My thoughts about God

[explorer_of_the_mind]

I am very skeptical about the idea of a God who cares about us. Personally, I think it is possible that a higher intelligence created, or set in motion, the universe. However, I think the reason God or Goddess created the universe is because He or She had a creative urge to satisfy, much in the same way a playwright publishes plays, or a painter creates a portrait. That is probably why life on Earth can be so joyous and beautiful, but also so very heartbreaking and tragic.

But I don't think that God or Goddess intervenes in our daily lives. I don't even think that God or Goddess cares about our problems; if He or She did, then He or She would have stopped the Holocaust, the genocide in Darfur, the AIDS epidemic, etc. You can call me cynical if you like, but I don't see the use of petitionary prayer, where you ask God or Goddess for something.

I see the value of praising God or Goddess, but not praying to this higher power for something that you want or need. Praying to a higher power for something that you wish for seems to be very selfish, because ultimately we are just a small part of this vast universe.

What is the Hindu explanation for God's intentions for us? Does God(dess) care about our welfare? Do Hindus believe that God or Goddess will pull us out of difficult situations? Does He or She protect us?

If anyone could respond, it would be much appreciated.

[satay]

namaskar,
Why not instead of asking something in a prayer just simply 'acknowledge this existence and be grateful for it'.

Why not offer ourSELF instead of asking anything...

[explorer_of_the_mind]

namaskar,
Why not instead of asking something in a prayer just simply 'acknowledge this existence and be grateful for it'.

Why not offer ourSELF instead of asking anything...

That's a good point. Perhaps I am just viewing God from the Catholic Christian background I was raised in.

[willie]

What you are talking about it deism, where god creates the universe and just walks of too let it run on its own.

The only proof of god is in small things that are lost in the background. For each war or repression someone stood up and fought back. People fight disease and medical problems everyday and research goes on all the time to come up with new cures and treatment. Who can say that this is not god working in the background , introducing thoughts into peoples mind. Handing out new ideas that might lead to solutions.

Asking god for things , probably does little good and rituals are just some darkages hold over.

[satay]

As I understand it, in Hinduism there is only one GOD and thus HE/SHE/IT is the source of all. From this we must conclude that if he is responsible for putting thoughts in people's mind so that diseases can be cured, then he is also responsible for the disease in the first place! Since he is he source of all, all things (evil or good) start and end in him.

Please correct my understanding.

[atanu]

-----Who can say that this is not god working in the background , introducing thoughts into peoples mind. Handing out new ideas that might lead to solutions.

----

Hi Willie,

Nice.

Sanatana Dharma surely teaches: Brahman is that which is mind of the mind. By which the mind is thought of.

But worshipful mind is the best mind.

Om

[saidevo]

Namaste eotm.

I am very skeptical about the idea of a God who cares about us. Personally, I think it is possible that a higher intelligence created, or set in motion, the universe. However, I think the reason God or Goddess created the universe is because He or She had a creative urge to satisfy, much in the same way a playwright publishes plays, or a painter creates a portrait. That is probably why life on Earth can be so joyous and beautiful, but also so very heartbreaking and tragic.

But I don't think that God or Goddess intervenes in our daily lives. I don't even think that God or Goddess cares about our problems; if He or She did, then He or She would have stopped the Holocaust, the genocide in Darfur, the AIDS epidemic, etc. You can call me cynical if you like, but I don't see the use of petitionary prayer, where you ask God or Goddess for something.

I see the value of praising God or Goddess, but not praying to this higher power for something that you want or need. Praying to a higher power for something that you wish for seems to be very selfish, because ultimately we are just a small part of this vast universe.

Don't you think that the two viewpoints contradict each other?

Comparing God to a creative artist/author is a good way of understanding Him, in my opinion.

It is a popular Hindu view that God created this universe and everything in it as a sport, a lila, a play and drama. This play is eternal, so His creative urge never stops. Like a good author, he leaves no loose threads in his play and winds up every soul finally into Him, as they progress in this cosmic drama of many cycles of eons and births.

An author of a play or novel is vicariously behind every scene, narration and interplay of the characters. In the same way, God is behind all the matter and spirit of this universe and partakes every scene of the drama of life that goes on, yet remaining beyond it all, like the author.

Therefore, the holocausts and diseases are part of the drama of life. The characters in a play or movie interact with the director about their performance and for his grace for better roles next time. The characters in a novel do interact with their author in his mind and take different forms in other novels. In the same way, there is nothing wrong with supplication or petitionary prayer. After all God is our mother, father, guru, friend and every other person, so why not ask Him for what we want? Once the desires for basic comforts are fulfilled, the wise human will ask for upliftment in spiritual life.

Praising the Lord, especially in this Kali Yuga is the highest form of worship recommended for common humans.

What is the Hindu explanation for God's intentions for us? Does God(dess) care about our welfare? Do Hindus believe that God or Goddess will pull us out of difficult situations? Does He or She protect us?

Gods and Goddesses and Gurus do care for our personal welfare. They do pull us out of difficult situations. This is a universal experience as the saying 'More things are wrought by prayer than the world knows of' indicates.

According to Hinduism Gods and Goddeses are everywhere: within us, within every other being, every atom of matter, in our puja room, in the temples, churches and mosques and other godhouses and every other place you can think of where you could worship them. God is very personal to every human, and the bhAva or attitude we have towards Him/Her is important. In genunine, deep and heartfelt devotion, you can have any channel of relationship with God/Goddess, considering yourself as His/Her servant, friend, spouse, parent, child and more. If the devotion is genuine and the relationship is deeply felt, God will surely respond to the devotee in that role.

One effective way to lessen the mass of negative karma in this world is to spread positive thoughts and emotions that vibrate at high frequencies: love, empathy, compassion, devotion, reverence and so on.

Stephen Knapp says, "Also, information is given from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana where Krishna tells Ganga Devi that there will be a Golden Age within the Kali-yuga that will start 5,000 years after the beginning of the age of Kali-yuga. It will last for 10,000 years, i.e., 15,000 years into the age of Kali the full force of Kali will manifest. We are considered to be in the first phase of this Golden Age, for Lord Krishna departed 5,000 years ago. Therefore, millennium predictions coincide with Krishna's message." (http://www.stephen-knapp.com/about_vedic_prophecies.htm)

And that gives us some hope!

[Agnideva]

Namaste Explorer,

The questions and points you’ve raised are not unique to you, or your catholic upbringing. I’m sure we’ve all asked ourselves these or similar questions at one point or another. In Sanatana Dharma, you will find there is no one answer to open ended questions, but rather there are various answers depending on the philosophy, level of understanding, etc.

Generally when we think of God (or Goddess as the case may be), we think in terms of God and me, and how we relate to one another. So, we ask the questions such as: Where is God? Does God love me? Does God care about me? etc. When we think like this, which is most natural, there is always a subject and an object; and a duality or a distance is created between me and God. As the song goes, “God is watching us from a distance…”

Sanatana Dharma asks us to consider this from another perspective. This perspective says that there is nothing, nothing at all, that is separate, separable from, or “outside of” the Divine. There is no situation or instant, in this life or others, in which God is absent or far. A great saint used to explain this principle to his followers in this simple manner: “Of all the great things God can do, one thing He cannot do is separate Himself from you.” Hindu belief tells us that the Divine is within and without at the same time. There is no question that God is immanent in your welfare, protection and happiness as well as sadness and helplessness. Sanatana Dharma teaches us to keep firm faith in the Divine in both happiness and sadness. But to realize true Perfection (upper case P), one has to go beyond all pairs of opposites.

But does God want something from us? When we speak of wants/needs/desires/wishes etc. this is for something that is outside of oneself. Since there is nothing “outside of” the Divine, there can really be no wants/needs/desires within God. Nevertheless, a simple Hindu explanation of what God “wants” is: God wants us to adhere to the principles of Dharma. Whatever it is that is deemed morally, socially, spiritually beneficial for the greater good, that is what we ought to do, that is Dharma, and that is what God wants. Certainly as our ideals change for what is the greater good, our idea of what God wants also changes.

I see the value of praising God or Goddess, but not praying to this higher power for something that you want or need.

Simple mantra recitation and prayers of praise are probably best. However, we’ve all prayed for things at times of need. It is far better, we're told, to pray, “May I always find the inner strength to deal with life's problems, no matter what comes my way” than to say, “God give me this, give me that.” Whatever ends up happening, good or bad (as a result of our karmas), we are to told to accept that as “Will of God” and dedicate it all back to God as an offering.

I hope that helps .

OM Shanti,
A.