It seems more people today are using the Christian god concept as a medication, a solution to all problems, and/or a drug that eases the most difficult of conflicts. The need for a god has never been more prominent than it is today. I was searching some things online earlier and found several sites dedicated to teens and Christ, and it seems that most of these sites were working within the ideology of "If you're hurting, let God help." Its comforting to think that there is something beyond humanity, something proceeding death, and answers to all questions; it makes humanity feel secure in some odd way, because religion allows us to create our own answers by transferring them onto a god concept. I believe the reason for this lies in the definition of "human nature." In theory, humanity is both based in the concepts of "good" and "evil," but this false dichotomy plagues humanity, it doesnt help it. By assigning value to thoughts and actions that are inherently neutral, we see that, because we "know" what human nature is by our own experience, and we do not know "god's" nature, we can make a god's nature anything we choose. In other words, we give God the characteristics we lack but hope to have. Some people direct themselves and others to the bible or other "holy scripture" that defines a god concept that works well for them, but in truth, this is all based on what the person either already believes or lacks. For example, if our personal relationships are floundering or lacking in our social circles, we might view god as a personal entity we can know; if, on the other hand, we see humanity as innately evil, we view a god as having a "fire and brimstone" character, detached from humanity, and thus we need salvation. Our god concepts are based on our psychology what we need, hope, and want affects our god concept. The less we need, the less we tend to think about any type of deity since we've become self-suffieicent and need a god less and less the more we grow; however, god concepts are not negative as long as they are not abused or seen as a crutch for something we perceive as lacking in the self. From my experience, it seems that most people who do not believe in a god concept or remain theologically agnostic are people who either lack nothing or lack everything; conversely, said classification of people who do believe in god do so because they feel the need to be grateful out of obligation or need something from a god they believe they cannot acquire, thus negating their own self-worth and capabilities. No all powerful god would request our worship, let alone need it. Furthermore, I doubt this possibly existing entity wants to be a crutch for those who lack belief in themselves. A god, who is full and capable on its own, does not desire anything by definition, so it is illogical to suggest that the Christian god concept would create us as worshipping sheep or a pathway to "him"self through a blood sacrifice and the consequent threat of eternal damnation if a creation refuses to accept this gift. It is true that in traditional Christian ideology, Jesus has become humanity's scapegoat, placing all "sins" on himself and sacrificing himself for us, thus eliminating separation from a god. (It's also easier to relate to Jesus than a god concept because Jesus was a human, and vulnerable to the same experiences we are.) Of course, this stands to reason that there is a chance humanity, or "a god's creation," can be separated based on "sin", which is where we see abuse of the Christian god concept. Conversely, by definition, if God is self-sufficient, there is nothing we, as mere humans, could do to offend God or become separated from "him", but according to Christian rhetoric, we can, and we do it often simply by our "sinful" nature. We have the power to hurt god, and thus be shunned to eternal damnation because "he has been" offended. If we can hurt god, it logically follows that god has weaknesses that cause offense and evetually, very human (and oxymoronic) charcteristics develop in this god concept: retaliation/revenge and hope/mercy. In terms of hope/mercy, the simple idea that Jesus became a sacrifice to a god concept is, in itself, scary and unnecessary, and yet it is still useful today because it implies humanity is weak and thus can utilize this scapegoat now in other waysits a necessary function based on created needs. With an all-powerful god, all this supreme being would have to do is "make it different," but instead chose a path that took to pain and torture of one so "no one else would have to experience it" (yet we do on a daily basis); then, this god concept furthered this pain by allotting free will to creation, but in the event that a creation refused this sacrifice, separation occurs. Jesus' mission on Earth was not to be the living room coffee table where we place things and forget about them. He is also not the figure in which we should devote our lives to only in the hopes of a reward. Jesus' true purpose was to fulfill his Father's promise and become a medium between God and humanity; in other words, Jesus was God in a human form that people can relate to. He is not a scapegoat on which we are allowed to dump our problems and weaknesses and essentially blame Him for our own lacking self-sufficiency. The true god concept, one that is self-sufficient and infinite, would not need this or any sacrifice, would not desire or demand worship/appreciation for said sacrifice, or be susceptible to offense. So why is this present in modern day Christianity? Humanity knows its own nature based in experience, but does not know a gods nature in full, and, as I said before, can create a god concept (including a Messiah) in any fashion (including a god's standards and personality based on a psychological interpretation of any holy book). Its easier to transfer our hopes, dreams, and objectives onto something we do not know as opposed to something we do know: ourselves, and this hurts humanity the most. To assume we lack in some regard is placing an unnecessary limitation of humanity, thus making us weak and susceptible to the same offense as the god concept we created. To believe in a god concept is beneficial for both mind and body, but to abuse that paradigm as a way to promote lack is not a healthy choice to make. As Richard Bach said, "Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they're yours." Jesus is not an argument for any limitation. Abuse of one's religion has become a sort of "normalcy" now, and most people accept the idea that they are "weak" and in need of a stronger power. I just wonder what humanity would be like if we raised children and taught adults that they do not need anything but themselves, each other, and honor for an infinite being that possesses sincere unconditional love. |
