I believe that God is part of our fundamental make-up. If we are not God-conscious, we are simply detached from ourselves, from who we are, which is why atheism is just a figment of our imagination – it doesn’t really exist. To deny God is to deny reality. Conversely, when we are God conscious, we are connected and in harmony with ourselves.
I personally was born a Christian and will remain a Christian forever. My relatives growing up were like country club Episcopalians – a few carols on Christmas Eve, a bullshit Christening here and there. More important was intellectualism and believing oneself too smart for God. Also more important were things like booze and moral relativity. Today I take the word of Christ more seriously, but that said, I still fail miserably and with frequency. As well, I don’t give a shit what anybody else believes or how they choose to get to God. I believe in freedom.
Plus, when you or your loved one is dying from alcoholism and heroin addiction, you no longer care about the specifics. The only thing that matters is just finding God somehow so that we can survive, heal and start giving back to those we have hurt. The only thing anyone cares about is that a miracle occurs.
It is indeed an interesting question, the God question, and I wish I had some better answers for you, but when it comes to God, I’m afraid I don’t.
I don’t really define God or try to even conceptualize God, and find it somewhat arrogant to do so. I wrote a piece about God as a concept with some T. Merton quotes, which I’ll share below, but how do we define an unfathomable, limitless power and intelligence? God is so beyond human measure and concept, I believe few of us understand just how mind-blowing this power is that we are talking about.
The simplest explanation I have is that God is and has always been an unlimited Power that runs through everything and is capable of anything. I have witnessed miracles that defy (to this point, anyway) scientific theory. At the same time, I feel there is no conflict whatsoever between God and science, as science has only shown to us just how incredible life and creation are. How can we explain the beauty and perfection of nature without assuming divine intelligence?
At any rate, the truth is I have no definition or concept of God, as God just Is. I don’t understand God and I don’t claim to. All I know is that the power of God is completely beyond human comprehension. That being said, when you have felt or seen or touched this great Power, it is easy to understand and begs no definition. When we have not, or when we are shut off by our mundane, dualistic, physical existence, it is hard to understand and we begin trying to define and conceptualize God. This is why you have so many stupid people trying to own God, and even worse, using their man-made concepts to justify all sorts of nonsense, which has nothing to do with God or His power. I think it best we try to show some humility and stay underneath these things.
I believe if we understood the delicate brevity and fleeting nature of physical life, we wouldn’t have quite so many problems, but then again, who knows. We are very narrow and foolish regarding these matters, thinking we know everything and are so powerful, when the reality is quite the opposite. Humans are forever flawed by the dual nature of life. Having a physical existence but a spiritual nature will forever keep us ignorant and disconnected to some extent. I guess I just think that we are so clueless to what is really going on, that why bother going there? Why not simply perform and do things that get us closer to this Source, things that benefit us and others?
We really give ourselves far too much credit. We think we can manipulate the world and everything, but we cannot. Many theories are proven wrong at some point. The only fact seems to be that there is a natural cycle to everything.
While I can readily admit I don’t really know anything, I do know there is a spiritual realm that many are unaware of. I’m quite sure, as I have witnessed things, that there is much more going on than we can see, hear and feel. And finally, regarding my personal spiritual experience, I pretty much describe what happened to me up North in my book, which I’d be happy to send to you if you want to shoot me your address. Thanks again for writing, and bless you.
God Isn’t a Concept
How Does God Remove Your Mental Obsession?
Spiritual Realm
God Brass
God Proof
Rebirth
*Note: I have forgotten to this day to send that book out, so mark my words… the package goes out tomorrow. My profound apologies for the delay.