The Cause without a Cause

[Sgt. Pepper]

Thanks for sharing. Must be interesting to be you.

Yes, I can honestly say that it is interesting to be me, but it can also be tiresome at times as well.

 

[Ben Dhyan]

We live in space-time where space and time are integrated. We observe motion and change based on changes in space coordinated with time. This is what allows cause and affect, since the vector of time is to the future. Cause is now and the affect is in the future. This is easier to see when connected space also shows changes with time; allows us to infer cause and affect.

But if space and time were not connected, then the rules of cause and affect can change. For example, say I am playing chess and are about to make a move. I am touching the bishop but I pause. Before I move, I think it through and look to the future; imagination, to see all the potential affects from this initial cause; my move. I notice I will be trapped six moves down the line. I saw the future, so now I change the present; use a different move with a better ending. Which is the cause and which is the affect?

The answer has to do with observational reference. An outside person cannot read my mind, nor am I narrating my thought train so my opponent can hear. The outsiders will see me about to move, pause and then move. Then the game goes on; cause and affect. But in my imagination the initial cause; original move, led to a cascade of affects, that showed me that this would not be a good move. That realization; new cause, then led to the affect of me changing my mind; new move This affect is then assumed to be the cause of my opponents move, by third parties.

The imagination, where space-time is not limiting, cannot be seen under the microscope since it involves movements of data which have no physical nature. Yet this movement of data can still impact material cause and affect in ways that may not be obvious in the third person. Faith cannot be seen like a plant, other than by body language, yet it often sees the future and adjusts the present to meet the future on time.

In the case of a realm, where space and time are not connected; informational realty, the universe can appear from a glimpse in the future and an adjustment in the present. It is like the author who writes the happy ending first and now they can do whatever they wish everywhere else in the book, since in the end they all live happily ever after.

2-D thought is based on cause and affect, but 3-D thought involves cause, affect, cause and affect, cause and affect. This is where the imagination comes in; space and time separated added to space-time connected. If space and time were separated we would be in a realm of maximum complexity or maximum entropy. This maximum complexity allows not only the laws of nature, but all the potential of the imagination. If we lower the complexity to just the laws of nature the entropy will lower and give off energy; let there be light. The second law by increasing the entropy of the universe gradually returns space-time back to the realm of disconnected space and time. The second law connects the two realms; material with informational.

I'm sorry but tldr. Dear wellwisher, my reality is in the here and now, cause and effects are in the here and now. If I have any grudges against anyone or anything, they will be causes which will produce unhappy effects in the physical world. That is why Jesus taught that one must forgive everyone for everything, continuously, regardless, for then you will reap only goodness and not further strife. Be always aware of your state of mind, if it is dark, that is a cause of further darkness effects in your life. Conversely, having not an enemy in the world will mean you will continue to have no enemies in your life. Your thoughts are always creating an effect, the purpose of religious meditation is to cease thinking, then only Divine reality will be present.

 

[Trailblazer]

If I have any grudges against anyone or anything, they will be causes which will produce unhappy effects in the physical world. That is why Jesus taught that one must forgive everyone for everything, continuously, regardless, for then you will reap only goodness and not further strife. Be always aware of your state of mind, if it is dark, that is a cause of further darkness effects in your life.

I agree with that and it is also a Baha'i teaching that we should forgive everyone for everything.
I always questioned that teaching but recently I was holding a grudge and it almost wrecked a relationship, but the other person was forgiving of me, since I had also acted badly, which taught me a lesson about forgiveness.

 

[Trailblazer]

Yes, I can honestly say that it is interesting to be me, but it can also be tiresome at times as well.

Many years ago, I had a friend I met on another forum who was a Christian and a psychic and she used to say the same thing - it is tiring.
BTW, I still plan to PM you about that issue, hopefully this weekend.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Many years ago, I had a friend I met on another forum who was a Christian and a psychic and she used to say the same thing - it is tiring.
BTW, I still plan to PM you about that issue, hopefully this weekend.

Out of curiosity, is your friend only a psychic or is she a psychic medium? I ask because the two are not the same. While it's common to refer to mediums as psychic mediums, not all psychics are mediums. And although "psychic" and "medium" are sometimes used synonymously, they actually refer to two quite different categories of spiritual advisors. I've often used the words interchangeably myself, but I know the difference between them. The key difference is that, whereas mediums communicate with and interact with the dead, most psychics are only able to offer guidance and clarity on a variety of subjects for living people. In addition to providing communication between living people and their deceased loved ones or friends, mediums will also devote their time to encouraging earthbound spirits to cross over into the spirit world. If you have any specific questions, feel free to send me a private message.

As a psychic medium, I can interact and communicate with earthbound spirits. I can see them (visually and/or see a mental vision of them), hear them speak audibly and/or hear them speak when I have a mental vision of them, can communicate and interact with them as I communicate and interact with the living, and as a sensitive, I can feel their presence as well as their emotions at the time.

As a sensitive, I can feel joy, elation, peace, fear, dread, and despair. It's similar to how I experience varied sensations depending on the living person I am sensing. Generally speaking, I can sense within a couple of minutes of meeting someone if they are trustworthy or not, and I can tell by various feelings what kind of human spirit or entity I'm dealing with. I can also see the auras of people in vivid colors. That's essentially what I experience every day as a psychic medium, a sensitive, an empath, and a highly sensitive person.

 

[Trailblazer]

Out of curiosity, is your friend only a psychic or is she a psychic medium? I ask because the two are not the same. While it's common to refer to mediums as psychic mediums, not all psychics are mediums. And although "psychic" and "medium" are sometimes used synonymously, they actually refer to two quite different categories of spiritual advisors. I've often used the words interchangeably myself, but I know the difference between them. The key difference is that, whereas mediums communicate with and interact with the dead, most psychics are only able to offer guidance and clarity on a variety of subjects for living people

My friend could communicate with the dead so I guess she was a psychic medium. We were both cat lovers so mostly I recall her communicating with the spirits of departed cats. However, she did talk about communicating with human spirits. I have used animal communicators since about the year 2000 to communicate with my cats and I have used several different animal communicators.

In addition to providing communication between living people and their deceased loved ones or friends, mediums will also devote their time to encouraging earthbound spirits to cross over into the spirit world. If you have any specific questions, feel free to send me a private message.

I will definitely have more specific questions when I send you a PM, but for now I have a simple question. What are earthbound spirits? Are they the spirits (souls) of those who have died that are attached to this world such that they hover around it? I think I read about them in The Afterlife Revealed.

As a psychic medium, I can interact and communicate with earthbound spirits. I can see them (visually and/or see a mental vision of them), hear them speak audibly and/or hear them speak when I have a mental vision of them, can communicate and interact with them as I communicate and interact with the living, and as a sensitive, I can feel their presence as well as their emotions at the time.

That is the way my friend described her experiences as I recall, but that was some time ago so it is not fresh in my memory. However, I vividly recall her saying she was an empath.

I have another simple question and I will ask you the rest of my questions in the PM. Can you also communicate with spirits who are fully in the spiritual world, in addition to spirits that are hovering around earth?

 

[Aupmanyav]

.. so you can't see that living in a war-zone could be like hell, and living in a loving, secure community could be like heaven? ..suit yourself.

I can see that while I live. I see in the videos what is happening in Ukraine or elsewhere. What I cannot see is the reason to believe that soul exists and Allah sends it to heaven or hell after death.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

My friend could communicate with the dead so I guess she was a psychic medium. We were both cat lovers so mostly I recall her communicating with the spirits of departed cats. However, she did talk about communicating with human spirits. I have used animal communicators since about the year 2000 to communicate with my cats and I have used several different animal communicators.

I also perceive animal spirits. In fact, I can see the spirits of my deceased pets—three dogs and two cats—and so can my living pets (dogs and cats can sense, see, and hear spirits as well). To be honest, it comforting for me to see my deceased pets in my home.

I will definitely have more specific questions when I send you a PM, but for now I have a simple question. What are earthbound spirits? Are they the spirits (souls) of those who have died that are attached to this world such that they hover around it? I think I read about them in The Afterlife Revealed.

Yes, earthbound spirits are human spirits that have not crossed over into the spirit world. These spirits are either unable to cross over on their own or they choose not to (or refuse to) cross over. They remain in the physical world because (1) they don't realize they're dead because they died a sudden, unexpected death, which causes them to be confused and afraid. These spirits tend to return to either the place where they died, or they return to a special location or to an object that meant something to them when they were still alive; (2) they're angry about dying unexpectedly and they choose not to cross over; (3) they have unfinished business, such as letting loved ones know that they're all right and to say good-bye; (4) it could be a personal reason depending on the spirit; and (5) they're seeking revenge or justice because they died a traumatic and violent death. An angry or confused human spirit can attach themselves to an object that means something to them, or they can attach themselves to a living person, whether the person is someone they once knew during their lifetime or someone who interacted with them, such as a psychic medium or a paranormal investigator. I've spoken with human spirits who didn't realize that they were dead, and they were frightened and confused about what was happening to them. I've spoken with other human spirits who were angry about dying unexpectedly or who died a violent and tragic death, and they refused to cross over because they wanted justice or retribution against the person or persons responsible for ending their life. I've also offered gentle guidance and comfort to many earthbound spirits and encouraged them to cross over.

That is the way my friend described her experiences as I recall, but that was some time ago so it is not fresh in my memory. However, I vividly recall her saying she was an empath.

Yes, communicating and interacting with spirits can be emotionally draining and very overwhelming at times, but it can also be quite rewarding when a spirit crosses over after speaking with me. I've been communicating and interacting with spirits for the past fifteen years, and I can assure you that it's not always simple to do so, especially when several of them are attempting to speak with me at once and they talk over each other. Being able to interact with spirits requires a lot of patience because they can be angry, confused, or just overjoyed that a living person can see and hear them. I've met spirits who were surprised that I could see and hear them.

I have another simple question and I will ask you the rest of my questions in the PM. Can you also communicate with spirits who are fully in the spiritual world, in addition to spirits that are hovering around earth?

No, I cannot, and I do not know any other psychic medium who can. My understanding of the spirit world leads me to believe that it is an eternal existence where human spirits can progress and significantly increase their knowledge, as well as leave the spirit world and return to the physical world whenever they like by passing through a spiritual vortex or a spirit portal (such as a doorway, a window, a single mirror, or two mirrors facing each other). My understanding of the afterlife is based on my fifteen years of communicating with human spirits. And my experiences as a psychic medium and a paranormal investigator significantly contributed to my rejection of the biblical accounts about the afterlife and what happens to people after death, as well as any church doctrine that teaches them.

 

[Trailblazer]

I also perceive animal spirits. In fact, I can see the spirits of my deceased pets—three dogs and two cats—and so can my living pets (dogs and cats can sense, see, and hear spirits as well). To be honest, it comforting for me to see my deceased pets in my home.

So are you saying that your deceased pets have not crossed over to the spiritual world, that they are earthbound spirits? Do you think that is true for all pets? I knew a Baha’i woman who could see the spirit of her deceased cat come to the door and try to get in.

From what I gathered from the animal communicators, the spirits of my cats have moved on away from earth, but I don’t know where they are. I had a Buddhist friend who believed that the spirits of animals go to different part of the spiritual world than humans but he was an animal lover and wanted to go there when he died and be with them rather than with human spirits. He could sense his departed dog with him and even feel him on top of him when he was in bed. My cats sensed and maybe even visually saw my deceased cat in the bedroom hovering over the bed but I could never see him. I always wish I could see them but I have only seen them in dreams.

Yes, earthbound spirits are human spirits that have not crossed over into the spirit world. These spirits are either unable to cross over on their own or they choose not to (or refuse to) cross over. They remain in the physical world because (1) they don't realize they're dead because they died a sudden, unexpected death, which causes them to be confused and afraid. These spirits tend to return to either the place where they died, or they return to a special location or to an object that meant something to them when they were still alive; (2) they're angry about dying unexpectedly and they choose not to cross over; (3) they have unfinished business, such as letting loved ones know that they're all right and to say good-bye; (4) it could be a personal reason depending on the spirit; and (5) they're seeking revenge or justice because they died a traumatic and violent death. An angry or confused human spirit can attach themselves to an object that means something to them, or they can attach themselves to a living person, whether the person is someone they once knew during their lifetime or someone who interacted with them, such as a psychic medium or a paranormal investigator. I've spoken with human spirits who didn't realize that they were dead, and they were frightened and confused about what was happening to them. I've spoken with other human spirits who were angry about dying unexpectedly or who died a violent and tragic death, and they refused to cross over because they wanted justice or retribution against the person or persons responsible for ending their life. I've also offered gentle guidance and comfort to many earthbound spirits and encouraged them to cross over.

Thanks for explaining that. It makes sense why they would not want to move on, but what baffles me is how they can believe they are still alive if they don’t have a physical body. In that book Private Dowding he said he had a form that was like his body only it was not exactly the same.

“When I lived in a physical body I never thought much about it. My health was fair. I knew very little about physiology. Now that I am living under other conditions I remain incurious as to that through which I express myself. By this I mean that I am still evidently in a body of some sort, but 'l' can tell you very little about it. It has no interest for me. It is convenient, does not ache or tire, seems similar in formation to my old body. There is a subtle difference, but I cannot attempt analysis.”
Private Dowding, p. 17

Yes, communicating and interacting with spirits can be emotionally draining and very overwhelming at times, but it can also be quite rewarding when a spirit crosses over after speaking with me. I've been communicating and interacting with spirits for the past fifteen years, and I can assure you that it's not always simple to do so, especially when several of them are attempting to speak with me at once and they talk over each other. Being able to interact with spirits requires a lot of patience because they can be angry, confused, or just overjoyed that a living person can see and hear them. I've met spirits who were surprised that I could see and hear them.

Are you talking about spirits that are earthbound?

No, I cannot, and I do not know any other psychic medium who can. My understanding of the spirit world leads me to believe that it is an eternal existence where human spirits can progress and significantly increase their knowledge, as well as leave the spirit world and return to the physical world whenever they like by passing through a spiritual vortex or a spirit portal (such as a doorway, a window, a single mirror, or two mirrors facing each other). My understanding of the afterlife is based on my fifteen years of communicating with human spirits. And my experiences as a psychic medium and a paranormal investigator significantly contributed to my rejection of the biblical accounts about the afterlife and what happens to people after death, as well as any church doctrine that teaches them.

It was my impression from reading The Afterlife Revealed and Private Dowding that the spirits the mediums were communicating with were not earthbound but rather they were on various levels or spheres in the spiritual world, the lowest sphere being the one closest to earth. If you haven’t read The Afterlife Revealed I think you should do so. You can read private Dowding online on the link above because it is in the Baha’i Library Online.

As a Baha’i, my understanding of the spiritual world is the same as yours, that it is an eternal existence where human spirits can progress and significantly increase their knowledge. There is nothing in the Baha’i Writings that says that spirits can leave the spirit world and return to the physical world whenever they like, but that does not mean it isn’t possible. There is a Baha’i quote that says that there is ‘no real separation’ between this world and the spiritual world and the spiritual world is within this world, but I never understood what that quote means.

 

[Brian2]

Right, and that's because the fantastic, non-factual elelments of the Bible can't be believed true. Why? Not only the lack of evidence, but that these stories are contrary to what we know of reality. You are asking rational thinkers to accept fictional stories and trat them as if factual.

So do you see Jewish believers and Christians as non rational?

What makes your explanation necessary if the Bible is so clear? And let's not ignore how Christians disagree about what the Bible means greatly, so your interpretation is more accurate than other Christians, why?

Many people have absolutely no idea about the Bible and what different parts mean.
I do my best to understand it but there are always going to be those who might understand better than I do.

No, we thinkers want claimants to provide facts and evidence for their fantastic claims. If you can't, we defer to the default of not being convinced.

That's would be fine if that is the truth. Many atheists turn into anti Bible people while claiming only that they are not convinced.

 

[Alien826]

That is actually true, and I have been saying that to atheists for eons.
God could prove that He exists if He wanted to since God is all-powerful, so the fact that God does not prove that He exists indicates that God does not choose to prove that He exists. I have all the reasons why He does not prove that He exists delineated in a Word doc so if you want my treatise on the subject I will post it here.

This is fascinating. Excuse a bit of humor.

First kid: I can jump 100 feet in the air.
Second kid: Cool, show me.
First kid: No.
Second kid: Why not?
First kid: I don't feel like doing it now.
Second kid: Then I don't believe you can.
First kid: I told you I didn't feel like doing it, that doesn't mean I can't do it. I can.
Voice of reason: Listen kid, whether you are prepared to demonstrate your ability or not is neither here or there. You either can or you can't. Until you show us we can only assume you can't.
First kid: I can, I can, I can!!! (Runs off crying)

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

So are you saying that your deceased pets have not crossed over to the spiritual world, that they are earthbound spirits? Do you think that is true for all pets? I knew a Baha’i woman who could see the spirit of her deceased cat come to the door and try to get in.

Yes, I do feel that my deceased pets are still earthbound because they react to my presence just as I react to theirs. I've also witnessed a deceased male lion trying to interact with a living male lion at a zoo. I don't believe that all pets or other animals are earthbound, though. I once witnessed a herd of spectral horses galloping across an open field, and I could sense that it was a residual haunting.

From what I gathered from the animal communicators, the spirits of my cats have moved on away from earth, but I don’t know where they are. I had a Buddhist friend who believed that the spirits of animals go to different part of the spiritual world than humans but he was an animal lover and wanted to go there when he died and be with them rather than with human spirits. He could sense his departed dog with him and even feel him on top of him when he was in bed. My cats sensed and maybe even visually saw my deceased cat in the bedroom hovering over the bed but I could never see him. I always wish I could see them but I have only seen them in dreams.

It's actually fairly common to see the spirits of deceased loved ones or deceased pets in dreams. That is one method by which spirits communicate with the living. I'm not sure if animal spirits are located in a different area of the afterlife than human spirits, though.

Thanks for explaining that. It makes sense why they would not want to move on, but what baffles me is how they can believe they are still alive if they don’t have a physical body. In that book Private Dowding he said he had a form that was like his body only it was not exactly the same.

“When I lived in a physical body I never thought much about it. My health was fair. I knew very little about physiology. Now that I am living under other conditions I remain incurious as to that through which I express myself. By this I mean that I am still evidently in a body of some sort, but 'l' can tell you very little about it. It has no interest for me. It is convenient, does not ache or tire, seems similar in formation to my old body. There is a subtle difference, but I cannot attempt analysis.”
Private Dowding, p. 17

I've had a few interactions with human spirits who didn't realize that they were dead until I told them. I've assumed they didn't know because they were in shock and were confused about their sudden and unexpected death. On the other hand, I've also been asked by a few spirits if they were dead. I spoke with one spirit who asked me if she was dead. I told her yes, and then I asked her if she knew how she died. She told me that the last thing she could remember was feeling a sharp pain in her chest and that she couldn't breath. I felt for her because she was very upset and saddened by her untimely death, but I was able to comfort her and she crossed over into the spirit world. And I came across a spirit that wasn't aware that they were dead while I was with other paranormal investigators at a haunted house. I saw this spirit and heard him, but the others only heard him through the spirit box when he asked, "Am I dead?" He also said, "I'm confused." Sadly, I wasn't able to help him because I didn't see him again while I was at the location. We also heard a spirit anxiously say, "The children aren't in heaven yet!" and another one asked, "Where is Jesus?" through the spirit box as well.

Are you talking about spirits that are earthbound?

Yes.

It was my impression from reading The Afterlife Revealed and Private Dowding that the spirits the mediums were communicating with were not earthbound but rather they were on various levels or spheres in the spiritual world, the lowest sphere being the one closest to earth. If you haven’t read The Afterlife Revealed I think you should do so. You can read private Dowding online on the link above because it is in the Baha’i Library Online.

I've heard of this belief before because it's also a common belief in Spiritualism (read here to learn more). I think what you stated and the belief in earthbound spirits are both true based on my understanding as a psychic medium and as a spiritualist myself. And as a psychic medium, I know that there are human spirits everywhere I go, and the only difference between them and living people is that, whereas living people are opaque, human spirits are not. This is one of the reasons why I believe that human spirits are able to travel through a spiritual vortex or a spirit portal to go between the spirit world and the physical world and can stay as long as they like.

As a Baha’i, my understanding of the spiritual world is the same as yours, that it is an eternal existence where human spirits can progress and significantly increase their knowledge. There is nothing in the Baha’i Writings that says that spirits can leave the spirit world and return to the physical world whenever they like, but that does not mean it isn’t possible. There is a Baha’i quote that says that there is ‘no real separation’ between this world and the spiritual world and the spiritual world is within this world, but I never understood what that quote means.

There is a belief that the spirit world and the physical world are essentially intertwined (one in the same) and that the spirits of the deceased stay in the physical world rather than departing it to cross over into a higher astral plane or sphere in the spirit world that is external to the physical world or depart the physical world upon death to cross over into either heaven or hell, as Christianity teaches.

 

[Trailblazer]

First kid: I told you I didn't feel like doing it, that doesn't mean I can't do it. I can.
Voice of reason: Listen kid, whether you are prepared to demonstrate your ability or not is neither here or there. You either can or you can't. Until you show us we can only assume you can't.

Does that mean that you do not believe that God can prove He exists until He actually proves that He exists?
A good question is this: Even if God can prove that He exists, why would God prove that he exists?
Another good question is this: Even if God can prove that He exists, why should God prove that He exists?

Give me one good reason why God would or should prove that He exists.

 

[Trailblazer]

I've heard of this belief before because it's also a common belief in Spiritualism (read here to learn more). I think what you stated and the belief in earthbound spirits are both true based on my understanding as a psychic medium and as a spiritualist myself. And as a psychic medium, I know that there are human spirits everywhere I go, and the only difference between them and living people is that, whereas living people are opaque, human spirits are not. This is one of the reasons why I believe that human spirits are able to travel through a spiritual vortex or a spirit portal to go between the spirit world and the physical world and can stay as long as they like.

Thanks, I read what is on that website and I agree that spirits are capable of growth and perfection, progressing through higher spheres or planes, and that the afterlife is not a static state, but one in which spirits evolve. That is what psychic mediums convey from communication with spirits, but it is also a Baha'i belief, that souls continue to progress and that progress is endless. It makes sense that if mediums can contact spirits, those spirits can provide knowledge about moral and ethical issues, as well as about God and the afterlife.

When you said that there are human spirits everywhere you go, and the only difference between them and living people is that living people are opaque, human spirits are not. So are you saying that these spirits look the same as living people, only they are transparent so you can see through them?

You said you believe that human spirits are able to travel through a spiritual vortex or a spirit portal to go between the spirit world and the physical world and can stay as long as they like. Why do you think that human spirits would want to come back and visit this world, out of curiosity, or because they have unfinished business here?

There is a belief that the spirit world and the physical world are essentially intertwined (one in the same) and that the spirits of the deceased stay in the physical world rather than departing it to cross over into a higher astral plane or sphere in the spirit world that is external to the physical world or depart the physical world upon death to cross over into either heaven or hell, as Christianity teaches.

So you are saying it is an either-or? The spirits of the deceased either stay in the physical world rather than departing it to cross over into a higher astral plane or sphere or they cross over to a higher astral plane or sphere that is external to the physical world?

I do not believe in two distinct locations, heaven and hell, as Christianity teaches, but rather I believe that there are different planes of existence; the one closer to earth and attachment to selfish desire and earthly things can be likened to hell whereas the higher planes of existence where one is closer to God can be likened to heaven.

As I said before, I believe that the physical world and the spiritual world are intertwined. Below is the quotation I was remembering where it says there is no real separation between the two worlds.

“Those who have passed on through death, have a sphere of their own. It is not removed from ours; their work, the work of the Kingdom, is ours; but it is sanctified from what we call ‘time and place.’ Time with us is measured by the sun. When there is no more sunrise, and no more sunset, that kind of time does not exist for man. Those who have ascended have different attributes from those who are still on earth, yet there is no real separation.”‘
Abdu’l-Bahá in London, pp. 95-96

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Thanks, I read what is on that website and I agree that spirits are capable of growth and perfection, progressing through higher spheres or planes, and that the afterlife is not a static state, but one in which spirits evolve. That is what psychic mediums convey from communication with spirits, but it is also a Baha'i belief, that souls continue to progress and that progress is endless. It makes sense that if mediums can contact spirits, those spirits can provide knowledge about moral and ethical issues, as well as about God and the afterlife.

I have specifically asked several spirits about God, and the responses I received were either "Yes, God exists" or "No, God does not exist." or something to that effect. However, other spirits seemed confused about whether God existed or not, as well as whether heaven even existed, because they weren't in heaven yet nor had they seen God, despite their belief that they would be with God in heaven after they died. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, there was a spirit who anxiously said, "The children aren't in heaven yet!" and another spirit who asked, "Where is Jesus?" And despite my efforts to uncover the truth, I've never received a definitive answer as to whether God is real or not. I have, however, had the impression that asking a question about whether God exists or not might be considered tabu because the question wasn't always well received when I asked. Some spirits I asked refused to answer the question.

When you said that there are human spirits everywhere you go, and the only difference between them and living people is that living people are opaque, human spirits are not. So are you saying that these spirits look the same as living people, only they are transparent so you can see through them?

Yes, whenever I visually see spirits, they look the same as living people, but they are transparent.

You said you believe that human spirits are able to travel through a spiritual vortex or a spirit portal to go between the spirit world and the physical world and can stay as long as they like. Why do you think that human spirits would want to come back and visit this world, out of curiosity, or because they have unfinished business here?

I believe that the answer to your question depends on the spirit. Some spirits could have unfinished business; they want to see their loved ones or friends who are still alive; they are still seeking justice or retribution against the person or persons who took their life; or they prefer to be around living people because they miss being alive and they thrive on the positive or negative emotions of living people. Human spirits are known to drain the energy of the living in order to communicate and interact with the living as well as with their surroundings (move objects, knock on a wall or a door, turn the lights on or off, turn a water facet on or off, open or close a door). They are also known to rapidly drain batteries (flashlights, cameras) or electricity (lights flickering) in order to obtain enough energy to speak with the living and interact with their surroundings. It's not an enjoyable experience to be drained of your energy.

So you are saying it is an either-or? The spirits of the deceased either stay in the physical world rather than departing it to cross over into a higher astral plane or sphere or they cross over to a higher astral plane or sphere that is external to the physical world?

I do not believe in two distinct locations, heaven and hell, as Christianity teaches, but rather I believe that there are different planes of existence; the one closer to earth and attachment to selfish desire and earthly things can be likened to hell whereas the higher planes of existence where one is closer to God can be likened to heaven.

As I said before, I believe that the physical world and the spiritual world are intertwined. Below is the quotation I was remembering where it says there is no real separation between the two worlds.

“Those who have passed on through death, have a sphere of their own. It is not removed from ours; their work, the work of the Kingdom, is ours; but it is sanctified from what we call ‘time and place.’ Time with us is measured by the sun. When there is no more sunrise, and no more sunset, that kind of time does not exist for man. Those who have ascended have different attributes from those who are still on earth, yet there is no real separation.”‘
Abdu’l-Bahá in London, pp. 95-96

Personally, I believe that after passing into the spirit world, human spirits have the option of staying there permanently or returning to the physical world at any time by passing through a spirit portal or a spiritual vortex. Alternatively, they may decide to stay in the spirit world and never leave it. Additionally, I believe that human spirits are capable of ascending to higher spiritual planes or spheres and advancing in wisdom and perfection within the spirit world. But unlike what Christianity teaches, I don't think the spirit world is a fixed place that is just comprised of heaven and hell. To be more specific, I don't believe that heaven exists, or at least not in the way that Christianity teaches it. I also don't believe that hell exists in any shape or form. On a related issue, I thought you would find this thread, "If you believe in a god (any god)" to be interesting. I've already posted in it and figured you might be interested in what I had to say (click here to read my post). Again, my inbox is always open if you would like to talk to me in a private message. Take care.

 

[Trailblazer]

I have specifically asked several spirits about God, and the responses I received were either "Yes, God exists" or "No, God does not exist." or something to that effect. However, other spirits seemed confused about whether God existed or not, as well as whether heaven even existed, because they weren't in heaven yet nor had they seen God, despite their belief that they would be with God in heaven after they died.

That makes perfect sense because I think the people who believed in God would still believe in God and atheists would still be atheists. People who seem confused might have been agnostics. I think Christians are going to be confused when they realize they are not the only ones in heaven after all. There is a Baha'i joke a Baha'i once told me about that.

I believe that the answer to your question depends on the spirit. Some spirits could have unfinished business; they want to see their loved ones or friends who are still alive; they are still seeking justice or retribution against the person or persons who took their life; or they prefer to be around living people because they miss being alive and they thrive on the positive or negative emotions of living people. Human spirits are known to drain the energy of the living in order to communicate and interact with the living as well as with their surroundings (move objects, knock on a wall or a door, turn the lights on or off, turn a water facet on or off, open or close a door). They are also known to rapidly drain batteries (flashlights, cameras) or electricity (lights flickering) in order to obtain enough energy to speak with the living and interact with their surroundings. It's not an enjoyable experience to be drained of your energy.

That is really interesting. Boy do I have a story for you about something going off and on. I will send that story to you in a PM. I was going to do that today but something else came up.

But unlike what Christianity teaches, I don't think the spirit world is a fixed place that is just comprised of heaven and hell. To be more specific, I don't believe that heaven exists, or at least not in the way that Christianity teaches it. I also don't believe that hell exists in any shape or form.

No, I don’t believe that either. Actually, I don’t think Christians really understand what they believe about heaven and hell and what they will be like, they just believe that they exist as geographical locations, hell for non-Christians and nonbelievers and heaven for Christians.

On a related issue, I thought you would find this thread, "If you believe in a god (any god)" to be interesting. I've already posted in it and figured you might be interested in what I had to say (click here to read my post).

Regarding God’s existence, my position is the same as you said your that post. I do not have any empirical and verifiable evidence that God exists, nor do I have empirical and verifiable evidence that God does not actually exist. As a result, I believe it is correct for me to say that I have faith that God exists. To add to that, I believe the Messengers of God are the evidence that God exists, but I have to have faith in order to believe that they are Messengers of God since that can never be proven.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

That makes perfect sense because I think the people who believed in God would still believe in God and atheists would still be atheists. People who seem confused might have been agnostics. I think Christians are going to be confused when they realize they are not the only ones in heaven after all. There is a Baha'i joke a Baha'i once told me about that.

I think that Christians will be confused and shocked when they realize they aren't the only ones in heaven too.

That is really interesting. Boy do I have a story for you about something going off and on. I will send that story to you in a PM. I was going to do that today but something else came up.

I look forward to hearing from you, my friend.

No, I don’t believe that either. Actually, I don’t think Christians really understand what they believe about heaven and hell and what they will be like, they just believe that they exist as geographical locations, hell for non-Christians and nonbelievers and heaven for Christians.

I agree with you.

Regarding God’s existence, my position is the same as you said your that post. I do not have any empirical and verifiable evidence that God exists, nor do I have empirical and verifiable evidence that God does not actually exist. As a result, I believe it is correct for me to say that I have faith that God exists. To add to that, I believe the Messengers of God are the evidence that God exists, but I have to have faith in order to believe that they are Messengers of God since that can never be proven.

The explanation I shared about my beliefs is why I think of myself as an agnostic and not an atheist concerning the Christian God.

 

[Trailblazer]

I look forward to hearing from you, my friend.

I saw your PM and I will definitely respond as soon as I can. Today has been the day from hell since I am worried about one of my cats who is sick so I have not been able to do much on the forum. Everything goes on hold if a cat is sick. I am taking her to the vet tomorrow if they can fit me in.

The explanation I shared about my beliefs is why I think of myself as an agnostic and not an atheist concerning the Christian God.

So are you saying you are not sure about the Christian God, that you think He might exist?

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I saw your PM and I will definitely respond as soon as I can. Today has been the day from hell since I am worried about one of my cats who is sick so I have not been able to do much on the forum. Everything goes on hold if a cat is sick. I am taking her to the vet tomorrow if they can fit me in.

I'm very sorry to hear about your cat, my friend.

So are you saying you are not sure about the Christian God, that you think He might exist?

I cannot honestly say whether the Christian God exists or not. I can't prove or disprove it, so I don't call myself an atheist. I was once a genuine believer in God, but that has significantly changed over the last couple of years. In my opinion, if the God of the Bible does not exist, then my sincere belief and devout faith as a Christian were in vain, and I prayed to thin air. However, if the God of the Bible does in fact exist, then I believe that he is nothing more than a cold-blooded, sadistic, psychotic, and abhorrent monster. It seems to me that if he does exist, then he turned a blind eye and allowed me to be severely abused and relentlessly bullied while I was growing up. Furthermore, it would seem to me that he doesn't care about me or think that I am worth the trouble of saving. However, I am a Wiccan and a polytheist now, and as such, I am perfectly content to keep my new spiritual beliefs at arm's length and not allow myself to become emotionally attached to a new deity or deities and be hoodwinked by another religion, as I feel like I was with Christianity.

 

[Trailblazer]

I'm very sorry to hear about your cat, my friend.

Thanks. I have been sick with worry since I love Busia so much, but I talked to a vet online today so I think I know what it is and it is not serious. However she needs to be seen by a vet and hopefully the vet clinic will be able to fit me in tomorrow.

I cannot honestly say whether the Christian God exists or not. I can't prove or disprove it, so I don't call myself an atheist. I was once a genuine believer in God, but that has significantly changed over the last couple of years. In my opinion, if the God of the Bible does not exist, then my sincere belief and devout faith as a Christian were in vain, and I prayed to thin air. However, if the God of the Bible does in fact exist, then I believe that he is nothing more than a cold-blooded, sadistic, psychotic, and abhorrent monster. It seems to me that if he does exist, then he turned a blind eye and allowed me to be severely abused and relentlessly bullied while I was growing up. Furthermore, it would seem to me that he doesn't care about me or think that I am worth the trouble of saving. However, I am a Wiccan and a polytheist now, and as such, I am perfectly content to keep my new spiritual beliefs at arm's length and not allow myself to become emotionally attached to a new deity or deities and be hoodwinked by another religion, as I feel like I was with Christianity.

It might surprise you to know that I have had the same struggles with the Christian/Baha'i God, who I believe are one and the same God. Not only did I believe He had ignored my suffering and did not care how much I suffered, but I also believed He deliberately sent me suffering to punish me for being a bad Baha'i, or at the very least to test me. Part of the reason I believed the this was because of what my older brother used to tell me that God was killing my cats to teach me a lesson to be more detached. I had not been deepened in the Faith so I was very vulnerable to what my brother said.

That was a long time ago but it stuck in my mind for a long time until I started getting involved with other Baha'is who knew better. It took me a long time to dig my way out of that hole and the digging started in 2013, but even after that I still had an uphill battle because I did not like God, let alone love God, and I could not believe God was loving. I still question how a loving God could allow so much suffering in the world, not only my own suffering, but I try to love God because I know it is in my best interest.