Blu

I realize that people in the Christian religion seems to use statements that are "cliché" such as "The Lord works in mysterious ways."

This is the general question: If there is a omnipotent God looking down on us, why does this great and powerful being allow suffering and death to occur on earth?

Some human beings believe in a "God" that organized religion teaches. I personally believe that there is a "presence" or an energy that is "behind" the workings of the Universe, or what we can deduce from science involving the Universe. I don't think human beings have capacity to correctly define or understand this "presence." So we use words like "God" and "Allah" and we give this God a persona so we as humans can relate.

I believe that we are all energy. Physical energy is the densest form of the energy (ideas from Quantum mechanics.) But what is the energy that pumps our hearts and allows the brain to function? That is another form of energy we do not see but we can see the results of this energy and we can also measure this energy through EEG (involving the brain.) We can even say this energy that makes the body function stems from what popular religion have termed "soul."

What is the energy of the neurons in our brains? Some call that consciousness. What is consciousness then? Is it an accumulation of perceptions, what we have learned from experience, temperament, and intelligence? And doesn't all of this determine were the "energy" or activity of the brain goes? Could this be the "soul"? It can have many names.
If there is a "soul" than what could be its purpose? Does it even have a purpose?

Evolutionary psychologist says that our purpose as human animals is to procreate. Is the purpose of all life forms, including the human animal to just procreate and fulfill our evolutionary whims? Is our reptilian brain so powerful that we are nothing more than that?

I like to think with my frontal lobe and the cerebral cortex so I would have to say no. Some are slaves to the parts of their brains that our considered less evolutionary advanced then the gray matter that is the cerebral cortex. They choose not to think before they act. They are the criminals, murders, aggressors, rapists, and terrorists of our society.

Back to the question: why does this God allow such horrendous things to happen? Maybe it is because we are not puppets and that is why humans, as individuals and as a species, have complete absolution, or freedom, over their own destiny.

Destiny is the path we are going down through the ages of our "evolution." Individuals are going through a certain kind of evolution you could say as well. The results of individual evolution are the microcosm and the results that we can see as a species (agriculture, democracy, etc) is the macrocosm. What does it mean to become evolutionary-advanced as an individual? Does it mean we are intelligent and excel at math and science? Or does it mean something else?
To be evolutionary advanced could mean that we as individuals are capable of positive selfless acts: Saving lives not for monetary gain or for power but for honest humanitarianism. This is one of the biggest aspects that separate us from lower life forms.

So does that mean anyone who murders, who perpetuates acts of terrorism (Osama Bin Ladan) and violence mean they are not as evolutionary advanced as someone who disregards their own life in order to save someone else? I would say yes. He still has a cerebral cortex so what makes him not as evolutionary advanced? Could something else determine evolution of an individual? Is it the energy that determines individual evolution?

We all know that there is more to everything then just a physical realm. There may be dozens, if not more, dimensions to the Universe. Just because our human brains haven't learned the answers to all of these mysteries, does that mean it cannot be? Just because we can't fully comprehend what it means does that make in not Universal truth?

There is an aborigine in Australia who has never seen modern society. If you try to explain to him what computers are and what they do, he will think you are possessed by spirits and laugh at you. He cannot comprehend computers so they are not true for him, they don't exist for him.
Who knows what humans will be capable of doing 200 or 300 years from now. Maybe the theories regarding "spiritual" type theories and advances in quantum mechanics will give birth to a knowledge we can't even begin to fathom or dream.
Isn't it important to realize we are limited in what we know and decide maybe an open mind is very valuable?

Discoveries come from open mindedness. If you close your mind how can you receive knowledge...how can you advance?
What is spirituality anyway? People get caught up with words rather than meanings. Spirituality can mean anything to anyone.

We all have different brains and different perceptions about life. Some people see the surface other people are aware of other aspects of the surface. Some people just ask themselves a lot of questions rather than sum everything up and apply their judgment.

Being human and knowing that there is still so much room for the advancement in our knowledge of the Universe should create a certain degree of humility. I don't pretend to know everything there is to know. I also realize what is true for me may not be true for another. So I stay away from judging other people's perceptions about their lives, their Gods, their general beliefs and the meaning of all of the above.
These are just my open-minded ideas, which continue to evolve.

ANY thoughts?

Philosoft

Far too much in one post, for one topic. Maybe you want to go after these one at a time?

excreationist

Different kinds of questions should be in different forums... most of this is relevant to the "Existence of God" forum I think... some of it would be for the religion forum and some would be for the morality forum... the part about us being energy and the parts about consciousness would be appropriate for the philosophy forum...

himynameisPwn

We are all energy x the speed of light sqaured, so, technically, you are right. But, I have yet to see proff that the universe is not indifferent to our sufferings or there is a force of love or anything.

I think this force of love or cosmic energy should get off its ass and start curing diseases and poverty.