Published by I once embraced a traditional theology, but after a time of disillusion, I came to doubt. There is no wonder that doubt crept in, since the literalist view tends to anthropomorphize God, seeking to make people believe the unbelievable. So I reached a point in my life, where observable reality and the set of beliefs being fed to me, were in total conflict. It wasn’t that I chose to not believe, it was simply that I could not believe what they expected of me. I learned the extent to which so many of the tenants of modern belief systems “borrowed” concepts from the much older, now dead mythologies of the ancients. These ancient mythologies were not intended to be taken literally, so how could I be expected to believe these same concepts now presented as if they were literal. Simply put, taking mythology literally contradicts observable reality. And a faith in concepts that clearly contradict observable reality is an unreasonable faith. It is not my failure that I can not hold such a faith, it is the failure of those religious institutions seeking to peddle such unbelievable absurdities. In my state of disillusionment, I took that ultimate step into Atheism. I remained there throughout many years of my young adulthood.
An Amazing Catharsis
After a number of years as a pure Atheist, who approached a view of reality, based fully on empirical science, I reached a day when I had an amazing catharsis. That catharsis set me on a new path away from Atheism, yet not back to where I started. I spent a while intently studying a chart of the Universe mapped out by the National Geographic Society. This poster-sized chart showed the overall structure of the known Cosmos as then understood by astronomical science. On the largest scale we see a Universe composed of countless galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. These galaxies seem to form in clusters, which in turn bunch together into super clusters. There are vast areas of great seemingly empty space between these super clusters, yet they are still interconnected to one another by sometimes tenuous strands of further galactic clusters. As I allowed the vision of this structure to flow through my mind and considered it stretching into virtual infinity, I suddenly saw the curious similarity of the super clusters to our brain cells, and the interconnecting strands to synapses of the brain bridging the neurons of our minds. Except I thought, the complexity of this cosmic structure is on an infinitely greater scale.
The Universe is a Being
It was then that I realized, the Universe is a being. In a manner of speaking the entire Cosmos is the body or the brain, if you will, of a massive being. Consequently all of the much smaller sentient beings made of the stuff of this Universe are but pieces of this massive being that have become aware of itself, themselves, etc. So after having previously divorced myself from the mythic approach to God, I came back to God through Science. God and the Cosmos are one, and we are each a small piece of the über-consciousness that is God, or Allah, or Brahma, the Source, the Force, or Cosmic Over-mind, whatever your preference. Since this concept does not proceed from theology or religious dogma, it can not be termed a form of “monotheism”. This philosophy is not of a “theistic” nature. Consequently, it is not a Theological Universalist type belief, but rather a belief that reside under the category of “Cosmological Deism”, so perhaps it could be called “monodeism”.
The Quest Continues
After my catharsis, I embarked on a full-scale search throughout the faiths of the world. The quest is not for a specific belief system to embrace, but rather a search for kernels of truth, and points of commonality. For I have come to see that most all religions, all philosophies, all belief systems have those kernels of truth mixed together with the illusions and delusions of theology and dogma. The trick is figuring out how to sift those truths out from the falsehoods, to separate the wisdom from the mythology, the wheat from the chaff. It is a challenge, but a challenge most stimulating, and quite a worthwhile cause. I don’t expect to find all of the answers. If I did, that would be as foolish and as arrogant as those who think they’ve already found all of them. It would also lack humility. It’s not the achievement of the goal that matters nearly as much as the journey toward it. I will accomplish only as much as the duration of this life will allow, and that is enough. For me, the Quest is the thing. So the Quest continues.
Great article…very thought provoking.
I believe that man has been creating God in man’s own image
for way too long.
The sad irony of it all is that the scripture which says we were created in God image wasn’t even originally meant to be taken literally, as it has been for centuries, even millennia. The image it speaks of is internal, not the external physical appearance, but the internal nature of our souls. God as a creative entity created other creative entities. We are to follow in God spirit of creation, and make of our world a beautiful place of love and goodness. Instead we’ve made a fine mess of it, haven’t we? As co-creators of our world, we’ve been pretty lousy stewards, so far. But I’ve not given up hope, we may yet open our eyes and see that it is our responsibility to make of this world what we will, put our prayers into action, and join God in creating a world that is good.
Here’s my comments in breif.
You are wrong about anthropomorphism. God in human form helps us grow and heal spiritually, emotionally and intellectually. Sorry you can’t see that.
Howard,
I feel we are suffering from a form of communication disconnect. Misunderstandings often come about through such a disconnect, usually because of a different shift of focus. When I speak of anthropomorphizing God, my focus is on how we impose human limitations on God in the process. When you focus on anthropomorphizing God, your focus appears to be about how we make God more personable and thus accessible. Since our foci are so radically different, we end up not talking about the same subject, as a result. If God is a being of Cosmic nature, possibly even of infinite nature, then certainly God could take on a “human” like form in order to facilitate accessibility, but that form would not be God’s innate or only form. If indeed the Universe is filled with other beings on other worlds, all created by God, and I believe it must be, then it stands to reason that they would have many different forms, and in order to relate to them, God would need to take on their various forms to facilitate accessibility. When I speak of anthropomorphism as dangerous, it is because I see God as bigger than that, capable of connecting to all of creation, beyond the limitations of only the human form. I have opened my mind to more than the limits of this one world. The Universe is a really big place, and God created all of it, not just us, therefore God must be more than a form like us. Opening our minds to more than a “human” like form of God, opens us to a greater understanding of both the Universe and its Creator. Perhaps you see that as overly lofty, and maybe it is. For me, its not about grinding any axes, it’s about pure uninhibited speculation, and having the freedom to let my mind fly away from this Earth, and perhaps if I’m lucky catch a few glimpses of this beautiful Cosmos of which we are all but tiny parts. Yet being tiny parts does not diminish us one bit, as I’ve heard some suggest. We may not be at the center of the Universe, like we once thought, but even the tiniest grain of sand is just as important as the entire beach, for that beach could not exist without the collection of all those tiny grains. That’s the way I connect to God, a God of the Universe, who created this marvelous clockwork Cosmos spreading before our eyes with wonders that thrill the imagination and pluck the heart stings of the Cosmic drama throughout the eons. For me, it is a privilege to be a grain of sand in this Cosmic beach.
I call my own state of cosmological deism “Naturalistic Pantheism”, arrived at after more of an epiphany than catharsis. I know a couple other deists with similar views, as well.
Nice article.
Thank you Wait-a-second,
After writing this article, I did some further research into Pandeism, and found it described much the same view as I express in this article. While having much in common, Pantheism and Pandeism do have some subtle differences. I tend to lean just a little more in the Pandeism direction.
Take Care,
Bill
I am almost a year behind in responding to this article, but, oddly enough, I stumbled upon it searching Google images. Anyway, maybe it will be right on time for you. I don’t want to criticize you or put you down. You are a smart man. I only want to sincerely urge you to not take the knowledge you have obtained so dear to your heart. Discern the truth from the false. There is a way that seems right to a man, but it’s end is death. You have some amazing thoughts and ideas, only don’t inflate your perception to be more than it is. If you have any understanding it is because He gave it to you. I don’t want to assume the way you feel. In all honesty I do not know you. There is a God who does. He is the one who calls you out from darkness, and there is another who would tell you that he is Him, and he is not. To let you know I do not have the background of education that you say to have had. There are so many facts, theories, ..ideas, that we could not talk to each other about because I would not have the knowledge for us to entertain each others minds.. for you, it could be boring. However, I have been given life inside of me, more than the one my eyes can see. I have been tried by the one who tells us that he is He and that there is another way, and this one is a liar. Though my faith is small I know that the One who has called me is the author of truth. I testify to that truth. That there was a man born of a virgin. Conceived by the Spirit of God, and not man. He lived blamelessly in the sight of His God and was crucified because of it. But no, God was pleased to crush Him and He made Him sick. He sent this One to justify the many, to make restitution for His people on the behalf of Himself. There is no high wall you have to reach, and no ceiling of understanding you have to touch, if that were so, there would be no hope for us. It is by faith that we receive the most expensive gift the world has not known. I tell you the truth He is waiting for you. And He will wait for you until the end. My God said He will not leave you. And He will not abandon you. If you have strayed from Him I promise He has not strayed from you. Yes, He is where you are. Yes, He hears your words. Lift up your voice to Him and not to your understanding. He wants to hear your voice speak His name. He has heard the names of others on your lips. You know, He hears you day and night. With love He listens intently to hear that you want Him too. He is not angry. I don’t know, He is probably just sad, wanting to come and give you true peace. He will come where He is welcomed and show you things in your heart WOW just you and Him..there is nothing like that. Having paid your price in debt, maybe He sees you performing as if it never happened. He who calls is faithful to respond to your call back. He puts to shame the wisdom of man, and makes the foolish things of this world to be wise. Brother, do not deny your God of your presence, He has not denied you of His. This same One when He died stood in your place where the absence of the presence of God is, where men are tormented for their unbelief. Yes, the One who believed more than any was placed with those who had not believed at all. And this same One was risen from death and sits at the right of the Most High, and there He waits to openly justify the many who have taken refuge in the testimony of His name. Jesus, the Chosen One