I have serious doubt about that. God belief has arisen almost everywhere and as far back as we can peer, but is it necessarily the case that belief arose through interaction with an advanced being? Was that the cause? The attributes of this God remind us of its importance but in all cases the inner we are dressing the formless presence of the inner Other in outer world garb because that is that is the place from which all our language derives. Someone having a mystic or religious experience isn’t seeing an actual being but rather a psychic presentation of that felt inner Other. But whatever form it may take it isn’t literally that Other as-described but rather a conglomeration of worldly iconography which is felt to convey the feeling one has in regard to the inner Other. The imagery offers clues as to relationship one fees oneself to have with that Other, but I find it doubtful there is just one true appearance which it in fact does have in and of itself. The formless is truly just that, though it is a source of insight to much of what really matters about how to live and to what is going on socially.

I would say the apprehension of an inner, greater other which never actually manifests in our consensual outer world is what has given rise to God belief.
My theory on God is influenced by the show series Ancient Aliens. I believe that if extraterrestrials exists, then they would have visited us, even as far back as early man. Our early ancestors perhaps interpreted their advance knowledge and technology as God-like, the same way that we'd be call gods if we went back in time with our knowledge and technology. It's just my theory. I wouldn't bet any serious money on it being correct.

As for your theory, i like that you've articulated it well. It sounds right. I certainly can't disprove it. In general, for me to accept it I'd have to at least have had a religious or mystical experience myself. I would accept that as evidence, even if it's not scientific evidence.
 
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My theory on God is influenced by the show series Ancient Aliens. I believe that if extraterrestrials exists, then they would have visited us, even as far back as early man. Our early ancestors perhaps interpreted their advance knowledge and technology as God-like, the same way that we'd be call gods if we went back in time with our knowledge and technology. It's just my theory. I wouldn't bet any serious money on it being correct.

As for your theory, i like that you've articulated it well. It sounds right. I certainly can't disprove it. In general, for me to accept it I'd have to at least have had a religious or mystical experience myself. I would accept that as evidence, even if it's not scientific evidence.

I'd probably feel the same way if I'd never experienced anything of the sort. Had I been raised in a cohesive cultural institution which had disposed me to look for what that was in a particular form, I'd probably be testifying to it. Instead I'm here to say it is real and it is important but what the mystery is is a mystery. The only certainty comes from what you bring to the experience. Lacking any such expectation but also not convinced that science has all the answers, I can only say there is something but not what. My hypothesis is that it is something we have on board and the consciousness which we gives rise to our enduring sense of self can produce more than that, and culture generally fills in the blank. What you think it is matters less than that you know it is there and do not have to decide absolutely everything on the strength of your own brain storming, research and reasoning. You can also trust that there is wisdom beyond what you can deliberate your way to so long as you can leave room for it and wait. But of course where your own efforts are sufficient one must do his part.
 
I would say the apprehension of an inner, greater other which never actually manifests in our consensual outer world is what has given rise to God belief.
I have spent over a decade practicing meditation. I have found no better tool for self exploration than this. I have come to realize that when you silence your mind, your feelings, your senses, then you can clearly experience self in its pure form. It is truly greater than us, transcending even our individual self. This is talked about many times in Eastern philosophy.

Ashtavakra Samhita, Chapter 1, Nature of Witness Self​

The Self is the witness, all pervading, complete, one, free, consciousness, inactive, unattached, without desires, peaceful, even when it revolves or wanders in the cycle of births and deaths

Know that the form is unreal, but the formless is permanently stable. By the instruction of this fact, rebirth becomes impossible.
 
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It seems we agree though you seem to be making contact the focus of your practice. My recognition of something more within has happened in a number of ways but the only ways I still pursue is nature and creativity. I don’t feel an urgency for more contact. I like to say that life is like parallel play with a silent partner. I do think we in our incompleteness still have an important role to play, though receptivity and mindful conduct are our biggest contribution.
 
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I think perhaps, where people go a little awry in trying to explain God's existence, is in the fundamentals. And I think it's also very very difficult to explain, because there are so so so many things to explain. For instance, in order to explain medicine, one must explain biology, chemistry, some aspects of botony (plants that contain healing elements), etc. So in a similar way that it takes years to become a doctor, it takes years to know God. For as when scripture teaches that if we shall seek, we shall find, one might think in these terms, that because God has created not a thing as simple (yet difficult) as the subject of medicine, God has created the entire world, all the things in the world, all the humans of the world, and the human elements such as biology, physiology, psychology, anatomy, etc. And yet, one must separate from science in seeking God, to know that He is a miracle in and of Himself. That He is the One being who can defy science to create a miracle at His will and in the blink of an eye. This is the beginning of faith. For once a person sees all the greatness that God creates, then science falls away as a secondary thing to the will of God. Now in saying that, one must realize that God Himself has set the world in motion. One must know that all the laws of physics and science are creations of God. However, while He has set the world in motion, He can throw the monkey wrench in it, to change it as He chooses. And when a person sees that God changes the laws of physics to create a miracle, that He does it for us, and for our protection, out of love and sheer kindness, then perhaps a person can begin to love Him for His kindnesses. Some people will say things like, "Oh why does God need people to glorify and love Him so much?" But I ask you, if you have children, do you not want them to love you? Would you want them to hate you or doubt your words of wisdom? Ergo, it only makes sense, that we should love the one who really created us. Was it our parents who created us? Eh, they just made a little whoopee and boom 9 months later, a child was born. But who was working the child within the womb? Who was baking that child in the oven? Who was forming that brain and mind and body? Was it the parents? From whoopee? Nah, Scripture tells us He knows us from the womb. Sadly, not many people have read the entire bible to see what it says. They have relied on preachers, who can often be repetitive and preaching the same stories over and over. Yet, there are so many more stories than most preachers mention. Have people read the whole bible to know that God gave us perfection from the start, but men kept transgressing against God over and over and over until men fell into their own destructions over and over and over again. And the world grew worse as men transgressed more. And when we begin to see these things in their entirety, we can finally get a glimpse of what years of study will teach us. But when people continue to doubt and speak ill of God, they are only transgressing more and basically hurting God for no reason other than hubris. It's a sick thing this hubris/arrogance. For arrogance is really only a false thing covering insecurities and fears. I say all that to say this... I've said little. These things I have said are only a drop in the bucket. And the big clincher of belief in God is this one simple thing that few people understand. It's the Holy Spirit. Some people speak in tongues. I never did. Some people roll on the floor. I never did. But I did receive the Holy Spirit, but it was a thing that was so powerful that I cried for about 3 days off and on. But that is another story. Except to say... that if you seek God, and find that He is real, and receive the Holy Spirit, no one will ever convince you again, that God is not real. He will change that heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh. Still, fair warning, in order to find God, you'll need to find love in your heart as near as I can tell. It helped me greatly to learn to stop and smell the roses again. It helped me to want to get away from all the hurtful things in the world, and look for only the innocent and loving things in the world. If you've grown cold, it will not serve you well. But if you want to love, and if you want to find that childlike innocense that people lose in adulthood, and if you want to get back to nature, and if you want to get back to loving people more than judging them, then you are well on your way to a good place. But no good comes, without God. You might think you can find good without God, but it will all be in vain. If He is in your life, you will feel the change. A change that is your proof. God bless you... who are seeking... and may you find.
 
He will change that heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh. Still, fair warning, in order to find God, you'll need to find love in your heart as near as I can tell. It helped me greatly to learn to stop and smell the roses again. It helped me to want to get away from all the hurtful things in the world, and look for only the innocent and loving things in the world. If you've grown cold, it will not serve you well. But if you want to love, and if you want to find that childlike innocense that people lose in adulthood, and if you want to get back to nature, and if you want to get back to loving people more than judging them, then you are well on your way to a good place. But no good comes, without God. You might think you can find good without God, but it will all be in vain. If He is in your life, you will feel the change. A change that is your proof. God bless you... who are seeking... and may you find.
Hey bright,

Just a reminder on the guidelines... You can express your beliefs or opinions just as long as they don't involve proselytizing, preaching, or just simply trying to promote a view. Some of your post gets into promoting/preaching where it involves proclamations, advising, and encouraging others to believe.

If you simply state your beliefs without all of the proclamations and advising, then you can post it in the debate sections here. Ideally, beliefs in this section should be minimal, while views backed by logic and/or evidence should be the bulk of the content here. The Discussion forum would be the best place for those who want to discuss beliefs only.
 
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I think perhaps, where people go a little awry in trying to explain God's existence, is in the fundamentals. And I think it's also very very difficult to explain, because there are so so so many things to explain. For instance, in order to explain medicine, one must explain biology, chemistry, some aspects of botony (plants that contain healing elements), etc. So in a similar way that it takes years to become a doctor, it takes years to know God. For as when scripture teaches that if we shall seek, we shall find, one might think in these terms, that because God has created not a thing as simple (yet difficult) as the subject of medicine, God has created the entire world, all the things in the world, all the humans of the world, and the human elements such as biology, physiology, psychology, anatomy, etc. And yet, one must separate from science in seeking God, to know that He is a miracle in and of Himself. That He is the One being who can defy science to create a miracle at His will and in the blink of an eye. This is the beginning of faith. For once a person sees all the greatness that God creates, then science falls away as a secondary thing to the will of God. Now in saying that, one must realize that God Himself has set the world in motion. One must know that all the laws of physics and science are creations of God. However, while He has set the world in motion, He can throw the monkey wrench in it, to change it as He chooses. And when a person sees that God changes the laws of physics to create a miracle, that He does it for us, and for our protection, out of love and sheer kindness, then perhaps a person can begin to love Him for His kindnesses. Some people will say things like, "Oh why does God need people to glorify and love Him so much?" But I ask you, if you have children, do you not want them to love you? Would you want them to hate you or doubt your words of wisdom? Ergo, it only makes sense, that we should love the one who really created us. Was it our parents who created us? Eh, they just made a little whoopee and boom 9 months later, a child was born. But who was working the child within the womb? Who was baking that child in the oven? Who was forming that brain and mind and body? Was it the parents? From whoopee? Nah, Scripture tells us He knows us from the womb. Sadly, not many people have read the entire bible to see what it says. They have relied on preachers, who can often be repetitive and preaching the same stories over and over. Yet, there are so many more stories than most preachers mention. Have people read the whole bible to know that God gave us perfection from the start, but men kept transgressing against God over and over and over until men fell into their own destructions over and over and over again. And the world grew worse as men transgressed more. And when we begin to see these things in their entirety, we can finally get a glimpse of what years of study will teach us. But when people continue to doubt and speak ill of God, they are only transgressing more and basically hurting God for no reason other than hubris. It's a sick thing this hubris/arrogance. For arrogance is really only a false thing covering insecurities and fears. I say all that to say this... I've said little. These things I have said are only a drop in the bucket. And the big clincher of belief in God is this one simple thing that few people understand. It's the Holy Spirit. Some people speak in tongues. I never did. Some people roll on the floor. I never did. But I did receive the Holy Spirit, but it was a thing that was so powerful that I cried for about 3 days off and on. But that is another story. Except to say... that if you seek God, and find that He is real, and receive the Holy Spirit, no one will ever convince you again, that God is not real. He will change that heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh. Still, fair warning, in order to find God, you'll need to find love in your heart as near as I can tell. It helped me greatly to learn to stop and smell the roses again. It helped me to want to get away from all the hurtful things in the world, and look for only the innocent and loving things in the world. If you've grown cold, it will not serve you well. But if you want to love, and if you want to find that childlike innocense that people lose in adulthood, and if you want to get back to nature, and if you want to get back to loving people more than judging them, then you are well on your way to a good place. But no good comes, without God. You might think you can find good without God, but it will all be in vain. If He is in your life, you will feel the change. A change that is your proof. God bless you... who are seeking... and may you find.

Any chance you can summarize that post? It looks as though we disagree about what it is that gives rise to God belief.

I doubt if I would ever know exactly What God is no matter how long I looked into it. But I certainly don’t think it is anything like studying plumbing or medicine. There is no clear cut best teacher to turn to. There is a wide range of religions to consider and just within Christianity the conceptions of God and theories of what She wants from us vary a lot.

I’m only talking about the phenomenon of God belief, not God Herself as a phenomenon.