Evolution of God Concept

Evolution of God Concept

Millions of years ago, when man first looked at the heavens and wondered at the majesty of the earth, the moon and stars --- he thought there must be unseen powers responsible for all these. In his superstition and ignorance, he thought of gods and spirits who could do him harm or as equally do him good.

Today in the 21st century, most of us still believe in a god or gods, disembodied spirits, or supernatural forces.

Why is it that thru the centuries, despite the debates among thinkers, philosophers, and scientists, yes, even among scientists --- we still continue to argue about the god question?

When primitive man was shivering inside his cave, huddled with his family around the fire while outside the storm was raging and streaks of lightning ripped the sky --- he implored the gods to spare him and his family.

And the storm passed and the sun brought in a bright new day, and the seasons changed with clockwork regularity --- so did man’s concept of god change and evolve.

God is a human construct

I propose that the god concept is a human construct --- it begins in the mind and ends in the mind. It does not exist outside the mind. This is not a new or unique idea. The concept came about from early man’s deep seated need to explain what in his primitive mind were “deep mysteries” of nature.

Reduced to its basics, theology is philosophy. We have a field of study called the philosophy of religion. To argue your kind of philosophy, for example, you have to prove it by logical reasoning. And you base your reasoning by assumptions which may or may not be based on reality. Like when one argues how many angels can dance on the head of a needle.

Now of all species, man is the only one who can think, analyze, discern, to remember and to transfer acquired knowledge thru the generations, and to improve on this knowledge from generation to generation.

The child as she comes into this world, begins to respond to stimuli around her --- the blinking light, the moving object, the ringing bell. As the years go by, she becomes aware of herself and conscious of her existence and the existence of those around her.

In her childish mind, her imaginary friend, for example, is as real as she is real. As real as her parents respond to her cries when she is hungry or tired, and later when she wants something. Her parents understand this, and they tell her that she should not be naughty but nice if she wants Santa Claus to bring her gifts. That she should pray to her guardian angel to keep her from harm and the devil. She believes without question in the fairy godmother, the tooth fairy and easter bunny. She believes in the good witch and the bad witch.

Now as she grows up to adulthood, she throws away these childish beliefs, although she may not object to telling the same things to her future children.

Now as an adult, she begins to question her religious teachers not because what they teach is morally wrong but because they are intrinsically inadequate. Why accept for example a religious teacher’s reasoning that the 9/11 tragedy was God’s punishment to homosexuals, lesbians and transgenders? What about those thousands who were not gays and lesbians who perished in the same tragedy? This leader --- has he heard of religious fundamentalism?

Now as an adult, as she goes thru life, she knows she must rely on herself to think things thru. That her mind is adequate. That even if she is religious and believes in a supernatural being, ultimately it depends on her will and personal power to get thru life.

The ever-changing god

From recorded history, gods have been conceived in hundreds of different forms in myriads of ways. They have been given human- or animal-like qualities, only more powerful and immortal. Those that went out of favor became myths and legends. Those that still attract believers modify their core beliefs in order to remain relevant to growing acculturation of the global society.

Consider the following:

Evolutionary Pope

In 1996, the pope said there was no conflict between evolution and creation, that evolution was process in God’s creation. He had also said that hell is not a place but a state, implying heaven is not a place either but a state of mind. And he had also debunked purgatory as a half-way house to heaven, and limbo as heaven for infants who died before being baptized. Putting to question, among believers, if there ever was a soul. The pope having said this, the Church does not anymore mention or emphasize these discredited beliefs in the priests’ sermons and church teachings.

The Pragmatic Dalai Lama

In an interview, the Dalai Lama said he would remain as the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people as long as they believe in him, meaning that he would renounce his reincarnation the moment they cease to believe in his divinity.

After the Second World War, the Japanese Emperor, as part of unconditional surrender, renounced his divinity as descendant of the sun god.

The Atheist Jew

In some Jewish sects, they accept professed atheists as members. As one rabbi said, “I told the rich atheist, “God does not care if you don’t believe in him as long as you do good to your fellowmen. Faith is action. So you are welcome to finance our charitable projects.”

Secular Muslims

The Arab Spring showed that tyranny, under any form of government, will burst into spontaneous uprising among an oppressed people. As witnessed the events in Tunisia, Libya, Syria, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. These countries are predominantly Islamic and are governed by Islamic law. These countries do not follow separation of church and state. In Libya for example, the victorious rebels demanded the implementation of the Sharia law where a Muslim could have as many as four wives.

Future of Religion

In light of global developments where the ordinary citizen demands his share of his country’s wealth and resources --- we shall see the rise of a more humanistic religion.

Traditional faiths will de-emphasize if not eliminate altogether supernatural beliefs, and there shall be more cooperation among religions to promote social justice. Religions shall be less and less like exclusive groups but more and more like community groups for social amelioration.

Religions that cannot or will not change will split into subgroups or disband altogether. Followers who do not feel comfortable with their old faith will form their own.

The New Religion

The new religion will derive from the scriptures their sacred ideals and aspirations but god is no longer a supernatural being. God has become a metaphor, man’s highest aspiration, symbol of everlasting hope and eternal love.

There will still be wars and violence but he will wage these wars less on religious grounds. There shall still be violence but this comes not from some religious fanaticism from man’s greed and lust for power.

Moral Ascendancy

In every generation, we see moral ascendancy. From feudalism to capitalism, from theocracy to democracy, from slavery to free men and women everywhere --- today’s liberalizing religions will spearhead the ascent of man.

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Religion as moral basis for a good life

There is a saying which goes, The more things change, the more they stay the same.

To me, what stays the same is man's reaction to himself and the environment. The universal emotions of love, fear, anger, respect and contempt remain the same through the ages. It is the perception that causes these emotions --- that's what changes throughout history.

For example, there was a time when African-Americans were bought and sold as slaves, like so much property of their masters. Women in some societies were considered property of their husbands, they were not entitled to an education, they could not vote, they could not run for public office, and they were thrown to the funeral pyre to join their deceased spouses.

Now in this century, we have outlawed slavery. And women enjoy and are entitled to all the rights and privileges like anybody else, and can aspire for the highest elective office in the land.

When it comes to religion, it is quite different. For while human behavior is based on emotion and reason, religion is based mostly on belief which may or may not have anything with evidence.

Religion has evolved gradually since the beginning of history. From animism to the worship of trees, sun, moon and the stars. From the worship of many gods to the worship one god, to the worship of the godless god. I'll explain myself later.

But the religion that keeps evolving on its own axis, is the monotheistic faith Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

These three towering faiths draw their ancestry from Abraham, the father of them all. He is praised and acknowledged in Tanakh, New Testament and Qur'an.

When Abraham smashed the idols of his tribe, he was liberating his people from false gods. God has instructed him, "You shall not have strange gods before me."

When Moses led his people out of Egypt, he was leading the Jews to the promised land of milk and honey. God has instructed him to tell the pharaoh, "Let my people go."

When Jesus told his disciples, "When someone strikes you in one cheek, turn the other cheek," he meant to fill the world with love and forgiveness.

When Muhammad, his name be praised, said, "Respect the people of the book," he meant to respect the Jews and Christians who worship the same God, Allah, creator of the universe.

By whatever name we call God --- Allah,Yahweh, Jehovah, Dios --- he is the same ground force of the universe. He is the same power that controls the laws of nature.

To be continued.