Can Belief in God be an Escape from an Ugly Life?

[Sunstone]

If anyone is interested in discussing the notion that belief in god can be an escape from "a monotonous, stupid, and cruel life", please read the article linked to here.

Some questions:

What, if anything, is the harm or injury of escaping from an ugly life through belief in god?

Is belief in deity in any way beneficial?

Is Krishnamurti saying that in the absence of experiencing god, there is only belief/disbelief in god? Why or why not?

Does Krishnamurti think it is possible to experience god if you seek god and/or you have strong beliefs about god?

 

[cardero]

Can Belief in God be an Escape from an Ugly Life?
No. U-G-L-Y they don't have no alibi.

 

[SHANMAC]

I'll give it a shot....

What, if anything, is the harm or injury of escaping from an ugly life through belief in god?

From my perspective as a believer, there is no harm because God is the way to eternal peace. However, I'm sure a non-believer would say that there is a harm in such conduct because the believer is fooling himself and living a lie. That is, the believer is not truly experiencing life, and, as such, is living in a fantasy world while greater works could be performed without such a belief.

Is belief in deity in any way beneficial?

Absolutely. A belief in God gets us out of ourselves. It brings us peace and a sense of purpose.

Is Krishnamurti saying that in the absence of experiencing god, there is only belief/disbelief in god? Why or why not?

I believe that is an accurate statement of this writing. The belief in God is superficial and meaningless. Experiencing God is everything.

Does Krishnamurti think it is possible to experience god if you seek god and/or you have strong beliefs about god?

I don't believe so. I believe the Krishnamurti's position is that one must leave thought behind - become silent - to experience God. The positive act of seeking God or having strong beliefs in God is not good enough, and really is nothing. One must live God.

I enjoyed the read. Although I did not agree with the writing, it made valid points about believing in God vs. experiencing God. I know many believers who appear to believe in God without experiencing God. I like to think that I experience God frequently; not by seeking or believing but by interacting.

 

[Sunstone]

SHANMAC, may I ask what you mean by "an experience of god"?

 

[zenzero]

Friend Sunstone,

Can Belief in God be an Escape from an Ugly Life?
If anyone is interested in discussing the notion that belief in god can be an escape from "a monotonous, stupid, and cruel life", please read the article linked to here.

Some questions:

What, if anything, is the harm or injury of escaping from an ugly life through belief in god?
No, there is no harm. Karl Marx calls religion the *opium of the people*. There is no harm in taking drugs as it gives that temporary relief. Most of us like dreams as that too is an escape from reality. All pictures of Heaven are also imaginary places and allows that temporary escape by thinking about the heaven.

Is belief in deity in any way beneficial?
There is no reverse impact of believing in a deity rather it is a stepping stone to enlightenment.

Is Krishnamurti saying that in the absence of experiencing god, there is only belief/disbelief in god? Why or why not?
Mind is related to *thoughts* and thoughts of belief and disbelief is what one can do with the use of the mind and only when one transcends the Thinking mind does one face reality or that experience Krish is talking about.

Does Krishnamurti think it is possible to experience god if you seek god and/or you have strong beliefs about god?
No, what he means that one has to transcend the thinking mind to experience that merging with the universal.

Love & rgds

 

[ThereIsNoSpoon]

If anyone is interested in discussing the notion that belief in god can be an escape from "a monotonous, stupid, and cruel life", please read the article linked to here.

Some questions:

What, if anything, is the harm or injury of escaping from an ugly life through belief in god?

Is belief in deity in any way beneficial?

Is Krishnamurti saying that in the absence of experiencing god, there is only belief/disbelief in god? Why or why not?

Does Krishnamurti think it is possible to experience god if you seek god and/or you have strong beliefs about god?

Will have a look at the link and your other questions later.

Just a small variation of the sentence showing my initial thoughts when reading your threads title.
"Can drinking alcohol be an escape from an ugly life?"
"Can using drugs be an escape from an ugly life?"
"Can lying to yourself be an escape from an ugly life?"
and of course
"How is this question related to the question of Gods actual existence?"

 

[blackout]

"Can the crafting of your life into an epic Hero story" be your escape from an ugly life?

Some escapes are positive diversions.
Like drugs that keep you from horrible pain day and night.

and, Some escapes ACTUALLY are... Escapes. Breakouts/Breakthrus,
from suffering, guilt, lack, nothingness ...to personal creative freedom & dignity of Self.

I favor REAL escapes, whenever possible.

 

[SHANMAC]

SHANMAC, may I ask what you mean by "an experience of god"?

Actually, I didn't use those words. I said "experiencing God." To me, experiencing God is connecting with God in the moment - not seeking or believing, but engaging God in this exact moment.

 

[Sunstone]

"How is this question related to the question of Gods actual existence?"

Does it need to be? If so, why?

 

[Sunstone]

Actually, I didn't use those words. I said "experiencing God." To me, experiencing God is connecting with God in the moment - not seeking or believing, but engaging God in this exact moment.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Sunstone]

"Can the crafting of your life into an epic Hero story" be your escape from an ugly life?

Some escapes are positive diversions.
Like drugs that keep you from horrible pain day and night.

and, Some escapes ACTUALLY are... Escapes. Breakouts/Breakthrus,
from suffering, guilt, lack, nothingness ...to personal creative freedom & dignity of Self.

I favor REAL escapes, whenever possible.

What are the consequences to others of such escapes?

 

[sandandfoam]

If anyone is interested in discussing the notion that belief in god can be an escape from "a monotonous, stupid, and cruel life", please read the article linked to here.

Some questions:

What, if anything, is the harm or injury of escaping from an ugly life through belief in god?

Is belief in deity in any way beneficial?

Is Krishnamurti saying that in the absence of experiencing god, there is only belief/disbelief in god? Why or why not?

Does Krishnamurti think it is possible to experience god if you seek god and/or you have strong beliefs about god?

I was recently at some training about metaphoric identity mapping. The training related to people who'd had traumatic brain injury but I think the idea is fascinating. Building identity around metaphor. God can be a powerful metaphor.
Is constructing an identity around a metaphor escaping an ugly life?
I think it might be a very positive thing. Depends on the metaphor of course.

 

[blackout]

I was recently at some training about metaphoric identity mapping. The training related to people who'd had traumatic brain injury but I think the idea is fascinating. Building identity around metaphor. God can be a powerful metaphor.
Is constructing an identity around a metaphor escaping an ugly life?
I think it might be a very positive thing. Depends on the metaphor of course.

wow. There's actually something 'mainstream' called
"metaphoric identity mapping"?

I need to look that up.

 

[blackout]

What are the consequences to others of such escapes?

I think personal breakthrus can only make one more genuinely fulfilled,
which can only be good for those around them.

When I finally took my Self back,
and set mySelf up as the Heroine of my own personal rescue,
I became dynamic again. I remade mySelf ... step by step.
Escaping my personal past for real.
I know my kids have done much better with the New Self made me
then they would have with the old version of me...
formed by circumstance, expectations, and intolerance
of the people and institutions around me...
who insisted on a monotonous and cruel life
that was not me at all.

 

[blackout]

(I still have not read the article BTW. sorry. )

 

[ThereIsNoSpoon]

Does it need to be? If so, why?

It depends a bit.

Or course you can say that it might be an escape for some people like alcohol or drugs or simple wishful thinking are. Its an esacpe in the way that you dellude yourself.

But if one claims that it is more than a dellusion, a real escape route, a way to "enlightenment" (as one has said here), then the question of Gods existence imho gets important.