Why I believe God is dead…

Or at least the mythological version which exists in most religious people’s mind.  To think there is some figure with a long beard living in the clouds is ludicrous and is the story given to children.  “God” is not that easily explained.  He/she/it is not human.  I’m not sure what god is, but I’m almost certain it is spirit and not “he”.  And I also believe the pronoun used to describe the force is important because using “he” immediately directs most people’s minds directly to the guy in the sky with the beard.

For Jews, Muslims and Christians the image of God was formed during a time in history when people viewed man as superior to woman, therefore men controlled the story.  And that story was that man was made in the image of God, more importantly it meant that God looked like a man; a premise I reject.

For most Christians the word “god” immediately has them picturing Jesus as a blue-eyed, brown haired white man walking through meadows; an image created 100% by Europeans for Europeans.  Jesus was neither white nor blue-eyed and there were few meadows in 1st century Judea.  More than likely he was a shorter man with dark eyes and a dark complexion similar to every other man and woman living in that area in 30 c.e.

So what do I believe?

I believe there is a force or a spirit which exists in our world, but my “god” is not a fairy tale version of a man controlling and manipulating humans like chess pieces.  My god allows me to use my actions to directly impact my life.  My god allows me to make mistakes.  My god does not put qualifiers on love.  My god has no face nor gender. 

There’s a lot up in the air with my god because I simply don’t know; and I’m more okay with acknowledging I don’t know than pretending like I do.

I read a book many years ago Hymns To An Unknown God by Sam Keen and it changed my perspective on “god” forever and I highly recommend it for anyone.  It is not a religious book, but a spiritual journey journal.  In that book Keen touches on reforming a new version of what God means in modern society.

Trying to expand my brain in order to better understand deep philosophical matters is not easy, but I will not believe simply because I’ve been told to believe.  I must make it make sense for me.

Danny