Religion & Intention Manifestation

[annie]

I have been using IM for 17+ years now and I am religious (Christian). It's interesting that when I talk to potential clients and acquintances that many are very surprised that both can coincide in the same brain

"You're religious and you believe in this stuff? How do you work around "God's Will".

This is how I look at it all..........(knowing it is VERY different than the majority of opinions on this discussion board)

It is my belief that The Law of Attraction coupled with the Power of Clear Intention is nothing more than the power of faith in a bigger sense than we can comprehend. I believe that we use our free will to come up with a design for our lives that we feel best defines our purpose and our mission upon this earth. Then we act upon this design with full faith that it will be accomplished. In using IM for the past 17 years, I have found it an indispensable tool and vehicle for assisting me in accomplishing my life purpose. I phrase my affirmations almost as a prayer to God.

I believe that people can be perfectly happy living life by default. But I have found that designing a life of purpose brings much more satisfaction and fulfillment. Also, living a life of purpose is filling the measure of our creation. In no way do I believe that it is My Will vs. God’s Will. Rather it is a vision of my highest possibilities, created after much mediation and prayer with the assurance that it is in perfect alignment with who God created me to be.

Your thoughts??

[Volunteer]

my thoughts:

for whatever reason, God has chosen to work His will thru man. The Bible is consistent in this message. He created an intelligent design in all that He did.....a design which could function with utmost precision. Our human body is one such design as is the design of our universe. Slowly, science is determining how the body functions as well as the universe. I'm okay with acknowledging that man can influence this design with IMing and "build his own house". I am not aware of the specific Bible verse but there is one that says something to the effect that man builds his own house but God is the builder of them all. Heck, He even says that man can ask, seek and knock and whatever he asks shall be given to him. Sounds like God is granting us permission to IM. He then says that faith (belief that what is not seen will come to past) is a necessary component to be coupled with "works" (deeds or action). Pavlina makes mention in another post that action is necessary. Seems to me that religion (Christianity) and Iming are not only compatible but are one in the same thing when put into practice.......the one difference is the Christian's acknowledgement that God has created the means for Iming to work as it does.

[Volunteer]

Annie,

I would like to hear if you agree or disagree with what I have stated.

[annie]

Originally Posted by Volunteer

my thoughts:

for whatever reason, God has chosen to work His will thru man. The Bible is consistent in this message. He created an intelligent design in all that He did.....a design which could function with utmost precision. Our human body is one such design as is the design of our universe. Slowly, science is determining how the body functions as well as the universe. I'm okay with acknowledging that man can influence this design with IMing and "build his own house". I am not aware of the specific Bible verse but there is one that says something to the effect that man builds his own house but God is the builder of them all. Heck, He even says that man can ask, seek and knock and whatever he asks shall be given to him. Sounds like God is granting us permission to IM. He then says that faith (belief that what is not seen will come to past) is a necessary component to be coupled with "works" (deeds or action). Pavlina makes mention in another post that action is necessary. Seems to me that religion (Christianity) and Iming are not only compatible but are one in the same thing when put into practice.......the one difference is the Christian's acknowledgement that God has created the means for Iming to work as it does.

I like it! You've brought a lot more into it than I did.

What is your take on the position in Christianity (specifically Born-Again
Christians) that all you have to do is "believe"...that "works" are meaningless?

I think it's interesting that there are also 2 camps in IM.....those that believe you have to know the HOW and those that say you don't.

(NICE post Volunteer, I won't be able to respond again for awhile because I'm leaving for 17 days!)

[eastcoastgirl]

Thanks to both of you for your opinions. I am new to IMing and a new Christian (less than 2 years).

If I may, I'm going to add my 2 cents. I am going to speak of God in human terms because that’s all I know. I believe, however, that God is so big and powerful that I can’t even comprehend it. I hope I don’t sound like I’m preaching. My thoughts about this are not fully formed yet, but here’s where I am heading.

I believe that God loves us unconditionally and wants us to be happy. I believe that He wants us to live life to the full. I think He has provided us with the Law of Attraction to help us do that. I also think that LOA raises our consciousness so that we can be closer to God. The practices of gratitude and forgiveness, which are part of LOA, bring us closer to God.

I have come to believe that God gets joy from our faith in Him, but I also believe that deeds are meaningful, not because they will make God love us any more but because they strengthen our spirits and help us to reflect His love. If we don’t do good deeds, God won’t stop loving us. It’s a given that He loves us. But I don’t think God wants us to believe in Him or to do good deeds simply for His love or to get into heaven.

For myself, I believe that God wants me to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. To me, that means loving and helping my fellow humans, withholding judgment and criticism, taking care of the planet, loving and respecting myself, standing up for social justice, etc. It does not mean trying to convert people to my way of thinking. It does not mean that I have to be perfect or to become a nun. It means something as simple as helping someone at the grocery store get something off a shelf, helping someone who is sick, or helping the homeless. Following in Jesus' footsteps may seem like a easy thing, but it’s not. Up to now, I have been a very selfish person, not respecting or caring about others very much at all. The principles I am learning in my personal development pursuits, including IM, are helping me to do all of that.

I think that IM and raising your consciousness fit in very well with the idea of following in the footsteps of Jesus. The path I was on in my Christian journey is turning out to be the same one I’m on for personal development. The ideas are often the same. I believe that we have free will but that God intervenes in our lives; we just don’t know it. I believe that God put me on this path for a reason.

Thanks for listening.

[Angela]

Annie, Volunteer and eastcoastgirl, although I don't believe in a personal god and certainly don't think there's any supernatural force that "wants" anything or receives joy because we give it to him, I am inspired by the way the three of you use your life (god) force to build great value for yourselves and others.

Volunteer, I see YOU as the Carpenter, and your god as Habitat for Humanity!

Best wishes to all three of you in designing your lives with whatever tools you choose.

Love,
Angela

[ElizaJ]

What is your take on the position in Christianity (specifically Born-Again
Christians) that all you have to do is "believe"...that "works" are meaningless?

LOL. I think this is why we have mafia bosses who subscribe to some form of religion. They believe that they don't have to do anything but ask forgivenes.