Real God

[Sriram]

Hi everyone,

The 'real' God is within. Our higher nature or our higher self is the real God.....but we need to journey all over the world to realize that the Truth is at home.

Cheers.

Sriram 

[trippymonkey]

Yes Bhaiya.
So many here have their own little worlds & really can't see anything else.OK for THEM but when these kind of people start telling the rest of us WE are wrong then.......

[Outrider]

Hi everyone,

The 'real' God is within. Our higher nature or our higher self is the real God.....but we need to journey all over the world to realize that the Truth is at home.

Cheers.

Sriram

You can twist a girder, with enough force and time, into any shape you want, but it's no longer recognisable as a girder, and no longer functions as one.

You can twist the definition of god, but you just end up talking about something else that's equally ill-defined.

O.

[trippymonkey]

Yes but we can talk til the sacred cows come home & it won't make an ounce of difference.
God IS as God IS !!!

[Sriram]

Hi everyone,

The 'real' God is within. Our higher nature or our higher self is the real God.....but we need to journey all over the world to realize that the Truth is at home.

Cheers.

Sriram

You can twist a girder, with enough force and time, into any shape you want, but it's no longer recognisable as a girder, and no longer functions as one.

You can twist the definition of god, but you just end up talking about something else that's equally ill-defined.

O.

Why do you think it is being 'twisted'?!  If you go through all the religions...you'll find the same 'truth' in them all.  All other 'definitions' or versions are just means to the real truth.  They are the process of self development or growing up.

That's what is meant by the 'journey around the world'.

[Hope]

Why do you think it is being 'twisted'?!  If you go through all the religions...you'll find the same 'truth' in them all.  All other 'definitions' or versions are just means to the real truth.  They are the process of self development or growing up.

That's what is meant by the 'journey around the world'.

The concept of 'Our higher nature or our higher self is the real God' occurs in relatively few world religions, Sri, and is a fairly modern concept.  Certainly all the major world religions other than perhaps Buddhism look to an external 'being' with whom to relate or merge.

[Sriram]

Why do you think it is being 'twisted'?!  If you go through all the religions...you'll find the same 'truth' in them all.  All other 'definitions' or versions are just means to the real truth.  They are the process of self development or growing up.

That's what is meant by the 'journey around the world'.

The concept of 'Our higher nature or our higher self is the real God' occurs in relatively few world religions, Sri, and is a fairly modern concept.  Certainly all the major world religions other than perhaps Buddhism look to an external 'being' with whom to relate or merge.

What do you mean 'modern' concept?  Please read the thread on 'Tat Tvam Asi'.  The available Upanishads are from at least 800 BCE, maybe earlier. The Samkhya is an even older philosophy.

Buddha was a 'Hindu' who taught the Samkhya/Vedanta philosophy.....and Buddhism was never meant to be a separate religion.

The idea of the 'God within' is one of the oldest concepts on earth....though the popular idea of an external God is inevitable given the nature of the human mind. 

I don't know how many more times I must mention, Gnosticism, Kabbala, Socrates and so on.

(You need to go out a little more....Hope) 

[Hope]

What do you mean 'modern' concept?  Please read the thread on 'Tat Tvam Asi'.  The available Upanishads are from at least 800 BCE, maybe earlier. The Samkhya is an even older philosophy.

Yet the ultimate aim of a Hindu has always been getting off the cycle of lives, and merging with the Supreme Being - Brahma - an external entity.  It isn't about merging with oneself.

I don't know how many more times I must mention, Gnosticism, Kabbala, Socrates and so on.

Which faith system is Socrates thought to have started?   

[Sriram]

What do you mean 'modern' concept?  Please read the thread on 'Tat Tvam Asi'.  The available Upanishads are from at least 800 BCE, maybe earlier. The Samkhya is an even older philosophy.

Yet the ultimate aim of a Hindu has always been getting off the cycle of lives, and merging with the Supreme Being - Brahma - an external entity.  It isn't about merging with oneself.

I don't know how many more times I must mention, Gnosticism, Kabbala, Socrates and so on.

Which faith system is Socrates thought to have started?   

The aim of a Hindu is to eliminate the lower nature through repeated births...and thereby realize the Inner Self. The aim is always Self Realization or Samadhi.  Read the Upanishads or Yogic texts sometime.  Its not about merging with oneself...its about realizing ones true nature.

Socrates taught the idea of 'Know thyself'.....which is Self Realization. 

[Rhiannon]

Possibly my favourite quote of all time

We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.

TS Eliot

[Sriram]

Possibly my favourite quote of all time

We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.

TS Eliot

Yes...Rhiannon. That about sums it up. 

The exploring is inevitable and is an important part of the individual development process. After that we see ourselves anew and realize that the Truth lies within ourselves.

Religions facilitate the exploration process besides providing valuable social control mechanisms.

[Sriram]

Hope,

If you prefer western sources of wisdom...here is a wiki site on 'know thyself'......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_thyself

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The Ancient Greek aphorism "know thyself" (Greek: γνῶθι σεαυτόν, transliterated: gnōthi seauton; also ... σαυτόν … sauton with the ε contracted), is one of the Delphic maxims and was inscribed in the pronaos (forecourt) of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi according to the Greek periegetic (travelogue) writer Pausanias (10.24.1).

Plato employs the maxim 'Know Thyself' extensively by having the character of Socrates use it to motivate his dialogues. Plato makes it clear that Socrates is referring to a long-established wisdom. Benjamin Jowett's index to his translation of the Dialogues of Plato lists six dialogues which discuss or explore the saying of Delphi: 'know thyself.'

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There is said to have been an inscription at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi to 'Know Thyself'.  The Oracle at Delphi is also believed to have urged people to 'know thyself' for centuries before Socrates and Plato.

[torridon]

The aim of a Hindu is to eliminate the lower nature through repeated births...and thereby realize the Inner Self. The aim is always Self Realization or Samadhi.  Read the Upanishads or Yogic texts sometime.  Its not about merging with oneself...its about realizing ones true nature.

Socrates taught the idea of 'Know thyself'.....which is Self Realization.

Knowing yourself, for better or worse, is merely a reflection on wisdom.  It doesn't follow that you will find God in there.  A paedophile who realises and comes to accept that he is a paedophile is probably better placed than a paedophile in denial. No woo required.

[Rhiannon]

I like my woo.

Incidentally, I was reading something recently about how much stoicism was similar to some aspect of Christianity, particularly in relation to serving others. It also has similarities to much of modern CBT therapy.

[Gonnagle]

Dear Torridon,

A reflection on wisdom! Sounds like something Sriram would say, but I fail to see where the woo is.

Searching for or trying to define God is such a futile mission, as a Christian I can relate to what Sriram is trying to say, God is within us, or God like qualities, every Christian I know strives to be more like Jesus.

Where is the woo in trying to be a better person.

Christians are constantly saying, we are made in Gods image, I think this means more than just looking like him/her although I have to confess that I have been likened to one of those young Greek gods, is there a god of bad backs.

Gonnagle.

[ekim]

is there a god of bad backs

Bacchus?  the God of wine and whisky.

[Gonnagle]

Dear ekim,

A temporary god, usually leads to the worship of the god of hangovers 

Gonnagle.

[ippy]

Hi everyone,

The 'real' God is within. Our higher nature or our higher self is the real God.....but we need to journey all over the world to realize that the Truth is at home.

Cheers.

Sriram

You've got it right at last Sriram, god is within, exactly, and nowhere else.

ippy

[Sriram]

The aim of a Hindu is to eliminate the lower nature through repeated births...and thereby realize the Inner Self. The aim is always Self Realization or Samadhi.  Read the Upanishads or Yogic texts sometime.  Its not about merging with oneself...its about realizing ones true nature.

Socrates taught the idea of 'Know thyself'.....which is Self Realization.

Knowing yourself, for better or worse, is merely a reflection on wisdom.  It doesn't follow that you will find God in there.  A paedophile who realises and comes to accept that he is a paedophile is probably better placed than a paedophile in denial. No woo required.

'Know Thyself' is not quite as simple as merely being aware of your weaknesses. 

A paedophile...even if he is aware of his faults ....will  not be able to 'know himself'...in the sense in which it is meant in the OP.   Our base needs, desires  and sense of self importance envelope the Higher self and cover it like dirt on a person.

[Sriram]

Dear Torridon,

A reflection on wisdom! Sounds like something Sriram would say, but I fail to see where the woo is.

Searching for or trying to define God is such a futile mission, as a Christian I can relate to what Sriram is trying to say, God is within us, or God like qualities, every Christian I know strives to be more like Jesus.

Where is the woo in trying to be a better person.

Christians are constantly saying, we are made in Gods image, I think this means more than just looking like him/her although I have to confess that I have been likened to one of those young Greek gods, is there a god of bad backs.

Gonnagle.

Yes...Gonnagle. The point about Christians trying to be like Jesus is very relevant. That is one way of realizing the higher nature. Everyone eventually should become like Jesus....that's the point.  That is the God within.....and that is Self Realization. 

[Nearly Sane]

http://www.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=B9f2BmlDB4w

[torridon]

Dear Torridon,

A reflection on wisdom! Sounds like something Sriram would say, but I fail to see where the woo is.

Searching for or trying to define God is such a futile mission, as a Christian I can relate to what Sriram is trying to say, God is within us, or God like qualities, every Christian I know strives to be more like Jesus.

Where is the woo in trying to be a better person.

Christians are constantly saying, we are made in Gods image, I think this means more than just looking like him/her although I have to confess that I have been likened to one of those young Greek gods, is there a god of bad backs.

Gonnagle.

No woo in trying to be a better person. 'God' comes with all manner of woo-baggage though.

[Sriram]

I have mentioned many times that spirituality is indistinguishable from self development.  Trying to become a 'better person'  or trying to control the selfish nature are the same thing.

If we all become like Jesus for example, we would all be godlike. 

The point is that this 'better nature' already exists within us and is not something we need to take in from outside. Its not about learning to be better....its rather about removing the selfish nature to uncover the 'better nature'. 

[Nearly Sane]

The chorus seems appropriate here
http://www.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=LI8WGX3afDs

[torridon]

The aim of a Hindu is to eliminate the lower nature through repeated births...and thereby realize the Inner Self. The aim is always Self Realization or Samadhi.  Read the Upanishads or Yogic texts sometime.  Its not about merging with oneself...its about realizing ones true nature.

Socrates taught the idea of 'Know thyself'.....which is Self Realization.

Knowing yourself, for better or worse, is merely a reflection on wisdom.  It doesn't follow that you will find God in there.  A paedophile who realises and comes to accept that he is a paedophile is probably better placed than a paedophile in denial. No woo required.

'Know Thyself' is not quite as simple as merely being aware of your weaknesses.... 

Yes, the phrase just as importantly speaks to unrealised potential. In the amongst the squalor of a Syrian refugee camp there may well be a child with the potential to become a fine jazz clarinetist.  But given her cultural background and lack of opportunity she may well never discover that talent within.  The reservoir of unrealised human talent is vast; few among us get to know what we are capable of.