God the various Gods? What?

[Ellen Brown]

These days most of the complicated belief systems seem discredited in one way or many. I was a white child of Oklahoma hicks and probably actually show some of the traits of inbreeding. As you might guess, in my youth, "If you ain't Christian, you ain't nuthin", was de rigour. We didn't know about Jews except that a bunch of them got killed in WWII. In 1950's America we didn't even know there was a word like Muslims. I think that Okies still call them Moslems.

I've had nearly a whole lifetime to figure religion out and now that I know lots, I'm even more uncertain. It seems unlikely that I'll ever make sense of it. Within the narrow limitations of my own cultural experience, it seems to make most sense that within our available Universe there is one supreme Creator, with lots of Angels or other beings subservient to him. Religion does not define why satan (shaitan or the devil) gets any say in anything, if the Creator is the supreme one. For me organized Christian religion has danced around that in a way that discredits them for me.

So, searching for something that will validate a belief in a Creator, I've tried to research into pre-judeastic Zoroastrianism, and tried to find evidence of what came before. I've been told that the Yazidis came before them all but can't find much about it yet.

I get comfort in assuming a single creator is in charge of me and my world, but the rest of it is a mystery.

 

[sun rise]

I get comfort in assuming a single creator is in charge of me and my world, but the rest of it is a mystery.

For some, it's the greatest mystery story there is. And some search the world for clues to the mystery.

 

[Ellen Brown]

For some, it's the greatest mystery story there is. And some search the world for clues to the mystery.

It is confusing because some say that Zoroastrianism is 600 BC to 1000 BC, but Abraham is said to have lived around 1800 BC. One source indicated that Yazidism predates all beliefs, but I can not find anything to substantiate that. Cuneiform is said to have been used 3000-3500 BC. Some sources put the Creation around 4,000 BC, and the flood around 2348 BC

For me, the Creation means that significant Genetic work was done to finally bring Homo (who ever they were) into full status as Homo Sapiens, where God, YAHWEH, Allah SWT started making significant and more final improvements in the Genetic structure of modern man.

Of interest to me is that Cro-Magnon had a brain that was larger than ours, and that modern researchers do not feel that brain size is relevant to intelligence. For me, Creationism falls apart rather early, so my preliminary thought is that an intelligence changed the life on Earth in an orderly way to make improvements that seem to mimic Evolution.

I must confess that I have read several A.G. Riddle's Science Fiction books, the first that includes the Genetic and Viral manipulation of early humans. Mythical/Spiritual dogmas on the subject just make me want to go for the Barf Bag. Perhaps the main reason I feel repugnance at those rigid ideas is often the approach is lacking in any sort of compassion or love.

 

[Deidre]

I think it will always remain a mystery, and to find a belief system that works for you, or that makes sense to you, is where you can fine tune things for yourself. I was raised in a Catholic household, and my parents are still Catholic. I left Christianity about five years ago, and through my journey, I identified as an atheist, then agnostic, then felt drawn to Buddhism and Islam, and back to belief in one Creator, again. But, I don't adhere to any one religion. I don't go to church, etc. I pray and also find positive things in Pagan beliefs. In my opinion, there honestly is something positive in all religions, and belief systems, but we have to find it all on our own. I think it's great to question and explore, as you are doing.

 

[Ellen Brown]

I think it will always remain a mystery, and to find a belief system that works for you, or that makes sense to you, is where you can fine tune things for yourself. I was raised in a Catholic household, and my parents are still Catholic. I left Christianity about five years ago, and through my journey, I identified as an atheist, then agnostic, then felt drawn to Buddhism and Islam, and back to belief in one Creator, again. But, I don't adhere to any one religion. I don't go to church, etc. I pray and also find positive things in Pagan beliefs. In my opinion, there honestly is something positive in all religions, and belief systems, but we have to find it all on our own. I think it's great to question and explore, as you are doing.

Mashallah. Shukran Jazillian. I am still very close to Islam, but have issues with the identity of Jesus Christ (Isa PBUH) Islam says he is the best prophet, and Christianity says he is the Son of God. When I pray, I just want Allah SWT to make the matters that are important to him more clear to me. Many people who know me say that I am very Zen. Perhaps it is Islam that is Zen?

 

[Tumah]

I was a white child of Oklahoma hicks

And what are you now?

 

[Ellen Brown]

And what are you now?

I am a white seeker of the most high.

 

[Tumah]

I am a white seeker of the most high.

Are seekers of the most high forbidden from being white children of Oklahoma hicks, that you had to give them up?

 

[Ellen Brown]

Are seekers of the most high forbidden from being white children of Oklahoma hicks, that you had to give them up?

LOL, I would no longer regard myself as a hick because I have worked very hard to educate myself so I may please the Creator and serve others.

 

[Ellen Brown]

Are seekers of the most high forbidden from being white children of Oklahoma hicks, that you had to give them up?

When my Mother moved to the west, they did not speak well to us. As if we were outsiders.

 

[Deidre]

Mashallah. Shukran Jazillian. I am still very close to Islam, but have issues with the identity of Jesus Christ (Isa PBUH) Islam says he is the best prophet, and Christianity says he is the Son of God. When I pray, I just want Allah SWT to make the matters that are important to him more clear to me. Many people who know me say that I am very Zen. Perhaps it is Islam that is Zen?

Perhaps zen is within us all and we just have to find it?

I’ve studied Islam and find much of it to be strikingingly beautiful but parts that troubled me.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

To me, Satan is just an evil or malicious spirit that tries to mess with you and mislead but isn't that big of a deal and he's not any more powerful than a human soul. In Islam, Satan isn't even an angel, but a jinn that went bad and tempts people, as I understand it. I do think that Christianity tends to exaggerate his abilities as if he is some sort of evil quasi-deity and turns into some cosmic good vs evil narrative that frightens people and undercuts God's omnipotence. That doesn't make sense. I just believe in one supreme God, too, with no avatars, "manifestations" or offspring.

 

[Klepperman]

Saint Frankenstein, you do not believe in theophany?