Coming down from a God trip

[osgart]

Last few days i opened myself to the possibility of God. Then i got to watching those David Attenborough nature documentaries and i lost all sense that there are any divine attributes to nature existence.

One day nature seems to have a quality of feeling to it. Next day nature's raw, brute force indifference, and sheer savagery kicks me back into reality.

I have been close to death a few times, so i felt compelled to seek the divine. I have had major illnesses for the last 17 years, and they have been a suffering so brutally indifferent to me that i just cant conceive of God existing anymore.

There is a major letdown to this course, and also a major sense of liberation from religious demands.

Anyone else go through these kind of experiences?

My family imparted to me a religious mindset, and a desire for holiness. They rubbed off on me that way. But for the life of me, i dont see God anywhere.

 

[David T]

Last few days i opened myself to the possibility of God. Then i got to watching those David Attenborough nature documentaries and i lost all sense that there are any divine attributes to nature existence.

One day nature seems to have a quality of feeling to it. Next day nature's raw, brute force indifference, and sheer savagery kicks me back into reality.

I have been close to death a few times, so i felt compelled to seek the divine. I have had major illnesses for the last 17 years, and they have been a suffering so brutally indifferent to me that i just cant conceive of God existing anymore.

There is a major letdown to this course, and also a major sense of liberation from religious demands.

Anyone else go through these kind of experiences?

No. I have never had a problem with nature's brutality I respect nature..... funny like karma, if you respect it, it respects you back.

 

[osgart]

No. I have never had a problem with nature's brutality I respect nature..... funny like karma, if you respect it, it respects you back.

I respect its awesome power. I used to work with toxic chemicals, and clean dirty vaccuum chambers. My mask fell off once, and all it takes is once.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Last few days i opened myself to the possibility of God. Then i got to watching those David Attenborough nature documentaries and i lost all sense that there are any divine attributes to nature existence.

One day nature seems to have a quality of feeling to it. Next day nature's raw, brute force indifference, and sheer savagery kicks me back into reality.

I have been close to death a few times, so i felt compelled to seek the divine. I have had major illnesses for the last 17 years, and they have been a suffering so brutally indifferent to me that i just cant conceive of God existing anymore.

There is a major letdown to this course, and also a major sense of liberation from religious demands.

Anyone else go through these kind of experiences?

My family imparted to me a religious mindset, and a desire for holiness. They rubbed off on me that way. But for the life of me, i dont see God anywhere.

Actuality can be a hard pill to swallow time to time, but I think it's better to live with whatever direct truth brings to the table rather than living in a stained-glass room with Rose Colored Glasses.

 

[osgart]

Actuality can be a hard pill to swallow time to time, but I think it's better to live with whatever direct truth brings to the table rather than living in a stained-glass room with Rose Colored Glasses.

Im starting to agree with that

 

[Jumi]

Last few days i opened myself to the possibility of God. Then i got to watching those David Attenborough nature documentaries and i lost all sense that there are any divine attributes to nature existence.

One day nature seems to have a quality of feeling to it. Next day nature's raw, brute force indifference, and sheer savagery kicks me back into reality.

I'm tempted to quote the tao teh ching again:
Heaven and earth do not act from any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with.

I have been close to death a few times, so i felt compelled to seek the divine. I have had major illnesses for the last 17 years, and they have been a suffering so brutally indifferent to me that i just cant conceive of God existing anymore.

Seems like you are limiting what God can be, no, must be like. Of course this is your right, but don't expect all of us to have that same belief.

There is a major letdown to this course, and also a major sense of liberation from religious demands.

Anyone else go through these kind of experiences?

My family imparted to me a religious mindset, and a desire for holiness. They rubbed off on me that way. But for the life of me, i dont see God anywhere.

Perhaps it's better to lose the religious mindset yet keep that desire for holiness. Well that's my view anyway. Either way it's your choice how you live life.

 

[osgart]

I'm tempted to quote the tao teh ching again:
Heaven and earth do not act from any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with.


Seems like you are limiting what God can be, no, must be like. Of course this is your right, but don't expect all of us to have that same belief.


Perhaps it's better to lose the religious mindset yet keep that desire for holiness. Well that's my view anyway. Either way it's your choice how you live life.

Interesting comment. Im compelled to ask why would God treat us as the dogs of the grass?

And thankyou, i will never lose my desire for holiness. Holiness is a joy undefined. Im always going to be after that. My mother influenced me that way.

 

[Jumi]

Interesting comment. Im compelled to ask why would God treat us as the dogs of the grass?

I'm not sure if I'm capable of answering that, but I'm certain it doesn't come from God wanting us to suffer.

And thankyou, i will never lose my desire for holiness. Holiness is a joy undefined. Im always going to be after that. My mother influenced me that way.

I believe that is the best regardless of what beliefs we hold. It was something I strove for even when I was atheist, so whether we believe it to come from God or from something else, it's still worthy. Of course at this moment I myself believe that holiness and desire comes from God and is part of our connection to that.

 

[osgart]

I'm not sure if I'm capable of answering that, but I'm certain it doesn't come from God wanting us to suffer.


I believe that is the best regardless of what beliefs we hold. It was something I strove for even when I was atheist, so whether we believe it to come from God or from something else, it's still worthy. Of course at this moment I myself believe that holiness and desire comes from God and is part of our connection to that.

I hope you are right!

 

[NathantheProfit]

I respect its awesome power. I used to work with toxic chemicals, and clean dirty vaccuum chambers. My mask fell off once, and all it takes is once.

Ouch. What happened?

 

[osgart]

Ouch. What happened?

Respiratory problems, severe sleep apnea.

I was cleaning a scrubber, and it fell off. I worked in a semiconductor plant.

 

[David T]

I respect its awesome power. I used to work with toxic chemicals, and clean dirty vaccuum chambers. My mask fell off once, and all it takes is once.

Lol... I ride motorcycles..... Respect!!!!

 

[George-ananda]

@osgart

What difference would God's existence make in your life?

(meant as a serious heartfelt question) I mean it is such an abstract thing that most people can't get their heads around what that God, nature the cosmos is all about anyway.

To me, the BIG question hitting closer to home with me is, "What am I?".

 

[osgart]

@osgart

What difference would God's existence make in your life?

(meant as a serious heartfelt question) I mean it is such an abstract thing that most people can't get their heads around what that God, nature the cosmos is all about anyway.

To me, the BIG question hitting closer to home with me is, "What am I?".

God would mean that life is eternal, and someone out there, God, has supreme understanding. A supreme friend in an eternal paradise.

Who am I?, is the best question to ask ones self. That and, Who am i going to decide im gonna be?

If God is out there, i bet thats the focus and determination God would want me to have.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[InChrist]

When I see suffering and the brutality in nature I see the consequences and impact of sin in this world. The scriptures state that God created everything good, but sin changed all that and has harmed the entire creation. Thankfully, the scriptures are also straightforward in stating that this world and the suffering here is temporary and God offers an eternal world of perfect love, peace, beauty, goodness, and joy untainted by the destructiveness of sin.

 

[George-ananda]

God would mean that life is eternal, and someone out there, God, has supreme understanding. !

I see; makes sense. I wonder how we decide by speculating about it all like you mentioned with nature shows.

For me, people with Near Death Experiencers for example and other direct experiencers influenced me more as a believer than any of my own personal endless speculations and doubts.

 

[osgart]

I see; makes sense. I wonder how we decide by speculating about it all like you mentioned with nature shows.

For me, people with Near Death Experiencers for example and other direct experiencers influenced me more as a believer than any of my own personal endless speculations and doubts.

Well i see the desperate, savage way that animals have to live, and us humans are thankfully removed from those desparate conditions. Although it is pretty savage on many street blocks with high crime rates.

Life seemed to me more of a sideshow, than a purposeful condition. Tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis.

I just felt that over the years, and especially recently that existence is overwhelmingly indifferent and hostile to life.

 

[George-ananda]

Well i see the desperate, savage way that animals have to live, and us humans are thankfully removed from those desparate conditions. Although it is pretty savage on many street blocks with high crime rates.

Life seemed to me more of a sideshow, than a purposeful condition. Tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis.

I just felt that over the years, and especially recently that existence is overwhelmingly indifferent and hostile to life.

Thanks, I understand your position better now.

I would say, the universe is a complicated place where so much good and bad and beauty and complexity goes on beyond our ability to see the big and whole picture of it all from our little short physical perspective. I see life as eternal and not one short living experience. In the end I see the eventual liberation/nirvana of all life after the eons of challenges.

But I also see the joy of love and happiness still often seen in the world and listen to people like Near Death Experiencers telling how the love and beauty goes on beyond what we can now see.