I find it funny that one of the oldest concepts in the world has become one of modern society's biggest irritants. The problem with this is that the concept has been lost behind all the problems created by people who did not fully understand the concept to begin with. Religion is, by far, at the forefront of this list of problems. Government is close behind. So what is the concept we've lost? At the risk of sounding "philosophical", I'll put it in one word. God.
The concept of God is a simple one. Or at least, it was at one point. God is everything. That's pretty much the long and short of it. At no point does religion enter into this, this is just a true and utter definition of the word god. Scientifically, it has been proven that all matter, even our own bodies, is made up of energy. All energy, broken down, is inevitably made of the same thing. Studies are currently being done to show that Energy broken down is, in fact, fluid and without separation. The Brookhaven National Laboratory has labelled this energy a "quark-gluon plasma" (for more information visit http://www.post-gazette.com/healthscience/19990614quarksoup1.asp). This simple fact is a clue into the realm of god. God is everything. No religion or faith involved.
So where does this information lead us? Well, it gives us undeniable proof that all of reality is, without doubt, connected by something. The separation we see between us and anything else (chairs, people, animals, dirt, air, etc) is completely of our own making because that space is actually Connected by energy. This energy could be called "Life", "God" or "Reality", the label means nothing. The concept is true. All of life is connected.
Understandably, this information seems a little pointless when faced with the toils and troubles of everyday life. People still feel separated from reality because they feel they have no control over reality. In fact, religion was based on this simple premise. Those people, so fearful of what might happen, turned to prayer and worship. The sad part about prayer and worship is that the people who feel the need to do these things often feel that, they themselves, are not good enough to understand "god's will". They feel that they could never have control of their lives because they are "flawed". Surely someone closer to God, someone "better", could tell them what to do. You and I both know that there are plenty of people out there just aching to prove they can be better, especially if it means taking responsibility away from someone else for their own life. And so, religion was born.
So, if not religion, then what? Well, religion is basically nothing more than a group of people so puffed up in their own self-righteousness that they feel they need a certain "status" in the world. They feel they need worshippers, a church, hymns and prayers, and maybe a little advertising. Why? Because they feel they can guide you through the world better than you can guide yourself. Not all of them are self-serving, though in that position of trust the temptation is surely there, but they are nonetheless taking your life away from you. You, as a person, are responsible for one thing. Yourself. The things you own, the people you love, and the beliefs you follow are just things you've picked up along the way?they can leave just as quickly. You are responsible for one thing. How you "respond" to everything.
I've went a little off topic here but I assure you there was a reason for it. Often, people will tell me that they have no faith in god because bad things happen all over the world. They have no faith in god because bad things have happened to them. They feel separated, as if there is no connection to anything around them and they're afraid. So the question here is "Who are you?". I don't mean your name, your status, or what you do. I don't want a description or even a short sonnet. I mean you?without the physical, without sight, sound, or touch. How do you know that you exist? You know you exist because you are aware of yourself. You know you exist because you can say "I am". So who are you, if not a name or label?
Many people, throughout history, have asked this question. Unfortunately, they have been labelled "philosophers" for the most part, which usually puts them in a class we don't feel we can relate to. The sad part is that people ask this question everyday and always get slammed down by others saying "Don't be so philosophical (or religious)". There is nothing philosophical or religious about this question, it's just a good question.
So, back to the question of who you are. For the moment, we'll call yourself "consciousness". It's a good term, and basically it means "the awareness of yourself". That awareness, we humans pride ourselves on it, and we often think we're the only species with it, but where does it come from? What is the spark that allows all living things to move around in and experience the world? Even science has shown that the human brain is almost like a giant sponge. Using electricity, different parts of the brain are stimulated to allow in more information. If you're a computer whiz, the term hard-drive might be more appropriate. The common belief is that as we interact with the world around us and "learn" different things, our brain forms to allow more information in and then comes up with an appropriate response. This is partly true, the brain does indeed receive information from the reality around it.
In an article I read once, the Dalai Lama asked the question "why does the brain have to create consciousness, can consciousness not run the brain?" Obviously, we have no way to prove this, but it changes our entire concept of how the brain works. If consciousness is what drives the brain, then indeed all of our insights, intuitions, and instincts stem from that consciousness. Have you ever realized you knew something you had never actually thought about? Said something to someone else that, in fact, taught you something?
Back to the original concept God as "everything", consciousness exists within the reality around us. It exists within that immense "quark-gluon plasma" and is therefore part of it. Almost everyone has heard the saying "God exists within us all". I know it sounds dogmatic and a little self-righteous but, taking away the religions context, what does that mean? Now, think about this, it's a strange concept at first.
The human body and all matter (including electricity) is made of a very base energy that connects everything.
The human brain collects information and runs the human body with the aid of Electricity to stimulate the parts of the mind needed to "record" a lesson.
Sight, touch, sound, and all the senses are nothing more than our "physical bodies" interacting with the energy around us moving at different vibrations.
After looking at these points, we now know where consciousness stems from. It stems from the energy around us. Everything is made of this "energy", not just physical things like furniture, but intangible things like thought as well. With that said, can it not be said that we, all matter (living or un-living), are indeed extensions of "God" Would we be able to say "I Am" if we were not connected to everything? No, because we would not exist.
You see, the concept of God and Us is very simple. There are no religious "requirements", there are no "sins" or "hellworthy trespasses". There is simply you, and you are God. You are responsible for yourself, and that means how you affect everything else. You are a reflection of an infinite consciousness that wants to experience everything. This consciousness, God as we call it, is nothing more than the combined efforts of all of us. God's will is reflected in how we respond to the reality we're given. God's will is reflected when we relax and live without fear, because all of this is ours.
Raymond Rheault is a mid-twenties "philosopher" from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is currently involved with several groups focussed on discovering personal freedom. His website http://www.pathtoeden.com is a testament to this effort. If you have questions, please contact us.