Part 370. Let us not bray

We are not donkeys to be treated  by a stick and carrot approach to encourage us to be true believers.  The stick is the threat of hell, damnation and eternal torment.  The carrot is eternal life in heaven. Many churches prey on fears of death and its finality.  Such churches seek to control lives through peddling promises of a happy eternity in return for controlling the lives of people.  It is time to dispose of superstition, doctrine, dogma and regulation and get a life. It is time to ditch ideas of bible inerrancy and that it is the true word of a metaphysical entity.

The above probably is a statement that many who have deconstructed would be content to concur. However, it begs the question: what do you believe, what leads you to think and act as you do?  

My starting point is that I do not believe in a god that is a metaphysical entity to which we can speak and be heard,  that can answer prayer and can directly control events.  Nor do I believe god can be defined by symbolism or metaphor.  If there is a god it is an unknown beyond our comprehension.  A major failing of Christian religion is to anthropomorphize an undefinable 'creator'.

To my mind prayer is not to god.  Rather it is asking of ourselves what is causing us concern, how we would wish the matter to be resolved and the strength to go out and achieve what we can.

It is possible that Jesus was a real person, but it doesn't matter is this is not the case.  The synoptic gospels are a melange of  myths, metaphor, symbols, folk stories and documents written  through the lens of the intentions of the authors.  What does matter is our interpretation of the messages contained in the synoptic gospels.

It is difficult to believe in a holy spirit if one has doubts concerning the reality of god.  I think there are internal human processes that produce our thoughts and ideas thus determining how and why we act as we do.  An individual is influenced by many factors: gender, ethnicity, health, sexuality, education, knowledge, family, relationships, religion, events, environment etc. all of which are processed internally to determine responses of thought and action.  

So, the two main factors for me are:  

 * How to interpret the synoptic gospels

* How, I am to give effect to my interpretation.

The conclusion I have reached is to follow the way of love in thought and action.  This is not a  defining Christian approach.  Individuals with other faith or secular beliefs,  are committed to the principle or doctrine of love. The teaching ascribed to Jesus provides a framework for my thoughts and actions. Others take a different source for their determination of a course of action. 

I could expand interminably on these thoughts but I prefer to keep my posts short