Heather wrote:I need to try to figure out how to go about learning as much as I can about Him.
I understand!
I had to take a lot of effort and some time to forget what I thought I knew.
It was what I thought I knew that was blocking me from knowing.
What worked for me: First, I started looking at nature. Plants, animals, fish, rocks, the planet, birds, people and anything I could find that had Life in it. I also looked at some things that used to occupy the same planet... but, were no longer here.
Then, I started looking at "things that we know are there... but we can't see it."
Example: Electricity. Microwave. Radio Waves. TV waves. Magnets. Magetism. Gravity. Heat. Cold. Air. Gases.
Then, I looked more closely at physics and Quantum physics.
Then, I looked more closely at the sky -- day time and night time. Stars, planets, things in the sky.
Also, I looked at things like music, art, biology, micro-biology, and much more.
I started asking myself questions, like:
Are there any patterns?
Are there any intelligent systems in it?
Is it predictable?
It it unpredictable?
And, I started with a yellow legal pad, and I wrote down the following:
If I could define what I think I would like God to be like, what would it be?
The first few things on my list were: God, Good, Love, Life, Light.
And, that gave me a starting point.
I've been building on it ever since.
It was important for me -- to not rely on what someone else believed, or thought, or felt... regardless of who they were.
My logic was: "If He's my Father... why do I need someone else to tell me about Him?" And, "Why... would they know more about my Father, than I would know about Him?"
It just didn't make since to me to rely on what other peoples thoughts were. I needed a God "as
I understood Him" -- and, Not a God as "
they" understood Him.
In Bill's Story, Chapter 1, BB, Ebby told Bill: "Why don't you try your own conception of God?" Hmmm. Interesting idea.
It's like this: Suppose I had a personal relationship with Heather. (This is an example and illustration)... would I want to know what someone else knows about her, and their experience of her... or, would I want to know what she's like... based upon my own experience of her? And, how many different things do you think other people could tell me about Heather... that would be nothing like she is with me? And, maybe... they had their own self-interest for telling me those things.... So, if I wanted to know Heather... I wouldn't ask others about her... I would ask Her about her.
Another illustration: I was waiting to see Heather... and she just landed at the Tulsa airport... and was getting off the plane... and she stood there looking beautiful... and ran up to her... drop to my knees... then to the ground... and started kissing her shadow!
For me... is it the "real thing" or "the shadow"? It is based on what someone else tells me they know... or is it based upon my own first-hand experience?
For me... when it's based upon my own experience... it produces an understanding that doesn't confuse me... it makes sense to me, I understand it and I can take the time and effort to better understand it and try to become more consciously aware of it. It produces a belief and a faith... that I can live with, and live for... and is un-shake-able.
That's how I did it.
Dallas
the 2nd part of step 1.