My box is the universe and my Gods and Goddesses are everywhere and nowhere, all and nothing.

Very interesting. "The box" in reference deals more with the eight inches between our ears, and the fourteen inch drop to the heart, more than the actual location of where God "is". If your Gods and Goddesses are everywhere and nowhere, all and nothing, how does that effect the way your life is impacted (or not) by them? (BTW: I LOVE your expressiveness Elizabeth!! You have a terrific way with words!! hugs -j.p.)

Orson Welles: all the smelly little orthodoxies that are now in contention for our souls. This is excellent and well presented.

I posted a lil about my personal belief system not long after I joined Rendo... http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=780890&Start=91&Artist=cagewench&ByArtist=Yes - (if you are curious)

Very "What Dreams May Come"-ish. (Good movie, BTW, - just wish I could have seen it on the big screen - visually stunning!) Do you find peace in that belief structure? Are you able to grab life by the horns because it, and you, are of value and preciousness? Does it provoke a desire for change? Not saying you are "bad", but maybe the desire to make the "good" even "better"? If so, I embrace you and the joy you have achieved. Life to me is a continues series of "nows". Each moment is the sum of existence to me. The future is somewhat irrelevant (what if this is your last breath - your last heartbeat? Who cares what the next "Survivor" series will be? wink); the past is a series of "nows" that have become illusive memories (most of which we adjust as time passes); so all that is left is the "now". To me, the most romantic, intimate, and precious "revealed" name of God is the one he gave to Charleston Heston - er, I mean, Moses: "I AM". The one outside of time, the infinite, stepped into time, the finite, and meets me in my "now". THAT blows me away! But even that effects the way I view life and LIMITS the extension of that belief structure in the way I interact with those around me. As you put in your statement of personal belief, the way others see God and how that effects them WILL effect how they treat others around them (If you have no value? You are nothing but an object for my pleasure? Who cares if I love you or rape you?) Thanks for sharing Cara!! (I'm a big fan of yours! wink -j.p.)

A very insightful, excellent written work. V I think us 'humans' tend to 'box' in our personal interests in all areas of life, religion among them.

Excellent way of putting it, I got rid of the box a long time ago and don't even attempt to assume who God is, just that He is. I could go on and on about this, but I'll save it for myself, just thanks for putting this in good words.

God is inside and outside...It seems to me that in my life, God is present in every action and interaction that I have at every moment...If I had to define "the box" the image would be much like the aliens in the movie "cocoon."..on the outside I am human but peel away the exterior and the inside glows....with god...in my line of work, I try to infuse who I am and what I believe into every action and interaction that I have with my colleagues, students, parents, friends, and family...and I hope that god inside (works through me...kind of St. Francis like "make me a channel of your peace")me is evident to everyone even if they don't have the belief system to put the name "god" on it....that they say.."there's something about her" because of how I am....of course everyone has those times when they don't act in the most "godlike" way but I always try to remind myself that my actions and interactions speak(shine) louder than my words....

I may not see God as other see the all knowing, all powerful. To me, it is a personal issue. I am strongly against the , well, I went to church on Sunday , so that makes me a better person. We find our own gods, or whatever you may call your maker inside of yourself. It is in our ddaily actions and interactions with others of our species that brings us closer to our God. Of course, we could just be a transplant from another galaxy! Kidding! Very well written and thought provoking

Try this in your thought banks...If "for every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction" is a true statement, proven by science, then, if I do a good deed, does that end up only creating two bad ones? By allowing one to occur, and then that one actually occuring?

Pyrophrost: I think you are mixing that up with "whatever you sow, that you shall also reap". If you sow one kernal of corn, you get a stalk with how many ears, and how many kernals on each ear? Whether you sow good OR bad, the return is the same "fruit". Roses do not produce crab grass - neither do crab grass produce roses. "For every action..." refers to a law of physics - that would be "physical" in nature. That's why you need good footing when pushing a car: if not the force forward pushes YOU back (with good footing the "opposite" reaction is used in your favor). Interesting thoughts though. I'm glad it got you thinking. That was the whole point. As RNKarenER put it, "It is in our daily actions and interactions with others of our species that brings us closer to our God." How we see God will thus determine that interaction and thereby effect how others see God. As a friend of mine once said, "You expect to get to heaven and say, 'Look God at all of the people I brought closer to You' - as if it were a reward. What if He says, 'That's great. Now lets look at all of those you pushed away from Me.' You COULD come up with a negative figure; get the left-foot-of-fellowship right out of heaven!" -j.p.