In Reply to: the ?.. posted by ray on August 19, 2004 at 14:50:16:
Geez, that's a tough question. I did some thinking/reflecting on it after PD brought it up, and what follows is my best answer (for now). It's hard to come up with the language to answer this.
I don't accept the either/or dichotomy of the question, "Does the mind create God or does God create the mind?" I believe the mind creates the idea of god and, simultaneously, that God creates the Mind. If my mind ceases to exist, does the God cease to be? I don't know. I can only hope that with my physical death and the cessation of my consciousness, That Consciousness continues.
It could be argued my idea of god is more Buddhist than Christian. I believe my consciousness moves in and out of Conciousness, and vice versa. There is consciousness with a little "c" in reference to me, and Consciousness with a big "C" in reference to God Being.
I always hesitate to use the term "God" without qualifications because for the majority of people in western cultures it implies a supernatural Being who is "out there" and capable of acting independent of human consciousness and the laws of physics.
I am certain that there are many Christians who would argue that I don't truly believe in God because I don't believe in the idea of god revealed in scripture. Unlike the people who wrote the New Testament, I don't accept the dualistic metaphysics of a supernatural, eternal realm of existence (Heaven) that is separate from the natural, temporary "flesh" realm of existence (the world). I don't accept belief in a supernatural realm because there is absolutely no scientific evidence to support it. In fact, all the evidence points in the direction of the unified integration of creation and Creator (or creative forces, if you're agnostic/atheist)
Therefore, I do not believe in the idea of god as a supernatural Being who may choose to override the laws of physics at will because it suits some mysterious purpose I cannot possibily understand. My scientifically-trained mind will not let me accept such an idea of god, even though I am aware that the people who wrote the Bible accepted that idea of god. The minds of the people who lived in the pre-scientific cultures of the Old and New Testament times created an image and idea of god that was compatible with their understanding of the universe.
IMO, God Being reveals only as much as the human mind can create at any given point in history. I think everything that exists or occurs within existence can ultimately be explained. When I can't explain something, I'm happier with "I don't know" than "Because God willed it."
For me, prayer is a process of atuning my consciousness to the central unity of being-within-Being and God Being within me. Occasionally I'm there and aware, but mostly I'm not. I hope there is something more than the idea of god my mind creates. My experience with Jesus in the life-suffering-death-resurrection cycle sustains my hope.
This is the best I'm able to do with making sense of my faith journey. I wish it had been an easier road.