Humans are ignorant
I was driving home this evening and got to thinking about religion and religions ... an organized system of beliefs put forth by this culture or that one and called 'a religion'. Dictionary.com defines 'religion' thusly: [1] A belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe. (a) A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship. (b) The life or condition of a person in a religious order. [2] A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader. [3] A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.
It would seem to me that by this, the concept of 'religion' is purely a human creation. One belief system over another. One person (or group's) explanation of their beliefs. That's all any 'religion' is, isn't it?
And then I got to thinking about humanity - the human element of this equation. I mean, it is definite that humanity is weak, fallible, misguided, wrong, ignorant, blind, biased, opinionated ... No matter how "smart" or "enlightened" one becomes, not one person will ever achieve "perfection" and/or a state of "all-knowing". Thus, we will never know or ever be capable of knowing what aspect of our thinking is truly 'wrong', 'off', 'missing the point', etc. No matter how much we believe we are right, there can be NO certainty that it IS so. Just because I believe something to be true does not make it so. Thus, ALL religions are merely a reflection or interpretation of this. Maybe, in a way, all of us have created and contributed to a type of heresy ... for not one human person truly has all of the answers.
BUT ... God (or whoever/whatever this "THIS" is) IS perfect. Absolute. All-knowing, completely. Is everything - absolute and complete - as we (a) can never be and (b) can never and not comprehend. I believe this "THIS" desires to be infused throughout our humanity and is forever engaged in reaching out to us and in to us to develop that relationship in intimacy beyond human experience. We THINK we know what 'intimacy' is, but I don't think we really have a true full complete grasp of it in all its nuances and possibilities. I think that this is where the Holy Spirit enters. I agree that the Spirit comes only to those that believe in the divinity and humanity of Jesus the Christ, in personal salvation only through His death and resurrection (for the sole purpose of the Spirit is to point us and guide us back to an intimate relationship with God through Jesus the Christ), but maybe it is only a certain person that becomes that vessel for the Spirit to use. Maybe there are times when the human connects to this 'energy', but doesn't understand - yet responds. And for a brief instant, God's "THIS" becomes visible for an instant in the response of the human.
I'm thinking of Harper Lee's novel "To Kill A Mockingbird". She never wrote another novel, is known for not much more - but I believe God's "THIS" worked through the Spirit to prompt her to create this novel. It isn't a 'sacred text' on par with the Bible or the books contained therein, but I won't be surprised if the inspiring source for both is the same. If the Pneuma of one is the same as the other -- perhaps, it is just manifested differently. Thus, I'd imagine it is possible that there are other things - writings, artistic expression, - anything coming from The Creator to the creator in us ... perhaps that is the link? Create? And ... but I hesitate going so far as to say ALL creativity comes from God. Maybe that's where the 'weak' thread is woven in -- where are we on that continuum of development? Accepting that we will never attain Pure Spirit Potential / Capacity, and thus never completely 'get it'. At least, not this side of heaven and entering into God's presence.
Ok. Assume for a minute that there are threads of truth in this thought pattern. Into this linear time line, at a particular 'point', God's "THIS" took on human form. Do I believe that Jesus was God-incarnate? Yes. Jesus was God's "THIS" absolute AND human frailty, too. The ultimate paradox - the absolute 'both/and'.
So why then ? - fulfilling of prophesy? So His coming and entry was known from the start of time? I wonder if His coming is alluded in other sacred writings? If He came to "Save the World", why is it prophesied ONLY in Hebrew to the Israelites? to the Jewish people?
I wonder if God's "THIS" would sometimes desire to return and tell humanity how far from 'the point' we've strayed? But would humanity 'get it'? I mean, we've come to our own conclusions already, haven't we? In our varying degrees of stupidity and ignorance, each fraction of us believes THEY have the 'real TRUTH' and I don't think any of us really do.
I wonder if that is what 'Original Sin' is? Perhaps 'Original Sin' isn't the best words to explain or represent that -- but it (as I see it) is a type of 'wrongness' humanity will never be able to 'see' because the ignorance blocks our ability to. Sorta a reverse of Gnosticism. Gnosticism being: The doctrines of certain pre-Christian pagan, Jewish, and early Christian sects that valued the revealed knowledge of God and of the origin and end of the human race as a means to attain redemption for the spiritual element in humans and that distinguished the Demiurge from the unknowable Divine Being. Simply? A group of people who believed that it was through a special knowledge that one truly understood and attained redemption. My reverse? it is because of a human trait of ignorance that we are kept from ever truly knowing or understanding the 'real TRUTH'. When 'Eve' ate that fruit, we genetically were fused with a strand of ignorance that prevents us from ever truly understanding the 'real TRUTH'.
An interesting contemplation. Of course, in my own ignorance genetic fusing, I am also incapable of 'seeing' any 'real TRUTH'. I may contemplate but will never be -- I am as guilty of stupidity as anyone else.
And you know what? Right now I'm not going to touch the infallibility of the Bible (or my belief on that one - for that is what it is - my belief). Frankly, I'm sick of people not realizing that when it comes right down to it, we all have 'missed the point' and contributed to something God's "THIS" never really intended. Regardless of which 'religion' you subscribe to or which tribe you claim belonging to. And I am continually awed and humbled that even though we ARE ignorant and stupid, God loves us anyway ... and STILL desires an intimate relationship with ME!! His "THIS" communicates this to me all the time in a multitude of ways ... and to think that I probably miss most of them ... but the ones I get ... are wonderful.
It would seem to me that by this, the concept of 'religion' is purely a human creation. One belief system over another. One person (or group's) explanation of their beliefs. That's all any 'religion' is, isn't it?
And then I got to thinking about humanity - the human element of this equation. I mean, it is definite that humanity is weak, fallible, misguided, wrong, ignorant, blind, biased, opinionated ... No matter how "smart" or "enlightened" one becomes, not one person will ever achieve "perfection" and/or a state of "all-knowing". Thus, we will never know or ever be capable of knowing what aspect of our thinking is truly 'wrong', 'off', 'missing the point', etc. No matter how much we believe we are right, there can be NO certainty that it IS so. Just because I believe something to be true does not make it so. Thus, ALL religions are merely a reflection or interpretation of this. Maybe, in a way, all of us have created and contributed to a type of heresy ... for not one human person truly has all of the answers.
BUT ... God (or whoever/whatever this "THIS" is) IS perfect. Absolute. All-knowing, completely. Is everything - absolute and complete - as we (a) can never be and (b) can never and not comprehend. I believe this "THIS" desires to be infused throughout our humanity and is forever engaged in reaching out to us and in to us to develop that relationship in intimacy beyond human experience. We THINK we know what 'intimacy' is, but I don't think we really have a true full complete grasp of it in all its nuances and possibilities. I think that this is where the Holy Spirit enters. I agree that the Spirit comes only to those that believe in the divinity and humanity of Jesus the Christ, in personal salvation only through His death and resurrection (for the sole purpose of the Spirit is to point us and guide us back to an intimate relationship with God through Jesus the Christ), but maybe it is only a certain person that becomes that vessel for the Spirit to use. Maybe there are times when the human connects to this 'energy', but doesn't understand - yet responds. And for a brief instant, God's "THIS" becomes visible for an instant in the response of the human.
I'm thinking of Harper Lee's novel "To Kill A Mockingbird". She never wrote another novel, is known for not much more - but I believe God's "THIS" worked through the Spirit to prompt her to create this novel. It isn't a 'sacred text' on par with the Bible or the books contained therein, but I won't be surprised if the inspiring source for both is the same. If the Pneuma of one is the same as the other -- perhaps, it is just manifested differently. Thus, I'd imagine it is possible that there are other things - writings, artistic expression, - anything coming from The Creator to the creator in us ... perhaps that is the link? Create? And ... but I hesitate going so far as to say ALL creativity comes from God. Maybe that's where the 'weak' thread is woven in -- where are we on that continuum of development? Accepting that we will never attain Pure Spirit Potential / Capacity, and thus never completely 'get it'. At least, not this side of heaven and entering into God's presence.
Ok. Assume for a minute that there are threads of truth in this thought pattern. Into this linear time line, at a particular 'point', God's "THIS" took on human form. Do I believe that Jesus was God-incarnate? Yes. Jesus was God's "THIS" absolute AND human frailty, too. The ultimate paradox - the absolute 'both/and'.
So why then ? - fulfilling of prophesy? So His coming and entry was known from the start of time? I wonder if His coming is alluded in other sacred writings? If He came to "Save the World", why is it prophesied ONLY in Hebrew to the Israelites? to the Jewish people?
I wonder if God's "THIS" would sometimes desire to return and tell humanity how far from 'the point' we've strayed? But would humanity 'get it'? I mean, we've come to our own conclusions already, haven't we? In our varying degrees of stupidity and ignorance, each fraction of us believes THEY have the 'real TRUTH' and I don't think any of us really do.
I wonder if that is what 'Original Sin' is? Perhaps 'Original Sin' isn't the best words to explain or represent that -- but it (as I see it) is a type of 'wrongness' humanity will never be able to 'see' because the ignorance blocks our ability to. Sorta a reverse of Gnosticism. Gnosticism being: The doctrines of certain pre-Christian pagan, Jewish, and early Christian sects that valued the revealed knowledge of God and of the origin and end of the human race as a means to attain redemption for the spiritual element in humans and that distinguished the Demiurge from the unknowable Divine Being. Simply? A group of people who believed that it was through a special knowledge that one truly understood and attained redemption. My reverse? it is because of a human trait of ignorance that we are kept from ever truly knowing or understanding the 'real TRUTH'. When 'Eve' ate that fruit, we genetically were fused with a strand of ignorance that prevents us from ever truly understanding the 'real TRUTH'.
An interesting contemplation. Of course, in my own ignorance genetic fusing, I am also incapable of 'seeing' any 'real TRUTH'. I may contemplate but will never be -- I am as guilty of stupidity as anyone else.
And you know what? Right now I'm not going to touch the infallibility of the Bible (or my belief on that one - for that is what it is - my belief). Frankly, I'm sick of people not realizing that when it comes right down to it, we all have 'missed the point' and contributed to something God's "THIS" never really intended. Regardless of which 'religion' you subscribe to or which tribe you claim belonging to. And I am continually awed and humbled that even though we ARE ignorant and stupid, God loves us anyway ... and STILL desires an intimate relationship with ME!! His "THIS" communicates this to me all the time in a multitude of ways ... and to think that I probably miss most of them ... but the ones I get ... are wonderful.
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