If God exists, I think God is so far out of our field of experience and frame of reference as to be essentially incomprehensible to humans. All of the world’s religions appear to be obviously objectively false. However, I think that humans make sense out of the insensible by thinking in metaphor, sort of like putting masks that we understand on God so as to deal with something which we do not understand. I think religion, religious belief, and religious practice can be positive, productive, and extremely useful both to society and to the individual, even if it is not objectively true. In fact, sometimes I am inclined to think that people can actually in many ways be better off with religion (though not all kinds of religion: a sort of Taoist awareness that “the thing that can be talked about is not the actual eternal thing” is incredibly important, and serves to neuter our dangerous–perhaps even insane–fundamentalist impuses). Since all religions are false but religion is nevertheless positive, I should be able to simply pick the one that appeals most to me and self-consciously run with it. However, I seem to be completely incapable of doing so.
(For what it’s worth, alternately, if God does not exist outside the human psyche, then none of this changes. We can label the unfathomable parts of our own existence and psyche “God” and essentially move on.)
Why am I incapable of picking one and just enjoying it? All kinds of reasons, really. Fear of commitment as a holdover from bad experiences with Mormonism (and a knowledge that “just trying it out” is actually a kind of commitment that can result in sliding down to total conversion if you’re not careful). Persistent gut feeling that the objective truth of religion matters (another holdover from Mormonism). A nagging feeling that all religions are equally, pitifully inadequate when it comes to accounting for all of life and existence’s complexities (even leaving cosmological models completely out of it), and a concurrent distaste for the idea of flavoring my entire life with any particular religious belief’s seasoning. Nervousness about the ease of self-brainwashing. The desire for some kind of mystical experience as a catalyst. And plain old reluctance, like when you’re about to jump off of something tall and your legs seize up and your body just won’t let you do it.
There doesn’t seem to be anything I can do about any of this, either.
Sailing to Byzantium 
Maybe its not about religion. Maybe its supposed to be a relationship with God. Just because I claim to be pentacostal doesn’t mean that is what I am and focus on. Instead I focus on a relationship with God by reading the Bible, praying, and seeking Him. Pentacostal is just a word for this world-I don’t think it will matter once I’m gone from here. But my relationship with God and my believing in His everlasting salvation through His son Jesus is going to matter.
Sure, religion can be a positive influence on your life depending on what religion you pick to run with. But religion, like good deads, will not get you to heaven alone. Have you ever read the book of John in the Bible? I suggest it as a good place to reading.
God desires to be our friend, but sometimes people let religion take the spot of where God should be, and they only befriend the religion.
Just some thoughts. Write me back. I’d be more then willing to try to answer your ponderings. Again, I say try. Just because I am a Christ follower doesn’t mean I know all answers or understand everything about God-but if we did then we would be basically God ourselves and that would just be a mess. But I will try, and if I don’t know then I will try to find someone to help answer.
Peace and Blessings,
-immashutterbug
Yes, I have read the gospel of John. I have read both the Old and New Testaments in entirety. Even the boring parts of the Old Testament. I have read the New Testament more than once all the way through, and many times in bits and pieces.
Att his point, I think that “relationship” with God in any kind of objective sense is a meaningless buzzword. If God exists, we can’t possibly have a relationship with him as he is.
And I am extremely skeptical about the existence of heaven. It sounds like you’re trying to convince a Christian to be Christian, and objectively it all comes out gobbledygook.
I apologize if I come off as blunt or burusque, but my search for meaning in the cosmos is sort of coming to a crisis point. I’m looking for answers, not dialogue.
All my trust is placed in the God revealed in Scripture. And yes, it is faith in the God of his unchanging Word. But you know that.
And wow is it ever an adventure, Kullervo.
Ten times better than looking for the ultimate answers in temple structures, church hierarchy, ancient creeds, and contemporary emergent gatherings, etc.
Of course, I am one of those ‘fundamentalists’ who is charged with not paying attention to complexity and nuanced difficulty. But in my ongoing, continual study and exposure, I know the scholars of all shapes and sizes and intellects and biases don’t satisfy my heart hunger and intellectual restlessness. Pastors, bishops, popes, and priests continually disappoint. They are just sinful creatures like you and me.
Keep searching the Scriptures, friend. I feel like I am on the first page of discovery in knowing the One God, who is both transcendent and intimately personal.
What is it with fundies? He already said all your religions are “obviously objectively false”. Get over it.
Now, where was I? Oh yes.
ATHEISM IS THE ONE TRUE RATIONAL WAY! JOIN OR ELSE!
(This comment intended largely in jest and irony. I’m in that kind of mood.)
heheheh @ David!
So, Kullervo, you’ve said that you think that it can be useful to think of God in terms of metaphors. That it can be beneficial. You’re concerned about committing to a religion or an organization, and you don’t feel qualified to make any kind of religion up yourself.
But that doesn’t stop you from seeing how you feel, what metaphors make sense to you. You love to write and have been wanting to write more poetry; why not write about God/consciousness/whatever it is? There are no answers that anyone can give you (as you know), so the best you can do is try to figure out how best to make it all make sense to you. No, you won’t have perfect answers. But maybe you’ll see what you can live with. Maybe in trying to experience God through metaphor, you’ll find those spiritual experiences you’re craving–in a no-pressure, non binding way.