What do The Prince of Egypt cartoon, a trip to a busy shopping mall and my distinctly non-mainstream religious views have in common? No, this isn't a set up for a joke. Allow me to explain... no, there is too much. Allow me to sum up.
The other night my wife and I caught the tail end of the above mentioned cartoon. She thinks it's a great story, what with her being Christian and all. I have other opinions on the whole thing, which aren't so complimentary to the main characters. I won't go into the particulars here, but let's just say that it always leads to some interesting discussion around our house on the nature of God and certain biblical happenings. Like why is God so bloody and mean in the Old Testament and so sweetness and light in the New one. Isn't He supposed to be an immutable and unchanging force? We didn't really pursue our normal bickering over religion on this particular occasion because we were tired and it was late, but I did some pondering on the subject later. As I was meeting my wife for lunch at the mall food court today, something clicked and I realized what had been nagging at me since then.
Some religions propose a Duality of Deity (ie. male and female), but I think it's far more complex than that. Even the multi-God pantheons of ancient times are too simplistic. "God" is simply not a person or a group of people with human-like form and emotions. It is more like a great gemstone with infinite facets, each reflecting a different aspect of existence. Even that is a crude analogy for something that is, truly, far beyond our mortal ability to grasp. I am a facet of the Divine. So are you. All interconnected and none more or less important to It than another. Any human face we put on God is merely our own filter on the light of those infinite reflections. The Old Testament God was cruel and warlike because the people of the time were cruel and warlike. The God of Dianic Wiccans is fiercely feminine because they are, and so on. How many of us will follow a God we don't agree with? And yet, above and beyond our petty squabbles over which of our anthropomorphized Deities is the One True God, lies a deeper truth. Reality is incomprehensibly vast and complex. Each and every one of us is an Aspect of that Reality. A facet, reflecting the qualities of God that we embody. Knowing that doesn't make people any easier to deal with when they are in conflict with us, but it sure makes walking through a crowded mall a whole lot more interesting. Brings to mind an INXS song from the 80's. Every single one of us has the Devil inside. And Jehovah. And Apollo. And Loki. And Isis. And the Great Spirit. And... well, you get the idea.
2 comments:
There is a lot to agree with there.
But, God just isn't a reflection of the believer, he is also a foil. Religion is based on the "necessary hypocrisies" tenants. Sort of the opposite of modern liberalism. We are flawed, we need to do better. Instead of "keeping it real, being true to yourself."
God, however imagined, is part of our growing up and healing process. Societies as a whole need God as well. Some of it seems bloody, but it is moderating the worst of a society and encouraging the best. It doesn't always work. Some religious texts have been "out grown" as the centuries past. God isn't changing, but our understanding him changes from day to day.
I always thought the Male/Female thing was pretty silly. If you feel like the world nurtures you like a mother's love, not kicks you out the door to get a job. Well... you live in a kinder world than I.
Check out my 360, I think I wander off down this path today myself.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
No time right now for a real discussion on this, but I'll agree with one thing. "God" doesn't change. It already contains everything that is, was and will be in every multiverse and timeline. But *we* need to change if we are going to ever become more than a bunch of violent, self-destructive talking monkeys. From one primate to another: Have a great Yule/Christmas!
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