Letter to God # 2: Studying God, Studying Humankind

Dear God,

Call it blasphemous, but I am unable and unwilling to cast aside my growing suspicions that those lofty claims that so many pious believers, prophets, shamans, ministers, preachers and evangelists declare about You and Your will actually reveal more about their minds than Yours.

Could it be that silent gods speak loudly about the lives of the people who seek them?

Perhaps Ludwig Feuerbach was right in saying that theology (the study of God) is really anthropology (the study of humankind).

Nevertheless, as you may know, despite my persistent doubts I continue to accompany my wife and daughter in observing worship services at a predominantly African-American Missionary Baptist congregation. My wife truly enjoys these services and, while I am still sorting out my own theological and philosophical views, I willingly participate until I can devise some mutually satisfactory alternative that would satisfy our needs in this area.

Although I disagree with almost all of the theological ideas and doctrinal affirmations upon which this particular church is based, I am intrigued by the human behavior that I witness in this setting. I watch closely as the choir and musicians who, like magicians, use their instrumental mastery to construct layers of worship-inspiring sounds and melodies- inducing many of those gathered into a virtual explosion of cathartic emotional release. I also find it particularly interesting that such music is played during those parts of the service where critical, life-changing decisions are being weighed (i.e. altar calls, calls to conversion, etc.).

I sit in the pews and listen attentively as the speaker of the hour describes the contemporary social problems facing our generation and the specific congregation. I admire the preachers who use clever analogies to explain profound ideas of religious wisdom, but I begin to lose interest as they rouse the weekly gathering with encouraging and heartening ideas about the supernatural powers and miraculous capabilities belonging to God the Father, Jesus the Christ and the Holy Spirit.

The three (or is it the one?) of You are branded as the solution to all that which afflicts the people and a relationship with You all is presented as the only thing worth seeking in this earthly life.

I find such approaches to be inadequate and enabling as they merely shift the responsibility for dealing with human problems away from the human beings- who I believe to be the originators and solvers of such problems- and instead seek to place the burden of progress upon supernatural shoulders.

But I try to be patient in my attempts to understand this response.

While listening, I challenge myself to hear the practical applications behind the sermon’s theology, the cry for stability beneath each claim of scriptural inerrancy and infallibility, the heartfelt concerns beneath each prayer invoking supernatural assistance and the unmet needs that can be found behind each description of those divine entities expected to intercede on behalf of the believers.

So often I have heard well-intentioned counselors offer clichéd phrases like, “God is in control,” “God knows best,” and “Everything happens for a reason” to the broken-hearted in the wake of a senseless tragedy. I’m not saying it is wrong to offer such consolations to those who grieve, but I just find it interesting that this is how many humans tend to respond to such events. I wish I could offer a more consoling thought, but at present I'm afraid that have no better alternative that would be considered helpful to individuals who are dealing with that kind of hurt. But I hope to find such an alternative if such claims are not true.

But surely You are more than a losing team’s half-time, locker room speech- a grand idea told to either encourage those who face the inevitable or to inspire those who need to believe that someone is looking out for them and will sustain them through life’s difficulties.

Surely, you are more than that.

But maybe that is what people need to keep going. And perhaps I need to make room for that...even if I find myself decreasing in my desire for You.

Sincerely,

Me