Mention any ONE, mention any THING, but DON'T MENTION GOD!

God has got one hell of a bad rap. Never has a single word had such capacity to repulse people. Mention God in some circles and you will instantly be out in the cold on your own-some. And its a mere 3 letter syllable. A friend once commented that no one has to defend God, that he's big enough to take care of himself but I don't think he took into account the growing number who are convinced he's all baloney, not to mention his fading faithful who have to be the worse P.R. crowd you would want to be attached to.

Whether my friend is right or not I feel I want stand up on ATS and defend God because there are many here who rank among the disbelievers as well as many who are in two minds. This is not a religious treatise its simply putting my position on God to others b/c its a bit different to what you will be used to and may give you food for thought.
My credibility is going to be stretched to the max; but, as always it is your choice as to whether you take what I am going to describe on board. I have nothing to gain by lying to you whereas telling you the truth will promote truth itself. I would have to be a singularly evil person to write that and not mean it.

It was a number of years ago and I was spending a week or so at a beautiful private beach on my own. I was still searching for God back then, had been for some time. I wasn't satisfied with the idea of believing in a God without some sort of verification that he actually did exist. My reasoning, my passion, back then was, 'if God does exist then I must be able to attract his (I use the masculine for simplicity) attention somehow and if I can't then as far as I am concerned there is no God'. Make what you will of that kind of attitude. Its long gone but back then I put my life on the line for it more than once. I didn't do anything bad to provoke God, if I had I wouldn't be around now but I did go beyond certain accepted limits. I had no idea that I had been successful until the event which I am about to describe changed the world forever for me. I was sober, alert, with a clear mind.

It was mid morning on a beautiful spring day, clear sky, birds tweeting in the trees behind me, the occasional gull, a gentle sea breeze, light waves breaking along the sandy beach a short distance from where I was sitting writing my diary, facing east, the aqua horizon shimmering on the blue skyline. It was the kind of morning you really appreciate when suddenly something changed in the atmosphere around me. I looked up from the diary and it took a few moments to realize and accept that everything had stopped, just like when you freeze a movie. There were no waves breaking, no birds tweeting, no more breeze, nothing was moving or making a sound. Then suddenly the light changed and I impulsively looked up at the sun. To my utter astonishment the sun passed through a series of changes from white to light yellow to deep yellow to light orange to dark orange and finally to deep red at which point it became 'alive' in the same way that an eye is alive. The sun in the sky had morphed into a deep red pupil and it was looking directly at me.

Then, again suddenly without fanfare, came a voice ( I know, but bear with me here). It was a masculine voice and it spoke in clear precise English without any accent that I noticed. It was a angry voice but controlled. Although it filled the sky it was not overly loud. The exact words were:


"Who are you to look upon me? You are an ant that I can press with my thumb".

Eighteen words, each one etched upon my soul. Then once again I felt a change and instantly I became aware that a giant thumb was descending from above my head to press me into the ground. A realization came to me that if I was to take my eyes off the sun- pupil and look up at the descending thumb or get up and start running it would be the last thing I ever did. Instead, my mouth fell open and I spoke the most arcane words: " Its just me". Why? I don't know. But it had a positive effect b/c I felt another change as the thumb was withdrawn followed soon after by the reverse-morphing of the sun back to 'normal' and life time started again like it had never been interrupted.

Only an omnipotent Being could have staged that scenario along with the voice. Modern science, advanced aliens - forget it, only God could have pulled that one off. That is proof positive for me that regardless of all the bad press and the increasing active God- deniers an omnipotent Being does indeed dwell above us. Since that time I have been been coming to terms with God. To be told by God that you are a mere ant to him is disconcerting to say the least. It took a long time to come to know God, to do away with the pride and the ego and accept the reality that God introduced me to in such deflating fashion.

I don't question Gods reasons anymore for they are way above my human comprehension I only know that we can trust and have faith in him for without God there is nothing but fear. But God is not to be feared unless you make him your enemy. I am not religious, I am not a Christian, I am not anything apart from from an ant in God's sight yet I stand with him and, yes, defend him.

Originally posted by Juran
God has got one hell of a bad rap. Never has a single word had such capacity to repulse people. Mention God in some circles and you will instantly be out in the cold on your own-some. And its a mere 3 letter syllable. A friend once commented that no one has to defend God, that he's big enough to take care of himself but I don't think he took into account the growing number who are convinced he's all baloney, not to mention his fading faithful who have to be the worse P.R. crowd you would want to be attached to.

Whether my friend is right or not I feel I want stand up on ATS and defend God because there are many here who rank among the disbelievers as well as many who are in two minds. This is not a religious treatise its simply putting my position on God to others b/c its a bit different to what you will be used to and may give you food for thought.

You have the right to defend something as long as its proved to be existing. Dont get me that it cant be proven. I for one believe that god has nothing to with our life. He doesnt care and why should he? Even if he does whats the point in being hidden?

It was mid morning on a beautiful spring day, clear sky, birds tweeting in the trees behind me, the occasional gull, a gentle sea breeze, light waves breaking along the sandy beach a short distance from where I was sitting writing my diary, facing east, the aqua horizon shimmering on the blue skyline. It was the kind of morning you really appreciate when suddenly something changed in the atmosphere around me. I looked up from the diary and it took a few moments to realize and accept that everything had stopped, just like when you freeze a movie. There were no waves breaking, no birds tweeting, no more breeze, nothing was moving or making a sound. Then suddenly the light changed and I impulsively looked up at the sun. To my utter astonishment the sun passed through a series of changes from white to light yellow to deep yellow to light orange to dark orange and finally to deep red at which point it became 'alive' in the same way that an eye is alive. The sun in the sky had morphed into a deep red pupil and it was looking directly at me.

When you look at the sun for quite a while, it tends to spin and change colors.

Then, again suddenly without fanfare, came a voice ( I know, but bear with me here). It was a masculine voice and it spoke in clear precise English without any accent that I noticed. It was a angry voice but controlled. Although it filled the sky it was not overly loud. The exact words were:


"Who are you to look upon me? You are an ant that I can press with my thumb".

Why would god create ants aka humans and put them to shame if being looked upon? Is he an attention-seeker or is he being overtly proud of his achivements?

Eighteen words, each one etched upon my soul. Then once again I felt a change and instantly I became aware that a giant thumb was descending from above my head to press me into the ground. A realization came to me that if I was to take my eyes off the sun- pupil and look up at the descending thumb or get up and start running it would be the last thing I ever did. Instead, my mouth fell open and I spoke the most arcane words: " Its just me". Why? I don't know. But it had a positive effect b/c I felt another change as the thumb was withdrawn followed soon after by the reverse-morphing of the sun back to 'normal' and life time started again like it had never been interrupted.

This is interesting to consider. One such incident happened eons ago. Vishnu, the hindu god, in the 'Vamanavatharam' puts his leg on top of the head of Bali, thereby sinking him to underground world.
Vamanavathar

But why would god do that to a normal being like you? After all you weren't threatening him with your ego or pride.

I don't question Gods reasons anymore for they are way above my human comprehension I only know that we can trust and have faith in him for without God there is nothing but fear. But God is not to be feared unless you make him your enemy. I am not religious, I am not a Christian, I am not anything apart from from an ant in God's sight yet I stand with him and, yes, defend him.

I don't consider god as my enemy nor do I need to fear him. Because to me, god could be a myth and is only a modern depiction of powerful people who roamed the skies of planets during the ancient times. The only reason to fear god is to believe that he ain't nice or if he is going to punish you for being an atheist.

You're right, western society and all it's "tolerance" can not abide the thought of a supreme being over all the world. If you really want to drop a firebomb though no name will cause more consternation than Jesus. God can be a generic term used by politicians and the like to ascribe to a higher power without committing to any single one. Allah, Buddah and the God of the Bible, ARE NOT THE SAME BEING.
As for your experience, and as a believer in Jesus, you are more than an ant in the sight of God. As a believer in the God of the bible I also believe in demonic deception. I don't doubt your experience may have happened but I know God wouldn't send His son to die for someone he regarded as an ant.

reply to post by Juran


The first and most reasonable question would be: "Which 'god'?

Which as always would lead to pages of semantic gordic knots, claims of special talents, experiences, truth-seeking systems to rely on or just plain insistence of: "I'm right, because I'm right".

This is just another inconclusive disguised pushing for 'god'.

Originally posted by Juran
Only an omnipotent Being could have staged that scenario along with the voice.

I'm not sure that's the most rational explanation for what happened to you. Your experience was entirely subjective, and omnipotence is a condition that cannot exist anywhere.

most people just don't want to get into a religious or political discussion. it's such a personal and emotional subject, you can almost never have a positive experience discussing it

probably why internet forums are loaded with religious and political topics

These things have happened in ancient times like the mystery voice. So at once we cannot totally avoid it. In ancient India, often some characters in the myths are contacted by these mystery voice-'Asareeri' is what its called.
But as one mentioned its totally a personal experience. God's role in such things is what should be discussed which I feel is unlikely.

reply to post by Juran


I would like to address the fact that when you mention God people freak out.

We have been steered in this direction for a long time now. It used to be that if you mentioned Jesus you were shunned. Now its become the same when you mention God.

I own a metaphysical bookstore, I do Tarot readings and I am a Shaman. I teach classes on different spirituality and my customer base is new age metaphysical people.

I have spoke for hours with hundreds of alternate spiritual people.

After years of this I sense something amiss lately.

I have never been into organized religion, my mother raised me metaphysical, and in order to be balanced I have become an ordained minister. I am on the front line of the new age movement.

Something is fooling us all and making us believe it does not exist. This something is also attacking Christianity at every level and with everything its got. If I was not in the position I am in I would never have sensed it felt it and understood as much as I do about it.

Its funny we have had a contract, or let us say a clause with Santa since we were children in order to become more materialistic and less spiritual for quite sometime. What is an anagram for Santa? It is Santa's Clause.

Originally posted by LoneGunMan
I own a metaphysical bookstore
This something is also attacking Christianity at every level and with everything its got.

The only thing attacking christianity is human reason.

Since you own a bookstore you are probably aware of recent books by Dennett, Harris, Dawkins and Hitchens. All were poignant cases for atheism and at least two were NYT bestsellers.

Originally posted by traditionaldrummer


The only thing attacking christianity is human reason.

.

Is that the same human reason that seems hell bent on its own destruction at an ever increasing accelerated rate?

You cant feel it? Really?!? Reach out and feel it, something is happening to all of us and its not ET.

Originally posted by LoneGunMan

Originally posted by traditionaldrummer


The only thing attacking christianity is human reason.

.

Is that the same human reason that seems hell bent on its own destruction at an ever increasing accelerated rate?

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

You cant feel it? Really?!? Reach out and feel it, something is happening to all of us and its not ET.

I didn't say I couldn't feel anything but again I don't really know what you mean. But something is happening to all of us: an economic collapse. Perhaps its effects are what you seem to be experiencing in people.

God is a word,
It means different things to different people.

We assign a symbol(word) to such abstract unknowable concept .
If i ask myself "is there a God", it's like saying "is there stuff i know nothing about".
and my answer is "Sure, i believe in God".

I think by incorporating science and cosmology into the notion of God.
A much better understanding can arise.

By defending primitive interpretations in "holy" books , we diminish a true appreciation of God.
Science has done much more for the human spirit than religion ever has.

Science is not God, but as least it is humble enough to keep looking.
I am personally very against most organized religions, as they fill peoples minds with unimpressive notions of God.
God is much cooler than that.

Just my 2 cents to the OP.

You meet God for the first time, and he says :

"Who are you to look upon me? You are an ant that I can press with my thumb".

This is certainly not God speaking to you.
This sound like a hostile entity.

You may be experiencing emergent schizophrenia
or temporal lobe epilepsy.

Originally posted by traditionaldrummer

Originally posted by LoneGunMan

Originally posted by traditionaldrummer


The only thing attacking christianity is human reason.

.

Is that the same human reason that seems hell bent on its own destruction at an ever increasing accelerated rate?

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

You cant feel it? Really?!? Reach out and feel it, something is happening to all of us and its not ET.

I didn't say I couldn't feel anything but again I don't really know what you mean. But something is happening to all of us: an economic collapse. Perhaps its effects are what you seem to be experiencing in people.

As it was in the days of Noah and in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the day when the Son of man returns.

He that watches shall not be ashamed; but he that slumbers shall have a rude awakening.

Originally posted by Olise
As it was in the days of Noah and in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the day when the Son of man returns.

He that watches shall not be ashamed; but he that slumbers shall have a rude awakening.

Did you just respond to me with bible verses?
Or are you just trying to sound "biblical"?

"Who are you to look upon me? You are an ant that I can press with my thumb".

what spring into my minds eye with this,
on your stroll you surprise an entity doing something shameful,
It responds with contempt and threatens you, and then scurries off.

What was your take on "Gods message" to you ?

Originally posted by rom12345

"Who are you to look upon me? You are an ant that I can press with my thumb".

what spring into my minds eye with this,
on your stroll you surprise an entity doing something shameful,
It responds with contempt and threatens you, and then scurries off.

What was your take on "Gods message" to you ?

edit on 18-7-2011 by rom12345 because: (no reason given)

rom12345, hi
My take is that I had offended God hense the angry tone of his voice and also the punishment he served upon me (I haven't mentioned this because it took place later). He called me an ant because he was angry that I had dared to attract his attention. I think it says somewhere in the bible where God says something like; 'who would dare approach me uninvited' which is pretty well what I did. I believe that what saved me from extinction was my not jumping up and fleeing but stood my ground and made a reply, pathetic as it was.
God chose at the last moment to let me live but as I said he did not let me go unpunished. And I while I am not going to say what form the punisment took I will say that it was mercillous and thorough. That I am still here is the miracle of it all.

ps: I was not taking a stroll and I did not interupt an entity doing something shameful. I was sitting on the grass writing in my diary, as I described in the my post. The sun began morphing the instant I looked up at it. I do not suffer from psychological problems.

It is impossible to mention anyone, or anything, without simultaneously, indirectly mentioning God. Yet the true God cannot be named.

reply to post by Juran


All I can say is... Yhatzee mother****er!! You really hit the nail with the hammer on that one! We are not smart enough to comprehend his reasoning. People never cease to astounding me with their arrogance and ignorance of ignorance. We are all ignorant of so much. It's time to recognize that. I'm a Christian, and. a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Hindu, Pagan, and much, much more. Some, like Christianity, have been twisted around over the years and I tend to disagree with most "self-proclaimed" Christians, but they all have something to offer and besides, the Bible even says there will come a time when most claiming to be Christian will be doing it all wrong, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Anyway, I'm glad to see that someone else has "got it". Cheers to you!