Could we be God?

[Minor Axis]

What if the universe, possibly parallel universes were filled with spirits, individual intelligent entities, including those spirits that inhabit human bodies here on Earth. And when our Earthly body dies, our spirit returns home to the center. Could we collectively represent what some religious scholars consider God, but is more like the Force in Star Wars?

The problem with this whimsical theory is our established-religion, religious members won't buy into it because they need a supreme powerful being sitting on a throne doling out judgements against and blessings for mankind while the force is more of a neutral, non-judgmental entity.

However it could lend credence to the idea that prayer in some way might make a difference through collective energy for a desired outcome. Hmm, maybe more research is called for!

 

[GraceAbounds]

I like that 'out of the box' thinking.

Though I would say there are always going to be consequences for wrong behavior.
'Force' is the good side vs the 'Dark' side which is evil = Sounds like judgment to me as you can't belong to both sides of the camp.

 

[Obdurate]

Yeah Minor, I like the out of the box thinking too. I like thinking about theories like that and that one is definitely interesting. It's poetic, it adds a sense of unity to us.

I don't mean to hijack your thread here, but there's this theory that's been popping into my head over the past year that I like. However, I'm not a scientist and I don't actually know how the brain works, so I'm sure someone here is more informed about that than me. But here's the theory...

What if, since our brain is like a file cabinet, it retains the info of what we believe when we are alive and so when we die, our brain projects what we think the afterlife is, so hence, while technically our bodies are still rotting in the ground, we are able to live whatever we believed. Subjective afterlife. No one is wrong (well maybe someone, I haven't thought of every possible option), everyone is happy. We are(n't) God.

Like I said, I don't know how the brain works.

 

[Minor Axis]

I like that 'out of the box' thinking.

Though I would say there are always going to be consequences for wrong behavior.
'Force' is the good side vs the 'Dark' side which is evil = Sounds like judgment to me as you can't belong to both sides of the camp.

I'm the first to admit I'm not a Star Wars expert, however my understanding is that the force is just a force and it can be used for good or for evil. And if you use it for evil you can find redemption quickly by changing your ways. According to the Bible, all you have to do is ask for forgiveness and your off the hook. Is that correct?

For clarification- although I appreciate any knowledgeable Star Wars comments, my intent was not trying to turn this into a Star Wars discussion thread. And for more clarification, I'm not saying you did as I was the one who first asked the question. This thread just is just a thought regarding the possible power of the spiritual world and our relationship to it.

Does anyone know if "The Force" was based on any established religious thinking or just a whimsical notion to facilitate a movie?

 

[GraceAbounds]

I'm the first to admit I'm not a Star Wars expert, however my understanding is that the force is just a force and it can be used for good or for evil.

True. Just like our choices can be used for good or evil. Just like God's blessings fall on the save and the unsaved.

And if you use it for evil you can find redemption quickly by changing your ways. According to the Bible, all you have to do is ask for forgiveness and your off the hook. Is that correct?

The way you say it doesn't sound very sincere. I know I don't just ask for forgiveness. It is a much more heartfelt process than that.

For clarification- although I appreciate any knowledgeable Star Wars comments, my intent was not trying to turn this into a Star Wars discussion thread. And for more clarification, I'm not saying you did as I was the one who first asked the question. This thread just is just a thought regarding the possible power of the spiritual world and our relationship to it.

I understand.

Does anyone know if "The Force" was based on any established religious thinking or just a whimsical notion to facilitate a movie?

I don't know. I know there are many Christian viewpoint parallels, but I don't know if it was intentional. I've never researched that.

 

[Minor Axis]

Yeah Minor, I like the out of the box thinking too. I like thinking about theories like that and that one is definitely interesting. It's poetic, it adds a sense of unity to us.

I don't mean to hijack your thread here, but there's this theory that's been popping into my head over the past year that I like. However, I'm not a scientist and I don't actually know how the brain works, so I'm sure someone here is more informed about that than me. But here's the theory...

What if, since our brain is like a file cabinet, it retains the info of what we believe when we are alive and so when we die, our brain projects what we think the afterlife is, so hence, while technically our bodies are still rotting in the ground, we are able to live whatever we believed. Subjective afterlife. No one is wrong (well maybe someone, I haven't thought of every possible option), everyone is happy. We are(n't) God.

Like I said, I don't know how the brain works.

This reminds me a little bit of the movie What Dreams May Come as I recall, heaven is what you make of it. However while I can't really comment on your idea's accuracy, I don't like the idea of a solo heaven. It would be much more fun to be around those from your current and former lives especially loved ones.

 

[Obdurate]

Right! But it wouldn't have to be a solo heaven. You could "imagine" other people. I mean, I think I read (here?) about dreams and how when you dream of people, it's people you've seen. You see tons of people a day but don't remember them, and your brain includes them in dreams. Which is cool. And that's how heaven and hell could work. The people aren't really dead but how would you know? It's all imagination anyways.

 

[All Else Failed]

Well, it totally depends ion your philosophy. I for instance, see myself as my own "god" when it comes to forging out my own path and purpose in life. I don't think, however, that I'm some sort of demigod that people have to bow down to.

 

[sharpies]

The brain is a huge soggy meatbag of neural pathways that carry electrical signals, a lot are automated, like breathing, feeling, seeing etc but every time you try to think of something like your PIN number, electrical signals travel to the part of the brain where this info is stored, each time you use a pathway it is shored up a little - hence the more often you use it the better the pathway & the easier it is to find. It then grabs the info & carries it to the part of your brain that needs to use it, eyes, fingers etc.

If you turn off the electricity the brain will stop functioning - in todays terms, this is Brain Death, your heart may still be beating but your brain has no electrical function. It's kinda like turning off a light, only there is no ON switch.

So I don't think that the filing cabinet idea will work. Nice try though.

Allan

 

[GraceAbounds]

I agree with Allan. You'd have to believe in a soul for the filing cabinet idea to work.

 

[Obdurate]

I do

 

[Mase]

We are the god of god.

 

[sharpies]

Grace, you know that sarcasm does not come across well on the computerz thing, so can I just confirm that you just said that you do not believe that we have a soul?

Allan

 

[GraceAbounds]

Grace, you know that sarcasm does not come across well on the computerz thing, so can I just confirm that you just said that you do not believe that we have a soul?

Allan

No, I agree'd with your last point that if our brains turn off the electrical signals stop being sent. That is what I agree'd with you on.

Then I went on to say that in order for their idea to work they'd have to believe in a soul.
I do believe we have an eternal soul.

 

[ssl]

The brain is a huge soggy meatbag of neural pathways that carry electrical signals, a lot are automated, like breathing, feeling, seeing etc but every time you try to think of something like your PIN number, electrical signals travel to the part of the brain where this info is stored, each time you use a pathway it is shored up a little - hence the more often you use it the better the pathway & the easier it is to find. It then grabs the info & carries it to the part of your brain that needs to use it, eyes, fingers etc.

If you turn off the electricity the brain will stop functioning - in todays terms, this is Brain Death, your heart may still be beating but your brain has no electrical function. It's kinda like turning off a light, only there is no ON switch.

So I don't think that the filing cabinet idea will work. Nice try though.

Allan

Not necessarily. The brain has two functions, memory and control; however, it appears to researchers that they overlap in such a way that it is inseparable to individual components. The concepts can be seen in that way, but the practical takes not theoretical pathways.

D. Hofstadter (Godel, Escher, Bach) has studied those who researched the mind, as well as doing some work himself. I suggest you read it.

God, I have been spamming that book here lately! :24:

 

[All Else Failed]

You know whats interesting? Nueroscientists have found out recently that your brain decides 10 seconds ahead of time what action you are going to take. So, if you pick up a cup, that was already decided by your brain 10 seconds ago.

 

[sharpies]

Grace said

I do believe we have an eternal soul.

Ahh cool, I was just checking. I think it's probably fairly ovious that I do not, although I will say that it is funny just how many people who claim to be atheists still believe that we have a soul.

Yeah SSL, I just tried to keep it simple. The brain is an incredibly complex piece of meat that we are learning more about all the time but I just wanted to make a simple point.

Allan

 

[Minor Axis]

Grace said


Ahh cool, I was just checking. I think it's probably fairly ovious that I do not, although I will say that it is funny just how many people who claim to be atheists still believe that we have a soul.

Why would that be funny? The existence of spirits don't have to be connected to the traditional view of the Christian God.

 

[sharpies]

Where is the soul?

I think that it is funny because most atheists adopt a scientific viewpoint based on observable data & there is absolutely no scientific evidence for the existence of a soul. It still seems to me to be a belief of faith, one in which you hope you have a soul.

I cannot explain the phenomena that we call ghosts, possibly even having seen one myself, but I do not believe in anything supernatural & a soul would fit in that category. It may be that an explanation is near at hand - remember that it wasn't until the 1990's that we could fully explain the so called supernatural phenomena such as Ball Lightning & Spontaneous Human Combustion (not very spontaneous, actually)

Allan

 

[Peter Parka]

Could we be God? Fuck that shit, I have enough trouble just being a good husband, family member and friend!:willy_nilly: