God again?

Yes, I'm going back to talking about the big guy in the sky.  But more so than me discussing my annoyance with those that refuse to believe in anything spiritual, I'm going to divulge a little something I just read from The World's Religions by Huston Smith.

First and foremost, an idea that I find most intriguing is that God can be found by any one person simply by figuring out what God is not.  Neti, neti is what they call this activity in Hinduism.  Literally translated as "not this, not this."  The concept of simply deciphering what God is not in order to find out what he is intrigues me so much.

And what I love quite a bit is the idea that God is not some omniscient being that created all and can destroy all, but an infinite Being inside each of us.  Our spirit is God.  The way you become close to this infinite being is by getting rid of all finite things in your life that thicken the walls between the physical you and the infinite you.

Next to that is the idea which Hinduism teaches that all religions are equally valid.  As there are 4 paths in Hinduism to find God (through Knowledge, Love, Work, and Psychophysical Exercises) there must also be other paths as well.  Different religions are simply different paths to find the same God.  The Hindu book Vedas says "Truth is one; sages call it by different names."  Now how bout that?  A holy book that doesn't try breaking down other people's beliefs.  There's even this story about how Shiva approached a man who hated all deities but Shiva.  He told him that he would never be pleased with the man while he hates.  The man was stubborn so Shiva had to visit him many times.  On the final time, Shiva arrived in the form of half Vishnu and half Shiva.  The man took his offering and placed it towards the half that was Shiva.  Shiva gave up, saying, "this man's bigotry is incorrigible."  The point Shiva was trying to make was that He was all of the other Gods.  They are one and the same.

Then there's the question as to Why we exist in the world?  Response to that being:  You have the choice of withdrawing from the game of life.  The only answer that can be given is that the game is its own reward.

Regardless of your religious affiliations, these views are quite admirable.

Try being grateful for the world you live in because it is a reward to be living after all.

And start believing in yourself...in doing so, you may find that you do believe in God after all.