As there are so many views on what “God” means, and because that’s not what we want to debate here, we have a useful premise.
God exists. God is personal.
Nor is our purpose to worry over the function of religion, to roll between index and thumb the business relationship between us and God, nor to tidy up the religious wars between our nations.
The purpose here is to discuss how to be a better friend to Me, in the context of the premise, God is and God is personal to Me.
If God is, then He is personal. Otherwise, there is no point to God, as far as you and I are concerned.
Question: How do we treat ourselves well in the context that God is personal to Me? If God exists and isn’t personal, what is the point of Him? How does working under the premise that God is and God is personal improve the way you care for yourself? Please speak out. We need you.
Self-care Tip: Accept that God is and is personal to you and keep on.
Dear friend!
You wrote in your prior post about God no longer being necessary in psychiatry.
I think one of the arguments that I would make is that as long as we see monotheism as reality then we are going to live in a world of duality.
In that world of duality as long as the ego is satisfied that it is creating reality, there is no need for God.
Why is there blinding acceptance that there is just one God? The Greeks and Romans didn’t see the world with only one God. It is only since Jesus that monotheism has been the dominant worldview.
It is the world of duality that has become the problem as far as I can see. It is not about one God or no God although this fits the worldview necessary for duality to exist better than polytheism.
Warmly
Jim
Bringing up duality, thank you Jim. It is an idea older than ECT even 😉 as you described. It has played into our developments and idea of self. How does it help Me be kinder, and more of a friend to Me? Is it useful in self-care to you? Keep on.
Doctor Sana,
I struggle with duality as a helpful tool, even though it dominates our every actions. I think that is one of the reasons why “God is leaving psychiatry,”as you might say.
Seeing the world in black and white, good and evil, right and wrong, light and dark and, shoot me for saying it, God and the Devil, limits me from seeing myself as anything that doesnt fit those parameters. I appreciate you asking the tough questions my friend!
Warmly
Jim
Jim, thank u sooo much for your validation. U honor me. The tough questions do bring on certain a sense of vulnerability! keep on
Thanks for the excellent words! Most people believe that God exists. However, it’s those that have the relationship that He seeks that receive the greatest blessings 🙂
Hi Joe! You are welcome. What has the relationship done for you? Keep on.
I have always believed that God exists, but i also believe that he is a God of love and not someone just waiting to condemn us for sin. That helps me so much. He knows exactly why we make mistakes. In other words, He does not see everything in black and white, but he sees the grey areas that no one except him is qualified to judge. He knows the abuse, the horror, the things we have lived through. He loves us anyway. He loves us in spite of our own anger and blame. It is because I believe in God, that I am able to heal. I have learned that He will be a better judge and jury than any I could ever get from the courts. In my personal relationship, I learn to find the blessings in my life. I learn to focus on what is healthy instead of dwell on what is not. I learn to trust that He will someday make it right. It might not be now, but it will be. Most of all, I learn that He loves me, exactly as I am and in spite of all the things that have happened. He still loves me. He believes that I am worth saving. He believes that I am His daughter. He loves me in spite of me and that is the most healing thing of all.
That perspective is kinder, I agree. Why we think that we have the capacity for empathy and God doesn’t is something to eat a doughnut hole over to contemplate.
Thank you Patty! Speak more.