Healing, interfering, win sporting events, save countries, watch over war, weather... you name it God can do all of it or none of it depending on your outlook. As I look at the idea of God and what others believe I see that there are all kinds of attributes given to Him/Her. We seem to like to personify God into a father figure that is there to nurture us or into a presence within all living things.
One friend writes, "I’m very embarrassed for God, especially the evangelical one (the one associated with the Bible) most Western civilizations refer to. He seems to have no sexual drive; performs ridiculous parlor tricks; and has absolutely no sense of humor."
God, the Loving Parent
While others see him as a friend. Someone that they can rely on to be the constant source of love in a difficult time. This attribute seems most like a loving parent to me and I often wonder if there was either a lack of love in that familial relationship that they are trying to find or if they are replacing something that they loved so dearly. Either way it seems so parental, which as a parent, has both the aspect of love but of being the dominate rule maker. So, does "tough love" happen with this kind of God?
If God is part of your active waking life and controls what you do or at least observes it are you always aware of that? Do your actions reflect that kind of thinking or is it only in times of crisis or trouble that you remember fully that God is there?
God, as Energy or Love
On the other hand if you are one of my many friends that see God as a reflection or aspect of nature does that help you feel more connected or compassionate to beings or life that you might see as less valuable then human life? The idea that God is energy that flows through each and every thing is a concept that allows a very flexible and open relationship. No longer is God the parent, God just is. Everywhere. This would leave me to believe that there would be ultimate reverance for all things, but the state of the world does not reflect that currently.
God, the Confusion
So, if we are using this term God and we have these two wildly different views of the word how are we communicating? If the Loving Parent person says I believe in God does the Energy person understand what they are talking about? It makes me wonder when we created this One God concept from the previous multiple Gods/Goddesses concept did we lose something - like clarity? If I was worshiping a certain God of Food you would know exactly what I was doing. Now though, we are cramming every possible meaning into what is become a very vast idea and I am beginning to believe that we are making it more difficult to come together as one because of it. It is becoming my God versus your God... is that what we or even God wanted?
