Who is this god?
From the time, I was very young I somehow “knew” that it was important to stand up for what seemed right and just. Of course, the problem was and is what seems right and just to one person does not seem right and just to another. Ironically, I probably first heard this call to proudly stand up for what one believes to be right and just from ministers and others involved in the Southern Baptist Church. I say ironically because my experience of the teachings of that church was:
The message I “heard” when I read the new testament or other stories of the history of this person Jesus was that love was unconditional; that the ability of humans to understand what is pleasing to God changes over time. I “heard’ that it is very difficult for humans to move outside of their limited imagination and perspective.
As a child and even as a young man I did not claim the courage to speak my understanding that love is more powerful than punishment; that the God of my understanding was and is a very inclusive God; and that there are many paths to spiritual enlightenment.
It never did make any sense to me that one would posit a concept of a supreme being whose sense of self was so fragile that he/she/it got very upset if one used the wrong name; took the behavior of humans very personally – those same humans who were obviously created to be a work in progress; a god, and, as Mark Twain would point out, hated anything that was enjoyable – sex, danceable music, good food and a good sense of humor. It seems to be that humans often posited a concept of God who was more insecure that a 13-year-old with acme and raging hormones. I thought that at least the Greeks and many other groups of people posited Gods who were prone to passion, mistakes, and a sometimes exciting and sometimes dangerous curiosity.
I was thinking about such issues the other day when someone again mentioned to me that they thought that “those people” who compulsively/addictively engage in sexual behavior are different than those who compulsively/addictively use mind altering chemicals. In fact, some believe that only mind altering chemical use deserve the label of addiction and,thus, the understanding that very good people can be kidnapped by the addictive process which takes place in the brain. Some accept that those addicted to mind altering chemicals deserve compassion, understanding and ongoing access to healing tools and people. Many of those same people believe that those who compulsively engage in sexual behavior, overeating, over spending and other destructive behavior deserve judgment and punishment. This belief is perhaps most evident when it comes to our treatment of those who engage in compulsive sexual behavior.
In fact, even many in the recovering communities seem to behave much like the Southern Baptists with who I grew up. They believe compassion, forgiveness and a second or third or fourth chance should be withheld from those who engage in “sinful” behavior involving sexual acts or other undesirable compulsive behavior. Sexual acts can include all manner of harassment as well as physical rape and molestation.
In a culture in which sex is used directly or indirectly to sell a wide variety of products including food, cars, youth enhancing products and anti-depression medication we posit a God who hates sex – except to procreate. In a culture in which pornography is nearing 100 billion in annual revenue we judge those whose compulsive sexual behavior becomes public. We also judge those whose use sex to try to satisfy their compulsive need to become important by amassing great economic wealth and/or power.
The God or Gods of my understanding:
The God of my understanding has a great sense of humor. He/she/it is well aware that humans are not perfect; that we have a very creative mind which often leads to amazing acts and often leads to destructive behavior. He/she/it laughs about how we posit he/she/it.
Written October 17, 2017
From the time, I was very young I somehow “knew” that it was important to stand up for what seemed right and just. Of course, the problem was and is what seems right and just to one person does not seem right and just to another. Ironically, I probably first heard this call to proudly stand up for what one believes to be right and just from ministers and others involved in the Southern Baptist Church. I say ironically because my experience of the teachings of that church was:
- There is only one way to please God and that is by following the teaching of that particular religion and that particular denomination. In fact, even other Christians such as Roman Catholics were not pleasing to God and not deserving of “entering the Kingdom of Heaven”.
- Practicing homosexuals, people of color, communists, and many other groups of individuals were also excluded from “entering the Kingdom of Heaven” as were unrepentant adulterers, people who danced, and people who drank.
- God is a very punishing. Jesus will forgive only if one renounces one’s sinful nature. Eternal punishment was a key component of the teaching of the church for those who did not obey that church’s interpretation of what it meant to be a righteous person. Obviously, many others who called themselves Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and others need not expect God’s unconditional love.
- God does not like sex and only condones sexual behavior if attempting to procreate. In other words, true Christians have a very limited and boring sexual life.
The message I “heard” when I read the new testament or other stories of the history of this person Jesus was that love was unconditional; that the ability of humans to understand what is pleasing to God changes over time. I “heard’ that it is very difficult for humans to move outside of their limited imagination and perspective.
As a child and even as a young man I did not claim the courage to speak my understanding that love is more powerful than punishment; that the God of my understanding was and is a very inclusive God; and that there are many paths to spiritual enlightenment.
It never did make any sense to me that one would posit a concept of a supreme being whose sense of self was so fragile that he/she/it got very upset if one used the wrong name; took the behavior of humans very personally – those same humans who were obviously created to be a work in progress; a god, and, as Mark Twain would point out, hated anything that was enjoyable – sex, danceable music, good food and a good sense of humor. It seems to be that humans often posited a concept of God who was more insecure that a 13-year-old with acme and raging hormones. I thought that at least the Greeks and many other groups of people posited Gods who were prone to passion, mistakes, and a sometimes exciting and sometimes dangerous curiosity.
I was thinking about such issues the other day when someone again mentioned to me that they thought that “those people” who compulsively/addictively engage in sexual behavior are different than those who compulsively/addictively use mind altering chemicals. In fact, some believe that only mind altering chemical use deserve the label of addiction and,thus, the understanding that very good people can be kidnapped by the addictive process which takes place in the brain. Some accept that those addicted to mind altering chemicals deserve compassion, understanding and ongoing access to healing tools and people. Many of those same people believe that those who compulsively engage in sexual behavior, overeating, over spending and other destructive behavior deserve judgment and punishment. This belief is perhaps most evident when it comes to our treatment of those who engage in compulsive sexual behavior.
In fact, even many in the recovering communities seem to behave much like the Southern Baptists with who I grew up. They believe compassion, forgiveness and a second or third or fourth chance should be withheld from those who engage in “sinful” behavior involving sexual acts or other undesirable compulsive behavior. Sexual acts can include all manner of harassment as well as physical rape and molestation.
In a culture in which sex is used directly or indirectly to sell a wide variety of products including food, cars, youth enhancing products and anti-depression medication we posit a God who hates sex – except to procreate. In a culture in which pornography is nearing 100 billion in annual revenue we judge those whose compulsive sexual behavior becomes public. We also judge those whose use sex to try to satisfy their compulsive need to become important by amassing great economic wealth and/or power.
The God or Gods of my understanding:
- Accepts that humans are a work in progress.
- Accepts that compulsive behavior is a treatable illness/condition.
- Accepts that punishment is not an effective treatment stagey.
- Accepts that compulsive behavior is not able to consider the needs of others, but has life of its own completely devoted to the satisfying the compulsion.
- Loves unconditionally
- Problem solves/treats.
- Does not judge or rank order compulsive behavior.
- Does not allow fear to determine how one treats another person(s).
- Wants humans to celebrate their passions without using their passions to try to prove their worth.
The God of my understanding has a great sense of humor. He/she/it is well aware that humans are not perfect; that we have a very creative mind which often leads to amazing acts and often leads to destructive behavior. He/she/it laughs about how we posit he/she/it.
Written October 17, 2017
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