-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
What does "I believe in God" mean to you?
- Thread starter Everyone
- Start date
A long time.
I'm serious; I tried to have this discussion with a church-going friend, but he couldn't help me understand. I assume it's something much more abstract than a large protective bearded man in the sky.
So, how would you describe your faith? Is it a belief in some kind of eternal consciousness? A belief that there is a reason for human existence? A belief in a real astral being? I don't know what it is, or if it's similar for different people, but I'd like to know.
I'm serious; I tried to have this discussion with a church-going friend, but he couldn't help me understand. I assume it's something much more abstract than a large protective bearded man in the sky.
So, how would you describe your faith? Is it a belief in some kind of eternal consciousness? A belief that there is a reason for human existence? A belief in a real astral being? I don't know what it is, or if it's similar for different people, but I'd like to know.
Gjallarhorn
N'yog-Sothep
The statement "I believe in God" means nothing to me. The word "god" has been given so many different (and in some cases, completely opposing) definitions so as the render the word a husk for whatever meaning you care to stuff it with.
Boethiah
Penguin
I believe in God at my own pace. I believe in myself and my tendency to change the way I perceive the Higher Power, whether it is a metaphor for the universe, a single Being, or a collection of Beings.
How I view God is not as important as how I live my life. My perception of God, albeit ever-changing, is exploring different ways to draw meaning from the very concept of "God". Looking to unconventional sources for a definition of God is useful.
I think the important thing is to look at God(s) as a chance to improve one's life, whether it through inspiration, humor, or love (or all of the above, or others).
When I say "I believe in God", I mean that I believe in some power in the universe that shouldn't be worried too much about, and should be explored out of curiosity, boredom, or self-improvement.
This is the best way I can put it.
How I view God is not as important as how I live my life. My perception of God, albeit ever-changing, is exploring different ways to draw meaning from the very concept of "God". Looking to unconventional sources for a definition of God is useful.
I think the important thing is to look at God(s) as a chance to improve one's life, whether it through inspiration, humor, or love (or all of the above, or others).
When I say "I believe in God", I mean that I believe in some power in the universe that shouldn't be worried too much about, and should be explored out of curiosity, boredom, or self-improvement.
This is the best way I can put it.
St Giordano Bruno
Well-Known Member
The statement "I believe in God" is just one's personal opinion but the statement "there is a God" requires hard evidence to back up that claim.
In God (is how) I believe.
1 part Reason (willingness)
1 part Peace (authority, gentle wisdom)
2 parts Knowledge (light and freedom)
3 parts Love (appreciation and joy and miracles)
Yes eternal Christ consciousness is how I understand it. Must go within to attune to Spiritual sight.
In an inverse way. Reason for body (physical) is establish belief in separation and perceptual order where lack and needs are 'how life works.' Where existence is perceived as threatened, and death inevitable. All this, being dictates of the ego, or detour into fear. Reason for existence when looked at from Authority is to 'teach only love, for that is who You are.'
I believe you do know. Though I appreciate you allowing me opportunity to play role of student to express remembrance of how I see / understand such matters.
1 part Reason (willingness)
1 part Peace (authority, gentle wisdom)
2 parts Knowledge (light and freedom)
3 parts Love (appreciation and joy and miracles)
Yes eternal Christ consciousness is how I understand it. Must go within to attune to Spiritual sight.
In an inverse way. Reason for body (physical) is establish belief in separation and perceptual order where lack and needs are 'how life works.' Where existence is perceived as threatened, and death inevitable. All this, being dictates of the ego, or detour into fear. Reason for existence when looked at from Authority is to 'teach only love, for that is who You are.'
I believe you do know. Though I appreciate you allowing me opportunity to play role of student to express remembrance of how I see / understand such matters.
The Sum of Awe
Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
I must say I am hereby 100% under consideration of Buddhism and Taoism philosophically.
God is like a Force, I don't understand God, but feel it in meditation often.
It basically means, to me, being enlightened. I think knowledge of this thing is important.
My faith is entrenched in the promises that come from heavenly parents. The promise of eternal life, eternal increase, and eternal peace & happiness with my eternal family.
Oak of Justice
Member
I believe in my Father by doing the works He's done.Example;
Proverbs;
My son, pay attention to my words, incline your ear to my sayings ;
Dont let them slip out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
For they are life to those who find them, to man's whole being they are health.
The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are brief.
The words of the upright save them but the words of the wicked are a deadly ambush.
The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life.
Those who walk uprightly fear the Lord.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life.
Blessed is he who is kind to the poor.
The Lords delight is those who speak the truth, and those who speak what is right he loves
whoever acts in truth comes into the light, and His deeds are clearly seen as done in God.
If only you recognized Gods gift, and who it is thats speaking to you, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water. Anyone who drinks the water I give him will never become thirsty the water I give him shall be like a well inside him rising up to provide eternal life.
The hour is coming, and is now here, when genuine worshipers will worship the Lord in spirit and truth, for the Lord wants such people to worship him. For God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
Everything that the Lord gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should lose nothing of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him possesses eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.
No one can come to me unless the Lord who sent me draws him, and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen God only the one who is from God has seen the Lord.
Truly I say to you, whoever believes possesses eternal life.
Proverbs;
My son, pay attention to my words, incline your ear to my sayings ;
Dont let them slip out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
For they are life to those who find them, to man's whole being they are health.
The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are brief.
The words of the upright save them but the words of the wicked are a deadly ambush.
The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life.
Those who walk uprightly fear the Lord.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life.
Blessed is he who is kind to the poor.
The Lords delight is those who speak the truth, and those who speak what is right he loves
whoever acts in truth comes into the light, and His deeds are clearly seen as done in God.
If only you recognized Gods gift, and who it is thats speaking to you, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water. Anyone who drinks the water I give him will never become thirsty the water I give him shall be like a well inside him rising up to provide eternal life.
The hour is coming, and is now here, when genuine worshipers will worship the Lord in spirit and truth, for the Lord wants such people to worship him. For God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
Everything that the Lord gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should lose nothing of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him possesses eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.
No one can come to me unless the Lord who sent me draws him, and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen God only the one who is from God has seen the Lord.
Truly I say to you, whoever believes possesses eternal life.
IsmailaGodHasHeard
Well-Known Member
It means that people believe in one god.
The Sum of Awe
Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
It literally translates into "I think God exists". Which is unsurprising.
javajo
Well-Known Member
For me, "I believe in God", means I believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who became a man named Jesus and died to pay my sin debt on the cross. I believe in, rely on, trust in his finished work for my salvation and his resurrection power and his Holy Spirit to live my life for him.
IsmailaGodHasHeard
Well-Known Member
Some people who believe in god are not Jewish, Christian or Muslim. Some are Hindu or nonreligious.
javajo
Well-Known Member
I know, but it asked what it meant for you (me), so I said what believing in God meant for me personally not collectively. I believe in a certain God, the God of the Bible. Other people believe different things about God.
Biblestudent_007
Active Member
a) belief in a Supreme Deity
b) belief in a Higher Power
c) Mysticism & Rationalism
It means that I see Agency as a reasonable postulate.