The periodic movements of the Universe are the same, up and
down from age to age.
And either the Universal Intelligence puts itself in motion
for every separate effect, and if this is so, be content with that which is the
result of its activity; or it puts itself in motion once, and everything else
comes by way of sequence in a manner; or indivisible elements are
the origin of all things.
In a word, if there is a God, all is well; and if chance
rules, do not you also be governed by it. . . .
—Marcus
Aurelius, Meditations, Book 9.28 (tr
Long)
Even the very
idea of God, let alone the reality, makes some of us deeply uncomfortable. I
understand completely, as there have been times when the thought of what
is Absolute has made me cringe. I see so many people use it as an excuse for
their own games of power, as an expression of the deepest hypocrisy, or as a
way to put themselves in the place of what they claim to revere.
A few decades
working for some of the scoundrels running the Catholic Church will certainly
do that to any man.
I have found my
own manner of coming to terms with this, of recognizing the difference between
a holy man and a charlatan. Just as I do not reject the force of law because of
an abusive cop, I do not reject God because of those who make a mockery of Him.
My reason always reminds me that nothing comes from nothing, and that all
purpose and order requires Intelligence.
Is that still
not enough? No need for worry. God does not abandon what He has made simply
because we question Him. The Divine is not subject to the same weaknesses as
men.
Do you wonder
if there really is a Universal Intelligence? In one sense, that is quite good.
You are thinking for yourself, not being a simpering follower. You are not
simply willing to accept some Big Man in the Sky, a greater version of the
bullies and bosses we run into every day. If you imagine God that way, you are
quite right to see it all as a cheap excuse.
No, I suggest, try
to think of it more deeply. Recognize, as most every tradition of wisdom has
for all of human time, that the Divine is not a power; the Divine is
power, it is being, it is unity, it is goodness, and it is
truth. It is everything, and nothing exists separate from it.
Let us imagine,
however, for the sake of argument, that there is no God. Would it make any
difference in practice about what makes the fulfillment of our own human nature
good?
Perhaps God is
the direct cause of each and every thing, at each and every moment, and so that
tells me that my life is not in vain.
Perhaps God
only got it all started, and lets it run itself, but that would still have the
same effect.
Perhaps it all
just boils down to how the parts of the world behave according to their own
natures, but there would still be that very meaning behind it all.
Perhaps, just
maybe, it’s all a game of chance. Even then, my own reason would ask me not to
be subject to chance, but to rule myself with my mind, though there might be no
greater Mind ruling me.
Let us bracket
these profound questions if we must, but let us not neglect the immediacy of daily
living. Whether or not there is a God, or whether or not there is an ultimate design,
does it mean that you and I, as creatures of reason and of will, should cease
knowing the truth and loving the good? Should we show any less compassion for
our neighbors, however we may conceive of God? Should we reject the calling of
our own hearts to live in justice, because we have been burned once too often?
A student of
mine was once mistakenly worried that I thought less of her, because she didn’t
have the faith she somehow thought I had. I reminded her that faith isn’t
unreasonable at all, but rather accords with reason. More importantly, I
suggested that we might not always see everything as it is, but we can still
strive to be all that we are made to be.
As I always
like to say, your mileage will vary. I look forward to a time when we manage to
figure it out.
Written in 11/2008
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