Thoughts on God

I and the Village - Marc Chagall (French, born Belarus. 1887-1985)
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Once you realize that the creative process is "god" and "god" is not some Santa Claus figure in a white robe personified in whatever culture is promoting whatever religion then you realize that religious doctrine was written by man as mans first attempt to write laws and perform social engineering.

Don't eat pork you'll croak. Don't kill, honor your mother and father, don't steal are all laws directed to bring about civilization. Civilization is a necessary and good thing if survival is our goal.

But as in all things religious or belief oriented you have to take that first leap yourself.

Beliefs are not facts. They are hypothesis or theories.

All religion can ever hope to be is a theory and each culture has its own.

The trouble is some get so wedded to their beliefs that when they come into contact with other cultures or individuals who might believe in a variation or something completely different they are forced to question their beliefs.

If they have moved from belief to thinking their beliefs are fact well this can cause confusion, anxiety, the loss of certainty and create insecurity and bring up unsettling questioning and frustration and even fear bringing some to lash out against such differences violently.

Violence is the most extreme reaction and the believers of any religion from any culture have to watch and are susceptible to manipulation by individuals or groups that have some other agenda - usually power, greed and control - other than personal enlightenment for a fulfilled individual and life, and a positive, healthy, cohesive, civilized, society.

If you categorically reject that creativity is "god" and need some "other" thing, personification then even the existence of things not of your own - not from man's hands can ever prove "gods" existence.

If you are intrigued by or accept that creativity is "god" then the world and all even yourself and your own being and consciousness is overwhelming proof of a force greater than your own.

That's a close enough definition of "god" for me.

However, I'm pretty sure we are all supposed to reach our own conclusions, and life, free will, and free thought are essential rights, and essential for our very own survival both spiritually and physically, as individuals and societies, and evolve with the individual and societies over time.

The power to make planets, solar systems, suns and universes, let alone all the phenomena down here on our tiny little planet is a huge force. Whether you think it is divine or random the energy comes from somewhere.

I think therefore I am(?). It's an unknowable and maybe somehow designed that way. The point is I don't know and neither do you and nobody knows.

But natural common sense tells me I didn't put this all here so number one I respect it, because a force greater than me created all of everything.

It's beautiful in my eyes in its complexity, balance, interaction, mystery,and visually, and so therefore I consider it a work of art.

As a work of art it is sacred to me, and speaks to me no less than a Monet or Van Gogh. I try to stay conscious of that and it, and not get dragged down by the mundane or too tightly focused on the personal dramas that rage for attention in everyone's life.

So what's the point? Enjoy the day. But don't stop thinking freely and don't fool yourself into believing you'll ever nail down this question of "God".

A power greater than you is obviously at work. It might be pure accidental energy, a mix of positive and negative energy, ying, yang, good, evil and nothing more. And even so perhaps all that is revealed to us is all that there is(?).

However whatever "It" is still it is greater than our own beings and greater than our meager accomplishments as well as reflected in our own thoughts. You are indeed the eyes, consciousness, and thoughts of the world.

In other words "YOU" didn't create it but you sure can shape it for yourself especially, and for others as well.

Choose wisely because the choice is yours and yours alone. Be your own guide, your own artist, create the very best you and life you can, keep at it, work on it and take joy in the creative process that is you yourself, your being and your life, your accomplishments and failures.

Your life's canvas is yours it's blank, the time is now, and your choice of colors are your thoughts, actions and attitudes. Blame is irrelevant, excuses are counter productive. The choices are yours each moment of each hour of each day.

Now is the time - make it a good one.

Paul Burke
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