As much good as religion has done over the ages, it’s been (and continues to be) a source of much hatred, bigotry, and death. Instead of trying to reconcile these differences, I write this to celebrate what we share …
Reconciling Religion
Growing up Catholic, I often wondered about different religions and religious teachings. How can Moslem, Christian and Jew build upon the same Hebrew Bible, share the same God (of Abraham), yet be so disconnected? Is there some way these traditions can be brought together?
I believe so, but first some reinterpretations are required:
Two Heavens in the Bible
I was taught that heaven was this perfect place, a place that you go when you die, the place where God lives. At the same time, I was taught that there were angels who lived with God in heaven. And how one day, these angels had a big fight. How could angels have a big fight in heaven, this perfect place?
I believe this confirms there are two heavens referenced in the Bible:
- The Physical Version: the sky; where the moon, sun and stars reside.
- The Spiritual Version: the place where God resides; paradise.
Two Gods in the Bible
Just as there is confusion around heaven, so too it is with God. There’s the Old Testament God, the jealous and vengeful God. And there’s the New Testament God, the fatherly and forgiving God. How do we reconcile this? And how can an omnipotent God be deceived by an angel, and be forced to send warrior angels to defeat him?
I believe this confirms there are two Gods referenced in the Bible:
- The Spirit God (I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end), and
- The Physical God (a living being, the “ruler of the universe” which goes by different names at different times in different parts of the Bible).
The God that the Moslem, Christian, and Jew agree upon is the Spirit God, and their differences are the result of the legacy they inherited from their Physical God at the time. While it’s difficult to believe that there were real physical beings acting as our celestial rulers, by interpreting the Bible this way, we now align substantially all world religions.
This completes the premise for what follows. As mentioned last time, all thoughtful and respectful comments and opinions will be allowed in moderated comments.
Comments welcome …