What does God like about you?
- Thread starter knight in battle
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It's interesting that some find this topic disturbing...
I found it pretty uplifting, and I'm agnostic..
I thought of it as: Take yourself-judgment out of the equation, and imagine there is a power or being that loves you so much it dreamed you into existence, and what inherent blessings do you possess as a result of being this creation?
As in a cosmic-all-things-in-the-universe-are related-and-interconnected-and-every-being-is-valuable sort of way..
(Kind of new-agey and not usually my style, but I went there...)
I don't think answering the question makes one narcissistic or delusional, but challenges you to imagine seeing yourself from a loving perspective.
(If you are the sort of person that believes god is loving, that is..)
I found it pretty uplifting, and I'm agnostic..
I thought of it as: Take yourself-judgment out of the equation, and imagine there is a power or being that loves you so much it dreamed you into existence, and what inherent blessings do you possess as a result of being this creation?
As in a cosmic-all-things-in-the-universe-are related-and-interconnected-and-every-being-is-valuable sort of way..
(Kind of new-agey and not usually my style, but I went there...)
I don't think answering the question makes one narcissistic or delusional, but challenges you to imagine seeing yourself from a loving perspective.
(If you are the sort of person that believes god is loving, that is..)
Therein lies the temptation.
It uses the implicit rule/assumption/imagination that the Being that Creates deems that part as good.
Rambling here; caveat emptor.
I get unconditional love, but who can tell the difference inbetween complete acceptance, narcissistic gloating, inability to see flaws, and unwillingness to confront ugliness, when the original shape of the question ultimately forces us to see ourselves in a complete, extraordinarily powerful (GOD!) perspective? (not to say anything about [MENTION=3791]knight in battle[/MENTION] for making this thread / asking these questions, for I think he did a good thing)
It's like asking to look below from the top of a mountain, with the question shaped as 'what GREAT OBJECTS AND BEINGS did you see down there?" Some will answer with complete honesty; others will tell bullshits.
Only the object is you yourself.
Hence, disturbing. This sort of works as a mirror; What, ultimately, did we chose to look at ourselves? Our totality and destiny? Our entire being?
There is nothing wrong with you or your opinion on what the personification of God likes about you. A good answer would be everything, because the part of you that is perfect is more than the sum of all your imperfections. "What, ulimately, did we choose to look at ourselves? Our totality and destiny? Our entire being?" Hope? Strength? Love? It's an imagination exercise and you essentially tell your morals, but in a different way. Wouldnt God love love, and hope, and faith, and trust, and respect, etc; the usual. Since we're all so unique this makes for a very interesting discussion like you said.
Here is a good resemblance: 1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Even in the scriptures, God loves that you test everything and remain skeptical. Good qualities are a vast pool and we feel like swimming today!
I think the goal is self-acceptance, not narcissism.
I've had those moments where I've had to console and uplift myself--internal dialogue myself through things and offer myself support as if I were a friend to myself--rather than chastise and punish myself.
There was nothing narcissistic about it. We deserve to see ourselves lovingly, in fact, it is essential for mental health and contentment to be kind to ourselves.
I think it's about transcending the baser parts of yourself (which include self-persecution, punishment, and hatred) to see yourself lovingly and worthy of goodness and happiness.
That's what I got out of the OP question, anyway.
Your higher self.
And what is our perception or imagination of God, but formed of the higher aspects of ourselves?
(Personal God, that is.)
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@acd : self-acceptance, I completely understand. I'd also used and done the same thing you'd done. It's a good thing. I agreed with all you said-- and that this is the basis of the thread, yes.
But not bringing God's name. Not using God, or identity of One. It's disturbing in vein of -- creating your own reason why This Person or That Person likes you. Only this is supposedly, our Creator, to begin with.
And another thought arises; this has a similar vein with limerence / crushing / unrequited love fantasies. :| A lot of those are empty spaces, and it'd be filled with something. Again, some would be good; understanding of one's totality, for instance. Awareness of one's being. But others may not.... be so. Illusions of something. Perfect acceptance, self perfection, flaw brushing...
In the same vein, try to change the thread question to, 'What does [Insert Celebrity Name] like about you'. Less severe, but still completely fallacious, personally speaking.
As for me, who found it disturbing;
At this point, the thought becomes; Wouldn't that crossed past self-acceptance and went straight through self-gratification/justification?
As a corollary, I would like to ask:
In regards of all our answers here, how many of them are things we like / are proud of in ourselves?
I mean, if God comes to me, and say "I surely LOVE you for being very craven and unwilling to go forward in your life and staying in the same place", I'd freak out.
But as per 'our higher self', true; that makes perfect sense (see also: Anima, Animus)
But as per god;
I have no idea, and perhaps this is true...and also disturbing.
So that means our religious practice is essentially self-jerking our own ego / superego?
.......
But not bringing God's name. Not using God, or identity of One. It's disturbing in vein of -- creating your own reason why This Person or That Person likes you. Only this is supposedly, our Creator, to begin with.
And another thought arises; this has a similar vein with limerence / crushing / unrequited love fantasies. :| A lot of those are empty spaces, and it'd be filled with something. Again, some would be good; understanding of one's totality, for instance. Awareness of one's being. But others may not.... be so. Illusions of something. Perfect acceptance, self perfection, flaw brushing...
In the same vein, try to change the thread question to, 'What does [Insert Celebrity Name] like about you'. Less severe, but still completely fallacious, personally speaking.
As for me, who found it disturbing;
At this point, the thought becomes; Wouldn't that crossed past self-acceptance and went straight through self-gratification/justification?
As a corollary, I would like to ask:
In regards of all our answers here, how many of them are things we like / are proud of in ourselves?
I mean, if God comes to me, and say "I surely LOVE you for being very craven and unwilling to go forward in your life and staying in the same place", I'd freak out.
But as per 'our higher self', true; that makes perfect sense (see also: Anima, Animus)
But as per god;
I have no idea, and perhaps this is true...and also disturbing.
So that means our religious practice is essentially self-jerking our own ego / superego?
.......
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Well, that wasn't really what I was hitting on. I don't imagine the point of this question is to stagnate...
I see self-acceptance as a path to overcoming short comings and challenges. It's a dynamic, positive process... not something that is static and stagnating.
In instances where people are bigots and attribute their prejudice to God--I think it is self-jerking their own egos. But that is not the higher self...
But in instances where people are open to loving and accepting themselves and others, I suppose it is a way to celebrate those things and aspire towards them.
In short, I just saw it as an exercise in accessing your higher self.
Trifoilum said:
You've acknowledged a higher self, but wont call it perfect? What is perfect? Completeness? Wholeness? At the moment we are all imperfect, but the view is we get and give good things because of mercy, not because we're perfect and do perfect all the time thus deserving it. Also, what is wrong with love fantasies? Or perfect acceptance? Flaw brushing? Do you have a better way of becoming whole? Is religious practice anything more than embarking on a journey to become whole? Complete? Satisfied?
Not calling you wrong / mistaken, and I do see your point.
It's not about the stagnating part, but it's like..... the way I see it, most if not all answers here are things we're proud of ourselves.
In the wrong minds, it's less accepting and more self gratification of our personality
but I hope you can see why I'm calling this disturbing, then.
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I'm talking about the illusions of perfect acceptance (and understanding.)
See above.
So, delusional?
Especially with acceptance; there's acceptance and there's unwillingness to confront your own flaws.
There's pursuing and there's manufacturing and there's dreaming for a third party to rescue you from your own flaws and making it right.
I agreed with you; and I would say this is the OP's intention.
My point is just there's this vibe/paranoia/doomsaying of seeing this question being diverted away from the point of [MENTION=3791]knight in battle[/MENTION].
I'm not talking about fear, unfortunately.
Pride.
(Retrospective add : Not in myself. Potential on where could it go wrong. In myself / if this is fear of one's flaws manifesting, it'd probably be easier to not answer. Or do like what I did.)
Aaaaaand nope. Flaw brushing = the narcissistic ignorance of your flaws. Doesn't -always- happen to -everyone-, mind.
Something wrong.......Not enough for me personally to do ANYTHING but got disturbed (and clarify why), and point the possibility out (and clarify my PoV).
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[MENTION=2172]Trifoilum[/MENTION] Paranoid and doomsaying isnt fear? One of the major reasons people seek the higher self is to combat that fear. Insecurity, weakness, helplessness are all motivating factors to pursue wholeness. The process isnt pretty, going from what some would call scum to something called lovable. If you werent given love by other humans, youd be fucked. Some humans feel they get love from an outside source (which paradoxically is within you, but not from you). The higher self, God, quantum consciousness, the spirit, the within are all 'names' for it. Your imperfect self cannot do anything right, it is always messing up, there is always something missing, blah blah blah; but the perfect part of you has accepted the flaws and fear and is willing to let them go. When your flaws and fears have been let go, you can devote more energy to loving people and your self and helping others accept their flaws and fears so they too can focus more energy on love and respect and improving everyone's quality of life.
I agreed with you; and I would say this is the OP's intention.
My point is just there's this vibe/paranoia/doomsaying of seeing this question being diverted away from the point of @knight in battle.
lol. I'm thinking the question bring up things for people that may seem to diverge. I wonder if they are related parallels to the question.
Oh my God. (pfftlolbadumtsh)
You're making this about me, aren't you.
I'm talking about my feelings in saying this-- yes; but the things I'm talking about = the things I see =/= the things I felt. :|
So...if that is true, then getting personal -- my paranoia and disturbance isn't about the issue itself-- it's about the potential.
(Retrospective add : While my fear is not about the flaws itself, but the arrangement of the flaws. Acknowledging one's flaws =/= making it martyr-like.)
It is not that what you're saying or what acd's saying is -wrong-, there's a lot of truth that I personally agreed with, but that is but one facet of it. And there was the other side.
If that's wrong, then forget it (and I apologize for getting defensive)
Aaaand
Yes....?
no wait let me ask you this-- what is the difference between a narcissist perspective of self with the higher self?
Yes...I agreed with this, and...?
I do think those are all different, which may explain our difference in looking at those.
yes...I agreed with this, and...?
I'd say, there's a difference between acceptance and ignorance; letting go and brushing away; not letting them control you and suppressing them. Do you agree?
I'm sorry, I get what you're saying, but I don't really get why you're saying this.
What are you thinking I'm saying?
Branches, mirrors, facets, parallels...
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The difference is the higher self is only a part of you, it is not what you identify with, less you get power drunk. The power and love and acceptance are gifts, they are not your creation. What letting go of flaws means is like you are holding on to a physical flaw, like insecurity in my case, and you're holding on to it and it is heavy- when you let it go, it is no longer a burden. You're now looking at it on the ground, it is still there, but it isnt so heavy on your shoulders anymore.