Copyright© 2007 K Harris
In the strictest sense of the term, I do believe in the existence of a Supreme Being, though that does not necessarily make me a theist. When you think about it, everyone should be able to buy into the idea that there is something that is greater than everything else in each of our value systems. This is analogous to observing that there must be a location on this planet that is farthest from you. For every distinct earthling this location is slightly different, but there is one for each of us.
The Supreme Being is simply the top of the hierarchy by which you judge importance. Just because this entity is not the God of scriptures does not make it any less supreme in your world view.
I find it amusing that for many (though arguably not most) theists their Supreme Being is not the God of their scriptures. For a significant number of people who profess to believe in God, their actions indicate that their Supreme Being must be fame, wealth, power or some combination thereof.
If you truly believe that all beings are equal, then your Supreme Being is simply the totality of all beings. If you extend this characterization to the continuum of all possible beings and define this entity as being perfectly self-similar to the fact that it exists, then you have my personal perception of the Supreme Being.
Yes, even atheists believe that something is supreme. Ironically, many atheists reserve their ultimate veneration for the same fame, wealth and power that many theists revere. Arguably for most atheists the Supreme Being is either the entire universe or some ultimate state to which all conscious beings aspire. In this context, regardless of whether you are atheist or theist, how spiritual you are reflects how much of your life you spend in prayer to, contemplation of or communion with your Supreme Being.
Simply regarding an entity as supreme, is to accord it the most basic form of worship. As such, it is generally not belief in and worship of a Supreme Being that distinguishes atheists and theists. The primary difference between them is the theist’s tendency to engage in anthropopatheia (assigning human traits to God). This means that the fewer traits your Supreme Being shares with humans (e.g., will, desire, wrath, etc.) the more of an atheist you are.
God Talk - Being God
- Where did I come from? Nowhere, I have always been and never in a different form. Being existential manifestations time and space reside within me, so I am not bound by causality, it is bound by me. I am everything that can possibly be, existing indistinguishably in a timeless “now”. As such, there is nothing that I am not already. I am what I have always been and always will be.
- What do I do with all of eternity at my disposal? I share in your growth experiences. I perceive your perceptions as you change the terrifying into the ordinary into the transcendent.
- Do I intervene in human affairs? Continuously, but never in a way that you could prove it was me and not you.
- Why is that? Because nothing ever happens because of me and not you.
- If you do all of the heavy lifting, why do you need me? In the context of my fundamental nature you are actually asking “Why does Existence exist?” From your perspective the answer is because without me you are impossible. My existence is the Fundamental Tautology.
1 comment:
I am an atheist. I have a tendency to scoff at the idea of a Supreme Being. Comes from being brought up Catholic I suppose; the more you're pulled one way the further you're going to swing the other when let loose. I found it interesting, your thoughts on the theist's tendency to assign human traits to their God. For most human beings, sharing eases the bearing of life's hardships, emotional trials, etc. It's why many turn to or further embrace their God. When I tell people that I am an atheist they tend to think that the living of my life is easier since I do not answer to a god. I have found it arduous to convince them that, no, it is even more difficult. Life's difficulties cannot be passed on to a "higher power" in the belief that they'll be taken care of. I do not share or give away the responsibility of being kind, charitable, moral, or honest. The arbiter of how well I do these things is not some guy in a box that I whisper to every week. (You may only get that if you are Catholic). It's also not select communities of people pointing to dubious tomes translated during past and current political climates. My references for life are myself, the people whose lives I touch, the children I affect, my family, my friends. It's the joy I receive when I've given it. It's the growth that I experience because I've nurtured others. I'll risk sounding conceited by saying that what I value is me. I value my existence in that it allows me, the individual I perceive myself as being, to make connections with all else that exists. And now I'll get off my soapbox and give you your blog back as I look forward to reading more!
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