God, 3

Responding to yesterday, my sister Ellen writes: "If humans created God, why? Why do they have that desire to worship?"

Interesting question. But first: how many people truly worship? How many people (even in AA) can truly surrender themselves to a higher power with all humility? I've thought a lot about surrendering to the creative impulse — the act of will, the threshold-crossing, the humility that it takes to sink into writing or drawing. Maybe there is a connection... A different perspective? God is in me waiting to be released vs God is out there waiting to be let in?

I don't know if humans are innately worshipful. But I do think that we are followers — we long for leadership, someone to show us the way in life. If humans had to invent God, then it was the high priests who led the way. It's so much easier to be a leader if you can tell your group that you're just following the rules sent down from Central Office. Much less explaining and persuading involved — "It's a commandment, don't blame me! I'm just the middleman!"

Believers are lucky to find leadership in an all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful God. Those of us who rely on human leaders to guide our inner lives and mold our belief systems usually wind up pretty disillusioned. In this age of too-much-information, we can only sigh and try to work around the disappointment.

Ellen continues to ponder: "Do animals have a god? Do they have a "conscience" (soul)? Why did we get the "good" brains? Do all dogs go to heaven?"

I must be a god to my parrot because her food dish is always filled and her least little squawk get some kind of response, even if it is to consign her to purgatory up in my bedroom. I think animals are aware. They problem-solve. They love and travel in packs and respond to leadership.

But a proper theological question is "do they have free will?" Maybe they do. Who's to say humans got the "good" brains? Maybe animals have free will and have made entirely different choices — to converse with God instead of getting all distracted by their own cleverness. Maybe dogs are trying to save our souls.

11.2.06