God Exists Within You

[The Boston Crab]

In the Christian spirit, I now sing hymns several times a week. I hear about people who've done great things for other people. I think about my own life and how to treat people better and how to make their lives better. I think about human value beyond sexual/visceral gratification and intellectual vanity. I spend some silent time concentrating on my goals and how to achieve them.


I was initially obliged to do all these things alongside the young people, colleagues and friends I spend my time with but now I really enjoy it, love spending time with them and I realised there's no supernatural element to it at all.


Even though I sometimes feel a bit lonely because I don't have a girl to share certain things, I feel pretty damn good these days because I realised 'God' exists within me (and every human) as a metaphor for humanity's potential. It makes me feel pretty chill to think about things more wide-reaching than my own satisfaction.


There's absolutely no ultimate point to an individual life at all beyond improving things for those around you and those who will live after you're dead. You don't have to do this but it will make your life better in the short term, i.e. until you're dead. If you live purely for yourself, you will gradually deaden your senses until nothing matters very much.


I've decided to stop teasing y'all for my selfish amusement.

[biggytitbo]

Does he? So that's what that weird feeling is in my bowels, i just thought I was egg bound.

[wheatgod]

So my farts are this "God" character's burpies?

[Retinend]

Even though I sometimes feel a bit lonely because I don't have a girl to share certain things, I feel pretty damn good these days because I realised 'God' exists within me (and every human) as a metaphor for humanity's potential. It makes me feel pretty chill to think about things more wide-reaching than my own satisfaction.


There's absolutely no ultimate point to an individual life at all beyond improving things for those around you and those who will live after you're dead. You don't have to do this but it will make your life better in the short term, i.e. until you're dead. If you live purely for yourself, you will gradually deaden your senses until nothing matters very much.

I just finished reading A Month In The Country by J L Carr today, and it made me feel the almost the exact same thoughts. I guess this means that I recommend it to you personally!

[thepuffpastryhangman]

'kin 'ell Mr Crab, I'm walking the last few hundred metres home (I am in goose down, it's fine) post gig and it's like I've been dunked in an ice pool, such is the reverberation of your truth.
No wonder folks are enjoying your album choice so much.

That's what folks don't get, even when they deny the Great, the Holy, Him. They fail to even consider, never mind recognise the fact it either IS or it's within.

All your condescension back at ya, well done.

This is my first truly pissed up post ever.

True though.

[Big Jack McBastard]

If god is so big and hard and clever and fucking everywhere and everything then he won't mind me calling him a cunt.

In fact that's god calling himself a cunt so he's clearly alright with it.

[Buelligan]

There's absolutely no ultimate point to an individual life at all beyond improving things for those around you and those who will live after you're dead. You don't have to do this but it will make your life better in the short term, i.e. until you're dead. If you live purely for yourself, you will gradually deaden your senses until nothing matters very much.

Just over an hour before you posted this, you called me a "Bell End" and a "Greek Wank".  I have to say I'm impressed, I forgive you, agree with you (the philosophy not the abuse) and I love you in the Spirit.  But you are still a bit of  a cunt. :) xxx

[Jemble Fred]

If god is so big and hard and clever and fucking everywhere and everything then he won't mind me calling him a cunt.

In fact that's god calling himself a cunt so he's clearly alright with it.

You're just posturing like all them teenage Dawkins Atheistists. You're no better than Robert Inch and all those who fail to immediately suck the cock of every vicar they see.

[CaledonianGonzo]

The one place gods inarguably exist is in our minds, where they are real beyond refute, in all their grandeur and monstrosity.

TBC, yesterday.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Will we still be killing people aged over 62, or do we keep their God alive in our hearts?


Here's another grandly fatuous revelation: You don't need a metaphorical, metaphysical or mechanical God within you to be a decent person. You need one made of dragon bone.

[Buelligan]

Yeah, that's fatuous alright, not sure it really counts as a revelation though.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

The word fatuous preceding the word revelation was to give you some indication of the level of sarcasm it was laced with.

[Buelligan]

That would be 4.7 then, or mauve for those listening in black and white.

[Sony Walkman Prophecies]

I used to be quite against the idea of sky-dwelling, beared God, but as George Harrison once pointed out - if we're open to the idea of the Hindu pantheon and Pureland Buddhism; where you literally have little Buddhas lolling about on clouds, why not have God as a venerable old man in the sky? It's really just a visual aid to get you into a certain mindset ultimately, and in that sense it's no different from a sportsman visualising himself 10ft tall and striding his way to victory, or a guy working on a building site getting through the day by picturing himself with all the page 3 dollies plastered over the canteen - all totally unrealistic stuff, but sometimes we need something unreal to get us to focus on what's happening right now.

[Zero Gravitas]

What‽

[Buelligan]

I used to be quite against the idea of sky-dwelling, beared God, but as George Harrison once pointed out - if we're open to the idea of the Hindu pantheon and Pureland Buddhism; where you literally have little Buddhas lolling about on clouds, why not have God as a venerable old man in the sky?

I thought you said it was a bear.  Make up your mind, do.

[The Boston Crab]

Will we still be killing people aged over 62, or do we keep their God alive in our hearts?

Manifesto 62 was never intended to perform any function than to improve the standard of living and quality of life of individuals. It was also a rather cruel joke to amuse myself and provoke discussion. You're obviously being facetious or you've misunderstood the main point of what I wrote. The 'God' that I'm talking about is nothing more than a linguistic label for the actions of an individual. You don't 'keep God alive' in your own heart any more than you would keep someone else's.

You don't need a metaphorical, metaphysical or mechanical God within you to be a decent person.

We clearly agree. Again, however, you're interested in the allure of a label, 'decent person'. That's only vanity. In aspiring to become 'decent' or 'good', our actions only exist in as much as they are recognised, creating a relationship of transaction and gratification.

Another point to note is that you are not a 'decent person'. You are a selfish, hateful, petty, abusive, supercilious man...Just like me. In addition, I think I'm capable of rape and murder under the right circumstances. We're also both loving, considerate, funny, gorgeous and can bring joy to the people around us. We're all of those things so it's nonsensical to aspire towards a label. I understand why people enjoy the simple vanity and emotional warmth which comes from being 'good'. Unfortunately, once you've seen through yourself, it feels as hollow as anything else.

"We can be the best there ever was, the best there ever will be...just like nobody."


I didn't intend to 'find God'. I just realised suddenly when I did 'find Him' that the concept has been decorated and the purpose abused, as people once more struggle to solidify their transient existence. At its root, however, practised faith in a Christian God is very similar to the Buddhists' karmic conception of reality and provides hope and support for human beings.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

No this is the thing, I understand the purpose of your posts and your meaning very well, especially your use of 'God', indeed I think most people would find what you put to be very simple, to the point of being bland truisms. I just don't see why the language of it has to include God, it seems like an unnecessary step that places a slight element of ambiguity where there need be none..

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Instead of 'God', say 'Claude'.

[The Boston Crab]

No this is the thing, I understand the purpose of your posts and your meaning very well, especially your use of 'God', indeed I think most people would find what you put to be very simple, to the point of being bland truisms. I just don't see why the language of it has to include God, it seems like an unnecessary step that places a slight element of ambiguity where there need be none...

Your attempt to humiliate me shows that you've not only missed the entire point, you've perhaps done so deliberately. Nothing I wrote here was intended to be the self-satisfied answer to some complex puzzle. It certainly wasn't an attempt to show off my own intelligence, nor do I want to insult yours.

One thing I do understand, however, which you seem not to (yet) is the difference between 'rational comprehension of an idea' and 'engagement in an idea'. It's the difference between deconstructing the theoretical context behind John Coltrane's choice of notes and being carried away by the emotions he inspires.

That the words are simple doesn't mean that the message isn't profound.

---

The purpose of this thread was to describe how my interpretation of and engagement in regular Christian practice has brought me to a perspective very close to my regular Buddhist practice, with many ideas overlapping under different routines and labels. If that seems like a bland truism to you, again, you're trying to engage with me on a competitive intellectual level which has nothing to do with what I'm saying. I'm not trying to 'prove' anything to you, Jack.

Key point of this post: You need to do more than 'rationalise' an idea to 'understand' what it means.

[Sony Walkman Prophecies]

Another point to note is that you are not a 'decent person'. You are a selfish, hateful, petty, abusive, supercilious man...Just like me. In addition, I think I'm capable of rape and murder under the right circumstances. We're also both loving, considerate, funny, gorgeous and can bring joy to the people around us. We're all of those things so it's nonsensical to aspire towards a label. I understand why people enjoy the simple vanity and emotional warmth which comes from being 'good'. Unfortunately, once you've seen through yourself, it feels as hollow as anything else.

"We can be the best there ever was, the best there ever will be...just like nobody."

I seem to recall an interesting lecture given by Grant Morrison (which doesnt appear to be online anymore unfortunately) where he more or less said the same thing: acknowledge the evil bastard within you, and if you can; make friends with him.  The obvious rationale for this is that if we dont make friends with our inner rapist/murderer, like far-right Christians we end up projecting all our improprieties on others, and if our projected hate crescendos into direct action, we'll probably end up with some real blood on our hands to boot.

Unfortunately going the other way - looking inwards rather than projecting outwards - often doesnt come so easy. I think the subconscious is probably another very helpful visual aid to understanding why this might be: if everything you think about doing but dont want to acknowledge is hidden from yourself, then it makes sense to think of these thoughts sealed up in a sort of subterranean cavern out of reach from your ego (I think this is more or less what Inception was about, but I might have to rewatch it). And from there, once youve become accustomed to the idea that your mind is composed of levels, some of which are sealed off from you, it becomes the most natural thing in the world to try to explore those closed-off areas - much in the same way that if someone let's you in their house and tells you that you can go in any room you like, apart from one in the basement absolutely out of bounds, after a while your natural instinct tells you to go in there.

Unfortunately, fully accepting and embracing whatever we happen to come across in these sealed off bunkers (actual or otherwise) doesnt come as easy. After all, if it's hidden from plain sight it's very likely to be something unsightly and we dont usually take well to embracing and accepting what is ugly. Thankfuly though, as much as the mind might be instinctively repelled by ugliness, the mind is also very good at and forgetting about ugliness where ugliness becomes the norm. To prove the point; think of the town you grew up and how shitty and hopeless it all seemed once you returned to it, unconditioned and with a fresh pair of eyes. Amazing what the mind can accept once it's becomee accustomed to it right?  Using that same natural quick of the human psyche to our advantage then, making friends with our 'bad' thoughts should be as simple in practice as spending time with them and not running in the other direction every time they appear. This doesnt mean our bad thoughts will now appear 'lovely' or 'picturesque', it just means we can now accept those thoughts for what they are, without projecting them onto anyone else, or without creating another 'room within a room' or 'layer within a layer' to disguise them from ourselves.

[Barberism]

I think what you say is true. But the way you present it is a bit 'wanky'.

'God' can be considered as something internal, as something for humanity to aspire to.

There is no such thing as a truly selfless act. People help others because it makes them feel good. Once you understand that most human beings reciprocate kindness and generosity it starts to make sense to spend time doing things for others and the collective good. Selfishness and self-absorbtion won't make you happy.

Learn to acknowledge your dark thoughts and impulses and you will be better able to control them.

Nothing I wrote here was intended to be the self-satisfied answer to some complex puzzle.

Not what you intended for sure, but that is kind of how it came across.

[Buelligan]

Surely, most people know who they are and how to enjoy the breathing machine they inhabit?  I say 'relax', nothing is complex unless we choose to make it so.

[Treguard of Dunshelm]

It strikes me that spiritual development is a bit like farting - it's healthy, it's enjoyable, it's even funny in the right contexts. But while it's great to smell your own farts, smelling those of others is somewhat less appealing.

Anyway OP, you're wrong, I'm Devil to the core.

[The Boston Crab]

Ok, thanks. I think I must come across that way when I'm being sincere. What a curse! This explains why I've always found it much easier to act the cunt instead.

I'd also say that I largely agree with you about the lack of altruism but I do think we can and do act selflessly at times, it's just rare that most of us mean it.

It strikes me that spiritual development is a bit like farting - it's healthy, it's enjoyable, it's even funny in the right contexts. But while it's great to smell your own farts, smelling those of others is somewhat less appealing.

This is probably a crucial point.

Surely, most people know who they are and how to enjoy the breathing machine they inhabit?  I say 'relax', nothing is complex unless we choose to make it so.

I disagree with every single aspect of these sentences, though I'm happy to hear you're chilling at a 9.2.

[rudi]

If you think God exists only inside you, you're about as far from a christian belief as those atheists you see hanging oround in car parks, skateboarding off ramps etc. That kind of thinking would have got you in serious shit for about 90% of the time christianity has been with us.

[Zetetic]

There is no such thing as a truly selfless act. People help others because it makes them feel good.

While you can debate what 'selfless' actually has to mean, I think one can take apart that idea that people only help others because it makes them "feel good" quite easily. A great deal of pro-social behaviour is motivated by broadly selfish desires, but you can't wave away empathy and altruism. At best, you're stuck with understanding how to construe empathy, as a motivator for altruistic behaviour - and that's hardly a settled matter.



I think that the state that you're in now, TBC, is an interesting one. Wish I got that meditation or carol singing.

Whatever, it's gladdening to hear that you've found things that are enabling retrospection, being nice to people and feeling better about it all.

One thing I do understand, however, which you seem not to (yet) is the difference between 'rational comprehension of an idea' and 'engagement in an idea'. It's the difference between deconstructing the theoretical context behind John Coltrane's choice of notes and being carried away by the emotions he inspires.

How would you describe engaging in the idea, here? (Do you feel you can, aside perhaps from 'pretty chill'?)

[NoSleep]

If you think God exists only inside you, you're about as far from a christian belief as those atheists you see hanging oround in car parks, skateboarding off ramps etc. That kind of thinking would have got you in serious shit for about 90% of the time christianity has been with us.

But not now in the UK. There's probably many people, like my lovely next door neighbour, who think of themselves as Christian in the UK, without reference to either the Bible or the doctrine of their church.

[rudi]

Oh for sure; just pointing out that the externality of god is a central tenet of Christianity. It isn't a learned one-ness with self; he's a big fucking power living "out there".

[Buelligan]

Yep, and I think 'He' traditionally takes rather a dim view of 'Christians' who enjoy buddhist practice.  But heigh-ho, let's see if TBC gets turned to salt or thunderstruck.  (gazes at feet swinging over edge of fence).