Posted on by Vince Shifflett

Who Is God?

 

fullsizeoutput_166aWho is God? What is God? Where is God? How do you define God? Is God a physical being or a spirit? Have you ever pondered these questions for yourself?

People have different ideas, thoughts, and feelings about God. It has been the topic of many discussions and at the same time, the cause for much division. Many wars have been fought over religious beliefs and our different opinions about who God is. In my opinion God has become one of the most divisive features of humanity.

There seems to be so much hate and division surrounding our different views on God. People use the name of God to promote their political agendas. They use the name of God to justify their hate and evil acts against others. His name is used as a convenient excuse for just about anything.

Growing up as a child, I always thought God was an external being that sit “up there” somewhere looking down on me and waiting to judge me. Kinda like Santa Claus with a whip and a rule book. It was almost as if God were a surveillance camera.

There seemed to always be a fear associated with God where I was threatened to burn in hell for eternity if I did not accept him as my Savior. He was the guy you were supposed to worship unless you were gay. In other words, he was a non-gay man with like 12 non-gay men following him around washing his feet. I have come to realize that is not my truth.

God is not person but principle. The creator. The infinite. The Eternal. God as one infinite eternal substance. Awareness of God or truth is non-conceptual. It is beyond thought. Beyond mind. To me God when stripped away of all connotations and man-made definitions is simply a placeholder for something we do not know and perhaps will never know. Whatever we think of God probably falls short of the truth.

I certainly do not have all the answers but here is what I will say. I believe God is a power greater than myself. His name has invoked strength in me. His name has inspired me. I have felt a presence that has brought me to tears. Is that God? His name has definitely been a band-aid when my soul aches.

Who is God?

Considering all the definitions of God that humans have proposed thus far, one must conclude that the answer wholly depends on the individual. For some he is nothing more than a nice thought. There are some who only call his name during crisis or in time of need. This implies that his name brings comfort if you believe. Perhaps he is the ultimate placebo. Maybe even a wheelchair for those who don’t realize they actually can walk alone.

Bruce Lee once said, “If there is a God, he is within. You don’t ask God to give you things, you depend on God for your inner theme.” This quote resonates deeply with me. I believe God is within and therefore everything we need is within.

In short, if every one livesone life and shares one love in one world, then there can only be one being. We are all that one.

Seek within. Be still. Knowing yourself is knowing God.

What are your thoughts about God? I would be honored to have your feedback.

Take a moment to enter your email address on the website to continue the monthly conversations.

Much love,

Vince

9 Replies to “Who Is God?”

  2. I have been on this journey trying to figure out who God is verses what I have been taught all my life, and I’ve been so conflicted. What you’ve shared has been confirmation to what I been realizing and I’m no longer conflicted. Thank you!

    1. Gerrard,

      I too have been conflicted much of my life and have come to realize that each individual is entitled to their own definition of who God is. I fully respect that. I am honored that my article was enlightening for you and I am deeply grateful for your response and feedback.

      Much love to you,
      Vince

  3. Fascinating read, as usual, Vince.
    To me God is my subconscious. I turn to him in times of trouble and I thank him when I can.
    Being the grandson of an Armenian Genocide survivor I have noticed the following :-
    The Armenian nation was the first nation in the world to accept Christianity as our national religion.
    1.5 million out of 3 million of us were butchered at the hands of the Ottoman Turks in the name of God.
    In small communities, ie in Africa or Asia, religion grows and thrives. In large communities, ie Europe or USA, religion is on the decline. However the uprise in Islamic fundamentalism and idealism is scary and is set to take over, perhaps not in our lifetimes, but definitely in our children’s lifetimes.
    What ever your colour, creed, religion or belief, there is only one God. I don’t understand why all religions, at some point in history, have wanted to prove that their God is superior to the other ones when there is only one God, whatever you want to call him.
    Someone once said, “religion was invented to control the masses”, I think there is some truth in that. The fact that Moses went up a mountain and was given the 12 commandments that we all live by is possibly true and possibly fake. If God is so pure and caring then why did he drown the Egyptians but save the Israelites ?
    Personally I think that the Bible, Koran etc are all man made stories that have been found over time and have been used to control the people. The same way that the fanatic Islamists are translating the Koran to their needs or aims.
    I’ve actually read the Koran and there is no where in it that it states about covering up head to foot or just exposing the face. It just states that a woman should be modest in her appearance. This can be interpreted as, not wearing a mini skirt (too much exposure), wearing just a long sleeved coat (in Iran, the non fanatics wear a loose scarf on their heads and a raincoat), covering your hair (the Indonesian’s do this), covering your body so that only your face is exposed (Somali Muslims do this) or covering yourself up completely except for two eye slots. In the Christian world, if you go to a European Catholic church, women are expected to cover their heads with a scarf or a hat. The Armenian women used to do this but as time has passed, we don’t anymore. I think the Jewish women also have to cover their heads with a scarf or a hat. It’s all in the interpretation of the stories, fables or make belief. I wouldn’t be surprised if in say 500 years time, someone discovers the Harry Potter books and thinks that he’s a lost god.
    In conclusion, I think that God is not a man or woman up in heaven with a huge computer controlling us, if he was then we would be living in Utopia. I think he is within us, in our subconscious and our upbringing teaches us right from wrong.

    1. Yuri,

      Wow. Once again, you have provided me with a lot to think about. I totally agree with you that God is in our subconscious. He,She, or whatever one chooses to call God, is within us. I love the history you provide with your response. Very enlightening and educational.
      Thank you for your love and support and most of all, thank you for sharing your knowledge.

      Vince

  4. “I am the great I am”
    God is so different, that i cannot really explain what, except that he does give comfort to me when asked. I believe he exists in all of humanity and in all of nature. I believe he deeply loves all of us, and offers the love freely.
    Very heartbreaking to hear when fear mongers invoke his name to promote their own personal terrible agendas.

  5. Great blog Vincent,

    I have a similar view of God. I believe that God is personal to all who acknowledge indwelling Presence. Dr. Barbara King and India Aria affirm it the best ” I see the God in you”.

Comments are closed.

%d bloggers like this: