Personal Development for Smart People Forums

Personal Development for Smart PeopleTM Forums


Go Back   Personal Development for Smart People Forums > Personal Development > Spirituality, Consciousness, & Awareness
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Spirituality, Consciousness, & Awareness Spirituality, beliefs, the nature of reality, consciousness, awareness, metaphysics, truth, philosophy, religion


Welcome to the Personal Development for Smart People Forums, the place for lively, intelligent discussion of all personal growth issues -- physical, mental, financial, social, emotional, spiritual, and more.

You're currently viewing as a guest, which gives you limited read-only access. By joining our free community, you'll be able to post your own messages, access many members-only features, see the new messages posted since your last visit, and of course remove this header message. Registration is fast, simple, and free, so please join today.

If you arrived here from a search engine, you may want to explore the main site first, which includes hundreds of deep and insightful articles on a variety of personal development topics.

View Poll Results: Do you think God will respond?
Hell ya! 11 50.00%
Maybe 4 18.18%
No way! 7 31.82%
Voters: 22. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 06-26-2008, 08:51 PM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 240
Rosie is on a distinguished road
Default An invitation to God

I invite God to post a response on this thread.

According to millions, God has answered people's prayers, and has revealed himself to countless individuals, so it won't be too great of a stretch to ask him to come to Steve's forum and say hello to us.

He is, of course, infinitely intelligent, so I don't think it will be too difficult for him to come up with something clever to prove that it is him, and not some sneaky forum member trying to fool us.

So, please everyone, sit back, relax, and wait for a response.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 06-26-2008, 10:43 PM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,451
wolfgang is on a distinguished road
Default

I voted yes because each one of us has God coming through us anyway. We all are God so any reply is God responding through any one of us.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 06-26-2008, 11:36 PM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Michigan
Posts: 451
coLLege kid07 is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rosie View Post
I invite God to post a response on this thread.

According to millions, God has answered people's prayers, and has revealed himself to countless individuals, so it won't be too great of a stretch to ask him to come to Steve's forum and say hello to us.

He is, of course, infinitely intelligent, so I don't think it will be too difficult for him to come up with something clever to prove that it is him, and not some sneaky forum member trying to fool us.

So, please everyone, sit back, relax, and wait for a response.
hmm something to make you think. How do you know God is a person or that he even really "cares" about us.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 06-26-2008, 11:42 PM
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 92
Neblasian is on a distinguished road
Default Depends

Hi,

Depends on what each person think GOD is. For me it is yes, because the universe is always responding. If you think it is some man in the sky with long white beard, good luck checking your mail box.

Regards
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 06-27-2008, 01:39 AM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 240
Rosie is on a distinguished road
Default

God may come through a channeler, through some unknown source, or he may not come through at all - This is just a little fun experiment I thought I'd try.

Last edited by Rosie : 06-27-2008 at 01:44 AM.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 06-27-2008, 02:53 AM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Arizona
Posts: 304
SonoranBob is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rosie View Post
God may come through a channeler, through some unknown source, or he may not come through at all - This is just a little fun experiment I thought I'd try.
I can imagine him talking to me:

"Bob, it wasn't me. It was my cat. He jumped on the SMITE button on my computer, and then Windows locked up and by the time I rebooted, thirty years had gone.

You'd like a refund? Er ... well, I don't have software for that ..."
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 06-27-2008, 11:21 AM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 594
Maguru is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rosie View Post
I invite God to post a response on this thread.

According to millions, God has answered people's prayers, and has revealed himself to countless individuals, so it won't be too great of a stretch to ask him to come to Steve's forum and say hello to us.

He is, of course, infinitely intelligent, so I don't think it will be too difficult for him to come up with something clever to prove that it is him, and not some sneaky forum member trying to fool us.

So, please everyone, sit back, relax, and wait for a response.
YouTube - Eckhart Tolle Quotes/Pictures to Music
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 06-27-2008, 02:18 PM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 176
NightSpirit is on a distinguished road
Default

Thanks Rosie, for the opportunity to allow God to speak. I wish I had thought of it myself.

God wants to offer some encouragement and possibly comfort to two people in particular.

He wants to talk to someone about Tony, the one who likes comic books. Apparently he still does. Tony seems to be oblivious to anything but his comic books at times. God just wants you to know He is with Tony and that Tony often hugs Him, like a Father and son would hug. It seems that may have been the point at which you started to doubt God. He wants you to know this is not really all about Tony (Tony's happy) but about you and about letting you know He wants you to feel His love for you too. You can rest on His shoulder and be restored by His love just as Tony does.

And a lady, a real lady, called Jeanie or Jean, which is more like a nickname and not her full name, has died and is in Heaven. God wants to give someone who loves her a glimpse of what is like for her now with Him. Jeanie is not only dancing “for” Jesus in Heaven, like that song she liked, "I Can Only Imagine", Jeanie is dancing “with” Jesus. She was so in love with Jesus on earth and now she feels, and words fail to describe it, just bliss, waves of bliss, that flow out of her and carry her.

She hardly ever thinks of life as it was for her on earth, because where she is now is so perfectly joyful and complete. Jeanie trusts Jesus to do the things she can't, just like she always did, and to take care of the things she cares about and one of those things is you. And He will take care of you, not just for her but because He cares about you too. Jeanie knows that one day all three of you will dance together in Heaven, so she's not worried about a thing now.

I don't talk to dead people and this is the first time God has spoken to me about someone that is in heaven. He said He is the God of the living in the Bible. I don't know who these people are and I really don't need to know, but they will know and hopefully, know that God can hear them and start talking to Him again. The love of God is something that can be felt and that love is the reason so many people believe Him and won't deny Him in the face of criticism.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 06-27-2008, 07:37 PM
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Brahman, but nominally; Washington DC
Posts: 11
You are Brahman is on a distinguished road
Default

god can easily be interpreted as the sum of all existence. by participating in this, an act in which we have no choice, he is answering readily.

i personally believe that you and he are a trick of my imagination that i must understand before i can return to the source. it doesnt make much sense... so in my nominal existence, i will go with the whole god=sum[universe(-infinity,+infinity)] thats geekspeak for god is the sum of the universe extending as time extends infinitely in both directions

Last edited by You are Brahman : 06-27-2008 at 07:40 PM. Reason: Nope
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 06-27-2008, 07:40 PM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 856
Dannyboy1 is on a distinguished road
Send a message via MSN to Dannyboy1
Default I hate to say "hell ya" when we're talking about God...

but I think something cool may come out of this.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #11 (permalink)  
Old 06-27-2008, 07:42 PM
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Brahman, but nominally; Washington DC
Posts: 11
You are Brahman is on a distinguished road
Default

maybe he already did reply-- he was just that stranger on a bus, trying to make his way home to post on steve pavlina's forum
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #12 (permalink)  
Old 06-28-2008, 11:44 AM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 290
Christian223 is an unknown quantity at this point
Default

Act 17:23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Act 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Act 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #13 (permalink)  
Old 06-28-2008, 09:46 PM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 142
Calimero is on a distinguished road
Default

Maybe God invited you first to give an answer on his topic on his wireless network. And since you never answered God, God may just believe that you don't exist.
And if he believes you don't exist why would God be looking for your invitation and go for it?
God probably considered you also smart enough to find a way to answer his/her/its invitation.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #14 (permalink)  
Old 06-29-2008, 02:09 PM
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 30
Who am I is on a distinguished road
Default .

You say in part
Quote:
He is, of course, infinitely intelligent, so I don't think it will be too difficult for him to come up with something clever to prove that it is he
God's dead
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #15 (permalink)  
Old 06-29-2008, 03:38 PM
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 30
Who am I is on a distinguished road
Default .

Quote:
It is only the awareness of the body that makes love seem limited. For the body IS a limit on love. The belief in limited love was its origin, and it was MADE to limit the UNlimited. Think not that this is merely allegorical; for it was made to limit YOU. Can you who see yourselves WITHIN a body, know yourself AS AN IDEA? Everything you recognize you identify by EXTERNALS, something OUTSIDE itself. You cannot even think of GOD without a body, or some form you think you recognize. The body cannot KNOW. And while you limit your awareness to its tiny senses, you will not see the grandeur that surrounds you.

God cannot come into a body, nor can you join Him there. Limits on love will ALWAYS seem to shut Him out, and to keep you APART from Him. The body is a tiny fence around a little part of a glorious and completely limitless idea. It draws a circle, infinitely small, around a very little segment of Heaven, splintered from the whole, proclaiming that, within it, is YOUR Kingdom, where God can enter not. Within this kingdom the ego rules, and cruelly. And, to defend this little speck of dust, it bids you fight against the universe.

This fragment of your mind is such a tiny part of it, that, could you but appreciate the whole, you would see instantly that it is like the smallest sunbeam is to the sun. Or like the faintest ripple on the surface of the ocean. In its amazing arrogance, this tiny sunbeam has decided it IS the sun; this almost imperceptible ripple hails itself as the ocean. Think how alone and frightened is this little thought, this infinitesimal illusion, holding itself apart, against the universe. The sun becomes the sunbeam's "enemy," which would devour it. And the ocean terrifies the little ripple, and "wants" to swallow it.

Yet neither sun nor ocean is even aware of all this strange and meaningless activity. They merely continue, unaware that they are feared and hated by a tiny segment of themselves. Even that segment is not LOST to them, for it could not survive APART from them. And what IT thinks it is in no way changes its total dependence on them FOR ITS BEING. Its whole existence still remains IN THEM. Without the sun, the sunbeam WOULD be gone; the ripple WITHOUT the ocean IS inconceivable.

Such is the strange position in which those in a world inhabited by bodies seem to be. Each body seems to house a SEPARATE mind, a DISCONNECTED thought, living alone and in no way joined to the Thought by which it was created. Each tiny fragment seems to be self-contained, needing each other for SOME things, but by no means TOTALLY depended on their One Creator for EVERYTHING. And needing the whole to give them ANY meaning, for by themselves, they DO mean nothing. Nor HAVE they any life apart, and by themselves.

Yet, like the sun and ocean, your Self continues, unmindful that this tiny part regards ITSELF as you. It is not missing; it could not EXIST if it were separate, nor would the whole BE whole without it. It is not a separate kingdom, ruled by an IDEA of separation from the rest. Nor does a fence surround it, preventing it from JOINING with the rest, and keeping it apart from its Creator. This little aspect is NO DIFFERENT from the whole, being continuous with it, and at one with it. It leads no separate life, because its life IS in the Oneness in which its being was created.

Do not accept this little, fenced-off aspect as your Self. The sun and ocean are as nothing, beside what YOU are. The sunbeam sparkles only in the sunlight, and the ripple dances as it rests upon the ocean. Yet in neither sun nor ocean is the power that rests in you. Would you remain WITHIN your tiny kingdom, a sorry king, a bitter ruler of all he surveys, who looks on nothing, but who would still die to DEFEND it? This little self is NOT your kingdom. Arched high above it, and surrounding it, with love, is the glorious whole, which offers all its happiness and deep content to EVERY part.

The little aspect that you think you set apart is no exception. Love knows no bodies, and reaches to everything created like itself. Its total lack of limit IS its meaning. It is COMPLETELY impartial in its giving, encompassing ONLY to preserve and KEEP COMPLETE what it would give. In your tiny kingdom you have so little! Should it not, then, be there that you would call on love to enter? Look at the desert, dry and unproductive, scorched and joyless, that makes up your little kingdom. And realize the life and joy that love would bring to it, from where IT comes, and where it would return WITH you.

The Thought of God surrounds your little kingdom, waiting at the barrier you built, to come in and shine upon the barren ground. See how life springs up everywhere! The desert becomes a garden, green and deep and quiet, offering rest to those who lost their way, and wander in the dust. Give them a place of refuge, prepared by love for them, where once a desert was. And every one you welcome will bring love with him, from Heaven for you. They enter one by one into this holy place, but they will not depart as they had come, alone.

The love they BROUGHT with them will STAY with them, as it will stay with YOU. And, under its beneficence, your little garden will expand, and reach out to everyone who thirsts for living water, but has grown too weary to go on alone. Go out and FIND them, for they bring your Self with them. And lead them gently to your quiet garden, and receive their blessing there. So will it grow, and stretch across the desert, leaving no lonely little kingdoms locked away from love, and leaving YOU outside. And you will RECOGNIZE yourself, and see your little garden gently transformed into the Kingdom of Heaven, with all the love of its Creator shining upon it.

The holy instant is your invitation to love, to enter into your bleak and joyless kingdom, and transform it into a garden of peace and welcome. Love's answer is inevitable. It will come, because you came WITHOUT the body, and interposed no barriers which would INTERFERE with its glad coming. In the holy instant, you ask of love only what it offers everyone, neither less nor more. Asking for EVERYTHING, you will RECEIVE it. And your shining Self will lift the tiny aspect that you tried to hide from Heaven, straight into Heaven. No part of love calls on the whole in vain. No son of God remains OUTSIDE His Fatherhood.

Be sure of this; love has entered your special relationship, and entered fully, at your weak request. You do NOT recognize that love has come, because you have not yet let go of ALL the barriers you hold against EACH OTHER. And you will NOT be able to give love welcome separately. You could no more know God alone, than He knows YOU without your brother. But, TOGETHER, you could no more be UNAWARE of love, than love could know you not, or fail to recognize ITSELF in you.

You have reached the end of an ancient journey not realizing yet that it is over. You are still worn and tired, and the desert's dust still seems to cloud your eyes, and keep you sightless. Yet He Whom you welcomed has come to you, and would welcome YOU. He has waited long to give you this. Receive it now of Him, for He would have you KNOW Him. Only a little wall of dust still stands between you. Blow on it lightly and with happy laughter, and it will fall away. And walk into the garden love has prepared for BOTH of you.
Thank you dearest love
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #16 (permalink)  
Old 06-29-2008, 07:23 PM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,156
infinitethoughts is on a distinguished road
Default

I have just spoken to the Source of ALL creation. He said............Well mabbe I shouldnt say what He said. He told me to be quiet about it.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #17 (permalink)  
Old 06-30-2008, 08:51 AM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 446
Trezker is an unknown quantity at this point
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by infinitethoughts View Post
I have just spoken to the Source of ALL creation. He said............Well mabbe I shouldnt say what He said. He told me to be quiet about it.
Actually most browsers don't make a peep. So writing it here would be pretty quiet.
__________________
"We're here for a good time, we're not here for a long time." - Colin Mcrae
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #18 (permalink)  
Old 07-01-2008, 02:46 PM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 240
Rosie is on a distinguished road
Default

I guess God's been really busy...Oh well:P


- A7X
-X Δ Y
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #19 (permalink)  
Old 07-02-2008, 12:20 PM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 496
mercuryrising is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rosie View Post
I guess God's been really busy...Oh well:P


- A7X
-X Δ Y
Perhaps you can't fool him. Trust me, he'll get the last laugh.
__________________
--------------------------

My site: Church of Ned
Latest Post(s): The Priest, The Warrior and the Craftsman
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #20 (permalink)  
Old 07-02-2008, 02:15 PM
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 30
Who am I is on a distinguished road
Default four questions +1

Hi Rosie,

You say in part
Quote:
I invite God to post a response on this thread.
Four questions + 1:

What did you vote?

What's an invite?

Can you define God?.... if so what's your definition of God?


Thank you
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #21 (permalink)  
Old 07-03-2008, 03:00 AM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 240
Rosie is on a distinguished road
Default

I voted maybe.

An offer. A prayer.

I don't have a definition of God. I think that I would be fooling myself to think I can define something I know nothing about. I guess you could say it's some sort of higher source.

And you're welcome Thanks for the questions
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #22 (permalink)  
Old 07-03-2008, 03:32 AM
Moderator
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,255
Angela is on a distinguished road
Default

I just picked a Tarot card while asking asked god if (s)he had a message for the forums, and here's what I got:

Quote:
The Ten of Cups

The Lord of Satiety is a sanctuary card.....it indicates a blissful moment in time where we feel contented, happy and emotionally satisfied. It's easy to be at one with the Universe when you feel this blessed. We are more readily able to make contact with the High Powers, and to experience their energies in our lives.

So on a day ruled by the 10 of Cups, be aware that you are probably walking closer to the Gods (however you conceive them) than on most more ordinary days. Expect intuition to be heightened, and make sure you give yourself the time to listen to it.

Try to make an oasis of silence around yourself every now and again, so that you can simply experience and feel and know the quality of your life. This doesn't have to be for long periods - five minutes here and there throughout the day will make for a happy interlude.

Remember - when you feel loved yourself, you radiate love to others. You don't have to do anything more complicated than allow yourself to be satisfied. Days like this are rare enough. But when they come around, if you let the brightness inside your soul, it lights you up from the inside. We gather strength on these days - strength that carries us forward through the challenges and storms that inevitably touch our lives from time to time.

Strive to be peaceful and secure in your home environment too. And don't let yourself be impatient for the things that have not found their right moment in your life yet. Absorb, grow, rest and replenish....these are the important things to do on a day ruled by the Lord of Satiety.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #23 (permalink)  
Old 07-03-2008, 05:07 AM