I was positively surprised, amazed even by this interview when I first watched it, then again I realised how easily one can fall pray to the believe that somehow WE (my religion, my group) hold the "monopoly" on absolute truth, god or spiritual insights. Hugh's very personal and yet very humble admissions touched me deeper and resonated stronger somehow with what I hope to find in my own heart. - Bhattanatha Das ;-)
I've had this same feeling. Amazing how someone else speaks of what you've experienced, how they put into words what you couldn't exactly describe before.
Ha, funny, at church today I wanted to talk to someone about something. Something I wanted to check on. 4 hours later, with some good fortune, I got that wish fulfilled by Hugh! Not what I was expecting, but very grateful!
Loved The Fountain, Didn't know Hugh Jackman was into meditation and spirituality- "The aboriginals are the owners of the land here" So impressed with this entire interview.
It is so inspiring to hear this. I’ve helped in a religious camp last week and now I saw this. I think every single person on earth have the right to believe in whatever they want. And in the camp one little boy asked me: Do you believe in God? I think this is one of the most difficult questions to answer. I said to him: “I believe that a God exist, but not the version of the church. God would never exclude anyone because he is different. On the contrary! He would welcome everyone with open arms. No matter what their origin, sexuality or skin colour. And the Church does not allow that. For example, homosexuality has no place in the church. But that is actually exactly what God would want. That people don't look at the superficial but at the character of people. And I firmly believe that God would not send anyone to hell. And there is God in all of us. We can make the world a better place. But we also have the power to destroy everything by making the wrong choices. I think the church has twisted a lot of things. I think that's a pity, because it's a wonderful faith in terms of its principles. But that is only my opinion. You can believe in everything. No one may forbid you to do so. He beamed at me. He was happy to hear that. Hell is only used to scare people. And I think that's just sad. Why do you always have to make people afraid? Because it makes them compliant and makes money. And that's just wrong. I believe God loves everyone the same. And even if you make mistakes. You come to earth to have certain experiences that you can't have otherwise. I think it’s so inspiring to hear other opinions. That makes us different and every opinion is okay. I hope that we are some day the the point that every person accept the others without judging them, because no-one knew how it really was. The faith is something you can’t proof and this makes it so fascinating.
I know exactly what he's talking about around 8:30. It happens to me sometimes too. I tattooed the date on my arm that I first felt that spiritual bliss. It feels like a full body orgasm and the concept of time and thoughts are not present when you feel it. All you can think about and feel while you are in the trance is bliss.
It's fascinating to see someone who is in the entertainment profession, where perhaps philosophy may usually stay in the backstage, speak in such a thoughtful manner. In one sense it's true that words can't fully describe ultimate reality, as Hugh points out. In another sense it's arguable that one cannot say enough about such a reality, or god. The arts, popularly poetry and language, historically seem the best medium to attempt such a feat. Thanks for the clip! -SwamiTripurari moderator
The Gospel of Thomas Logion 2 says "If you are searching, you must not stop until you find. When you find, however, you will become troubled. Your confusion will give way to wonder. In wonder you will reign over all things. Your sovereignty will be your rest."
You guys realize that he's actually speaking from a pantheistic perspective right? Transcendental meditation is an excellent way to break down the barriers of ego and dualism and see our true connection with all things, minus the distractions of the individual.
+Poffo Ortiz I don't think Hugh Jackman is a pantheist, and I don't think what you mentioned is really an exclusively pantheistic view either. I think he sounds panentheistic, as he does not think of creation as God, but rather, made it clear he believes God exists outside the laws of nature, time, and space and specifically said nature is not God, although having an element of God. Read his new interview with Parade magazine: parade.com/426939/dotsonrader/the-hugh-you-never-knew/ He also calls himself a Christian - at least, now as of 2015. He just has a spiritual philosophy that also draws inspiration from other faiths and sees the underlying truth. Any conversation about the duality and omnipresence of God may seem pantheistic to some people. Even the concept of the Trinity in the Bible has pantheistic elements to it, but that doesn't make someone who believes that way a pantheist.
+Poffo Ortiz I think you should look up panentheism. That is the perspective I believe Hugh was speaking from. He seemed to be a panentheist when he did this particular interview, and I would gather that now he may be a Christian panentheist, as he now considers himself a Christian. Panentheism is often described as Monistic Monotheism. Hugh believes in transcendence. He also believes God communicates with him if you watch later interviews. He believes he can pray to God through meditation. He believes in an afterlife. He believes that there is a greater power that exists within everything but also beyond everything, including the laws of time and space. That is not pantheism. That is panentheism.
I'm very familiar with what Panentheism is, Sportsmed77, thanks. And you're probably right in your assertions, so i thank you for the extensive explanations and for sharing all of that information. In truth, i may have just been a bit overzealous in my original comments.. but in my defense, it's not everyday that you find a major celebrity who speaks your language and supports your cause as Hugh appears to do in these videos ;) But as you stated, we cannot know for certain what he considers himself in terms of religious/spiritual labels. At the very least, his views ARE very Pantheistic in theme however.. and this was what i think i was initially commenting on.
+Poffo Ortiz That's fair. :) I understand completely, and sorry if I seemed imposing. I get a little too excited about this topic anyway. Yeah, in terms of labels, all we can do is go by what Hugh says, and as of October 2015, he said, "I'm a Christian." I would have to conclude that being a Christian also means he can't be a pantheist, although you can be a Christian and still be a panentheist. This particular interview we are commenting on was from 2008 I believe, so I think we also just have to remember that people's beliefs can change over time and his may have. I am intrigued though and always trying to understand other people's viewpoints. Would you be willing to share with me a little bit about what you believe personally? I have heard people use the term pantheism in so many ways. Do you believe in transcendence (all pantheists I know say they do not)? Do you more simply believe all elements of the universe are God?
"The truth is coming" and I suspect that the plethora of organized religions that pepper the globe are in for a surprise. The number of people massacred in the name of religion over the centuries is staggering. All for the one true God. If you want to find the one true God, look within. "The kingdom of heaven is within"
I asked what is the answer why am I here why is it so hard, The voice said Being me as we are not separate " You exist in your present form so I might know myself through you and all of Life so life might know itself through the process of Life.
I've seen later interviews where Hugh mentions God and spirituality (a few years after this one). He believes in a creator/higher power and has referred to that higher power as God in later interviews. And he believes Jesus set a perfect example of love. He does read the Bible. He also reads the Bhagavad Gita (Hinduism), Confucian Analects, and I think even the Koran. So I wouldn't exactly call what he believes Daoism. I think it goes beyond that. I would say he is spiritual and not religious. I think he believes in one God but that there is an underlying truth in all religions.
+Isak Uitto If I could add some new information, Hugh Jackman said a couple of months ago in a new interview that he is a Christian. He also said he is both spiritual and religious. He just has a more eclectic view on world religions and a more abstract view on God than most Christians. I think it is possible he is a Christian panentheist.
Not at all, actually. Hugh believes in God. He has said in several interviews, especially in the last 3 or so years that he believes in God. He has a specific quote from one interview from 2 years ago where he said, "I've always believed in God." He even said that the most important journey in his life is his spiritual journey of trying to understand God better. From my understanding, just because he doesn't think much can really ever be known about the attributes of God, does not make him agnostic. Truth be told, it is true that we can never truly grasp the attributes of God because we are not God. But Hugh's conclusion was that there is a God - he made a decision - he didn't determine that "it can never be known" from what I have seen. You maybe could consider him a deist, theist, or a panentheist. But he has made it clear that he believes in God and that he even meditates and prays to try to get closer to God. Also, his beliefs always seem to be evolving. If you hear him talk about God years after this particular interview, he seems to have a different perspective.
+boldsign Have you seen Hugh Jackman's new interview with Parade that came out last week? In it, he explains that he is a Christian. Here is the interview: parade.com/426939/dotsonrader/the-hugh-you-never-knew/
now i know why i have always felt this guy is the real deal ... didn't know until just now it is because he believes much the same as i do ♥♥♥♥ in my world God is a neutral creator energy generator and that energy is a spiraling continuum that we all share and have complete control of when we shed it all .... the bliss is great but we accepted the human role for a reason ♥((✿◠‿◠))♥❀
It’s interesting how we are interested in what some stars think and why they are the way they are such as Hugh’s take on God. Who’s got it right. Is Jesus Christ right. If he did come back from the dead can we say he’s wrong. What’s the real deal. We know that space never ends. It’s called infinity isn’t it. And serious thinkers who realise that God exists and has always existed, realise that God has the properties of infiniteness. Therefore the understanding of God never ends, meaning that if we go into the great eternal we will forevermore be learning more and more of what God is. It’s an unlimited learning. Man is clever. There’s no doubt about that. But if it’s true that Jesus Christ is actually God who became one of us, then hey he’s more than clever isn’t he. And whether we like it or not, or agree or disagree, if Jesus is God in the flesh then hey he and his words have got to be the real deal. Or am I missing something here.
love covers many sins. love love love. love is God. Joseph candle how about reading bible . Your just not reading the bible properly . jesu s meditated .jesu s went to the mountain for 49 days fasted prayed and meditated .
read the bible and get back to me about who God is . it never ceases to amaze me how people talk about God never read the bible. It's like talking about chemistry and never reading a chemistry text book . unbelievable
