The understanding of God as Universal Consciousness is consistent with the Bible, Quran, and Hindu Texts. In the beginning, there was only a uniform “matter consciousness.”
This uniform “matter-consciousness” wanted to evolve and separate into matter and consciousness. The driver of this evolution was consciousness. The consciousness then prodded the matter to evolve up the evolutionary ladder to life to man. We give the name “God” to this Consciousness.
What is the concept of universal consciousness?
God is the Universal Consciousness of all living beings and non-living things. Every electron that revolves around a proton does so because of the prodding by the Universal Consciousness within it. The Universal Consciousness is present in every particle in this universe. Just as the cloud has only air and water in all its constituent parts yet it appears in different colors and shapes, similarly, the God or Universal Consciousness appears in the form of earth and living beings.
How did Earth form according to the Bible?
The Holy Bible says:
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).
We understand the phrase “God created” as the Universal Consciousness becoming conscious of its two attributes of mind and matter; or heaven and earth. There was a uniform undifferentiated expanse earlier. That expanse became conscious of its two attributes–mind and matter—with both pervading everywhere. It was like a child becoming conscious that he has fingers. The child’s mind and the fingers are inseparable yet different attributes of him. Similarly, the all-pervading mind became conscious of the all-pervading matter. The mind was the “heaven” and the matter was the “earth.”
Initially, the all-pervading matter was an undifferentiated spread like the earth seen from within. Thus the Bible says:
Now the earth was without shape and empty (Genesis 1:2).
Then the consciousness in every particle of the matter evolved. It made an effort to grow just as a child learns to crawl or walk. Thus matter sequentially evolved into dry ground, vegetation, sea creatures, and lastly humankind (Genesis 1.9-27). The repeated statement in the Bible that “God said” may be understood as the God-Consciousness-in-matter saying to matter; just as in the morning one may say “Let there be a painting” and he gets on with making it.
What is the source of the universal consciousness?
Think of a football team. All players are thinking independently. Their Universal Consciousness manifests through the captain. Each player and the captain are interconnected in a web. They mutually influence each other. Similarly, every living being in this universe has its independent consciousness and it interacts with all the other living beings. Among the infinite numbers of living beings, some living beings can connect with large numbers of other living beings. These living beings manifest the Universal Consciousness. Sages like Moses and Jesus were in connection with large numbers of living beings hence they are close to “God.”
God or Universal Consciousness is all-pervading. However, let us assume that the mud had 1 microvolt of consciousness then Jesus had 1 billion volts of consciousness. God is not distinct from the Universe. God is the Universe.
It is argued that a painter has no existence within their painting. A sculptor does not exist within their sculpture. God does not exist within His creation either. Not exactly. The painter’s consciousness is in the paint. The vibrations implanted by the painter into the painting continue to vibrate. However, the vibrations of consciousness from the painting may be 1 microvolt while the vibrations of consciousness from the painter may be 1000 volts.
The consciousness in the seed propels the seed to germinate. We only need to recognize its existence.
Conclusion
On the above considerations, we submit that the concept of God as Universal Consciousness is consistent with the Holy Bible.