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God in a box
Sep. 24th, 2011 09:29 amMy Sunday School class is doing essentially a seminar on other world religions, and it started me down a well worn path of an irritation I have that I think I share with a lot of people.
I don't like it when people try to put God in a box. I am not just refering to the Christian God, but to all religions. What I mean by putting God (or whatever supreme deitie.deities you worship) in a box is that a sect/church/splinter group sets up rules that define their world and say that thses rules are the only rules and they can prove that these rules are the only rules by citing the Bible, or the Koran, or the Talmund, or whatever holy work they are fixated on. That's putting God in a box- making rules of conduct for a being/beings that by definition cannot be understood or manipulated. If they could, they would not be God/Allah/gods/whatever.
I know a bunch of poeple look somewhere besides the good old US for extremists, but I can tell you right now we have plenty of them! The difference in our country is that we have so many religions, plus a sprinkling of agnostics, atheists, and pagans, that the chances of one becoming strong enough to run over the rest and enforce, socially or otherwise, their rules on the rest of us are small. And let me tell you, there are PLENTY who would. I could point fingers. but I won't demean myself by stooping to their level.
I am a Christian, and I follow the basic rules for my culture and my religion because they work for me. I am going to that Sunday School class to find out if what I've heard is correct, that most major religions support many of the rules that mine does- ie, spiritual seeking takes work, that giving to others who truly need it makes the world a better place, and that a healthy respect for myself and others will make the world a better place too.
I also believe that I am not better than others. I am different from others, I have my own virtures and vices,and they have theirs. I try to see that the vices are and make them better, and I try to keep my virtures and make them better.
Most people who put God in a box want to believe they are better than others, or that there is a easy way to spiritual peace, by following set rules. But wishing doesn't make it so.
Voltaire said it best when he said that God created mankind, and ever since we've been returning the favor.
I don't like it when people try to put God in a box. I am not just refering to the Christian God, but to all religions. What I mean by putting God (or whatever supreme deitie.deities you worship) in a box is that a sect/church/splinter group sets up rules that define their world and say that thses rules are the only rules and they can prove that these rules are the only rules by citing the Bible, or the Koran, or the Talmund, or whatever holy work they are fixated on. That's putting God in a box- making rules of conduct for a being/beings that by definition cannot be understood or manipulated. If they could, they would not be God/Allah/gods/whatever.
I know a bunch of poeple look somewhere besides the good old US for extremists, but I can tell you right now we have plenty of them! The difference in our country is that we have so many religions, plus a sprinkling of agnostics, atheists, and pagans, that the chances of one becoming strong enough to run over the rest and enforce, socially or otherwise, their rules on the rest of us are small. And let me tell you, there are PLENTY who would. I could point fingers. but I won't demean myself by stooping to their level.
I am a Christian, and I follow the basic rules for my culture and my religion because they work for me. I am going to that Sunday School class to find out if what I've heard is correct, that most major religions support many of the rules that mine does- ie, spiritual seeking takes work, that giving to others who truly need it makes the world a better place, and that a healthy respect for myself and others will make the world a better place too.
I also believe that I am not better than others. I am different from others, I have my own virtures and vices,and they have theirs. I try to see that the vices are and make them better, and I try to keep my virtures and make them better.
Most people who put God in a box want to believe they are better than others, or that there is a easy way to spiritual peace, by following set rules. But wishing doesn't make it so.
Voltaire said it best when he said that God created mankind, and ever since we've been returning the favor.
