Flashback: Sunday school 1950s, "God is in Heaven and can see everything, including what you say, do and think."

I'd like to know what your conception of God is. Does most of what you believe and understand about God come from ideas that were instilled in you? Or, did you pretty much figure things out on your own? Or did God speak to you?

Introductory points:
Is God in you?
Are you a part of God?
Is God a separate entity?
Do you believe there is an equal and opposite force to God?
Can you hear God, audibly? (I've heard people say "God spoke to me," and they meant literally.)

Rules of discussion:
No ugly debating about who is right and who is wrong.
This is meant to be a discussion for discovery and affirmation.
No proselytizing or preaching.

Gimster interesting post.

I had a very strict Catholic upbringing;-- nuns, Sunday School, and confession every Saturday. I was taught, God is everywhere and in every living thing. That part of my belief is still installed in me.

I'm in awe of this world and the millions of kinds of inhabitants that share it with me.
When I watch my grandchild study a pebble on the street, I think how brilliant the plan is; getting to know our surroundings from the little things to the big things. I can't fathom that nature and all the things happening are just a coincidence or a cosmic accident.

I believe in God. I also believe that he is beyond our comprehension. I believe we should do good and no harm. This belief is a part of instinct as well, and if one wilfully goes against it, I can not believe that that is in God's plan.

Evil obviously exists, but I don't believe in the devil or hell. I'm not sure about reincarnation. It sort of makes sense to me to think that an evil person may be born again, maybe as a walrus, scrapping his belly along a stony shoreline. I don't know…but I know one thing…I ain't taking any chances!

Many ladies here pray for one another and for others that are living in hard times. I pray as well, but have to admit I have a problem believing that my prayer will help another person, who I don't know, or am not even informed as to why this person needs prayer.

I do believe in positive thoughts. So I guess that is a form of prayer. When I pray, I lay my own soul and life in God's hands; so be it.

Gimster, I believe that God is a being of "person" by His own description, meaning to me He is of the male sex yet without procreation or the need for sexual contact. Not to mean he is neither male or female, just that he refers to Himself in the male gender.

I believe He is three entities in one, the three equal parts being God-the Father, God-the Son and God-the Holy Spirit. I think it takes all three persons of the Godhead to be "God", that he/they are the creator and husbandman of all creation, including mankind.

I think that in the beginning of time, God was and is and always will be and that a Ruling Angel existed in God's realm with him, the chief musician, and decided he wanted to no longer serve God but to BE God and started a rebellion. God kicked him out of his realm along with the rest of the rebellious angels and thus Satan and his cohorts (demons).

I literally saw Heaven and Hell and therefore believe with all my life that both exist and I don't want to go to the place with the Iron Gates. If you've ever been hopelessly depressed and suicidal, filled with self loathing..that's the feeling I got from the other end of the tunnel, a feeling that it never will end for all eternity.

I believe that love is a verb and that God IS love. I believe God speaks to His children in many forms. Once I was attending a church in Monroe, LA with my 3 daughters. They were involved in a building program and soliciting money from the members. I stood in the lobby one evening ready to go into a women's meeting when God verbally spoke to me and said to leave and never return. I left.

Not much later I found that the pastor and his wife were stealing the money and bought a new home for themselves then the members started burning boats and jeans and books and anything that would "come between them and God."

I love God and his Son and the Holy Spirit with all of my being and couldn't exist for one day without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the mindfulness of his presence. I trust HS to guide me and rebuke me and comfort me and lead me the way I'm supposed to go and to help me learn to treat everyone the way He wants me to and I make so many mistakes and am so sorry for it.

I believe God is a personal God and knows even when we lose a hair or break a nail. He loves us that much. He sent God the Son to be born as a baby from a woman's womb so that God the Father could experience in all ways what it is like to be human and to feel and to hurt and to rejoice and the whole spectrum of sensual living in this world.

My belief is that there is sin in the world, but that God doesn't totem pole sin or rank it in importance. I think the biggest sin of all is to try to sanction that sin and blatantly spit in the face of God or deny His existence or the existence of sin.

I also believe the Bible is God's word to us and that it is infallable and complete from Genesis to Revelation, and that we haven't even begun to tap into the power and love and grace in its pages. I believe it is God speaking to us.

I believe that God inhabits or indwells the praises of His people meaning that He actually in spirit form fills up the person with the Holy Spirit during those times of worship, loving, forgiving, cleansing and empowering. I don't believe it has to be trumped up or induced by chanting inane phrases or banal songs on your feet for 15 minutes until there is a breakthrough. My feeling is that the HS is always there in spirit and in truth to guide and fill us with his presence.

From what I've experienced in my own life and the lives of others to include the death of my husband which I was present for, I've no doubt there is an afterlife that lasts with no end. From what I've seen and witnessed, I agree with Hannelore, I'm NOT taking any chances of not making it to Heaven and I don't want to be responsible for not telling my children and grandchildren and any other members of my family how good it is to be one of God's own and be obedient to Him.

If I err in this life, I hope it is that I love too much or give too much and not that I wasn't obedient or respectful of the one I believe created me. My greatest fear--is that I will dishonor God and not fulfil my purpose for being alive.

I believe God talks to me when I "think" to do right and good. I believe the devil talks to me when I "think" to do otherwise.

Most Days God wins.

chick

As a young child, I grew up with teachings of Jesus long before I understood God. My cousins and I use to think of thunderstorms as God telling us He was mad with His children. My neighbor childhood friends and I cared about each other like brothers and sisters as God's children.

It would be a few years later and miles from our family support system that my family hit a rocky road in their life. These became the years when I knew God's presence. I prayed, He let me know that He was with me.

Our journey has continued through the ordinary and the milestones of living.

Ladies, sorry my reply was so long. That's just the way my mind works. I'm a type A. Again, sorry. Could have been the Reader's Digest and been just as poignant or meaningful.

gimster,
I believe God is a three-person divinity: Father, Son & Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is our comforter. He's the one I talk to, wrap my arms around, and hang on to for dear life. There are things I don't understand and when I get to Heaven I hope the answers will be there. I don't understand why nice people suffer. I don't understand why dogs don't have lifespans as long as humans. I don't understand why a loving God allows abuse. But it's my understanding that He makes good out of the bad. I believe God is Great. And I know life isn't always good. But I've never heard God actually speak to me. I wish He would. But as yet, He has not.
And I believe when we die, our spirits or aura, lift upwards to Heaven!!!! For ever and ever, amen!!!
Blessings,
bonnie rose

P.S. Great topic there gimster from greater South Texas!!!

I believe along the same lines as some of you. These are things I was taught.
I guess my query is more in wanting to know how you see God - not as a man-ish figure sitting on a throne in a palacial setting, right?
Is he energy to you?
Does he have form to you? Are you a part of him, in human form?
Is he everywhere, including being parts of you?
Can you put a description on him in a way that we will understand?
I sit here thinking "what is God?", not what he does and can do, but what is he?
If you create a mental image of him for yourself, would you be able to share that image with us in words?

Wow! I've been trying to conjur up an image of God. Truth is, I rarely think about God in a form. When I do, its more like He just IS. I can't touch Him or I would die. I can't look at His face or it would be too much for me. My mind can't wrap around his image but He says we (mankind) are made in His image.

In the Bible Moses saw God as a burning bush and he had to take his sandals off and was nearly blinded. I don't think we need to know what God looks like, but I "see" Him in the kindness of others and in the lives of the martyrs. The other day I got news of a minister who was run over by a steam roller starting at his feet and going up to his head while his wife and small son were forced to watch. I see God in sacrifice and in love and things like that.

Now, Jesus, on the other hand is quite another story. I see Jesus as God in the flesh so God/Jesus was first of all Jewish, not the watered down version of Judaism today but a pure middle eastern Jew, born to a virgin with God the father as his sire. I see a baby honored by the Magi, a young man wise beyond his years teaching in the temple, I see someone so gentle yet strong with eyes that can look deep into your soul and whose touch relays healing and whose voice would send chills to the depth of your being.

When I was a little girl, I would hold Jesus' hand and go for walks with Him. He has a sense of humor and loves a good party or gathering of people.

I don't think He is the sickly pallid looking figure I've seen so often in paintings.

God is spirit, more than anything. I couldn't get through a day, if I didn't cling to Him. Yell, I carry a mental image. He's handsome; has long hair, and a full-beard; wears a robe and sandals. Most of time God the Son is praying in front of a large rock to God the Father. The Holy Spirit is like an aura of warmth and security. Sometimes I picture my arms around His neck. Sometimes I'm reaching for the hem of His garment. Sometimes He's holding me in His arms. I dream of the day He'll take me to join Him. And there'll be no more pain, no more hurt, no more separation from those I love. I'll have a new body and all who've gone before me will have new bodies; yet, we'll recognize each other. I couldn't tolerate life, if I didn't believe in GOD: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!!!
Ciao for now,

P.S. God is everywhere; He's everything. He's part of everyone. God is in the eyes of other people. He's in their smiles. He's in their kind words. He's in their hugs. God is in the warm breezes. He's in the birds. He's in all plant life and animal life. He's in all life. He's in the wind, rain, sunlight, rainbow, lightning, etc., etc.