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Deity as Hypothesis

Throughout history, one of the most common sources of division among peoples has been divergent views toward deity. In ancient times it was along the lines of "Our city god is better than your city god," or "Our national god is more powerful than yours." Arguments have sprung up over the number of gods, over their essence, and over the proper way to worship them.

Ancient Israel was commanded not to bow down to Ba'al or Asherah, and to "have no other gods before me." Before Constantine converted to Christianity, Christians were persecuted in Rome. Christian writings from the first two or three centuries are as concerend with denouncing dissenting views as they are with expounding truth. In early Christian times, a great dispute arose that resulted in the Nicene Creed. Among some today, those who do not adhere to this creed are considered to not be Christians. After Christianity became dominant throughout Europe, those who didn't accept Christian doctrine were imprisoned, tortured and killed. Great crusades were fought over which god was the right god to believe in. Innocent men and women were persecuted as heretics or witches, with some being put to death. The list goes on and on.

Today, the divisiveness of this question still plagues us. Christianity vs. Islam. Irish Protestants vs. Catholics, Christians vs anybody that isn't or anybody they think isn't. This is not an attitude of seeking the divine, but an arrogance in concluding that one's view of deity is the correct view, and the only correct view, and then trying to sell it -- or force it upon -- others.

This arrogance goes even further. Man is claimed to be created in the image of God. One population claims to be God's chosen people. Ancient writings are deemed infallible proof of one's arrogant belief, given to them and protected from alteration (despite evidence to the contrary) by divine will.

When I take a step back and look at it from a distance, it reminds me of children arguing in the sandbox. It seems to me that, as a race and as individuals, we'd all be better served to seek with reason and intuition than to proselytize and evangelize. Rather than propound what we think we know, it is better for us to admit what we don't know, and seek to fill in the gaps.

Let us begin by examining, from an esoteric eclectic point of view what we think we know.

One of the rules I suggested in an earlier post was to be open to alternative points of view that may not have an evidentiary basis. Following this rule we would not deny the existence of deity as the atheist does, nor would we require evidentiary "proof" of the existence of deity. But lacking concrete evidence, we cannot say that a specific deity does exist. At this point, then we have a formal hypothesis that deity exists.

My intuition and my experience lead to the conclusion that there is something which I will call, a "cosmic consciousness." I have a limited ability to communicate with this consciousness, and I am able to receive inspiration from it according to the limits of my personal consciousness. Certain practices improve my ability to communicate, others hinder. Prayer, meditation, and certain ritual practices allow me to focus my mind, especially my inner mind, on touching the consciousness.

Thus far the cosmic consciousness has not revealed any particular form, or even if it has a corporeal form, to me. In a spiritual sense, the question seems irrelevant, and possibly counter productive. My curious engineer mind wants to know how it works, and I can form theories. These theories then form mental images that I can focus on as I meditate, pray, or participate in rituals. I can also accept the models used by others as focal points.

One common model is that of the sacrificed hero god. Jesus of Nazareth, as worhshiped by modern Christians, follows this model but it is in no way unique to him. At another time we can examine the beginnings of this model. (I use the word model here, but the correct term would be mythology. Many people see mythology as "false belief" by in this context it means the central story of a religion. Typically with meaning beyond the mere recitation of events.) The sacrificed hero-god mythology appears to have originated in Egypt about 4000 years BC.

This then brings me to the end of what I am willing to say about the existence of deity. I believe there is a cosmic consciousness that I communicate with. I do not know what form it has, or if it has any form at all, and I don't see a spiritual relevance in knowing what form it has. To imply an animistic form is speculation, to imply an anthropomorphic (man-like) form is, to me, arrogant speculation. Insisting on a particular form or mythology is divisive and counter productive of a spiritual quest. In future posts we can explore the inferences that can be drawn from this position, but for now I am out of time.

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