Is anyone else having trouble with admitting there is a higher power?

[beardedman]

I feel like its just a cop out to just admit there is one if you don't actually believe there is. Isn't the whole point of getting clean so you can start being honest with yourself and others again, so why would I want to start my new sober life by lying to myself? Please share your thoughts...

[QuickwithDrawal]

God.  A single entity.  I truly believe in some Supreme Being, and I think I do to help explain everything that is too big to understand.  The problem with calling God anything other than G O D?  You appear to be a non-believer, but that is the other person's (who cares about that) problem.  See, I'm not a fan of Religion - it divides people, creates too much arguing.

So, long ago, I saw where Jefferson, Franklin and the Founders, they mostly all believed in a Power, making them Diest in their belief.  Deism is simply believing in God or a higher power, but ONE power - not different Gods for different beliefs.

Easy way to explain is this:  Say you have one person for every religious belief, and they are all climbing a mountain.  Some crawl, some use tools, but all are climbing toward the SAME place - the top.  So, there is NO right or wrong way to believe.  Everyone is trying to get to the same place, only in different ways.  Deism.  However, being a Deist isn't a popular way to believe to a lot of people.  But, to me?  It's more logical than being a strong believer and yet, calling someone else (who also believes) 'wrong'.  

Seems religious factions need the ability to say another group is wrong and they are right.  I don't think that a Supreme Power, who can create every single thing in this Universe would split hairs over differences in belief systems.  That is a man-made thing.  Plus, Deism doesn't hold strong to the 'being judged' after death deal.  If you were created?  Then you were meant to be here.  I suppose.  In answering you, I don't think God would be a cop, maybe perhaps an entity you don't even see - you just know something is there.  But, I don't know.  I'll find out one day.  I prefer to not worry about the 'leaving' and death and all that.  I think everything will be good.

It is a big mystery as to WHY we are here, or things are set-up like they are, but wouldn't you think, the way things regenerate that their is some sort of design?  Or Reason??  I don't think too much about it cause it can give you a headache just talking about all the possibilities.  Maybe we are going to another planet?  If so, I hope the freeways are less crowded, heh.

[gnarly_1]

great answer.........and I believe.......also after helping others on this forum since sept of 09  those that do believe have a lot ezer time doing this...............................Gnarly  

[Nighthawk61]

Really good question. When i grappled with the same problem in my earliest rehab, i was told to think Good Orderly Direction as opposed to a religion. It made perfect faith. As time went on I further developed my ideas on the subject. Congratulations on the choice of quitting. You'll never regret a clean day if you go all in, and make sobriety work for you.

Can you please think about telling us your story and how you got to this point. I think we can help.?

[AddictedCitizen]

It's harder for me to believe there isn't a God now. I think everyone has had trouble with this at one time or another. (our fleshly desires) or our human desire for indulging in everything worldly and pleasurable, is what makes it so hard to have a relationship with God. But all he asks is you just open your heart and have a little faith and God loves us so much he will be there to help us. Besides, I don't think I, or anyone has the right to say there's no God. We don't know really anything. I find it hard to beleive that nothing came from nothing rather than everything came from a power greater than myself. Most people have to SUBMIT to Christ rather than just one day saying i believe there's a God. Submitting after years and years of trying to do it on their own. That's why they use the word submit your life to Christ. Sometimes people just have spiritual experiences that lead them to God also. I know that when you do submit to God that you experience a love and peace that you've never experienced  from any wordly things or people. He doesn't ask a lot, (just to love him) and gives everything.

[my_mayberry]

There are higher powers even if there is no God in the traditional sense. Imagine all that our lives are influenced by. If the sun burns out tomorrow, so ends all life. If there is a GAMA burst aimed at the Earth, so ends at the very least all human life. I sympathize with not finding belief in the traditional Christian higher power, but I think we can all find a higher power even outside of any metaphysical supreme being.

[motye51]

I've heard this question a few times in my meetings from many atheists and agnostics. Me, personally, this is not something I have a problem with. However, what I do wonder sometimes is if there's absolutely nothing you believe in bigger than yourself?  It doesn't have to be God, Budda, Allah....but something bigger than you? Many people use the group, nature, music, many different things until there minds gets more clear and it's easier to be more open-minded.  There has to be something, in this great big world, that you believe is bigger than yourself?  

[drifter0213]

don't test yourself. honesty leads to allow others to help what exactly going on with your recovery it opens to more help and advice from others you are not alone my friend so open up about your problems