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Chapter 13. What is Reality?
What is reality? Or, if you prefer, what is existence or “being?” Even Aristotle, long ago, realized there was the physical world, which could be measured, and the non-physical world, which he called “metaphysical,” which could not be measured. Scientists study the physical world, and metaphysicists, such as philosophers, are involved with the unseen world. Until now, that is. Now even scientists are beginning to realize that science will never answer questions such as “How did we come into existence?” (See Chapter 2.) They are hoping quantum physics may hold some answers, but even that requires the pre-existence of particles and fields, regardless of their indeterminant state. I’m sensing that people are abandoning science and looking to metaphysical beliefs such as Buddhism, or making up their own definition of reality. Which leads me to the following premise.
Premise: God is reality.
I am starting to understand how people live without God. They have created a world that operates by their definition of truth, reality, matter, energy, thought and the like. Often they throw out science because its definitions contradict theirs. Ask them a simple question like “How did matter come into existence?” and you will get the most convoluted answers imaginable. And no two of them will agree. The following is an exact answer I got on Facebook. I asked him what other assumptions should I make other than matter had to originally come from God: “Maybe the assumption that matter is more than the conscious energy that creates the illusion of matter as an experiential medium in the physical realm.”
The first part of Proverbs 23:7 goes something like “as a man thinks in his heart, so he is.” People, including Christians on television and through books, have taken this as meaning you can create your own reality by positive thinking. But in reality (pun intended), this verse means if you think with the carnal mind, then you will live in a false reality. If you think with the mind of Christ, then you will see the true reality and God will show you how to live a full and victorious life. You cannot create true reality, it can only be revealed spiritually, not created by thinking. The way to have the mind of Christ is to work on knowing God’s nature and hearing His voice, not working on thinking positive thoughts. Instead of continuously confessing positive thoughts, study your Bible. Read this booklet.
“I AM” is one of the more unusual names by which God referred to Himself:
God said to Moses, “I AM who I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14
Personally, I believe God was defining for us what reality is. In this age of quantum physics and people defining for themselves what reality is, God says He is the I AM. He is reality. So the more we understand His nature and hear His rhema words, the more we walk in reality. Study (not just read) your Bible! Read this booklet! It's that important. Your hold on reality depends upon it.
I also see articles giving their definition of "consciousness."
Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7
This is my response.
Note 1. We all create our own "reality." We start out with a wrong "reality" because of our sinful, fallen nature. We use input from religion, science, other people's ideas and our own ideas. How you define reality defines your world. It affects every thought and action. It's basically how you live. That's why you must have the God of the Bible to anchor your reality.
Note 2. My six year old granddaughter is having some fear issues. I asked her what she was afraid of. She said "monsters." She said she didn't believe in ghosts but did believe in monsters. Such is the power of the reality we choose to live in.
Note 3. The physical world is a real problem for Buddhists. Buddha couldn’t explain how matter came into existence. But since he was made from matter, he had to create a “reality” that ignored, I guess, where matter came from. The same applies to metaphysicists and those trying to come up with their own definition of reality. They don’t know where matter came from either. (Neither, by the way, do scientists.) To deny matter is relevant is like sticking your head in the sand, since your brain, which consists of matter, is what allows you to think. And I am pretty sure Buddhists assign relevance to thought.
Note 4. In my opinion, any belief system must answer three questions in a way that is cohesive within that belief system. They are: 1. How did the physical world come into existence, 2. Why do you have to die, and 3. What happens after we die? So far, and I have spent a lot of time searching, Christianity is the only belief system that can answer all three and still maintain cohesion.
Note 5. Karma is based on the Biblical principle of sowing and reaping, which God established long before the Hindus. Reincarnation is the perverted outgrowth of the same principle. To be fair, both karma and reincarnation came from people before Jesus who were doing their best to understand life. But now there is no excuse to believe in either.
Note 6. "Be still and know that I am God." Biblical meditation focuses your mind on God and helps your reborn spirit hear Him. Any other meditation has only short-term benefits at best and at worst opens your spirit to demonic forces.
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