Hi there Spitfire,
Maybe God is both the ultimately impersonal and just an energy awareness which runs through all things, and also a personal, caring, Loving Father/Mother which wishes to see us remember where we came from before the dream?
Maybe the God of the Bible is a mix of these, plus being distorted through human belief systems, and occasionally being edited on purpose?
But maybe there is "truth" in there if someone looks hard enough for it?
Maybe it is more symbolic than most realize, and really kind of hidden knowledge? Not hidden on purpose so much as hidden just because we don't have eyes to see with?
Overall, i'm not a huge fan of the Bible, though i'm quite fond of (some might say obsessed with) Dr. J (lol not the guy from the 76ers).
I've always been more attracted to Eastern teachings in general, cause they seem to make more "sense" and tend to be more about impersonal Laws which govern all manifested phenomena.
But, and this a big Butt, if we are all parts of God, or "probes" as Bruce calls it, then as we become more like God through our Freewill choices, then couldn't be eventually become God personified, and so represent the personal Loving God aspect?
Now, if another like Dr. J ever comes along who can walk on water, revivify the dead, all that kind of stuff, would you be more open to their teachings?
Would you perhaps consider that they are more
Consciously in-touch with their God selves?
Just wait around, there maybe another one coming in your lifetime. But its possible that you might have to be open to it, to get the full benefit?
We all just want to be happy, and whatever gets us there with no dependance on a outside "thing", seems to be something to reach for, doesn't it?
Tell ya, i use to be one depressed dude, didn't much like life at all, and was very unhappy much of the time, and no matter how i tried to fill it up with "stuff" or with drugs or alcohol, it never fudamentally helped me be less unhappy.
I decided to try an experiment, i considered the words of a pyschic (gasp) who seemed to have been pretty well verified in many areas, and i decided to put into practice some of these principles, ideas, and ideals...
It wasn't easy by any means, changing my diet so much and exercising took a lot of discipline and non attachment to my appetites, and the "emotional" stuff was even harder at first... I eventually got to the point where i generally wouldn't try to "get back" at those who seemed to want to hurt me...
But more and more as i changed my attitudes and diet, took an active positive look at life, the more and more i started to become consistently happy.
And the great thing was, when really bad shite happened to me, that happiness was much more stable and consistent....
Who cares about psychism, the afterlife, f'ing retrievals, and all this bull crap?
Thats not what life is about, its about trying to be happy....but maybe, just maybe there is a cosmic Law which is a bit Newtonian, but also applicable to vary "tiny" and subtle energy levels as well, which says, what you put forth, is what you experience? Or Like attracts Like...
None of those above things will make a person happy, though believing in the afterlife does tend to open people up in various ways, and it helps to not fear death of course (which seems to be one of humans main problems)...but if you are not living the principle of Like attracts Like in mind, but want to be happy, then it seems like you might not get anywhere in that goal?
Hey, i fall off the PUL wagon often, but i have to tell you from personal experience, this stuff is one powerful life changing substance. And i basically wake up everyday looking forward to my day, even though materially i don't have very much at all, and can barely make ends meet.
Just try out the experiment yourself for awhile....really really try, get your body healthy, meditate consistently, and try to look past the negative traits of others more.
Come on, you got nothing to lose! I'm not asking for money here, and i'm not trying to convert you (well lol if to be completely honest..i guess i am
), but i just think that if it worked for me, it might work for you?
Peace