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Originally Posted by Abel  Do you not think it is pretty arrogant on your behalf to assume you know what my concept of God is? From one statement that I made, you presume to know what I believe and understand about God? I just may not fit into your preconceived notion of what a Christian is. |
I am not saying that I know your view of God. I am saying that conceptualizing the divine is the prison for your mind.
Buddhists have this saying: "If you see the buddha walking down the street, kill him."
Quite a bit different from the Christian notion methinks. The point is that the conceptualization of the divine separates you from it. That seeing the buddha on the street is the finger pointing at the divine. Killing it means to go beyond it and discard it. The idea of leaving the boat at the shore when you get to your target versus picking it up and carrying it on your back.
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I see the finger, and I see the moon. I choose not to spend too much time dwelling on either. It is much more satisfying to me to meditate on the God who created the finger to point to Him and created the moon to reflect His glory.
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The point of my initial comment was neither the finger nor the moon. It was the relationship that they represent and the function they play. It was a metaphor for our understanding of the divine.
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I am not focused on my ego since I do not hold myself in high esteem. Actually, I disappoint myself more than I care to mention. I don't sit in the lotus position either. It cuts the blood flow off and my legs fall asleep then I can't walk until the feeling comes back.
I am not here to fight with anyone. I am not here to judge any. I am not even posting in order to convict any non-Christians. I merely desire to let others know about the pure joy I have in being a child of God.
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Focusing on your ego does NOT require arrogance. Focusing on your ego solidifies an "I" out of the divine. It makes you a "child of God" versus "God"... That's the difference. Focusing on the finger causes a misunderstanding that casts god "out there" somewhere instead of within and without equally.
I am not advocating buddhist meditation. I am not a buddhist. I just thought it was a neat and universal concept that might speak well to the modern state of most religions in the west.