A perspective on our understanding of God
A lot of us have heard this statement: There is only one God. Many of us probably believe that statement too.
That statement has five words. I believe I understand the meanings of all the words in that sentence, except the last one - God. Do I really know what God means? Do I understand God? Can God be understood? What tools do I have to understand? I have only my brain. Is my brain capable of understanding God? But let's set aside these more fundamental questions for a moment, and address the statement.
We all have to ask ourselves if that statement is in our experience. Intellectually, I believe I "kinda" understand what (or who) God is. (Note that when I say "kinda", it means incomplete knowledge.) But what about my experience? Have I seen this one God? More fundamentally, can God be seen? Seeing is generally understood as seeing through eyes, but let's take it one step further. When we say "I see", we usually mean "I understand". So can we understand God through our senses? i.e. through hearing, tasting, smelling, and touching, along with seeing? Or at least can we feel this one God? Or can we feel the presence of this one God? Is this one God in our experience? Let's assume my answer is "No". So now we think we have to either believe or disbelieve that statement. But can I just admit to myself (and others) that "I don't know" and choose not to either believe or disbelieve? I simply admit that it is not in my experience, so I leave it at that. Is that acceptable?
But let's say I actually choose to believe a friend of mine, whom I trust and respect. My friend believes in a particular God, and since I trust and respect my friend, I will just go along with him/her. I feel good now, because I am with my friend. I believe what she/he believes. This is fine. But if my goal is to really experience the above statement, then I don't know if just going along with my friend would help. I would still be looking to experience that statement, not just believe. Say I go along my life this way.
One fine day, there comes another person who believes the above statement as well. But there is a problem - this person believes in another God and he/she also believes that there is only one God. What do my friend and I do now? If we believe in only one God, and we have chosen to believe in only one particular God, then another person believing in another God is unacceptable. Isn't it? This is where beliefs conflict. If we are intelligent and honest human beings, we would sit down and have open discussions to try and understand what God is. If we are not so intelligent or dishonest, and only trust our beliefs, then we would start arguing, try talking over each other, try sabotaging the other person's beliefs, and start fighting. We would fight so much, that beyond a certain point, we might even forget God altogether.
For now, I believe we have a "band aid" solution. Let's make that five word statement simpler. Let's make it into a four word statement, and see if believing that might help us in some way: There is only God.
Again, let's assume that I understand the first three words and I don't understand the last word, God. Again, let's assume that this statement is not in my experience either. Now I choose to believe this statement instead of the original five-word statement.
If my friend comes along and tells me there is only this God A she/he believes in, it does not conflict with my belief, because everything is anyway God. I have no conflict with my friend. If another person comes and tells me there is this only one God B that he/she believes in, that does not conflict with my belief either, because everything is anyway God. I am with both of them.
I realize that the belief There is only God is also not in conflict with atheists. Because if you really believe that everything is God, then atheists are also God. Again there is no conflict.
Now, all these people might have a problem with me though 😊. But when someone is in search of truth, their own life does not matter to them that much.
Do you think the second way is at least better than the first way?
PS: This is not original thinking. It is just couched in modern language to appeal to our present day's logical thinking. If you want to know the Sources, please leave a comment with your email and I can tell you.
That statement has five words. I believe I understand the meanings of all the words in that sentence, except the last one - God. Do I really know what God means? Do I understand God? Can God be understood? What tools do I have to understand? I have only my brain. Is my brain capable of understanding God? But let's set aside these more fundamental questions for a moment, and address the statement.
We all have to ask ourselves if that statement is in our experience. Intellectually, I believe I "kinda" understand what (or who) God is. (Note that when I say "kinda", it means incomplete knowledge.) But what about my experience? Have I seen this one God? More fundamentally, can God be seen? Seeing is generally understood as seeing through eyes, but let's take it one step further. When we say "I see", we usually mean "I understand". So can we understand God through our senses? i.e. through hearing, tasting, smelling, and touching, along with seeing? Or at least can we feel this one God? Or can we feel the presence of this one God? Is this one God in our experience? Let's assume my answer is "No". So now we think we have to either believe or disbelieve that statement. But can I just admit to myself (and others) that "I don't know" and choose not to either believe or disbelieve? I simply admit that it is not in my experience, so I leave it at that. Is that acceptable?
But let's say I actually choose to believe a friend of mine, whom I trust and respect. My friend believes in a particular God, and since I trust and respect my friend, I will just go along with him/her. I feel good now, because I am with my friend. I believe what she/he believes. This is fine. But if my goal is to really experience the above statement, then I don't know if just going along with my friend would help. I would still be looking to experience that statement, not just believe. Say I go along my life this way.
One fine day, there comes another person who believes the above statement as well. But there is a problem - this person believes in another God and he/she also believes that there is only one God. What do my friend and I do now? If we believe in only one God, and we have chosen to believe in only one particular God, then another person believing in another God is unacceptable. Isn't it? This is where beliefs conflict. If we are intelligent and honest human beings, we would sit down and have open discussions to try and understand what God is. If we are not so intelligent or dishonest, and only trust our beliefs, then we would start arguing, try talking over each other, try sabotaging the other person's beliefs, and start fighting. We would fight so much, that beyond a certain point, we might even forget God altogether.
For now, I believe we have a "band aid" solution. Let's make that five word statement simpler. Let's make it into a four word statement, and see if believing that might help us in some way: There is only God.
Again, let's assume that I understand the first three words and I don't understand the last word, God. Again, let's assume that this statement is not in my experience either. Now I choose to believe this statement instead of the original five-word statement.
If my friend comes along and tells me there is only this God A she/he believes in, it does not conflict with my belief, because everything is anyway God. I have no conflict with my friend. If another person comes and tells me there is this only one God B that he/she believes in, that does not conflict with my belief either, because everything is anyway God. I am with both of them.
I realize that the belief There is only God is also not in conflict with atheists. Because if you really believe that everything is God, then atheists are also God. Again there is no conflict.
Now, all these people might have a problem with me though 😊. But when someone is in search of truth, their own life does not matter to them that much.
Do you think the second way is at least better than the first way?
PS: This is not original thinking. It is just couched in modern language to appeal to our present day's logical thinking. If you want to know the Sources, please leave a comment with your email and I can tell you.