Comments on: The God of Cash and Prizes http://thelastchancetexaco.com/2008/07/04/the-god-of-cash-and-prizes/ My last chance to trust the Man with the Star Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:15:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Chris http://thelastchancetexaco.com/2008/07/04/the-god-of-cash-and-prizes/comment-page-1/#comment-1146 Chris Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:36:28 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=443#comment-1146 The three of us are on exactly the same page, though we have minor differences in expressing it, and therein lies the real mystery of faith; that we believe, in whatever limited capacity we are able to, in something incredibly powerful, something beyond understanding, something which intends for us better than we can know. The only thing standing in our way of experiencing that is ourselves. Keep coming back, Raj. One day at a time. Relax. Take it easy. The answers will come. The three of us are on exactly the same page, though we have minor differences in expressing it, and therein lies the real mystery of faith; that we believe, in whatever limited capacity we are able to, in something incredibly powerful, something beyond understanding, something which intends for us better than we can know. The only thing standing in our way of experiencing that is ourselves.

Keep coming back, Raj. One day at a time. Relax. Take it easy. The answers will come.

]]> By: Raj http://thelastchancetexaco.com/2008/07/04/the-god-of-cash-and-prizes/comment-page-1/#comment-1145 Raj Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:58:03 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=443#comment-1145 Well, a fantastic way of putting it Chris. I think we actually need the GUI's because we aren't capable of understanding the mysterious binary code that makes it all tick, as humans we need some simplifications. Praying to deity Gods is fine I would say so long as you also follow what the texts say is the message from that God. So, praying to Krishna or Buddha alone wouldn't suffice, I must try to act as they have advised me to act which automatically takes me towards being a 'brahman' a.k.a the perfect/ideal one or the enlightened one for those who like Zen talk. As you move towards the brahman, you are in fact surrendering your will and life over to divine sacred care because you move away from illusionary things. I also loved what Marc has to say: <i>"The metaphor I use for faith is the one of the tightrope net. I think of life as walking across a highwire, and my faith in God is the presumption that there is a net below. I don’t know if there is one, but I’ve found I make the walk with a lot more confidence when I assume there is."</i> When I am feeling lazy or too overwhelmed this is the way I try to think Well, a fantastic way of putting it Chris. I think we actually need the GUI’s because we aren’t capable of understanding the mysterious binary code that makes it all tick, as humans we need some simplifications. Praying to deity Gods is fine I would say so long as you also follow what the texts say is the message from that God. So, praying to Krishna or Buddha alone wouldn’t suffice, I must try to act as they have advised me to act which automatically takes me towards being a ‘brahman’ a.k.a the perfect/ideal one or the enlightened one for those who like Zen talk. As you move towards the brahman, you are in fact surrendering your will and life over to divine sacred care because you move away from illusionary things. I also loved what Marc has to say:
“The metaphor I use for faith is the one of the tightrope net. I think of life as walking across a highwire, and my faith in God is the presumption that there is a net below. I don’t know if there is one, but I’ve found I make the walk with a lot more confidence when I assume there is.”
When I am feeling lazy or too overwhelmed this is the way I try to think

]]> By: Marc http://thelastchancetexaco.com/2008/07/04/the-god-of-cash-and-prizes/comment-page-1/#comment-1144 Marc Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:30:31 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=443#comment-1144 Wow. GOOD ANSWER. Wow. GOOD ANSWER.

]]> By: Chris http://thelastchancetexaco.com/2008/07/04/the-god-of-cash-and-prizes/comment-page-1/#comment-1140 Chris Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:13:10 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=443#comment-1140 I know what you mean, Raj. The Creator I have experienced through 12 steps is very much the Higher Power Hindus call Brahman. Tat tvam asi. "Thou are that." And like Marc, I learned that I am THAT. You are THAT. All of this is THAT and THAT is all there is. This 'other god' is merely a limited and specific, and probably poorly chosen, ASPECT of THAT. I think it is especially hard for westerners to come to rely on a god that is THAT because THAT is impersonal. Perhaps Hindus have so many demi-gods and deities, lower case 'gods with attitude,' for the same reason. We want a god that we can relate to; a god we can approach. We want god to be like us in some way. All these smaller gods, deities, demi-gods, prophets, sages, saints, angels, gurus, etc., are THAT, of course. All of this is THAT. But they are not ALL THAT. They are simply our GUI -our God User Interface. And like every GUI, they prevent complete and total access to the operating system. I know what you mean, Raj. The Creator I have experienced through 12 steps is very much the Higher Power Hindus call Brahman. Tat tvam asi. “Thou are that.” And like Marc, I learned that I am THAT. You are THAT. All of this is THAT and THAT is all there is. This ‘other god’ is merely a limited and specific, and probably poorly chosen, ASPECT of THAT. I think it is especially hard for westerners to come to rely on a god that is THAT because THAT is impersonal. Perhaps Hindus have so many demi-gods and deities, lower case ‘gods with attitude,’ for the same reason. We want a god that we can relate to; a god we can approach. We want god to be like us in some way. All these smaller gods, deities, demi-gods, prophets, sages, saints, angels, gurus, etc., are THAT, of course. All of this is THAT. But they are not ALL THAT. They are simply our GUI -our God User Interface. And like every GUI, they prevent complete and total access to the operating system.

]]> By: Marc http://thelastchancetexaco.com/2008/07/04/the-god-of-cash-and-prizes/comment-page-1/#comment-1139 Marc Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:10:24 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=443#comment-1139 I'm one of the God is everything or God is nothing people, and I've found God is everything to be the less ridiculous proposition. Any attempt to define God beyond that reduces God, I even abhor the use of Him--my only objection to the twelve steps as written--CMA made the wise change of making their 12 steps genderless. The metaphor I use for faith is the one of the tightrope net. I think of life as walking across a highwire, and my faith in God is the presumption that there is a net below. I don't know if there is one, but I've found I make the walk with a lot more confidence when I assume there is. As for problems, I have come to believe there are tasks to be completed, but the idea that anything is "solved" is an illusion. We just keep rearranging the furniture, walking to another point on the bridge. The issues we deal with along the way let us know we are alive, as those who do not have them to deal with are dead. We do have the choice of dealing with those issues with acceptance and aplomb, or conceiving of them as obstacles to our serenity. We accept what we must and change what we can. If there's a "problem," we're filing something in the wrong category. I’m one of the God is everything or God is nothing people, and I’ve found God is everything to be the less ridiculous proposition. Any attempt to define God beyond that reduces God, I even abhor the use of Him–my only objection to the twelve steps as written–CMA made the wise change of making their 12 steps genderless.
The metaphor I use for faith is the one of the tightrope net. I think of life as walking across a highwire, and my faith in God is the presumption that there is a net below. I don’t know if there is one, but I’ve found I make the walk with a lot more confidence when I assume there is.
As for problems, I have come to believe there are tasks to be completed, but the idea that anything is “solved” is an illusion. We just keep rearranging the furniture, walking to another point on the bridge. The issues we deal with along the way let us know we are alive, as those who do not have them to deal with are dead.
We do have the choice of dealing with those issues with acceptance and aplomb, or conceiving of them as obstacles to our serenity. We accept what we must and change what we can. If there’s a “problem,” we’re filing something in the wrong category.

]]> By: Raj http://thelastchancetexaco.com/2008/07/04/the-god-of-cash-and-prizes/comment-page-1/#comment-1138 Raj Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:40:34 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=443#comment-1138 well, really good food for thought, when I think about it, I too still have these two kind of Gods, one kind of God is the (or the many Gods of Hinduism which is my religion by birth) Gods of cash and prizes and of emergencies the kind who were supposed to protect me at all times and give me each and every thing (and even the love of every single person I desired) I wanted or at least wanted whole heartedly (whatever that means) and the other one, the second one is: God a.k.a as the higher power of the NA program. I understand him as some one who really intends to help but I must listen to him or seek his will for me actively and then do accordingly. This seeking and acting on his will each and every day is what I understand as surrendering my will and life to him. I don't know if he created the whole universe or whether he has the good of all of mankind at his heart but I do know that he'll help if I go to him for help. So, I too, just like you, must discard the old Gods I have and stick to this one higher power I found through NA ... well, really good food for thought, when I think about it, I too still have these two kind of Gods, one kind of God is the (or the many Gods of Hinduism which is my religion by birth) Gods of cash and prizes and of emergencies the kind who were supposed to protect me at all times and give me each and every thing (and even the love of every single person I desired) I wanted or at least wanted whole heartedly (whatever that means)
and the other one, the second one is:

God a.k.a as the higher power of the NA program. I understand him as some one who really intends to help but I must listen to him or seek his will for me actively and then do accordingly. This seeking and acting on his will each and every day is what I understand as surrendering my will and life to him. I don’t know if he created the whole universe or whether he has the good of all of mankind at his heart but I do know that he’ll help if I go to him for help.

So, I too, just like you, must discard the old Gods I have and stick to this one higher power I found through NA …

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