I believe in a Higher Power that is far greater than my human, egoic mind. For me it doesn't matter what name is given to that Higher Power - God, Source, Universe or Higher Self.

I, too, have experienced this presence during meditation and in those fleeting moments when I can really be in the Now moment.

And I know that Presence doesn't care what title we choose to give it, but more importantly that we trust it and endeavour to live our life from that higher perspective.

Every drop in the ocean believes that it is a drop and not the ocean. If you say to a drop "do you know that you are the ocean?" the drop will say "that's blasphemy, how can I be the ocean when I am the drop?" The drop doesn't know that it is possible to be the drop and be the ocean at the same time.

I see my relationship with God as the same as the relationship between the drop and the Ocean. (I know that I have given this exact explanation in a previous answer).

Another way to see it is to say that every drop IS the actual presence of the ocean at that point of reference, extending all the way to the consciousness of the drop, also being the consciousness of the ocean at that particular reference point.

I was brought up as a Roman Catholic. I used to be a religious person but never was a church-goer. Last year a lot of bad things happened in my life. Three beloved ones passed away, including my dad, after a long time of suffering senile dementia. He passed away on Christmas Eve after 5 days of terribly physical pain in the hospital. I was mad at God the first months of this year. VERY.

After reading The Secret and knowing I am co-creator I am not mad at Him anymore, but I decided to step out of all known religions and creeds. I have found that they place you always as a sinner 'subject', not treating you as a human being equal to the church ministers. (I hope I am not offending anyone with this. If so, I apologize!). I don't feel confortable following dogmas. I like to think for myself.

I still DO believe in God and Jesus though.

BJ09

I believe that the biological machine that supports our individual consciousness has circuits for us to perceive the "presence" that others mention here. I don't believe in a separate, omniscient/omnipresent/omnipotent entity. I believe that this perception is shared by the vast majority of our species, and that there is power in our shared experience.

I also believe that this power has been rampantly abused throughout human history. If I know that you believe that God exists, I can exploit this feature for my own personal benefit. Further, I can delude myself into believing that my exploitation of others in this manner is not only justified, but a command from God.

That is, one's exploitation of another's faith can remain hidden even to the exploiter, if the exploiter's belief precludes self-discovery, i.e., "blind faith."

Faith, belief in God, and in general, all beliefs best serve the individual when kept private. This particular belief seems to inspire the sharing of the belief. Consider how religion is being used right now to justify war within organized religion.

Hello…

The foundation of my belief and faith in the Biblical GOD exists because of the logical answer to one fundamental question: HOW DID WE GET HERE? Having the ability to answer this fundamental question establishes immediate authority and credibility for the person under scrutiny. After honest evaluation, it is only the Biblical GOD who deserves and commands the authority and credibility.

There are only [4] possibilities for the origin of our existence:

(1) We were created by an UNCAUSED CAUSE.

(2) We were created by ACCIDENT.

(3) We were never created: We HAVE ALWAYS EXISTED.

(4) We were never created: We are NOT REALLY HERE.

If you believe in Option (4), then you believe that your present reality is an ILLUSION, and you may as well stop paying your taxes, quit your diet, and not get out of bed in the morning. Why would you be so concerned about LIVING YOUR LIFE if your present reality is just an ILLUSION? By logical extension, if your present reality is just an ILLUSION, then all your EMOTIONS and ACTIONS are also ILLUSIONS. It would be totally illogical to claim that your present reality is an ILLUSION, but that your EMOTIONS and ACTIONS are actually REAL. Thus, all your feelings, beliefs, decisions, and actions are MEANINGLESS because they have no effectual link to your present reality. If your present reality is just an ILLUSION, then how do you KNOW that you truly EXIST? Does REALITY exist? Where is REALITY? Can you PROVE your claims? What are your PROOF TEXTS? Are not your claims and proof texts ILLUSIONS as well? The honest conclusion is that Option (4) does not answer the question.

If you believe in Option (3), then you may as well discard certain proven scientific observations. Without going into great details, a rudimentary reading of the Second Law of Thermodynamics will demonstrate that there is ENTROPY in a closed system. In other words, the observed progression of all matter or energy is that it goes from a state of “organization” to a state of “disorganization”. The reverse trend is NEVER observed. Thus, all matter is observed to disintegrate, decay, and degenerate. In addition, during the process of conservation and dissipation, there is always LESS available energy at our disposal with the passage of time even though the over-all quantity of energy remains constant. In relation to these observable, demonstrable FACTS, how could we have ALWAYS EXISTED? Even the scientific community would highly doubt this claim. The honest conclusion is that Option (3) does not answer the question.

If you believe in Option (2), then you associate yourself with all the evolutionists, humanists, and atheists. Again, however, you may as well discard certain proven scientific observations. Without going into great details, a rudimentary reading of the First Law of Thermodynamics will demonstrate that energy CANNOT be created or destroyed. In other words, the state of existing energy or matter may be altered or transformed, but you cannot create energy or matter from NOTHING. Therefore, from where did the UNIVERSE come? The Big Bang Theory alludes to the pre-existence(?!) of a cooling, primordial, NON-LIVING chemical cloud which was ACCIDENTLY(?!) infused with an energy source and ACCIDENTLY(?!) gave rise to the spontaneous creation of a single-celled entity (the amoeba) from which ALL species have evolved. This presumption is WISHFUL THINKING: What is the origin of the pre-existing(?!) chemical cloud? From where did the infusion of energy conveniently come? Where are the Missing Links? How did Gender (male/female) evolve when Asexual Reproduction would have been a much more efficient choice for Natural Selection? How could SIGHT have evolved by blind chance? How did “organization” proceed from “disorganization”?

To answer these questions, science will need to contradict its own observable, demonstrable FACTS. If you require further evidence, I humbly suggest that you spend some time reviewing the claims of so-called “scientists” in the following associated sub-categories: Biochemistry (or Genetic Manipulation), Embryology, Taxonomy, Comparative Anatomy, Fossil Evidence and Dating, Variations, Natural Selection, Survival of the Fittest, Heredity, and Isolation. You will be SHOCKED at the lack of common sense and the flagrant absence of “scientific proof” contained in these “scientific claims”. The honest conclusion is that Option (2) does not answer the question.

If you believe in Option (1), then you associate yourself with Jesus Christ, Moses, King David, the Prophets, the Apostle Paul, all Bible Believers, and every HONEST scientist on the planet. The Biblical GOD is the only UNCAUSED CAUSE [Isaiah 44:6-8][Isaiah 45:5,18,21,22][Isaiah 46:9-13]. There is a CAUSE to everything in existence except the Biblical GOD. The Biblical GOD is the Beginning and the End. The Biblical GOD did not need to be created for He always WAS, IS, and WILL BE. As a Living, Distinct, and Absolute Creator, the Biblical GOD spoke all things into existence in their FULLY DEVELOPPED FORMS (such as all the various creations, physical laws, chemical laws, biological laws, etc). Logically, only a LIVING Creator would have the ability to create LIFE. Even the Laws of Biogenesis indicate that you can only get LIFE from LIFE. Science cannot produce LIFE from a string of dead, chemical compounds. Science will only be able to REPLICATE and SIMULATE some minor chemical functions of LIFE. However, science will NEVER be able to CREATE LIFE from NOTHING! Science will NEVER be able to CREATE LIFE with the wonderful symmetry and efficient complexity effortlessly achieved by the Biblical GOD. The honest conclusion is that Option (1) does indeed answer the question.

Interestingly, the GODHEAD has [3] aspects: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. Similarly, the Universe has [3] aspects: Time, Space, and Matter. In turn, Time has [3] aspects: Past, Present, and Future. Space has [3] aspects: Length, Width, and Height. Matter has [3] aspects: Solid, Liquid, and Gas. Is this a coincidence? ABSOLUTELY NOT! The Biblical GOD declares His power and authority in the creation of the Universe with the very first verse of Scripture [Genesis 1:1]:

“In the beginning (TIME), GOD created the heaven (SPACE) and the earth (MATTER).”

Do you know of any other beings (such as “aliens” or “channeled entities”) that may be the UNCAUSED CAUSE? Do you know of any “alien” or “channeled entity” who can challenge the Biblical GOD’s authority and credibility for the existence of the whole of CREATION? If so, please let us know so we can rigorously dissect and meticulously evaluate these claims following the rules of Critical Thinking, Logic, and Deduction.

In conclusion, if the Biblical GOD’s authority and credibility is REAL, then the TOTALITY of His Words contained in His Book (the Bible) is also REAL. From this logical deduction and as He requires, I chose to have my SINS washed away by personally accepting the perfect blood-sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The moment I was BORN-AGAIN, I established an Eternal relationship with Him. At no cost, the Biblical GOD extends this loving, kind, and generous offer to all of mankind. Will you hear, receive, understand, and believe His Words?

Thanks for reading.

Concerned Citizen

Wow, bradmoreso nailed it on the head.

The world right now is in the most screwed up position that it can be in.

There are 2 possibilities :
1) There is no "Higher" god running the show and there is no higher plan. Which explains how we and people in power screwed up and we got to where we are today. With this thinking the next logical step is that we need to get up and do something about the world and improve it.

2) There is a god running this place.
God is racist
If you believe this, your next logical conclusion will be - The guy running it has got to be racist. Give the white people all the comforts food and security. Screw the Africans up big time. You can't even fit the Sin angle to this thing cause you can't prove that Africans have sinned more so they have to suffer more for their sins. What about the people of hiroshima nagasaki? the ones that got killed and the ones that got born deformed generation after generation -- All sinners. God probably hates them too. God was responsible for 9/11 for swine flu for all the disasters that struck -- if god runs the place and takes the responsibility for everything he also has to take the flack.

He Can't impose his own rules
While he was imposing gravity and friction couldn't he just make people good if that was so important?

There are so many more ways he's screwing up everyday. If this was part of his "higher plan" then god must be really sick as well.

You know if you want to prove god, you have to do so many mental flip flops and there is so much self deception involved it isn't even funny. Until god is as clearly defined as 1kg of weight or shows up right in front of me, the concept of existence of god is going to be equal to the concept of existence of Pokemon.