A personal relationship with God?

[Sunstone]

Focus on the Family had a pigeon for a vice-president?

More than one, by all local accounts.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

What can I say . . . I defend the weak.

Nah, I just like to use suckers to take kicks for me. Keep up the good work.

 

[elmarna]

since the essence of god is life & you are a part of life the connection is all ready there.
How you wish to percieve or make the connection understood is not easily defined because each of us is unique. prayers & meditation help me focus perhaps it can work for you as well.
Sincerely I speak & may you find what you seek!

 

[Straw Dog]

Not all. Some figure that someone else's relationship with god, or lack thereof, is none of their business.

Personal means just that.

Fair enough. As long as they don't require a relationship with God to escape hellfire and receive a reward then it's all good I guess.

You're talking about a cpl of specific religion here and about specific factions within each. IMO, as long as you equate belief in God with religion and religion with the Judao/Christian religions, and equate those religions with the hell and brimstone variety exclusively, ...

Put it this way: someone whose vision is that narrow isn't going to be able to see mundane reality all that clearly, let alone any thing outside of the mundane.

My advise: stop trying. Try taking a deeper look into this reality and into yourself. If you find something there worth calling "God", there ya go.

I stopped trying years ago whenever I realized prayer doesn't work and I'm just talking to myself. I'm just wondering how believers reconcile how they have a relationship with God with how they have normal personal relationships with everyone else. In comparison, the relationship with God seems extremely impersonal and nonexistent.

 

[waitasec]

Those that use the language of having a personal relationship with god are often evangelical Christians.

It seems to me that the tendency is to interpret hunches, or gut feelings, or emotions, or one's own conscience, or coincidences, as all being god's form of communication with them.

to piggy back on this post...
this is a very dangerous notion...

 

[Storm]

I'm fundamentally confused by this particular notion. God-believers want other people to have a relationship with God, but how is that even possible? Where is God? How do you talk to him? How does he talk back? Is prayer like leaving a message on an answering machine except God never calls back? It's like someone commissioning forty odd authors to write down everything they want to say to you nearly 2,000 years ago and then just disappearing without a trace. Yet that person still demands that you believe that they love you or else he'll set you on fire forever.

The entire relationship would be based on the rather impersonal method of commissioning someone else to write about it rather than direct interaction on a personal level, which is how I conduct my personal relations with other people. I know some believe in signs here and there, but you can make any ambiguous event mean almost anything and it's still impersonal. I mean a single child survives a tsunami and it's called a 'miracle'. Never mind the thousands of people, including other children, that died without a reason because then it's called 'God works in mysterious ways'.

So essentially I'm asking how can I have a personal relationship with God, much less worship him, whenever I've never even met him in person or know whether he even exists?

Well as a panentheist, I have a slightly different take.

As manifestations of God, we can't help but have a personal relationship, depending on your perspective.

However, we can deepen our awareness of it, through meditation for instance, and this is always beneficial.

 

[waitasec]

Is this a sincere question or are you just mocking the idea of knowing or having a relationship with God?

if i may,
why do you take it as a mocking?

 

[Quagmire]

Fair enough. As long as they don't require a relationship with God to escape hellfire and receive a reward then it's all good I guess.

IMO, anyone who requires anything from anyone else as a condition of their relationship with God probably doesn't have one.

I stopped trying years ago whenever I realized prayer doesn't work and I'm just talking to myself.

You might get farther by listening to yourself. Objectively to whatever extent you can. Most people don't.

I'm just wondering how believers reconcile how they have a relationship with God with how they have normal personal relationships with everyone else.

Why would this need reconciliation?

In comparison, the relationship with God seems extremely impersonal and nonexistent.

How would you know if you've never had one?

 

[Matthew78]

I think the whole notion of a "relationship" with God is just a delusion. No doubt a very comforting delusion but a delusion nonetheless. Most Christians I have heard on the subject don't claim to hear any audible voice from God or see him in any form. Rather they interpret their own conscience, hunches, coincidences, and circumstances around them as being some kind of divine design. The voice of God is the message they get in the form of hunches and circumstances. When things go wrong, it's a divine rebuke or a lesson to be learned. They go to the Bible and try to look for clues.

It's my conclusion that believers are simply fooling themselves. I don't say this to insult them any more than believers think that the heathen are fooling themselves on subjects like evolution and aren't trying to insult them by saying so. I never had a "personal relationship" with God and I suspect that no one in New Testament times ever thought of the Hebrew god Yahweh in that capacity, either. In fact, the words "personal relationship with Jesus Christ" cannot be found anywhere in the Bible. I think it's a more or less modern invention.

 

[Kriya Yogi]

I'm fundamentally confused by this particular notion. God-believers want other people to have a relationship with God, but how is that even possible? Where is God? How do you talk to him? How does he talk back? Is prayer like leaving a message on an answering machine except God never calls back? It's like someone commissioning forty odd authors to write down everything they want to say to you nearly 2,000 years ago and then just disappearing without a trace. Yet that person still demands that you believe that they love you or else he'll set you on fire forever.

The entire relationship would be based on the rather impersonal method of commissioning someone else to write about it rather than direct interaction on a personal level, which is how I conduct my personal relations with other people. I know some believe in signs here and there, but you can make any ambiguous event mean almost anything and it's still impersonal. I mean a single child survives a tsunami and it's called a 'miracle'. Never mind the thousands of people, including other children, that died without a reason because then it's called 'God works in mysterious ways'.

So essentially I'm asking how can I have a personal relationship with God, much less worship him, whenever I've never even met him in person or know whether he even exists?

In order to have a personal relationship with God you have to know how God operates in this realm of matter and our present state of divine attunement. He tests our faith and will only reveal his true self to those who show him their love and trust.

For most of us who haven't experienced a miracle in seeing him or talking to him(there are those that have been lucky enough to talk to him) we commune with him by sitting in the silence and feel his blissful presence. God's true nature is bliss, and the more you tune yourself into this bliss the more you are uncovering God's nature. Even initial devotees and people who want to talk to God can see how he responds. Initially God will only respond quietly by answering your prayers. I've seen and experienced many times how God has quietly answered my prayers, every single time I ask for something he never fails to answer. The thing is you have to apply yourself and through wisdom know how to commune with God. If everyone could talk to God then this life on the physical realm would be short lived as we all would know the answers and riddle to life. Unfortunately we have to get ourselves out of this mess by our own self effort but God will be there to guide and personally guide you back to him. Then when you finally awaken your faith through personal experiences and blessings your faith will slowly turn into knowing and God will no longer be a hope or doubt he will be the only truth. You will then be able to talk to him verbally and see him visually all the time just like the great saints do all throughout eternity.

 

[waitasec]

In order to have a personal relationship with God you have to know how God operates in this realm of matter and our present state of divine attunement.

with all due respect,
how do you presume to know how god operates?

He tests our faith and will only reveal his true self to those who show him their love and trust.

how do you know god is testing faith?

 

[Kriya Yogi]

with all due respect,
how do you presume to know how god operates?

I know based on my Guru's teachings who he and his line of revered Guru's know God. Plus based on my little experience what they have said has been found to be true in my own life and many others as well.

how do you know god is testing faith?

He has done it to all saints. All saints have said this to be true.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

I know based on my Guru's teachings who he and his line of revered Guru's know God. Plus based on my little experience what they have said has been found to be true in my own life and many others as well.



He has done it to all saints. All saints have said this to be true.

I remember a time when all respected men claimed the Earth was flat and the sun orbited around it. Who's to say this isn't the same thing?

 

[Vansdad]

I'm fundamentally confused by this particular notion. God-believers want other people to have a relationship with God, but how is that even possible? Where is God? How do you talk to him? How does he talk back? Is prayer like leaving a message on an answering machine except God never calls back? It's like someone commissioning forty odd authors to write down everything they want to say to you nearly 2,000 years ago and then just disappearing without a trace. Yet that person still demands that you believe that they love you or else he'll set you on fire forever.

The entire relationship would be based on the rather impersonal method of commissioning someone else to write about it rather than direct interaction on a personal level, which is how I conduct my personal relations with other people. I know some believe in signs here and there, but you can make any ambiguous event mean almost anything and it's still impersonal. I mean a single child survives a tsunami and it's called a 'miracle'. Never mind the thousands of people, including other children, that died without a reason because then it's called 'God works in mysterious ways'.

So essentially I'm asking how can I have a personal relationship with God, much less worship him, whenever I've never even met him in person or know whether he even exists?

It's too bad that what seems to me like a sincere question is just being mocked. But I can give you my personal perspective...for all it's worth. You do present some tough questions. Some people will litterally ask if He is there and receive signs that they know are true for them. He is a personal God because He relates to the individual person and not the masses. In your heart you may start to believe. You may find a way to accept God in different ways than the typical church or bible interpretation and that's ok. Keeping an open mind and more importantly an open heart will lead you in the right direction. Some people feel that God and "mother nature" are the same and others feel God is "the order of things". And the relationship is mainly following that spiritual part of yourself that you feel is where God is leading you. It is not necessarily physical but also spiritual. And it just grows from there. I can say that I've travelled the world and gone to college and quit smoking because of the help and guidence I received from God. And you will see that the life you lead will change and what others (esp. atheists...no offense) say becomes meaningless because of what God can do inside you. I don't think there is a tried and proven method for "finding" God, but people who are truely sincere often say they have. Good luck and I hope this helped.

 

[waitasec]

I know based on my Guru's teachings who he and his line of revered Guru's know God. Plus based on my little experience what they have said has been found to be true in my own life and many others as well.

again i don't want to seem rude, i'm just very curious about this line of thinking. it's as though by depending on others to interpret these things for you, you are at the same time undermining your own ability by assuming god only reveals himself to certain people, so does god have limitations...why can't god reveal himself to you directly?

He has done it to all saints. All saints have said this to be true.

who are the saints?

 

[marky mark]

I can give you my experience and millions who profess the same. Jesus said, "You must be born of the Spirit." I was "born again" over 30 yrs. ago. I was 23 when I was converted. God reveals Himself thru scripture which is His self-revelation. As I began to read the scriptures, He was talking to me. When I prayed to Him, I was talking to Him. A circle of communication then began. I have a personal relationship with Him because thru the study of the scriptures, I know His attributes, His ways, etc. and He knows me because He created me. It is a personal relationship when two come together and get to know each other well. I know Him personally thru His Word and prayer and it is the same experience as knowing anyone else personally. I know my answer falls for short, but it is hard to explain in words. Thanks...

 

[Kriya Yogi]

again i don't want to seem rude, i'm just very curious about this line of thinking. it's as though by depending on others to interpret these things for you, you are at the same time undermining your own ability by assuming god only reveals himself to certain people, so does god have limitations...why can't god reveal himself to you directly?

No you don't seem rude. Thank you for being respectful. Also no I'm not undermining myself at all. I'm just repeating the words of those that have put in the time to find God their whole lives and are considered Avatars. Perfected beings that reincarnated on earth to help enlighten men. I will tell you some of those names below on your next question. God reveals to all who want him. He does not intrude on your free will. For those who call to him deeply and persistently he will come to you.

who are the saints?

Jesus Christ, Krishna, Babaji, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda(my guru), Swami Sri Yukteswargiri(My Guru's Guru), Lihiri Mahasaya, Ramana Maharshi, Trilanga Swami, John, Paul, Peter, and other Jesus's disciples. Moses, John the Baptist, Mother Gyanamata, Mother Theresa, Swami Kriyananda, Roy Eugene Davis, Saint Francis, Ghandi, Swami Prenabananda, Rajarsi, Buddha and many others throughout time have all said the same thing and have experienced the same search for God.

 

[blackout]

A personal relationship with God?

Well.... I dunn'o...

I like and get along with mySelf very well.
And quite intimately. :flirt:

 

[waitasec]

No you don't seem rude. Thank you for being respectful.

i'm glad you are not taking offense to my inquiry, thank you for being so accommodating...

Also no I'm not undermining myself at all. I'm just repeating the words of those that have put in the time to find God their whole lives and are considered Avatars.
Perfected beings that reincarnated on earth to help enlighten men. I will tell you some of those names below on your next question. God reveals to all who want him. He does not intrude on your free will. For those who call to him deeply and persistently he will come to you.

i get that, but then is this putting a limit on god by depending on avatars? because you do seem to be one who calls and seeks him earnestly... :rainbow1:

Jesus Christ, Krishna, Babaji, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda(my guru), Swami Sri Yukteswargiri(My Guru's Guru), Lihiri Mahasaya, Ramana Maharshi, Trilanga Swami, John, Paul, Peter, and other Jesus's disciples. Moses, John the Baptist, Mother Gyanamata, Mother Theresa, Swami Kriyananda, Roy Eugene Davis, Saint Francis, Ghandi, Swami Prenabananda, Rajarsi, and many others throughout time have all said the same thing and have experienced the same search for God.

thank you for clarifying.

 

[waitasec]

Well.... I dunn'o...

I like and get along with mySelf very well.
And quite intimately. :flirt:

i likey

:beach: