I'm not sure what I believe anymore re God, gods, worship

[Jainarayan]

When I kicked Christianity to the curb, I became an agnostic panendeist. That's not a contradiction because I always believed (the imperfective aspect) there is a God, though I cannot prove or know for a fact It exists. I can only "feel" something is there. Yet for some reason I was always drawn to the colorful depictions and stories of Hindu deities (primarily) with other smatterings of polytheism. These all represented my belief that God can and does take any form It wishes. And there was (the imperfective again) the desire to have a less than remote deistic God.

I've had a lot of good things happen, totally unexpected, to resolve things when the chips were down. Do I think there are deities that did this? I don't know. If there are real deities who've provided this help, am I turning my back on them? I don't know, but I hope not. Do I think there is cosmic karma and justice, and rebirth? That's a definite yes. What do I think of prayer, other than to say "thank you" to whomever/whatever is out there? Silliness, because God knows what we need before we ask. These are taken from the Wikipedia article and pretty much sum up my views of prayer:

• ...God has created the universe perfectly, so no amount of supplication, request, or begging can change the fundamental nature of the universe.
  
• ...Such prayers are often appreciative (that is, "Thank you for ...") rather than supplicative (that is, "Please God grant me ...").

One exception to this is that I think that supplicative prayer is not to God, but for ourselves to be mindful. For example, the prayer of St. Francis; "asato ma sad gamaya... ", and such. I think these are more talking to ourselves than asking God for anything.

What do I think of rituals, invocations, chanting, and so on? Well, a passage from the Hua Hu Ching of Lao Tzu sums it up (let Tao = God). In part:

Chanting is no more holy than listening to the murmur of a stream; counting prayer beads no more sacred than simply breathing; religious robes no more spiritual than work clothes. If you wish to attain oneness with the Tao, don’t get caught up in spiritual superficialities. Instead, live a quiet and simple life, free of ideas and concepts. Find contentment in the practice of undiscriminating virtue, the only true power. Giving to others selflessly and anonymously, radiating light throughout the world and illuminating your own darkness, your virtue becomes a sanctuary for yourself and all beings. This is what is meant by embodying the Tao.

The Buddha said:

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.

I feel nothing in temple either. I have an altar, which I've come to view only as a decorative element which reminds me of an otherworldly plane of existence. I don't think it's a special gathering place for deities, though I do light candles and incense and make a series of small bows. But I've come to neglect reciting prayers and slokas (verses). I actually have little shrines all over the house, because I've collected too many statues and murthis, and have colorful pictures of deities on almost every wall.

So where am I; what am I? I'm leaning towards agnostic panendeism again. But what the hell do I do about all my statues and pictures!?

 

[swamplizard]

Greetings Jainarayan,

Perhaps, you are a Buddhist awaiting awareness.

best,
swampy

 

[Monotheist 101]

I'm leaning towards agnostic panendeism again. But what the hell do I do about all my statues and pictures!?

Woohoo 1000 posts!!

My honest advice burn em . I believe statues attract spirits, of the not so good kind.

 

[crossfire]

Sotāpanna would be my guess.

 

[swamplizard]

Then again, you are here and now, you are alive. Why label yourself?

best,
swampy

 

[Jainarayan]

Greetings Jainarayan,

Perhaps, you are a Buddhist awaiting awareness.

best,
swampy

I do incorporate elements of Buddhism, those I found compatible with Hinduism, Taoism and even Christianity (more 'Jesuism' and not Christianity).

Woohoo 1000 posts!!

My honest advice burn em . I believe statues attract spirits, of the not so good kind.

Well, I do have a small brass statue of Guan yu (Taoist protector deity) on my altar. He is said to keep less-than-benevolent spirits away. Superstition? I dunno.

Sotāpanna would be my guess.

:yes: Yes that makes sense, though I did not know it had a name. I do try to follow the Noble Eightfold Path, the Six Perfections and the Five Precepts. I think those transcend any and all religions. I'm also reading The Spiritual Teaching of Ramana Maharshi. How much simpler could it be than to follow his words: "Who am I?"

But I can definitely say this: I cannot bring myself to use "Hindu" as a label for myself.

 

[Jainarayan]

Then again, you are here and now, you are alive. Why label yourself?

best,
swampy

That is true; I shouldn't be looking for a label. Rather, I am trying to codify and organize my beliefs and disbeliefs.

 

[swamplizard]

To observe one's own actions is to awaken to that which one believes.

best,
swampy

 

[crossfire]

To study the Way is to study the Self.
To study the Self is to forget the self.
To forget the self is to be enlightened by all things of the universe.
To be enlightened by all things of the universe is to cast off the body and mind of the self as well as those of others.
Even the traces of enlightenment are wiped out, and life with traceless enlightenment goes on forever and ever.

~Dogen​

 

[Jainarayan]

Those are all great quotes and keepers, worthy of contemplation!

 

[Jainarayan]

Wow, does this resound... !

Hermeticism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hermetic philosophy

In Hermeticism, the Supreme Deity is referred to variously as God, the All, or the One. The Absolute is the central focus of Hermeticism, and therefore it is difficult to assign it a position among traditional theistic religions, or along the monotheistic–polytheistic spectrum.

Hermeticism transcends both monotheism and polytheism, as well as deism and pantheism. Its philosophy teaches that there is a transcendent God, or Absolute, in which we and the entire universe participate. It also subscribes to the idea that other beings, such as gods, angels and elementals, exist within the universe.

Prisca theologia

Hermeticists believe in a prisca theologia, the doctrine that a single, true theology exists, that it exists in all religions, and that it was given by God to man in antiquity.

Hermeticism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Posthumous lives

Reincarnation is mentioned in Hermetic texts. Hermes Trismegistus asked:
O son, how many bodies have we to pass through, how many bands of demons, through how many series of repetitions and cycles of the stars, before we hasten to the One alone?

 

[LuisDantas]

Sotāpanna would be my guess.

Sounds right to me as well.

 

[Jainarayan]

This, from the Sotāpanna article makes an eminent amount of sense to me. It doesn't conflict with basic Taoism or what I just found about Hermeticism:

The three fetters which the Sotāpanna eradicates are:

Self-view - The speculative view that a so-called self exists in the five aggregates (physical forms, feelings/sensations, perception, mental formations and consciousness) is eradicated because the Sotāpanna gains insight into the selfless nature of the aggregates.

Skeptical Doubt - Doubt about the Buddha and his teaching is eradicated because the Sotāpanna personally experiences the true nature of reality through insight, and this insight confirms the accuracy of the Buddha’s teaching.

Clinging to rites and rituals - Eradication of the view that one becomes pure simply through performing rituals (animal sacrifices, ablutions, chanting, etc.) or adhering to rigid moralism or relying on a god for non-causal delivery. Rites and rituals now function more to obscure, than to support the Right View of the Sotāpanna's now opened dharma eye. The Sotāpanna realizes that deliverance can be won only through the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path.

 

[StarryNightshade]

If it makes you feel any better, even though I have a religion listed, I'm still making sure if it is ultimately right for me. It is a never-ending learning process (such is life ) and you are certainly not the only one.

 

[Jainarayan]

Oh yeah, it does make me feel ok to know I'm not the only one. I'll tell you quite honestly that it's a different animal not being raised culturally in a religion or having come from no religion. I think it makes it difficult, especially when one has a questioning and skeptical attitude as I do.

 

[Father Heathen]

Well, I do have a small brass statue of Guan yu (Taoist protector deity) on my altar. He is said to keep less-than-benevolent spirits away. Superstition? I dunno.

No more superstitious than believing that they instead attract spirits. I say if they're aesthetically pleasing keep them, or ebay them.

 

[LuisDantas]

Guan Yu? Any relation to the Boddhisatva of compassion?

 

[Jainarayan]

No more superstitious than believing that they instead attract spirits. I say if they're aesthetically pleasing keep them, or ebay them.

I do like them.

 

[Jainarayan]

Guan Yu? Any relation to the Boddhisatva of compassion?

No, that's Guan yin. Both are Chinese deities. Guan yu was a real person, a mitary general who was deified. He's called the god of war erroneously, he's the patron of police and a protector deity.

 

[Monotheist 101]

No, that's Guan yin. Both are Chinese deities. Guan yu was a real person, a mitary general who was deified. He's called the god of war erroneously, he's the patron of police and a protector deity.

Dont you think, Most of the Hindu deities would have been pious men who might have been deified too?