is god a collective?

i came to believe
within the study of chem - is - try
things are here too perfect
for them to be so perfect
without a One

My personal belief in what some might term "God" is both familiar and yet totally different as far as such concepts go. In my spirituality, I both believe and teach that there is a Divine Force that is essentially the life-force of the universe and everything within it as well as beyond it. This life-force is eternal since it is a part of all that is, and is not simply a part of this present cycle of time that began with what some call the "Big Bang", but it was a part of the previous cycle and all cycles past into the infinity that is time. It is likewise going to exist far into cycles we cannot imagine in simple mortal thinking, since when you start dealing with the infinite you cannot help but lose yourself in the vastness of it all. The ancient Persians called this notion of time "Infinite Time", and it is the concept of time that for me holds the most true since it explains how something like the life-force of the universe can be truly eternal being a part of the truly infinite. To me, the existence of "God" as a force of this sort explains how it can be a part of everything, literally, including a part of all of us. And how we can be a part of it as well! The Gnostic traditions have always held that human souls are "Divine Sparks" that emanate from the Divine Force and to which some might strive to return should they wish to. Those who do not wish to or who are not yet spiritually evolved enough to be able to can always remain bound to the cycles of reincarnation that are in place to ensure that our souls... which are energy according to these teachings and traditions... continue to exist despite the periods of death that inevitably come at the end of each lifetime and which serve as breaks in what would otherwise be a truly immortal existence were death not there to put things into perspective in this way. Star Wars' concept of the Force owes much to Gnosticism's concept of the Divine Force and Divine Sparks, and one Gnostic book I read years ago actually pointed that out for the reader in case it were not otherwise obvious. Now in my beliefs, which themselves are essentially Gnostic as well as somewhat Pagan, we cannot truly ever know fully or understand completely the Divine Force and all of its' nature and its' mysteries. In order so we might understand it better, it manifested itself in the form of the first Goddess, Sophia, and from Her all the various divinities from the gods right down to the angels, even all the way to humankind itself. She is also the Goddess of "alien" things as was stated in one text, and some might interpret that to mean that the scheme of existence has room in it for extra-terrestrial life as well. Which when you think about how vast the universe is, is actually a given. We exist, so other life exists as well given the universe's penchant for diversity. I've had my own share of experiences with gods, angels, aliens and such but that is beyond the scope of this post which I am posting merely to share my thoughts on how I view "God". You could say that the Divine Force is sentient, since it is a part of all sentient (and non-sentient as well) life. But by the same logic you could say it is not! Hence why we say it is unknowable in simple human terms... because in such a force all opposites exist and yet at the same time are reconciled and one. In this way, "God" is both individual in nature as well as collective in nature, and when humans come together to do good things we are subconsciously emulating the collective aspects of the Divine Force whence we sprang. Now because it IS a force and not a personage, it is by its' very nature neither good nor evil, for both good and evil are both a part of it and apart from it. When we hear the phrase oft attributed to "God" that "All good and all evil come from me." this is what that truly means... at least in these beliefs to which I hold. Similarly, with light and darkness, and that is where in Star Wars the Light Side and Dark Side of the Force come into play. We can... through various esoteric and mystical methods... tap into the Divine Force and that is part of what is done in my personal variant of Wicca that I teach and practice. But one must do so with care because the good or evil we bring with us will determine the outcome of such workings. Thus, if one is of a light spirit they might find they can heal others or influence things in the world subtly for the good. Also, if one is of a dark spirit they might find that more selfish and less selfless goals come easier to obtain and to influence. However, both sides of these workings have a price to be paid! No "magic" is ever without cost... so if one is of a light nature the cost is gentle. If one is of the "Dark Side" the cost will tend to be more severe. This is all determined by us, not by some cosmic judge, and so also it is with Karma. Our Karma is the natural result of the sum total of a person's existence. Whatever paradise or perdition we experience either in this life or beyond is due to our own actions, thoughts, and nature. "God" sentences no one to Hell, but a person who does evil or cruelty to others will always receive back the dark energy that they put out as part of the natural process that is Karma. Thus, it can seem like some sort of divine retribution when it is simply the nature of the universe itself and what one might term the "Cosmic Balance" that keeps such things flowing. The rewards one can accrue in life, and beyond life, are likewise so governed. People tend I think to attribute more to "God" than is within the Divine Force's "job description" so to speak. So whilst my beliefs might sound complicated they are in that way very simple too. Naturally, these kinds of beliefs are heavily metaphysical, so they are NOT for everyone. Which is why I am glad that when it comes to religion and spirituality there is always something out there to suit everyone's needs. As I always say, what works for me might not work for another. So when it comes to such matters, always go with what feels right to you. In an infinite universe, there is room for all ideas! *Smiles*
:)

You know what fuck it. My answer to life, the universe and everything is officially 42. Life for me is too complicated to argue about God and religion. I have my films, my poems and my simple life. In terms of my spiritual happiness that makes me really happy because it is simple.

So yeah 42 and I'll leave you guys to bicker about God

Probably. Xenogears and devil's lettuce provide a convincing argument.

haha good references. I just get really tired of the religious bullshit that people talk and then forget about the life we are supposed to live, Hello people you still live on earth and can you at least enjoy it. Rather than flood your head with questions you'll never get the answer to. Anyway my inner pessimist will soon be released if I do not stop.

I'm with you on that thought Greg, when shit hits the fan, I'll deal with it then. I don't sit around waiting or question things. Forget that.

We are all our own gods lol might as well claim satanism

God is an idea based off the scraps of reality. We do this everything, make new things from existing material. Even a blind man can imagine all the other colors from the idea of black.

There is no god... Fuck the capital g..... Its just a concept created to control low intelligence peasants so they would be stupid enough to starve instead of stealing from the smarter rich

for what its worth, most non abrahamic religions find the word 'gods' rather than 'god'. a pantheon of gods, implies the idea of 'god' being a collective.

I am constantly struggling with the concept of God.  Pantheism sits so right in my soul

There shouldn't be a struggle. either you believe in god or don't.
imo the problem starts if you start to compare between the religions and with science. ;)

@maackar: Most earth based spirituality practiced would feel the same way.