What is a "higher power?"

[Quintessence]

Interesting the diversity of responses in this thread so far. Some of these are close to what I tend to think, others are not. It has some interesting implications for discussions about the nature of gods, considering "higher power" is sometimes used to describe them. There's no point of unity on what "higher power" means, which makes using that description for the gods problematic without clarification.

 

[illykitty]

Well personally I might use higher power to mean god/dess/(e)s, as it's simpler to type out. Also if you use "God" people might think you mean in the Abrahamic sense which isn't always the case. Higher power, imo, describes many more concepts of god/dess/(e)s than just saying God. It could refer to pan(en)theism for example. Or perhaps just the force behind our universe's laws. Or nature... Take your pick!

I used sometimes Creator or The Creator but since some people don't believe in a creator type of higher power, then it's easier to just use that term.

Also, in my mind higher power means greater than us, beyond our capacities and/or above our control.

 

[Straw Dog]

Can there be a higher power without a lower power?

 

[Straw Dog]

Without the lower power, the higher power becomes powerless.

 

[Willamena]

Can there be a higher power without a lower power?

Without the lower power, the higher power becomes powerless.

Have you ever really looked at your hand?

 

[Straw Dog]

Have you ever really looked at your hand?

Yeah, what's a brain to do without it? It's probably one of my most essential assets. I'd have to eat dinner face first and probably get food on my nose without it. I'd look ridiculous.

 

[chinu]

What does "higher power" mean, exactly?

Creator.

Higher than what?

Creation.

 

[Orias]

In the end the Gods will ask the same question and pay for its consequences, and after this twilight has occurred a new world will be born.

 

[LuisDantas]

Keeping in mind that I don't believe in the actual existence of a Higher Power, I do agree that it is pretty much the same as "god". Which means that it is difficult to define or describe, but must have some sort of will and be in some sense superhuman or transcendental, and in all likelihood not subject to biological aging and death.

 

[Jemii]

Higher power could be like a cloud, to me. A cloud that contains all the atoms that life makes up. Or God can be like what other people try to tell me, a real man-like person. But I don't believe God is really a man-like person.

 

[Iti oj]

Higher power refers to God gods the universe karama the primal chaos etc. Its a catch all term. Heck even nature mother earth.. the unimind collective unconsciius etc.

 

[tonydisalva]

hi
i will come to No, I capitalize God no matter what, if any theology I happen to be referring to.

 

[maxfreakout]

What does "higher power" mean, exactly?

It is primarily a reference to the experiential quality of intense mystical experiences. I think Marie Von Franz (one of Carl Jung's disciples) explains the concept of higher power very well in this video: [youtube]5KZGzxUtrpU[/youtube]


"God is anything that impresses a human being as completely overwhelming, so that the genuine reaction one has to it is to prostrate oneself to the floor..."

"anything which...sweeps a human being from its feet"

Higher than what?

Higher than *me*, ie higher than my power of control over myself. I normally experience myself as being an independent controller of my thoughts and actions ("I, myself"), but in the depths of mystical rapture that controller is overwhelmed by a force which is so powerful it can bend the fabric of ordinary reality. I try to resist its might but this is hopeless, like Jacob wrestling with an angel - (Jacob wrestling with the Angel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The following painting by Alex Grey captures the feeling of overwhelming awe before a higher power:

 

[Sunstone]

A higher power? I believe the phrase commonly refers to one's mother-in-law.

 

[Philda Tressie]

''Higher Power'' implies existence of a ''highest power.'' To me, and I'm sure to others of the Abrahamic faiths, the ''higher power'' is not our God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Our God is the One and Only SUPREME POWER!

 

[LuisDantas]

"Higher Power" seems to me to be shorthand to describe a hypothetical entity that has a will of some sort and that operates outside of / transcending the boundaries of what is known about a situation being discussed.

In essence, it is an appeal for exception based on matters of faith.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I prefer the use of a term like "higher power" over the term "god," because it is at least an honest acknowledgement that people have no idea what they're actually trying to describe.

 

[Philda Tressie]

Those who know and believe in God,the SUPREME POWER, know exactly Who we are describing/talking about.

 

[LuisDantas]

Maybe they do. But are they even talking about the same thing? There is considerable evidence that they don't often.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Those who know and believe in God,the SUPREME POWER, know exactly Who we are describing/talking about.

If you could convey a clear, consistent, coherent, and meaningful description of what your particular opinion of what god is, you'd be the first that I've encountered.