Where did we get to?
I think it is more down to being conditioned to think in that way. Plato gave the idea of the guardians trapped in a cave and held like veal. Heads held stationary through their formative years, they garner their understanding of the world from the shadow of objects, the echo of voices, the flame that lights the walls. Then they are set loose from the cave and able to see the sun and things as they are. They are at first afraid and want to run back into the cave (great metaphor) but slowly they adjust. I think that idea prompted me to understand that we are at the mercy of our own histories, unless we condition ourselves not to be. Life is a process. That is what growth is, searching out that truth you are most comfortable with. Like shoots, we can crack concrete to reach what we need.
I don't think, after a great deal of reflection, that I can gather much inspiration for an immortal 'creator' in the Islamic/Judaic/Christianic-sense. (That I/J/C-sense I have been coherced into considering as the very definition of 'Deity'.) I tend to believe that if I can feel and understand the inherent issues of its existence, then I called out the flaw in that idea. In saying that, what I mean is that if I can deem the world out of balance (war, famine, suffering) then it is not the effort of a balanced, perfect, deity. If there is a god, it must be above good and evil (for me at least) and that comes in the form of balance to me. I need to think more about balance, but have a feeling someone will tell me. If anything I'm more attached to the idea of the absent creator that Olaf Stapledon called the 'Star Maker' (in the novel of the same name). In it his understanding is that the universe, from its smallest elements to the amoeba-like galaxies themselves, is working toward the enlightenment of becoming aware of their origin. Existence is given its rules and structure and then left to itself to progress to the point where it can come face to face with the creator. Not something involved, but something abstract - removed entirely from any kind of influence.
What does a creator mean? Does it require worship? Does it (the creative force) define goodness, or is goodness just goodness before it is defined? In short, is morality prescribed or inherent?
I think i've answered half of this already. What does the creator mean? Well, that's the thing. I'm not sure it means very much to me. I prefer Olaf's idea that we are not able to fathom it in a singular way - we are not connected enough as a universe to understand or perceive it. So that leads to the idea of whether it requires worship. If I am honest, we should be thankful, but I doubt prayer does much. So that leads on to the goodness idea, which I have certainly touched in the last answer. Finally we have the idea of morality, which I am still considering. Truth be told.
Why do I want there to be a god?? Is it to relinquish responsibility for my existence? Or to have an explaination for it, so that I have free reign to move forward with the question settled??
The answer to this wonderful and woeful question is... if I'm honest... I want to relinqish my responsibilities, it is an eaiser thing to live knowing that you can lay your inadiquacies on the shoulder of some external force. Blame is a great relief.
However, I'm going to choose not to do that. I'm going to push myself toward the more honorable end of instead blaming myself for my own failings. See where that gets me. I might prefer the outcome, I might just go back to laying it at the feet of some creature beyond me. Who knows?
Does my wish for there to be a rule (or order) to things come from a spirit of self-interest? Do I wish for rules so I can learn/utilise them for my own benefit?
Yes. I'm not wrong in determining and admitting that, given the chance, I'd taylor my life to better suit the rules of the game. I'm aware that, so far, I have learnt very few of these rules. I don't think I know any really. Lets see...
So that is my reasoning, so far.
New questions are coming.
Add your own.
Grab a cup of tea and have a nice sit and think. Better yet, a whiskey.
No comments:
Post a Comment