My wife, Ally, posed a question in her recent blog post that really grabbed me. She asked, "What if it doesn't concern God if you call Him God?... What if He just wants to be sought?"
I hadn't thought about it before, but do we honestly think God would cared if we decided to call him something else? I would think as long as we continued to seek and grow with Him, it probably wouldn't bother him too much if I decided to begin a prayer with "Dear Bob."
Although I think the name "Bob" is great, I wonder what else we could call him that would be more fitting of His greatness. If you believe in one of the Abraham-based religions (Christianity, Judaism, or Islam) you statement of faith would basically boil down to "God IS Truth."
Eastern religions (Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism or Buddhism), on the other hand, don't focus on a single God to worship, rather they worship truth itself. To believers of these faiths, "Truth IS God."
Now I know a logician would remind me that if A equals B, B does not necessarily equal A, but it does make us think more about the question Ally brought up. Does God really care what we call Him, or is he just more concerned with us seeking Him. And is He really just one name out of many for ultimate Truth?
Ally calls Him God, not because she calls herself a Christian, but because that is the name that resonates with her and best helps her to understand truth. When she needs help with something or is searching for some peace, she prays to God and usually the result is positive. I, on the other hand, don't pray. I ask for that same peace and assistance through sitting alone in thought; a sort of meditation I guess. Writing this blogs is actually meditative for me. As with Ally's prayer, my results are usually positive. So Ally calls it God and I call it truth, but we both seek and we get the same results. Could it be that God doesn't care if we call him that? Someone said that the journey is better than the destination. Could it be that the search is more important than the searched?
If a detective thinks he knows who has committed a crime but he is wrong and he searches relentlessly for evidence to prove he is right, he will eventually find evidence to point him in the right direction. Whether or not he ever finds the correct perpetrator is irrelevant, the key is that the more he searches, the closer he gets to the truth. It is the same with faith. Even if you find a faith you think is correct, keep searching. You will either find out you were are on the right path, or the evidence you find will lead you in another direction. Either way, you are getting closer to the truth. Don't focus on the end, focus on the path immediately in front of you. Call God whatever you want to call Him, just keep seeking.
Bob Bless
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Truth-ism
what? life, that’s what we call it… we exist… the only thing we know for sure… life… or something like it… what does that mean anyway? just life, it is or it isn’t… there’s really nothing like it… death, or something like it, now that makes more sense… alive without life… a lot like death, but not death…
where? this place called earth… well that doesn’t say much, where is it in the grand scheme, in the big picture… what is the big picture, and is it really that big, relatively? And scheme… read: deceit, trick, evil plot, perhaps… poor choice of words? maybe not… but who knows really?
who? he knows… but who’s he? Or is it He with a capital H. or she? god isis allah abba jesu emmanuel odin sarayu jehovah lord zeus buddha the secret holy ghost et al… choose… your life depends on you being right… so they say… the after-life depends on it… heaven nirvana valhalla reincarnation et al… but who knows really? maybe, whoever he is…
when? now… now and then… then and now… later… never… better late than never…when i get around to it or whenever he decides? no better time that the present… but the present is gone and the future will be too… all of time will be gone, in time… can’t be now, now is then, can’t be then because now never happened, can’t be later, later will soon also be then, he gave free will, he wanted me to decide, so… whenever I get around to it, or never?
how? we are here as a result of… creation, absentee landlord or intervening supernatural force… a great cosmic explosion, red shift evolution and science… scientific fact v. theological faith … empirical logic v. mystic enlightenment… knowing v. believing... why do we naturally assume that things that seem different can’t coexist? we strive to eradicate every ism prejudice and judgment… but we pigeon-hole truth…
why? because we can…because we will… because the who has provided the what and where and left us free to question the when and how... even free to question who the who is… why then, do we judge? why do we have the conceit to think our way is the only way for everyone… because we are afraid of being wrong? racism sexism classism sexual orientation-ism insertyourfavorite-ism… slowly declining… truth-ism holds fast…mounting?
truth-ism: the one ism we can’t let go… why do we feign tolerance? Why do we tacitly judge? Why do we assume the ignorance of those outside our own fold? TRUTH… objective or subjective… fact or theory… IS LIFE... all over our world people suffer… alive without life… death or something like it… due to truth-ism perpetrated by their country church family friends or society at large. are you taking someone’s life?
where? this place called earth… well that doesn’t say much, where is it in the grand scheme, in the big picture… what is the big picture, and is it really that big, relatively? And scheme… read: deceit, trick, evil plot, perhaps… poor choice of words? maybe not… but who knows really?
who? he knows… but who’s he? Or is it He with a capital H. or she? god isis allah abba jesu emmanuel odin sarayu jehovah lord zeus buddha the secret holy ghost et al… choose… your life depends on you being right… so they say… the after-life depends on it… heaven nirvana valhalla reincarnation et al… but who knows really? maybe, whoever he is…
when? now… now and then… then and now… later… never… better late than never…when i get around to it or whenever he decides? no better time that the present… but the present is gone and the future will be too… all of time will be gone, in time… can’t be now, now is then, can’t be then because now never happened, can’t be later, later will soon also be then, he gave free will, he wanted me to decide, so… whenever I get around to it, or never?
how? we are here as a result of… creation, absentee landlord or intervening supernatural force… a great cosmic explosion, red shift evolution and science… scientific fact v. theological faith … empirical logic v. mystic enlightenment… knowing v. believing... why do we naturally assume that things that seem different can’t coexist? we strive to eradicate every ism prejudice and judgment… but we pigeon-hole truth…
why? because we can…because we will… because the who has provided the what and where and left us free to question the when and how... even free to question who the who is… why then, do we judge? why do we have the conceit to think our way is the only way for everyone… because we are afraid of being wrong? racism sexism classism sexual orientation-ism insertyourfavorite-ism… slowly declining… truth-ism holds fast…mounting?
truth-ism: the one ism we can’t let go… why do we feign tolerance? Why do we tacitly judge? Why do we assume the ignorance of those outside our own fold? TRUTH… objective or subjective… fact or theory… IS LIFE... all over our world people suffer… alive without life… death or something like it… due to truth-ism perpetrated by their country church family friends or society at large. are you taking someone’s life?
Friday, March 6, 2009
Religulous
Ally and I recently watched Bill Maher's new Documentary, "Religulous." I know a lot of people won't watch it for fear that God will strike them down where they stand or something like that, but it was really funny. Now before you judge me, pray for me and label me as satan's minion, remember, Bill Maher is a comedian. It was supposed to be funny. Even if you are a firm believer in your faith, if you loosen up and remember that he is a comedian, you too can enjoy the film. Because Maher's goal was to entertain more than to make the perfect sound arguement, I think it fell short as a debate on religion. However, it did what it was meant to do entertain AND it did make some damn good points along the way.
Maher seemed to discredit himself by saying at the beginning of the film that he "didn't know" what was true but then bashing relgion as a whole and taking more of an atheist stance rather than an agnostic stance. However, after thinking some more about it, I think the point he was making is that NONE of us can be certain that our religious beliefs are true and therefore, he reasons, religion is a waste of time and possibly detremental to our progress as a civilization. I can see his point here. Also, I don't think he ever said any particular religion wasn't true (maybe I need to watch it again to be sure of this), he just challenged believers as to HOW they knew. What was interesting about the film is that not one of the people he talked to from ANY religious faith could give him a single answer that didn't either avoid the question or completely miss his point.
I'll grant that since this film was made to challenge established religions, they probably would have cut out any interviews that did have good answers, however, I kinda doubt there were any good answers. While I still lean towards the existance of God and Jesus as his son (notice I didn't say Christianity) I have to admit that if I was asked a question about why I believe it, I couldn't give an answer that would make one bit of sense, nor do I think anyone can.
So my point is, I don't think Bill Maher ever meant to directly say that religion is not true, he meant to say he doesn't know and anyone who says they do, isn't being honest with themselves. He may be right.
I don't think religion is detremental to us as individuals. It can definitely be a huge help through hard times and a good guide to us on how we ought to live (however, as Bill said, I didn't need the 10 commandments to tell me I shouldn't kill my neighbor; I just kinda know that isn't a good idea). I do not, however, think religion has any place in the political spectrum which it has infested in this country (and especially this state) and many other countries around the world. The human race at its worst results to killing each other in war, holocaust and genocide on small and large scale. Almost without exception, this killing always has at least a hint of religious undertone. In looking at that fact, it is hard to deny that the world would be a better place not neccessary if religion was dead, but if it remaining in the hearts of men and not on the campaign trail, over the airwaves or behind the trigger.
Maher seemed to discredit himself by saying at the beginning of the film that he "didn't know" what was true but then bashing relgion as a whole and taking more of an atheist stance rather than an agnostic stance. However, after thinking some more about it, I think the point he was making is that NONE of us can be certain that our religious beliefs are true and therefore, he reasons, religion is a waste of time and possibly detremental to our progress as a civilization. I can see his point here. Also, I don't think he ever said any particular religion wasn't true (maybe I need to watch it again to be sure of this), he just challenged believers as to HOW they knew. What was interesting about the film is that not one of the people he talked to from ANY religious faith could give him a single answer that didn't either avoid the question or completely miss his point.
I'll grant that since this film was made to challenge established religions, they probably would have cut out any interviews that did have good answers, however, I kinda doubt there were any good answers. While I still lean towards the existance of God and Jesus as his son (notice I didn't say Christianity) I have to admit that if I was asked a question about why I believe it, I couldn't give an answer that would make one bit of sense, nor do I think anyone can.
So my point is, I don't think Bill Maher ever meant to directly say that religion is not true, he meant to say he doesn't know and anyone who says they do, isn't being honest with themselves. He may be right.
I don't think religion is detremental to us as individuals. It can definitely be a huge help through hard times and a good guide to us on how we ought to live (however, as Bill said, I didn't need the 10 commandments to tell me I shouldn't kill my neighbor; I just kinda know that isn't a good idea). I do not, however, think religion has any place in the political spectrum which it has infested in this country (and especially this state) and many other countries around the world. The human race at its worst results to killing each other in war, holocaust and genocide on small and large scale. Almost without exception, this killing always has at least a hint of religious undertone. In looking at that fact, it is hard to deny that the world would be a better place not neccessary if religion was dead, but if it remaining in the hearts of men and not on the campaign trail, over the airwaves or behind the trigger.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Secret
Ally and I were introduced to The Secret by her mom a couple years ago. When we watched it the first time, I didn't think much of it. I wasn't one to subscribe to "wacky" ideas about the universe and the law of attraction being that I am extremely rational (possibly to a fault)and I tended to believe in a traditional Christian worldview. However, I humored my wife and tried it. I tried visualizing what I wanted and practiced thinking about what I wanted in the present tense, and the things I was thinking about started to happen. When we first watched it, I was going no where in the mortgage industry and was ready to throw in the towel for a desk job, but when I started visualizing working with a booming book of business, only a month later I had my first million dollar month. I continued hitting that number or more consistently for the next six months. Until I started slacking in my thoughts. Now I am ready to go again!
We watched the Secret again on Sunday night and I picked up even more stuff that I didn't notice the first time. The first thing I noticed was the secret was not in opposition to my rational viewpoint at all. In fact it is a hell of a lot more logical than anything I had previously believed. The Science (called quantum physics) behind the secret is mind boggling. Science tells us that if you boil anything down to its most basic form, everything starts with energy. Energy is what causes an atom to exist which makes up molecules, which make up cells, which make up all things. So the very essence of all things, including us, is energy (Remember E=MC2? That's what it means). The form this energy takes is all determined by cause and effect (That E=MC2 guy also said "Every action has and equal and opposite reaction"). We also know that every individual human thought has specific and unique energy pattern which can be measured and monitored with today's technology. So if everything is energy, and we have the ability to create specific energy patterns with our thoughts, these energy patterns must have an equal and opposite reaction, meaning positive thoughts about what we want should repel what we don't want and attract what we do.
Now that might seem a bit of a stretch to some and it does even to me, but it makes a heck of a lot more sense than believing that I can talk to someone who can't be seen and ask him to answer my prayers. I think a more logical, scientific explanation for answered prayers could be that because the believer is praying so much and focusing so much on what they want that the energy they are sending out is attracting the outcome they desire. Also, this can explain why sometimes the opposite of what we think we are praying for comes true. For instance, if someone prays passionately for a loved one asking "please don't let them die," they are focusing on death and may be attracting exactly what they didn't want.
Who knows for certain... What I do know is that I don't pray on a regular basis and when I use the principles of The Secret in my daily life, it works. Call it what you want, but I consistently get the things (read: material items, feelings, emotions, opportunities, life events) that I focus on, including the bad things that I focus on when I am not careful to monitor my thoughts. They don't always come right away and many have yet to come, but I am confident that they will. I am even willing to admit, that maybe God and the secret are one in the same. I don't really care what it is called I just care that it works.
Chew on this... What is the definition of energy?... Let me give you a head start... it always is, always, was, always will be, it creates things, destroys things, is it present in everything, transcends time, etc, etc, etc.... Now define God...hmmm...
We watched the Secret again on Sunday night and I picked up even more stuff that I didn't notice the first time. The first thing I noticed was the secret was not in opposition to my rational viewpoint at all. In fact it is a hell of a lot more logical than anything I had previously believed. The Science (called quantum physics) behind the secret is mind boggling. Science tells us that if you boil anything down to its most basic form, everything starts with energy. Energy is what causes an atom to exist which makes up molecules, which make up cells, which make up all things. So the very essence of all things, including us, is energy (Remember E=MC2? That's what it means). The form this energy takes is all determined by cause and effect (That E=MC2 guy also said "Every action has and equal and opposite reaction"). We also know that every individual human thought has specific and unique energy pattern which can be measured and monitored with today's technology. So if everything is energy, and we have the ability to create specific energy patterns with our thoughts, these energy patterns must have an equal and opposite reaction, meaning positive thoughts about what we want should repel what we don't want and attract what we do.
Now that might seem a bit of a stretch to some and it does even to me, but it makes a heck of a lot more sense than believing that I can talk to someone who can't be seen and ask him to answer my prayers. I think a more logical, scientific explanation for answered prayers could be that because the believer is praying so much and focusing so much on what they want that the energy they are sending out is attracting the outcome they desire. Also, this can explain why sometimes the opposite of what we think we are praying for comes true. For instance, if someone prays passionately for a loved one asking "please don't let them die," they are focusing on death and may be attracting exactly what they didn't want.
Who knows for certain... What I do know is that I don't pray on a regular basis and when I use the principles of The Secret in my daily life, it works. Call it what you want, but I consistently get the things (read: material items, feelings, emotions, opportunities, life events) that I focus on, including the bad things that I focus on when I am not careful to monitor my thoughts. They don't always come right away and many have yet to come, but I am confident that they will. I am even willing to admit, that maybe God and the secret are one in the same. I don't really care what it is called I just care that it works.
Chew on this... What is the definition of energy?... Let me give you a head start... it always is, always, was, always will be, it creates things, destroys things, is it present in everything, transcends time, etc, etc, etc.... Now define God...hmmm...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
