Ever since man set foot on the earth, his constant attempts at explaining the unexplainable has been a major preoccupation and by no means taken lightly. The distinguishable factor between man and beast has been his ability to think, create and question. Every era in the history of mankind has brought about a new enlightenment, a revolutionized way of thinking, and through this evolution of intellectual growth, we have come up with new definitions (based on our new findings) of God and the concept of such an entity.
This is not a history lesson so we're just going to skip right through the first hundred thousand years or so into the modern era where man's current concept of God is being questioned again. Is God still the great father sitting on his mighty throne giving orders? Is it a he? Is it a she? Is his role in our lives limited to forgiving our sins and judging the naughty and nice so to send some to heaven and throw a few in hell? Or is there more to this than we thought?
We've always known the ancient religions, prophets and saints have always used metaphors and similes to prove their point so the people of that time could understand them. But it seems as though the human race has reached a new level of intellectual growth and has developed an appetite that isn't satisfied with this metaphorical language anymore. We need something more tangible. New definitions for heaven, hell, sins, rewards, angels, the devil. A new definition of God.
Fortunately though, there are enough clues in the Holy Scriptures to point us in the right direction (if we're looking right) but is interpreted according to the reader's perceptual framework. But honestly though, how many of us can spare the time to search through these endless meanings and scriptures to find the truth? And how many of us really feel the need for a preacher to show us the meaning of life, when he himself cannot even practice what he preaches. Does classical religion still touch base with modern humanity, or do we need to appoint a new god to satisfy our taste for self approval or quench our thirst for knowing more?
People nowadays are looking for something more tangible, a new demand for more substance in life. I mean, is that all there is to life? To live a lousy 60 years and die into another world where you will be interrogated. Being sent to heaven if you were a 'good' person (with all the relative ambiguity of the word) where you will spend the rest of eternity grazing on lush grass and doing what you would've been doing on earth if you were a millionaire. Or even lucky enough to be sent to hell where you could 'suffer' the consequences of being at the wrong place at the wrong time!
Science and technology have advanced to new levels of integration. Humanity has almost exhausted all means of creativity when it comes to convenience at-your-fingertips. But have we really been able to understand ourselves? Or unlock the secrets of the universe? It seems as though we are sinking more and more into this quicksand of self-denial. We are moving ever closer to that breaking point where we just cant step outside our troubles, or pretend like it's not there.
All this talk seems too similar to philosophical bits where the guy blurbed out a sentence after a moment of enlightenment (which was to be christened on his epitaph for all eternity) while you have a bunch of on-the-shelf bookworms spitting out these 'enlightened' sentences they've memorized to those less-than-average and 'shallow' people who would marvel at such big complicated sentences, and each without really having the slightest clue as to what it would mean.
Why are we always intent on saying rather than being? Because it's always EASIER SAID THAN DONE. We always resolve on being better to others, loving more, understanding more, forgiving more, being less frustrated, be more loving, being more focused on what matters instead of dwelling on trivial issues, having time for those we love, having the heart to forgive ourselves, and a whole to-do list of items we plan on being but never actually achieving. And yet we never fail to find that phrase from that famous guy when it comes to preaching what is good unto others.
Is there something wrong with us as a race? Or is there something in the water? It seems as though God simply created us because he had nothing better to do. So what is his role in our lives if all we're doing is just going around in circles and hurting the planet and ourselves without really understanding why. Is there a defense mechanism that can help us get through this mess we are in, by giving us more understanding, opening our eyes to the world and whatever else it is that we want? Or do we just have to put up with things until a savior comes and makes all the bad things go away.
The first thing we need to do in this case is to find out where we came from, who we are and what we're doing on this "Plain Blue Dot" (google it, VERY interesting). But we cannot do this until we define God; but then, how do you define something that is immeasurable? You can't
What you can do however is achieve a tangible understanding of how the universe works simply by 'plugging in' to the same source or services that gave Jesus the touch to cure the blind and give life to the dead and etc. It's like a series of sockets, and all you have to do is plug in to any of them to receive that special service it provides. And it doesn't matter who you are, sinner or saint, believer or nonbeliever and etc, all you have to do is watch the process. (for more information, see "Faradarmani")
The general theory of this practice is that human beings are infinitely vast in existence and each individual contains the blueprint of the universe. Therefore, when something goes wrong (physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally…) there are an infinite number of levels you must examine to identify the cause and fix it. So we're much more than simply a pile of meat and bones and we're definitely not alone, but part of a universe that is a living, conscious entity, and each part is intricately connected and infinitely vast.
Plugging into the universe allows us to open vast new frontiers in our quest for the truth; it gives us the opportunity to see ourselves for what we truly are and the ability to redefine all previous standards and limitations, leading us to the source of all this magnificence and grandeur. Thus, redefining God.
By Mohammad Amini
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