How would you choose a God of your own understanding?

by digderidoo 7 Replies latest jw friends

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  digderidoo

  Ok for those that don't know i have been going to AA for about six months now.

  Within the AA program step 3 of the 12 step program speaks about turning our will over to a higher power. As the AA does not align itself to a religion or sect the closing prayer in an AA meeting is said to a God of our own understanding.

  When i first went to a meeting and it closed with a prayer i left fuming. I thought i had put the God thing away 12,13 years ago. This has made me look into the JW doctrines and beliefs and see why i am so angry with it.

  I decided to go back to some meetings, the BS i heard really made me seperate God from that religion. I now realise that to have an understanding of God i do not need to be a JW, which was my ultimate dilemma.

  Now i am at a point where i do not know what i believe. I am a creationist of sorts, so i cannot go along with any other thing than a higher intelligence. I have tried the Atheist route, but i think that had more to do with rejection of religion, God just went out of the window with that.

  Within the AA many have come to the conclusion that the group can be a higher power, this i can live with in the short term, but not the long term because ultimately i believe in a God, problem is i don't know what or which God. I have read the 'we agnostics' section in the big book but as to yet this doesn't answer my questions. Some in the AA say anything can be a higher power, Elvis was one response, a motorbike another. I cannot follow this line and don't feel comfortable with this.

  Now if i want to remain sober i have to come to a decision on a God of my own understanding, because anything less and i am not being true to myself. So my question is this...

  If you had to choose a God of your own understanding, what would you choose?

  Paul
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  digderidoo

  Nobody???

  Paul
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  megs

  I think the God of my own understanding is our creator, no more, no less... I waffle on this though... There have been times in my life where I have believed that I am being guided by the will of God, and then I'll think that this is just wishful thinking on my part. So I am currently calling myself "agnostic" in the sense that I believe the existence of a deity is unknowable.
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  AGuest

  You can choose... to let God... choose you.

  Dear one, we live in world that teaches such heinous lies: that God wouldn't choose you. That He doesn't choose anyone. Or that if He did choose someone... it would be NO means be you. For some, that He doesn't even exist. All of these... are lies! And you know who teaches them? "Wicked" people... those who sabotage their own choosing by saying things like "God didn't choose me; why would He choose you? You're no better than me." Or, "IF God was going to choose someone, it certainly wouldn't be you." The funny thing is that this latter one is a double-edged sword: they say it of others because they say it to themselves. And they say it to themselves, because they say it of others. They are "wicked"... because in perpetuating these lies, they perpetuate the agenda of THE Wicked One, our adversary, Satan.

  The TRUTH, however, is that we can allow ourselves to be chosen. How?

  1. By recognizing that the choosing has absolutely nothing to do with us, per se, but with God... and His mercy. By recognizing that you don't have to BE perfect to be chosen; rather, you have to BE... a sinner... which we ALL are. That's why it's MERCY - UNdeserved kindness.

  2. By recognizing that there is nothing you can DO... to be chosen... other than believing you CAN be. That's why it's called FAITH... the assured... expectation... of the thing hoped for (being called/chosen)... the evident... demonstration... of the reality... though not beheld

  Every one of us who have convinced ourselves that God does not exist... or, that if He does, He wouldn't choose us... has done ourselves the greatest of disservices. We can no longer blame others for our lack of unity with God; we have to blame ourselves. Because He is reaching out for each and every one of us. All WE need to do... is reach back. With FAITH.

  All we have to say is "Here I am; send me!" but say so in TRUTH. Because He will send you. Question is, when He does... will you GO? For some, it's much... much... easier to say, "No, He didn't send/isn't sending me" and justifying that by saying "He didn't choose me and He doesn't exist."

  I bid you peace... and ears to hear.

  Your servant and a slave of Christ,

  SA
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  VoidEater

  If you had to choose a God of your own understanding, what would you choose?

  It does not surprise me that the inconsistent and demanding find a capricious and cruel God to believe in, or that the compassionate and egalitarian find a gentle and inclusive God.

  What seems to work best is when an individual takes the time to uncover the God they believe in within themselves. Time given to contemplation (or meditation of you prefer), often within a natural or spiritual community setting that calls to you, that you have an affinity for, can provide the foundation for your discovery. Since you have made the decision that belief in a God is right for you, and that this God is a Creator, you have probably already done the hard part.

  When in such a setting, the more you can calm your inner workings, the more you may begin to perceive your God.

  You may find that God's role was to make his creation, and then He was complete. You may find that God plays a larger role for you.

  The God of my understanding is the birthplace of consciousness. The basic awareness that this consciousness engenders is "love without desire". The God of my understanding is inclusive of all, universally forgiving and absolutely redeeming. He expresses within all of us, and it is within us that He is found; we can always choose to manifest His qualities to the extent our limitations allow. Each of us have differing limitations.
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  *summer*

  Ooppss...change of mind

  Bur still wishing you the best in your AA journey~
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  digderidoo

  Very nice post Voideater. Food for thought

  Paul
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  jaguarbass

  I went to AA for 7 years back in the late 80's to early 90's.

  For me, I found it works if you work it.

  You have to keep it simple. You have to have a child like view of God and the kingdom.

  When you start to intellectualize God, you loose your peace.

  Your peace is in surrendering to God.

  Know God know peace. NO God no peace.

  When I was in AA. I prayed to the god of the bible.

  I prayed to the God of Psalms the 91st chapter.

  It's tough staying sober.

  When your down, God and AA pick you up and make you whole again.

  When you are whole and functioning, you start to intellectualize and say you dont need God. God is just a figment of my immagination, an immaginary friend. A crutch.

  Sobriety, peace and serenity, If you have ever entered the rooms of AA. is something that you have to work at everyday and one day at a time.

  I dont know what its like for earth people.

  Thats my experience. Some people have rocks for God, some people have the group. That wouldnt work for me. And I dont think that was the intent of Bill W. AA was based on biblical principals.

  I dont think anybody can really understand God, he is a mystery, you just call out to him and surrender to him, surrender in the AA way of not drinking one day at a time.

  If you take it any further than that your making it complicated and no one can explain God. At least not with any great detail.