I was quite taken aback by the response to my last blog post. I wrote it from an emotional place, obviously, but never expected the emotional responses in return. I still haven't responded to the flood of comments, mails, smses and calls I received. Some of them were really beautiful and some were really heartfelt, but in all of them I felt encouraged. I also sensed that I wasn't alone in my journey. And that was good.
Over the weekend I tried to distance myself from the emotion and take a rational look at what i believe in. a few comments mentioned that this was the start of me discovering my own perception and view of God or a higher power. Some told me that I needed to believe in something, anything, as long as I believed.
I have been addressing what I called my "crisis of faith" from an intellectual place too. And I think it's fair that I bring that into the equation. I don't blame Barry's death for my faith-wavering. I blame silence. And from an intellectual place, authors like Richard Dawkins and Robert Wright make sense. The God of the bible is man-made, they say, and evolved into the biblical God, or the God worshipped by other religions.
I know faith is not meant to make sense, but taking a step away to look at what I believe in can not be harmful.
I will keep you posted when I am able to formulate a well-thought out response. But thanks for all the comments. I wish we could all sit around a cup of coffee and talk about this.
9 comments:
I have just one small question to put out there on this post:
Do you think that a man-invented god, would have looked anything like the God of the bible?
I'm not sure...
the old testament God seems very man-made for me - a God created by a nation wanting to show that they were chosen, and using their victories in battle to prove that their god was greater than others. The God of the new testament changes tack quite dramatically...
You should read a book called The Evolution of God. I think more Christians would read it (and The god Delusion) so I could get a response...
will still respond to your mail Allie... x
Could so do coffee with you.
Am leaving you to reconsider moms question - and hoping you will recall the entire OT and see if a man-made god makes ANY sense in light of the journey of the Jews in the entire OT - be honest! I think you will find then that the God of the OLD and NEW are perfectly in sync. Happy journeying!! Would be so much easier to sit and chat! Caio. Lisa.
Jo and Lisa - yeah, coffee would be good.
It is a question I have considered, and the more I actually ask it, the more the biblical god looks man-made...
There is much to say about it, but the book I mentioned before (The Evolution of God) is challenging my thinking a lot.
Next on the list to read - Yancey's The Jesus I never knew... :)
Another one of Yancey I highly recommend - it 'saved' me in a time I needed saving... "Soul Survivor - How my faith survived the church"... Looks at all sorts of influential people: Ghandi, Tolstoy, Chesterton, Henry Nouwen, Dostoyevsky (sp??) etc... not all believers and its life-changing... I think you will love it.. in the meantime, you can't go wrong with anything by Yancey! Take care, Caio. L.
Clive darling,
Firstly, SO lovely to see you and Frank. Makes me miss living in the same town as you, more.
Secondly, I couldn't respond to your last post. Just couldn't because I don't know enough about all that and your silence made me silent. It was one of the most poignantly honest posts I've ever read though.
xx
Its me! Hullo! Thinking of you - hope all is well and that you are on leave and chilling. You too quiet here.
How about some frivolity dude? A christmas wishlist - Rambler style? We miss you!
remember how we used to fight about God when i first met you? i feel like now having seen both sides, you have something special in that you can rationalise with both sides and maybe you should do something with that?
ox
love the blog, ne! see you in jan!
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