From the Bhakti List Archives

• January 28, 2003


Respected Sirs,
Below are my sinciere thoughts on the subject of God
and our relation to Him.Could you please read through
them and offer your opinion?
[These are not words meant to offend anybody.Please
donot mistake my thoughts.]

the problem with any theory on god is that it cannot
be complete;or rather, we think that it cannot be
completed,and thus miss a very important link in
life.Our link with the godhead.

Why is it that we think that god is going to press his
will onto us?Why do we say that by doing something we
will be offending god?We also say in the same breath
that god created everything and everything depends on
him for its existence.Thus by saying that god is
offended we mean to say that he is annoyed at his own
creation and is thus in a way annoyed with himself.A
queer situation to put god in dont you think.
Coming to the famous statement:"God's will is my
will".We say that all that we do is due to god.Yet in
a funny way man makes this a reason to blame god for
everything.When he is a loser he says:"this is is how
god wished it".When he is caught out he makes the same
statement,mostly to himself mind you in a resigned
frame of mind.This is how man tries to justify his
actions.
Let us put to side this blame-shifting nature of
man(in utmost honesty question yourself & you will
find you have done it atleast a few times if not
more,even on god).Looking at the statement itself we
see that it contradictory.Given the fact that god
wants us to be happy (none but the most deprived of
the human race will ever try to disagree),is it not
rather funny that he also wants to impose himself on
us?And where has that belief gone which says that god
has conquered all senses and is in the way of being a
para-bramhan,one who has no preferences and loves all
his creations equally?Will such an exalted being ever
wish to impose himself(herself/itself) on us?Is it
showing god in good light?Even not considering all
this how would you feel about a god who says:"these
are the rules,if you disobey you will be punished"?Is
not the reason for this universe attributed to god
giving us a chance to experience ourselves?Or even if
it was just because god wished to create it would he
have created a place which bound the inhabitants to
obey certain rules or be punished?Where then is that
god who rules by love?Why do we seek to compare him a
king who rules his land,where ther are rules,which if
disobeyed,will attract punishment?what then is the
difference between god and any ordinary king?
Well I think there are no such rules.There are just
the basic principles(not rules)by which the universe
works.We have seen fit to violate all these rules and
yet I have not seen and punishment from god.All the
effects we see here are just the effects of our
actions and not god's punishment as is the case with
everything else.

Well anyway as has been said repeatedly,how many times
god only knows,by saints from time immemorial,god
seeks not to imprison us in this life.He wishes that
we be given full freedom to do as we choose and not as
god chooses.The same,I suppose applies to us as
well.What we think is good for others need not
necessarily be what is good for them,because they have
their own view of how they wish to lead their life,and
we should not,I suppose,interfere.
But once again it is the choice of the people
involved.This non-interference policy is most
difficult for parents to follow.But they would be well
advised to try it.

Well now that we see how god does not wish to impose
his will on his children(that's us) the
concept of god judging us and our actions seems
mis-guided because to punish one needs to judge and
when punishment does not exist then why judgement?Also
god sees us all as equal.Why then would he judge
anybody or thing?Because in judging he conveys that
one is better than the other.Then where is the theory
that he sees us all as equal?So the belief that God
judges us(and our actions)seems a bundle of
contradictions.

SO WHERE ARE WE NOW?
1)God does not impose his will on us.
2)God does not seek to judge us.

Well the other point is having two aspects to it:
a)Are we created perfect?
b)Are we really different or is it just appearence?Are
we all really one?

As for the perfect creation everything in the universe
is perfect.So are we.Why would God seek to create
something imperfect?What purpose does it serve?The
entire universe is a reflection of god's
perfection.Every thing moves to the rythmic beat of
the god-energy that permeates all living and
non-living beings.The dance is perfect,we are a part
of it;so we have to be perfect too.

As to the (b) part the argument is long and
tedious.But really,going by the teachings of the great
masters,both past and present,we must conclude that we
really are a whole and are not seperate.We are
individuated beings not seperated beings.WE ARE ALL
ONE.Any attempt at trying to believe in the duality of
this universe will distance us from our ultimate task
of communion with the great oneness that is god.


Summing up....
(a)God doesnt seek to impose his will on us.
(b)God doesnt seek to judge us.
(c)We have been created perfect and will simply remain
that way no matter what.
(d)WE ARE ALL ONE.

[All this ofcourse is my thought process and anyone   
 coming across it,please do not think otherwise.It is
not  meant to offend anyone,nor is it meant to
undermine any  religious beliefs.
All this my sinciere view on the subject of God and
our    relation to him(her/it).Please donot take
offense  because it is not meant to mean
any(offense).]

Dasan
sidharth.

 


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