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Me vs. the whole "God" complex

TheDivineOne

Should've been born a girl...
I know it's one thing to not believe in God, but isn't it a whole 'nother thing if I find myself getting into "flight or fight" mode whenever I hear someone talking about God? More often than not, I feel some painful anger (as best as I can describe it) or discomfort at the very least when I hear someone mention God, building a relationship with such being, and address God as though that being is a male, which I adamantly refuse to do. I'm proud of the fact that I don't have a relationship with the "God" that I refuse to believe exists and that I don't pray.

I used to be close someone who had a very deep belief in such a being and I also refuse to call this person a friend since I'm now coming to my senses and know now she has no respect for me. Now I see the connection and feel like I can only be friends with fellow atheists like myself. Hopefully this post didn't step on anyone's toes.
 
Hi DO,

As far as I know, we've had a very good relationship on this board. If I'm not mistaken, you once thanked me for the encouragement I had given you. Yet, I believe in God. I don't think I've ever made that a secret during our conversations or any other conversation I have had on this board. Does this mean we are no longer able to be friendly to each other?

Cordially,
S&S
 
No, @SeaAndSky. If memory serves me well, I've been here since December 2015 and from that time up to now I failed to recall you ever saying I need to build a relationship with God, I shouldn't be mad at God for me being the way that I am, to pray on it, the God knew what it was doing, etc. Other people online and in person have.
 
Hi DO,

I think I probably did say some of those things up-front, but after a fairly short period, I just gave up on it because it made you so angry. It just seemed like it would be better and more helpful to just be positive and encouraging without trying to take conversation in the "God" direction. That's OK with me. ;) Plus, it certainly makes for more pleasant conversations. :)

Cordially,
S&S
 
I'm curious TDO, I think of God as the force/energy behind the creation of everything, what Name do you use for what I described?
 
I know it's one thing to not believe in God, but isn't it a whole 'nother thing if I find myself getting into "flight or fight" mode whenever I hear someone talking about God? More often than not, I feel some painful anger (as best as I can describe it) or discomfort at the very least when I hear someone mention God, building a relationship with such being, and address God as though that being is a male, which I adamantly refuse to do. I'm proud of the fact that I don't have a relationship with the "God" that I refuse to believe exists and that I don't pray.

I used to be close someone who had a very deep belief in such a being and I also refuse to call this person a friend since I'm now coming to my senses and know now she has no respect for me. Now I see the connection and feel like I can only be friends with fellow atheists like myself. Hopefully this post didn't step on anyone's toes.

Being atheist is just another faith based opinion. You can't prove non-existence as others can't prove existence, in spite of everybody observing confirmations of their own beliefs.

I have my own beliefs, which, taken in their totality, differ from any group beliefs I'm aware of, but have common elements with some of them. This doesn't make me criticize any honest believer (including honest atheists), as long as they don't try to forcefully inflict their belief on others.

I find it unfortunate that so many people are adversarial with those they disagree with, be it spirituality, politics, social / racial / sexual classifications, environment, lifestyle, etc.. I accept this reality, I accept I can't change it (I believe it is graved in the human nature), and I take it into account. :)

Take care!
 
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We live in a world where a person’s opinion is their perceived fact. A viewpoint is just tha and shouldn’t be allowed to define a relationship people have. Don’t let the religious or political views of a person influence your perception.

If they choose to share something that ones against what you believe, simply listen and smile. Then move on. When you invite the alternative viewpoint you have, that’s when tension begins to rise.

This is of course my viewpoint on this and how I flow through life. I’ve been blessed to avoid the political and religious tensions that has plagued and destroyed families by simply letting people believe as they wish and to smile and accept that they are precisely where they are meant to be in their journey. It’s strange and perhaps I’d be viewed as weak, but why invite hostility over kindness and compassion?
 
I'm curious TDO, I think of God as the force/energy behind the creation of everything, what Name do you use for what I described?

"Source Energy", as Abraham-Hicks describes It as... or even just "Source" or "Creator." While I do believe in a Divine Creator of all things, I wholeheartedly refuse to give in to the whole "God" concept that such believers worship or merely believe in.

We live in a world where a person’s opinion is their perceived fact. A viewpoint is just tha and shouldn’t be allowed to define a relationship people have. Don’t let the religious or political views of a person influence your perception.

If they choose to share something that ones against what you believe, simply listen and smile. Then move on. When you invite the alternative viewpoint you have, that’s when tension begins to rise.

This is of course my viewpoint on this and how I flow through life. I’ve been blessed to avoid the political and religious tensions that has plagued and destroyed families by simply letting people believe as they wish and to smile and accept that they are precisely where they are meant to be in their journey. It’s strange and perhaps I’d be viewed as weak, but why invite hostility over kindness and compassion?

For the last question, the answer is plain and simple. I'm all for respecting other people's beliefs and I do, even if I disagree as I would want them to respect mine, even if they don't agree with it. But when someone crosses the line and tries to force something I don't believe in on me ("God" or reincarnation not being real for instance), that's when the other person better prepare for WW3 because I will not stand for it, especially where religion is concerned.
 
"Source Energy", as Abraham-Hicks describes It as... or even just "Source" or "Creator." While I do believe in a Divine Creator of all things, I wholeheartedly refuse to give in to the whole "God" concept that such believers worship or merely believe in.
So it comes down to a matter of definition. For me, personally, "God" is just a word for that Source/Creator. And I doubt that they care how we call them. I also do not believe they have a gender, makes no sense for me, the soul itself doesn't have a gender either (many people remember lives both male and female).
It irks me, too, when many people refer to God as a male, but I have learned that I can interpret even some passages of the Bible in a way so that they do not contradict other religions or general spirituality.
For me, religions are a matter of choice, and I seriously mistrust anybody who claims to know the one and only truth.
 
I know it's one thing to not believe in God, but isn't it a whole 'nother thing if I find myself getting into "flight or fight" mode whenever I hear someone talking about God? More often than not, I feel some painful anger (as best as I can describe it) or discomfort at the very least when I hear someone mention God, building a relationship with such being, and address God as though that being is a male, which I adamantly refuse to do. I'm proud of the fact that I don't have a relationship with the "God" that I refuse to believe exists and that I don't pray.

I used to be close someone who had a very deep belief in such a being and I also refuse to call this person a friend since I'm now coming to my senses and know now she has no respect for me. Now I see the connection and feel like I can only be friends with fellow atheists like myself. Hopefully this post didn't step on anyone's toes.
I had a friend named Willy, who has moved on, now, and I would refer to him as God's favorite atheist. I said to him, " Willy, the only God that you don't believe in is the God(s) of organized religion. He smiled, and said, " That's right." If accurate first-person-experienced definitions of God were more common, there might be many fewer " atheists". God is not a 'thing', for me. God is 'Being'. For Paramahansa Yogananda, God is ever-new joy. It is not an object... or a man... to me.
 
I was trying to find an existing thread to read others' thoughts on this topic, and also, to let out the accumulating negative thoughts in my head. Not having many physical contact nowadays make myself have some imaginary arguments in my head that slowly driving me nuts...

Just like TheDivineOne, I always had problems with the "God complex". It was not an edgy turn during my teenage years (when I found great pleasure in black metal bands and their blasphemous music), it started as early as childhood. I was always surrounded by several Catholics. The fact that most of these people play positive roles in my life, does not change my general hostile feelings toward the idea of God. However, I noticed it's not really "God" that irritates me, it's how religions and people talk about this being. And it leads me to my main problem: even if there's a "thinking" god-like being behind everything we know, why am I supposed to worship it? I've never worshipped a being like a god, yet I consider myself spiritual and also, my life can move to good directions without using prayers. Basically all my life, I've tried to find strength in myself, my thoughts, the Higher Self, or anything but not in a god-like being. To me, the whole idea of worshipping a spiritual entity is a big 'no'. It goes against my feelings because I have the suppostition that things happen and evolve around us even if we don't put effort into prayers, worshipping, and such. I imagine everything we can't sense with our normal senses as something very abstract, something that works as cold as algorithms, and not something we can personalize or please through prayers or church visits. If I get something people would call "God signs", like long periods of synchronicity or fortunate events, I only pay attention on them or follow these signs like they are traces in a crime case, and I usually believe this approach is enough. I won't fall on my knees and murmur prayers to a god and go sentimental about how "blessed" I can be. It's important to appreciate what we have in life, but I still don't get why am I supposed to worship a "God" for them.

While I try to accept that whatever I think and feel, it won't change the world and my Catholic friends will remain Catholics, they will worship a god and his son. And these people can be really great people, so don't get me wrong! I may have some past life carry-over feelings that causes this whole discomfort, but one thing is sure: every time people let out their god-related thoughts in my presence for more than 10 seconds (and they usually aren't interested in my own beliefs, since I don't belong to a church and a dogmatic religion), I feel like the cat that's fur is getting stroked backwards: I want to hiss, scratch and bite.
 
Personally, I believe in Hinduism. Brahman is the absolute. There is no form, no gender, no boundaries...everything and nothing. I cannot understand this, and it is an abstract of divinity. I also can't convert you on what I don't understand and if, as I believe, God (Brahman, Creator, whatever name you choose) is in everything and infinite...then who am I to question how you walk that path?

On the same token, how can you have a relationship with One like this?

I find comfort in an elephant headed fat man and a warrior monkey, aspects of a God I neither comprehend or fathom in a form I can understand. You don't have to. If it makes you happy, then I am happy.
 
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