10. Be careful What You Worship

[21 March 2021]

When we look at the ‘power’ of BELIEF across the world, we see huge implications on a daily basis. A ‘BELIEF’ can, so often, lead to the greatest acts of kindness, self-sacrifice and compassion, but also - and so often in equal measure - be the catalyst for the greatest acts of sectarianism, oppression and terror. I will continue to look a little while longer at religious belief, but it is worth keeping in mind that this is by no means a religious phenomena: Nationalism, Facism, Racial Supremacy, these are all dangerously powerful BELIEF systems currently wreaking havoc in our world.

To put it simply, we must be so careful what we believe.

As far as my personal journey was concerned, I had three very pragmatic (and, I acknowledge, Ego-centric) questions to consider:

1. Just because an iGod exists, do They MATTER? I have chosen to define this by asking myself: does ignoring iGod have any actual consequence for me?

Some iGods, you could argue, don't matter. For example, a purely creative iGod, who spun the universe into being, but who remains remote, an impassive ‘observer iGod’ - indifferent to our human existence - would this iGod Matter? Should we worship or even acknowledge such an iGod? Does this type of iGod Matter, even though there may be no reward to acknowledging Them? I would argue Not.

What then would actually make an iGod MATTER? Well actually, the list of criteria is quite long! The iGod would have to EXIST and SEEK INTERACTION WITH ME and BE ‘CONSEQUENTIALLY INTERACTABLE’ WITH - by this I mean that my life actions could alter what this iGod does to me! Now that iGod, it would be wise to not ignore - that iGod Matters.

However, maybe that should not be the end of the issue ...

2. If an iGod exists and Matters, does this mean that the individual (I) MUST Obey? Are there limits to what I am prepared to do to please or ‘appease’ an iGod?

We have to be brutally honest in our questioning of ourselves here: can iGod demand anything? For history is littered with those who have believed that an iGod ‘demanded’ awful things from them. For example, should we offer unquestioning loyalty to an iGod that demands human sacrifice? What about genocide, slavery, child marriage?

These days, the list may be a little more subtle, so secure are we in our safe towers, but the question remains - what are we prepared to do to please an iGod? Are any people ‘collateral damage’ within our belief systems?

Are we prepared ever to say “No” to iGod? Is it sufficient that iGod both exists and is powerful enough to damage our prospects, in order to obtain our unconditional obedience? How does that make them different from any other tyrant?

Moreover and, for me, the question that strikes the heart hardest: Should we not be prepared to say “No!” and damn the consequences if asked to do something we see as wrong by an iGod?

It could be said that the Ego has run amok here but, for myself, in order to offer unconditional obedience, an iGod would have to Exist, Matter and be “GOOD”.

THAT is an iGod I could obey, admire and - maybe, maybe even worship.

Apologies

1. But I think we will leave my third question until next week - So how do we judge an iGod? How do we decide if an iGod is GOOD?

2. For not having yet addressed ‘Who defines what is Good/Bad and Right/Wrong’

3. For any upset this style of speech may cause religious thinkers; please be aware that (as post 9 shows), I am questioning human interpretations of the character of God (iGod), not necessarily God himself.

4. For the Ego-centric nature of this questioning - during my personal journey, it has been important to have a counter balance to the traditional view that “God is beyond questioning”. At present, terrible things are being done in the name of iGod, and we should have a framework to challenge ALL belief systems, both religious and non-religious.

Bear with me! Jonathan