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Theistic Non-Theism? Or Non-Theistic Theism, if you will?
So, I have a question that's been on my mind for a while: is there a word or concept for someone who is somewhere between Theism and Non-theism? Or identifies as neither?
I'm not a Non-Theist. I do believe that there is something greater than ourselves. Whether you want to call this something a "ground of being", 'life force", "God", or "universal consciousness" is up to the individual.
Likewise, however, even though I'm not a Non-Theist, I'm not sure if saying that I'm a Theist is 100% correct either. Granted, I don't think this higher power/life force/etc., is a personal entity that grants prayers and performs miracles, but I also am not sure if it is a creator deity either. Ever since I've gained a better ground in understanding theology, I've come to view God as akin to Brahman and the Tao. As a force which permeates all existence, an infinite reality in which all things originate, and where the laws of how the natural world and universe work come from.
So, even though I believe there is something greater than us, and believe it to be a part of our existence, but don't necessarily believe/am unsure that it is the creator of the universe itself, is such a thing "God"?
Your thoughts?
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Comments
The closest thing to God I can conceive of is the universe itself in the process of self realization, not unlike your blend of Brahman and the Tao.
If you haven't read it before, I urge you to read the poem by Thich Nhat Hanh called "Call me by my True Names" as I think it really embodies a good Buddhist spin on God.
In my opinion, it fits in with Buddhist philosophy and my Buddhist practice.
"According to Advaita metaphysics, Brahman—the ultimate, transcendent and immanent God of the latter Vedas—appears as the world because of its creative energy (māyā). The world has no separate existence apart from Brahman. The experiencing self (jīva) and the transcendental self of the Universe (ātman) are in reality identical (both are Brahman), though the individual self seems different as space within a container seems different from space as such."
http://www.iep.utm.edu/adv-veda/
Also see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advaita_Vedanta
http://www.vedantaadvaita.org/AdvaitaVedanta_2.htm
That would be me.....
As a wise man once said:
"It little matters whether Heaven (God, whatever) exists or not;
The important thing is to live as if it did."
:buck:
Hope the Flying Speghetthi Monster is not listening. I could get noodled . . .
and now back to the pointless . . .
I just don't see the point in arguing about it because one, it's pointless, and two, it really doesn't matter....
I don't see the discussion as pointless even as I don't really care either way.
It's good excercise and it's fun.
If he does?
Great.
If he doesn't?
Great.
Either way.... so what?
I'm not theistic, non-theistic, agnostic or any other 'stic' (not even to beat you all round the head with! )
I really don't give it any thought because it is of absolutely no consequence to me either way.
But the same could be said for tons of concepts in Buddhism, as well.
Are we reborn? Who cares? It doesn't affect my life.
Is there a self? Who cares? Somebody has to live the life.
Whether or not there is (G)god(s) may not change anything for some of us but for others it could change our relationship with everything.
If the truth were known in any regard it would still give rise to more questions and it would still leave me fascinated.
We don't even know what the full ramifications would be if we objectively discovered a supreme/eternal manner of being so it's kind of glub to dismiss it as if it wouldn't have an effect or help with our suffering.
Who knows? Maybe we will never know but we don't know that we will never know.
I don't see anything wrong with talking about the possiblities as long as we don't clutch at them.
@Federica;
It's a wise saying but to live as if there is a heaven/God is to have a concept of heaven and/or God.
It's just a way of saying live your life Mindfully and skillfully.
That's how I take it.