Berserk2 wrote on Mar 7^th, 2012 at 6:21pm:

Read the Bible again, the communications between the prohets and Yahweh and/or the Elohim are not "visions in regal symbolism", but immediate physical experiences. The prophets talked face-to-face to Yahweh and the Elohim, they described their encounters in much detail, that is not meant symbolically.
There might have also been some cases of visionary experiences of some prophets, but the concrete physical experiences are in the majority.
It is not scholarly to explain away the things that do not fit in the desired frame by "visions in regal symbolism".
But even if accepting the interpretation of being symbolic whereever God seemed rather nasty in the Bible, then how do you translate God's words and actions in the OT into PUL? Wouldn't PUL use symbolisms of love? Symbols of hatred and fear can't confer meanings of love. 
Please explain how fear can be conducive to love. What is the meaning of being fearful of God? Why shall we fear God? Is fear not antagonistic to love? Could a God that is Pure Unconditional Love want to induce fear?

We are  all  Gods only we dont know it G

I recall going through this phase too a long time ago, as I was raised a Christian by parents who were ministers. I came from the background of the baptist, holiness church with people speaking in tongues, seeing visions, shouting and praising God overtly, and many things based on a specific culture that a lot believe is "phoney baloney"....

But like Juditha said, I had some EXTREME down and outs and when I seeked God or some type of "help" from a spiritual perspective, what I experienced was how I knew there was and is a God. That experience is VERY personal, and that is what I believe to be the biggest key to belief. It's not up to me to convince people of the authenticity of my experience, but I do know that I am not "crazy" and it's not something I have ever found a "scientific" or common answer for.

I also think it's silly to attack religion, because religion is no different than what Oliver believes. His view of God is that he is all things and is true love and peace and wholeness and the Creator of all things. Well, popular religion does not say He is NOT that exactly, while going through the trouble of putting him into a specific format. And that to me is all that it is. God in a specific "format". That format does not take away from key factors of seeking and loving God which is morality, love, brotherhood, peace, etc. People spend too much time knocking the "format" as if the principles are really affected, when they are NOT!

I have a profound respect for what Muslims believe, because from a principle point of view, they are not different than me. I made a personal connection to God and strengthened my spiritual self and since then, my life as been flowing in an uncanny direction of peace and prosperity. I too, like Juditha went through a horrific divorce and a family death that made me walk away from church and religion for almost a decade. But I don't think it was a coincidence that coming back to church helped me deal with that extreme adversity.

The difference though is that I come to this site and have to 7 years now and I saw a connection between my love for science, my Christian faith, and the ideas and experiences shared here! I don't separate them. That to me is basically the characteristic's of people expressing intrinsic bigotry or dominance. I am right, YOU are wrong! Well, what if together, we are all right? That is how I look at things. Otherwise, separate, they all have "flaws", so to say one is more valid is stupid to me.

So is God real? TO ME: YES! VERY! Proof? You'd have to live my life. You can have that same proof if you really wanted to seek it. Thinking it is just going to be some book or video that "shows" it is very, very naive and typical of people wanting to find something because there is something missing within them. For most, even if God appeared to them and said "Hey, here I am", they STILL wouldn't believe it. We all sleep and have dreams, right? And the only account of my dreams are what I tell you. You cannot get ANY proof of them, but you know dreams are real. They can be tracked through science, but cannot be DVR'ed and replayed on a 50 inch plasma! So whose to say they are real????

In my opinion, like someone mentioned, proof of the spirit means shedding yourself of pre-conceived notions and ideologies (like "The Bible is JUST a book"...every book you read is just a book. That means EVERYTHING is false, right??) or (If science cannot prove it, yadda yadda, when science cannot prove WHY we are here!), selfishness and self deifying (I think we believe we are better than God or ARE God by the way we think, especially asking Him for proof...lol. And selflessness and seeking God is how you find Love and "proof"), and a closed minded approach (looking into things as a skeptic, instead of objectively, until you are made to be one!). I think only then will you find "proof". If not....keep living your life until what you seek finds you. I know that sounds all mystic and stuff...lol, but I am speaking from EXPERIENCE!

I asked God to manifest him/herself psychically in front of me and prove that he/she exists....

And God DID! I quickly grabbed my camera and video taped the whole conversation. It was amazing! God even told me the meaning of life! Then God dissipated and I suddenly realized......

I didn't have the camera recording.

Sorry guys!

Well yeah, the issue of the existence of God has little to do with the more important issue of whether or not the human consciousness is extinguished by the death of the body.

A more important question would be:

"What absolute PROOF is there that consciousness survives the death of the body?"

A matter of far more immediate concern as God does little to properly prove his/her existence by a massive super mega physical manifestation to everyone in the world simultaneously. ( Complete with full stereo surround sound God talk. )



 

So believing in a GOD is all in the mind?  - It's all Fairy Tales? - I've had these discusions with a LOT of Priests, & NONE of them have convinced me otherwise. - It's ALL "Hokay Pokay"!! lol - SOMETHING to believe in, I suppose?  Gotta believe in SOMETHING!!  lol  - I just pity all these, mostly Females, who say that they've been uplifted, - with WHAT may I ask? - I suppose I'll be banned off this site now?  lol   

I look at it this way. Each of us, if we allow it,  is capabable of being aware of everything that exists within our being. The same is true of higher selves that have multiple incarnations.

If we have this ability, then perhaps the first being that existed has such an ability. Perhaps this being didn't like existing alone and decided to use its own being to create the rest of us. Robert Monroe referred to this being as "The Creator."  Bruce Moen became aware of this being. P.M.H. Atwater became aware of this being in another way. So have others.

I don't like to think of God in the way that fundamentalists do because I believe God is way beyond that fear and worship business. I think of him as my friend and love and respect him as I would love and respect any friend. If God is going to to have someone he can share love and oneness with he would probably view them as friends because it is hard for two beings to share love with each other completely if there is too much of a "you're up there, and I'm down here," kind of thing going on.

I say this, yet I feel gratitude towards God for making my existence possible. Also, I believe that he represents the most wonderful way of existence that is possible so I am loyal to him and what he is trying to accomplish.  If he was trying to accomplish something malicious I wouldn't be loyal to him. Free will is a key factor. We can't be completely loyal to someone or something if we aren't free to decide whether we want to be loyal.