One question that has dogged me for some time is the notion that an all-powerful, all-knowing being would choose written communication as the chief form by which to instruct the world. If there really is a god or gods, why in the heck would he/she/it/they choose a method that is so rife for confusion? One would think that such entities could devise a better methodology. Yet, if we look at the major religions, all of them have holy books written in antiquity that supposedly are to guide modern society in their divine ways.
The written word truly is a confusing and inefficient delivery model. Though the US Constitution was written only a little more than 2 centuries ago, people today debate and argue about almost every clause and sentence. Though it is written roughly in the language we speak and write with today -- no need for multiple translations from one language to another -- few people agree on what it means! So, if we have this much difficulty interpreting a document from our own history in our own tongue, it stands to reason that a deity would have to know that this very same problem would be magnified one hundred times over in regards to documents of which no extant original copies exist.
If, for whatever divine reason a deity still insisted on communicating to us his/her/its/their divine plan in written form, one would think that this entity might have adopted a slightly altered strategy. Why not use the divine finger to etch the message in granite or in a field? Being the all-powerful divine, this being could ensure that the laws of physics did not apply to their heavenly message board. The information imparted would be a living testament to God's word that people all throughout history could access.
Taking this idea a step further, the message could have been written in such a manner that people from all tongues could read it. Just like in the Star Trek franchise, I'm certain a methodology could have been developed whereby a French, German or Klingon could look at the divine etching and they could automatically read it in their own language! Hey, if I peon like me can think of such strategies, don't you think the almighty could do it too?
Of course, I realize such a plan remains problematic. Even if we possessed the original wording straight from the deity's finger, there still is the question of interpretation. Unless he/she/it/they hung around to settle thematic disputes, we would still suffer from the very same issues that dog religious interpretation today: No one would agree on what it all means!
For me, the ideal methodology would be for the deity to implant his/her/its/their divine message in the brain of all infants immediately prior to birth. Once we pop out into the world, we would come equipped with the divine reference manual.
I realize the zealots of all religions would object to such a plan. It would make it far too easy for any Sally or Dick to live in line with the heavenly dictates, they would cry. Not so fast! If we look at the world around us, the faithful know God's rules (according to their brand) and yet, most of them regularly don't follow them! Consequently, just because we were equipped at birth with the heavenly conscience, it does not mean that we would naturally follow any of it.
But, of course, I'm just speculating here. the god or gods, in his/her/its/their divine wisdom decided that the written word is the way to go.
And I'm supposed to believe that this is the best an all-knowing, all-powerful being could conjure up?
Get real!!
The written word truly is a confusing and inefficient delivery model. Though the US Constitution was written only a little more than 2 centuries ago, people today debate and argue about almost every clause and sentence. Though it is written roughly in the language we speak and write with today -- no need for multiple translations from one language to another -- few people agree on what it means! So, if we have this much difficulty interpreting a document from our own history in our own tongue, it stands to reason that a deity would have to know that this very same problem would be magnified one hundred times over in regards to documents of which no extant original copies exist.
If, for whatever divine reason a deity still insisted on communicating to us his/her/its/their divine plan in written form, one would think that this entity might have adopted a slightly altered strategy. Why not use the divine finger to etch the message in granite or in a field? Being the all-powerful divine, this being could ensure that the laws of physics did not apply to their heavenly message board. The information imparted would be a living testament to God's word that people all throughout history could access.
Taking this idea a step further, the message could have been written in such a manner that people from all tongues could read it. Just like in the Star Trek franchise, I'm certain a methodology could have been developed whereby a French, German or Klingon could look at the divine etching and they could automatically read it in their own language! Hey, if I peon like me can think of such strategies, don't you think the almighty could do it too?
Of course, I realize such a plan remains problematic. Even if we possessed the original wording straight from the deity's finger, there still is the question of interpretation. Unless he/she/it/they hung around to settle thematic disputes, we would still suffer from the very same issues that dog religious interpretation today: No one would agree on what it all means!
For me, the ideal methodology would be for the deity to implant his/her/its/their divine message in the brain of all infants immediately prior to birth. Once we pop out into the world, we would come equipped with the divine reference manual.
I realize the zealots of all religions would object to such a plan. It would make it far too easy for any Sally or Dick to live in line with the heavenly dictates, they would cry. Not so fast! If we look at the world around us, the faithful know God's rules (according to their brand) and yet, most of them regularly don't follow them! Consequently, just because we were equipped at birth with the heavenly conscience, it does not mean that we would naturally follow any of it.
But, of course, I'm just speculating here. the god or gods, in his/her/its/their divine wisdom decided that the written word is the way to go.
And I'm supposed to believe that this is the best an all-knowing, all-powerful being could conjure up?
Get real!!
I can't claim to know why the written word appeals to any sort of Divine being, and I certainly would argue that Holy books are the *only* way God communicates with humans, but the way I see it is God is a mystery. He wants people to seek Him and would we really seek Him if we knew everything about Him?
ReplyDeleteIf we had all of His laws in every language, we wouldn't have anyone studying them. No one would try to find understanding in them, they would just do them or not do them. It seems to me that humans do not respect that which they do not have to work to achieve or they take it for granted.
Even as a human, I want those around me to try and understand me- I don't want to just tell them everything... There is no intimacy in that.
...would we really seek Him if we knew everything about Him?
ReplyDeleteA human can't know everything about the mystery because 1) We simply don't have the capabilities and 2) It wouldn't be a mystery, would it?
The bible certainly doesn't tell believers everything about the deity, it just provides brief and incomplete glimpses.
Transmitting the rules and mores that this god wants people to follow also would not provide the kind of comprehensive info you suggest.
Besides, knowing rules AND implementing them still takes a heck of a lot of work. I mean, Christians KNOW the 10 Cs, but they seem to have a really hard time following them.