Are you "Enlightened" by a higher power?

I'm with Marg on this one:

A truely enlightened soul would never claim to be such, nor would they need to. The people around them would simply know it. In a world filled with prejudice, hate and war an enlightened soul will glow as surely as a firefly in the dark of a moonless night, As if a beacon to other truth seekers. Glowing in the dark of this world is a part of being enlightened.

I got my enlightenment and higher power from the brain fairies. I was wonderously blessed with lots and lots of delusions of grandeur.

Its absolutely wonderul being me

Love and light,

Wupy

[edit on 2-2-2006 by mrwupy]

Originally posted by skep
Most delusional people either are or have been in contact with some 'other' being. Many expect most people to disbelieve them and some, in moments of clear thinking, know why.
The question of speaking with or receiving messages from a deity is more complicated. Firstly, there are the charlatans then the self deluded, for whatever reason either church or group pressure. This second group is common and very large and this behavior accounts for most profession of religion. namely, most people are basically insincere about what they really think about religion.
Finally there are those individuals who actually convience themselves that some contact has occurred. John Wesley is a good example. He experienced what was most likely a male menopause event; he was of the right age and while I have not researched his background, he was probably among the group of the almost 50 % of males who experience some symtpms. He apparently had a hot flash in the church yard, fainted and arose after awhile assuming he had received a message from the Anglican deity. He then founded a better version of the English church (in his opinion, of course) and we have the Methodist Church as a result. I reccomend not telling your methodist friends.
So are there plenty of people who believe or claim to believe that they have been contacted? Yes.
Are there any who have been contacter by other world life forms?,,,No!
skep

Another blind soul. It is not a man who contacts the mind. It is an energy that infiltraits and makes something that felt reccessive, become dominant. It is the awareness of the reflection of God in yourself.

Here is a way to understand. (For this illistration, God is the Sun)

If you were on a ship and noticed the Sun in the reflection of the water, how many suns would there be? One. Now, if the water was divided into droplets of water on top of the surface, there would be a sun in every one of the droplets (God). So there is really only one God, yet he is able to be manifested in all of us, and he is. The problem is, throughout the life we lead, we suppress that sun inside of us until we cannot see the light. That is why it is important to turn inward, be aware of out reflection of God, open up and surrender to it. Then that voice in your head will become your guide, he is waiting!

[edit on 2-2-2006 by AnAbsoluteCreation]

So if that voice in my head tells me to kill a man, is that god telling me to kill a man, or just my troubled psyche? For that matter, in addition, what if all those who think they here the voice, are those of troubled psyches, and do to our sheeplike natural tendancies, we all believe we hear it to, being led around by psychotics?

Originally posted by AnAbsoluteCreation
Then that voice in your head will become your guide, he is waiting!

[edit on 2-2-2006 by AnAbsoluteCreation]

Yea, I have to admit, i've always had a problem with people who follow the voice/voices in their head. Nothing good ever seems to come of it.

The little voices in my head think thats some serious crazy talk.

Love and light,

Wupy

Originally posted by WolfofWar
So if that voice in my head tells me to kill a man, is that god telling me to kill a man, or just my troubled psyche? For that matter, in addition, what if all those who think they here the voice, are those of troubled psyches, and do to our sheeplike natural tendancies, we all believe we hear it to, being led around by psychotics?

There are prerequisites to obtaining enlightenment. People capable of killing are not eligible. They on the other hand are only doing the best that they know how. (Think lower level)

Originally posted by AnAbsoluteCreation

Another blind soul. It is not a man who contacts the mind. It is an energy that infiltraits and makes something that felt reccessive, become dominant. It is the awareness of the reflection of God in yourself.

Nicely said

The Creator is not seperated from the creation. The Creator is the creation. As you say, we do not reach out to touch It, we reach within.
A stone glinting quartz in the sun has the same meaning (to me) as your water droplets. In fact, to me, not an atom exists which is not entirely of the Creator and inseperable from it... including we fortunate humans and Greys.


[edit on 2-2-2006 by masqua]

Originally posted by St Udio
I'm with this guys thinking....proposing that religion is a social behavior & ultimately a survival tool used by a self-aware entity...

It could be a survival tool, or it could be parasitic. Modern religions predominantly fit the parasite description, spreading themselves and evolving to promote propogation, but that does not imply this was always the case. There is strong evidence that religion has been mystical in nature for almost all of human history except for a few hundred years total in the western world only.

I am not convinced in the least that religion has historically promoted successful procreation. That might be true today, due to extremely recent innovations such as birth control and abortion. It would be interesting to see a study of reproductive rates of believers vs. nonbelievers, to see which direction our species is headed.

Originally posted by AnAbsoluteCreation
It is the awareness of the reflection of God in yourself.

Yep and or the lack there of.

If you were on a ship and noticed the Sun in the reflection of the water, how many suns would there be? One. Now, if the water was divided into droplets of water on top of the surface, there would be a sun in every one of the droplets (God). So there is really only one God, yet he is able to be manifested in all of us, and he is. The problem is, throughout the life we lead, we suppress that sun inside of us until we cannot see the light. That is why it is important to turn inward, be aware of out reflection of God, open up and surrender to it. Then that voice in your head will become your guide, he is waiting!

I liked it good post and advice,though from those who dont understand the writings of the Bible i cant imagine them understanding your post either.

The reason we tell people about God and Christ is so to give the praise to God it comes from God not us, its a gift from God,why not tell people where that gift comes from so they can also recieve it.If someone holds it back he will loose what he was given.Thats one place where charlatans are made.
For some reason or another people convince themselves Gods not real,those thoughts are the opposite of God,Satan the Devil is also very much real and in everyone as well,it depends on who you allow victory inside of you.You must let God be your authority.

For the past week or so Ive been posting about such issues because its blatantly clear that 99% of posters on ATS that dont believe are crying out to believe they just dont know it,and for the reason that i personally should be doing more for God.

Four posts down theres a bit of my life and experience with God on this link,obviously theres a lot more than just that,I`m now 42 or something?I`ll have to check that with my Lady though.Since the age of 18 till now my beliefs have only been reinforced,I may scrap my feet sometimes through my own stupidity.But God remains the same and has only grown more vivid to me.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

I can only tell anyone what has happened to me,others have to find Him for themselves,and you do that by submitting your life with the heart of a child and asking God into it,admit your a sinner and confess them to Him,accept Gods Son as your Lord and Saviour.Do this and you`ll be telling me and others you now know and see and hear God.But you have to want it 100%,no doubt,no rebellion just belief and commitment.If you believe your mind is more than Gods he wont want you.

Sound hard?yep it would be to a lot of people, i`d say for a lot of people impossible even,only because of the love for their own life and mind.though its simple you just have to want it more than yourself.

Whilst you have read this post there were only 2 forces speaking to you inside your head,God "yes i`m True follow me",Satan the liar and thief "no he`s not real, or "people would think i`m crazy,no lets just make fun of them Christians instead etc"excuse excuse excuse.I wonder which one you allowed to win that fight ,bet most were the later,thats why the poor the sick the lame the depressed etc find God easier,because their willing to give up their lives for something better than themselves.Who better is worthy than Christ God to submit your life to no man or amount of wealth on earth is worthy of that,be it minister, president,etc no one else but God.
Dont believe it?then its no wonder you dont see Him.

Now the question remains... Will the higher light force ever take a proactive role in governing the masses of the world... Aimed at "true" peace?

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid
How do they do it? Where did this higher power come from? Why did they get the knowledge and not people who could apply it better like leaders, scientists, or clerics receive it?

Alas, I am not enlightened; nowhere near it. Not by a higher power, not by man, not by guitar strings, and not by a reflection of the sun. No little green men took me up into their comet and taught me when the rapture would come, how an American civil war would begin, what the stock market was about to do, or when some fellah is going to come back to say hello. So it would seem like I'm not much help at all. Just another ignorant soul in a sea of the "enlightened".

I will make this offer, though. It's very unlikely, as a similar request was spoken of in Luke 16, but hey, if I get to be the exception...
When I get to heaven, I'll ask Jesus who is enlightened, how, and how they knew it came from Him and not someone or something else. Then, if He decides to send me back unlike He did with Lazarus, I'll let y'all know.

Oh, and I'll change my answer to "yep, I'm enlightened".

Originally posted by junglejake
Alas, I am not enlightened; nowhere near it. Not by a higher power,

I disagree that you are not Jake.

Mark 4:21
And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

Ones self as a Christian is meant to show the light of Christ,the light which they recieved,and i believe you recieved it.Indavidually sometimes we shine brighter than other times or others show it badly,depends on the fire in the belly at any point in time and how well you show it.

You will become enlightened when you not only believe in Jesus's proverbs but you also start to follow his directions. He knew we all could live as he did, we just had to turn inwards ourselves. I think you are counter-productive in mixing aliens with enlightenment though. AAC

Thank you for the kind words, gps, but I am not. First, to define what I mean by enlightened (may be different than the meaning y'all have). Enlightenment is the state of full understanding of God, in this context. If I were enlightened, I would not discover new things reading through this living Word, especially when reading passages I've already read countless times. I would know and understand all, and tell people how to achieve the enlightenment I have. That, however, is not the case. Every time I open the Bible, new truths, new characteristics of God, and new life lessons are revealed in its texts, even when rereading the same verses.

Most importantly, if I were enlightened, I wouldn't be representing Christ poorly more often than as a good and faithful servant. Unlike AAC (as it seems to be implied), I still haven't figured out how to live exactly as Christ did. I guess I'm still a man in need of a Savior. AAC, if you choose, you can continue looking inward; I'll continue to look upward.

EDIT: Removed post composition artifact.

[edit on 2/8/06/08 by junglejake]

Originally posted by junglejake
Thank you for the kind words, gps,

My pleasure

but I am not.

oh? but you are

First, to define what I mean by enlightened (may be different than the meaning y'all have). Enlightenment is the state of full understanding of God, in this context.

Ok,yes, agreed but impossible for anyone

If I were enlightened, I would not discover new things reading through this living Word, especially when reading passages I've already read countless times.
That, however, is not the case. Every time I open the Bible, new truths, new characteristics of God, and new life lessons are revealed in its texts, even when rereading the same verses.

Recieving the Holy Spirit and Being baptised of water(born again) is a cleansing which is noticable to all who recieve it and those who witness it.The brightest light comes from this in its most innocent purest form,only through coming to deeper understanding can you even try to match it and after that we continually have to be recleansed.
What your describing is deeper understanding,with deeper understanding comes greater resposibility with which you are now responsible having known it and what you do with it.
Simplicity of understanding and loving the Father as with the heart of a child is simple and the most enlightened imo are the simple,without the need of unlocking deep complicated understandings.This was Christs simplicity and the brightess of all even though He understood all.We took some of His Light but can never match it,He was without blemish.No one can say the same about themselves.

Most importantly, if I were enlightened, I wouldn't be representing Christ poorly more often than as a good and faithful servant.

Because you realise you represent Christ poorly at times shows only you know who the measure is and that you have remorse and change what you are willing and able,if we are on earth still alive at Christs return He will be looking for those who Know Him,and leaving those who just say they do.
You have seen and recieved Christs Light Jake however we display that Light is up to us and important to show it so others can see it.

I fail many a time at showing it properly,though people recognise it in me stronger at times than others and its most important to tell them who gave it to me and where they can get it.
But cannot deny the Light God gave me,to deny that would be to deny Christ in a large respect.If and when i shine, it deffinately does`nt come from me,its only our choices in letting it shine which controls the brightness.

Ive read some of your posts and how well you are studied and it can only be admired.
Though Jake in the complicated stuff dont forget the basic`s of what Christ was and did when you first realised Him for it.
You were and are enlightened from then.
So stop it your not to old or to smart for a smack

[edit on 8-2-2006 by gps777]

Enlightenment is understanding what god really is. The Bible is not a destination so much as a starting line, as are most written texts. The post earlier about helping others, humanity and compassion...this is god. I cringe when i talk with people that believe god exists in the bible...or the shroud of turin, or rock formation or weeping statue.....all the while they walk past hunger, homeless, infirmed and helpless.
feed the hungry, house the homeless, care for the infirmed...that is how you touch the face of God and achieve enlightment

If most all religious texts are filled with lies, one of which I know has withstood hundreds of years of intense scrutiny, why should we all assume they're all wrong and you're right? What credibility does your belief, which is very in line with today's culture, have that all other religious works do not?

Originally posted by toolmaker

The Bible is not a destination so much as a starting line, as are most written texts.

I like that point, toolmaker.

As long as there has been writing, there have been religious texts, whether they were Sumerian cuneiform or the latest cult expressing themselves online.

Somewhere right in the middle of that 4000plus years of communication, we have the NT. It's a stepping stone to enlightenment and that's all it is.

The authors of such writings are driven in such efforts by the desire to share with others the experience of their chain of thoughts in how they perceive Divinity.

from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran Alfred A Knoft/Publisher Borzoi Books

And if you would know God be not therefore a solver of riddles.

Rather look about you and you shall see Him playing with your children.

And look into space; you shall see Him walking in the cloud, outstretching His arms in the lightening, and descending in the rain.

You shall see Him smiling in flowers, then rising and waving His hands in trees.

and...

from The Pagan Christ by Tom Harpur Thomas Allen Publishers ISBN 0-88762-145-7

Those who lack discrimination may quote the letter of the Scripture, but they are denying its inner truth.
The Bhagavad-Gita

On the intellectual side of religion and spirituality we are still in the lingering shadows of medieval night, hypnotized and victimized by superstition of the weirdest types flaunted from pulpit and seminary. This beclouded day of gloom will continue as long as we have not the acumen to disassociate sublime myth, drama and symbol from the dregs of history.
Alvin Boyd Kuhn, Who Is This King Of glory?

The Bible has this to say about the end of days to man.

But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. Acts 2:16-18


Perhaps this is why it seems so many people are coming forward to portend a gift that is from a higher power. Maybe we are becoming more known in the spirit that we can receive such messages and knowledge