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If something feels "real", to you, then isn't it actually real? A guy in an institution that lives in his head and has imaginary friends that appear real to him is living in his reality, and his reality is real to him. We might say that it isn't, since we don't experience his reality, we can easily just say "it is just his imagination over-reacting" or some shit, but the reality that we experience in our OWN heads is at least somewhat different than the reality expeirenced by others..
Peace. 

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This is a good point, Fire.
God or no God, your reality is YOURS, it is real to YOU. (did anyone see "A Beautiful Mind"?) Your reality may not be the same as the guy reading the newspaper next to you on the bus, but certainly to you, it is real.
There will forever be debate over whether or not there is a god. It will be argued until the end of time (whenever that may be). The only certain thing at all is the cycle of nature: Birth, Life, Death and Rebirth.
If there is a god that dictates all that for you, then fine. If it gives you hope for the weak moments in your life, more power to you. If not then, it is up to you to find hope and power from within. Both are valid.
People find a way to get comfort in many things, god not excluded. However, people's perceptions of god are certainly not above reproach.     
Just my $.02 after a long absence.......  

Strumpling said:

This is where we differ - I see this "greater Creator" as fucking government and religion and all of these boundary-building organizations..

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That is all the reality that we ourselves have shaped. When I say that we are Creators, I mean every human. The "greater Creator" would be who ever is enertaining the thought of us for just a second on his time-scale... heh.

I know what you are getting at when you talk about the collective consciousness, but if almost everyone is led to believe in a lie, than the lie is true..

Anyways, my reality consists of some good fucking metal and my new bass guitar, Sirius. The rest of you can do what you want..
Peace.

Clover said:

Just my $.02 after a long absence.......  

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fireworks_god said:

Yes, that is exactly what I am implying...
We are just Creators forming our own reality within the reality formed by a greater Creator. The "real world", like the physical attributes of this planet and so forth would be his reality, but we can bend and shape his creation to our own whims..
If something feels "real", to you, then isn't it actually real? A guy in an institution that lives in his head and has imaginary friends that appear real to him is living in his reality, and his reality is real to him. We might say that it isn't, since we don't experience his reality, we can easily just say "it is just his imagination over-reacting" or some shit, but the reality that we experience in our OWN heads is at least somewhat different than the reality expeirenced by others..
Peace. 

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Clover said:

This is a good point, Fire.
People find a way to get comfort in many things, god not excluded. However, people's perceptions of god are certainly not above reproach.     

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Well... I do believe in godhood, I dislike the term God, however, because a notion of supremacy, judgement and whatnot are always tied to it.
God to me is the collective of all souls. We cannot know it, because the human mind is limited. We can only be submerged into it and experience our own and perhaps other parts of it. It does create, but it does not create the world without, and has never done so.
Anyway, I don't take comfort in this fact, I never ask God or whatever for help in esoteric gibberish. It's just not my style. 

Clover said:

Resist the temptation, Fire!!!!
Thanks for the welcome back   

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I have given myself now to Sirius.. heh. I find that the best thing to do is to have it continously in my lap, and play while reading or waiting for new posts (programming on Guitar Pro used to take up that time)...

I find that I cannot resist the temptation to play, as playing is what completes me.. I do eventually set it down, though, as a sign that my hands have taken way too much for the time being...

Why should you believe in God? Because of the existance of bass guitars.
Peace.