Things I believe, subject to change.

This is just something I have had rolling around in my head. Now I am tossing out into the universe. I don't expect it to mean anything except to me. I am pretty sure I will revisit this later to add some more.

Part 1

     I believe there is a higher power. Be it gods, God, Goddess, Creator, however you personally see it. I use the word God since that is the one I am most used to. God interacts with us humans on a regular basis, but rarely is it on the level of our daily consciousness. I believe God to be more of a force like magnetism, or heat, or solar flares. Its action on us is often in small, undetectable methods, easily ignored, and easily dismissed, as chance, or coincidence, if you aren't looking for it. It is one of the many forces that govern our human nature. He has spoken to me, and set processes in motion through other people, who are unaware of the effects. We were created in Gods likeness, as sentient and sapient beings. We have his power of creation within us, and infinite love, and eternalness, but we lack the perfection to control our gifts properly. When we look for this force I mentioned earlier we will find it, and we let (the whole free will thingy) it have more influence on our actions, since we begin to understand the interrelatedness of our world. What I do does matter because it does change the world.

Part 2

    I, like many, have “felt” the presence of God. The awe and wonder of the moment when you realize that you ARE in the presence of god. There are many practices and even experiences that can open a person to notice this invisible force that surrounds us constantly. For one person, it may be oneness with nature, for another prayer or meditation. Or maybe some kind of life altering event.

     Then there are sometimes just moments of absolute clarity, when you see all the “little strings” that tie the universe together, but then you realize that you've only seen one tiny system of strings. That if you look from another direction these “strings” go other places, and that if you look deeper the “strings” go all the way from a million suns to the smallest subatomic particles. And ideas are tied up in the whole thing too, concepts, thoughts, feelings, perception, memory, time, etc… That every particle or idea or life that has ever been, or will be, or might be, or could have been, is all tied together somehow.

Part 3

If you’ve made it this far I suppose I should point out that the extreme use of ALL CAP words and sentence fragments and abundant commas are especially common for people who write rather bizarre manifestos, like this personal declaration of some of my beliefs. I have tried to filter down the essence of what is personal to me without making any blanket statements about other religions or other peoples beliefs. It is not my intent to try to convert or “save” or prove or disprove anything. Ask why. Question all teachings. Believe nothing that doesn’t survive doubt. Crazy break over.

     This creator always listens to our cries for help, and sometimes answers. Rarely how or when we would demand. His mercy is great, but always uncertain. I believe God works to meet our individual needs, but more importantly the needs of all the parts of the big ball of “string” that is the existence of the physical, and spiritual, of all things. I suppose that idea smacks of preordination or predetermination, but I also think that allows room for free will. We do make choices, they do have consequences. This supreme power can and does sometimes override or nullify our choices.

     Something had to set the universe in motion, perhaps some big bang, alien world builders, maybe some ancient creation story, I don't pretend to know, but I do believe God performed the infinitesimal or colossal action that set the whole ball of string rolling. I think the real mystery is where the raw material came from in the first place. Where God came from? What point in time or non-time he exists in?

    Physical matter is organized in patterns, in reoccurring themes, not randomness. Like music, or the patterns in sand after the tide recedes, or snowflakes, or the grain of wood, or the swirls in a fingerprint or DNA. People are organized in other patterns also, thoughts, ideas, actions, motions, etc...

     There is much more to the universe than just us, more than the physical eye can see. Physicists are discovering more and more, that often there are multiple answers or results, that there are things below the subatomic level, and that they may exist in other dimensions. The really scientific stuff is all way too deep for me, and my laymens interpretation does not do it justice. READ.

Part 4

       I believe there is one TRUTH and one WORD, but religion always corrupts it, because it is an institution, created by humans, who are flawed, and practiced by humans who are fairly imperfect. I believe many religions have attempted to write the truth and the word, but none are infallible. Despite the horrible atrocities throughout the ages committed by misled followers, directed by self seeking leaders, and condoned by religious institutions, humanity is still better off with religion, than without it. We, (each of us individually, as well as humanity as a whole) are entrusted with the care and safe keeping of the earth, our fellow humans, and all the creatures on it. It’s YOUR job.