, at all points in time. But if God does in fact permeate all areas of existence, his consciousness must entend likewise. With a consciousness aware of everything in perfect clarity, why would it be aware of it's own existence to some greater extent? Omniscience, in itself, is the very height of ego extinction. It completely destroys the walls that separate you from the rest of existence, just as the omni-present God is viewed.

So really, I can't believe that when it comes to God, "he" exists. Not in gender, entity, or any sort of independant force. To me God is a force that permeates every corner of the universe, and the only conscious God is the one that is created in our minds when we tap into this force. When looking at the rock, God is in the rock. When looking at the tree, God is in the tree. And when looking in our minds, God becomes a conscious being with thoughts and emotions, because the God that we worship is you; and the you that you believe in, is just a drop in the ocean that is God.


All thoughts and perspectives welcome. :jointsmile:



- The author would like to thank the Cannabis Sativa plant for material provided.
Gandalf_The_Grey Reviewed by Gandalf_The_Grey on . The thing about God: He doesn't exist (you do) As far as being an atheist, I doubt I'd adopt the philosophy with any certainty; maybe one day, but I doubt it. But one thing I have been pretty set on over the last few fews years is being an Adeist (lacking belief in a diety). The way I see it, whether you be Christian, Buddhist, or just a God-goin' type of fella: if you believe in an omni-present God, it just doesn't seem logical for it to have any type of singular consciousness, central mind, a separate and distinct being in and of Rating: 5