Post by Mat on Mar 9, 2015 23:13:52 GMT
I just put this up on the Universal Life Church site.... thought I'd share it with you to...
The question was; Is God good?
God is good. Ego… all that is good is intrinsically Godly. So if we are able to accept that concept then defining good and not good (evil) becomes much easier.
Here’s a simple example; Trees are good, because they make oxygen, which we all need to thrive, they support vast micro – and macro – eco systems. They help create the environment for bio-diversity. Great forests effect the weather patterns, help regulate climate, provide habitat and resources and absorb carbon. Basically they are beneficial to the whole world – upon which we and everything else exist – thus trees are good. Stand in the middle of a great forest or before a magnificent ancient oak and you can feel the presence of God. So if trees are good then wanton destruction of trees – often for some individual’s short term financial gain (Mammon) -is evil, it destroys eco systems, poisons the planet and harms all of us.
So to plant a tree is good, in fact to tend and encourage it to flourish is doing God’s work it is Godly. Therefore aiding and encouraging bio-diversity is good and that which damages it is evil.
Diversity itself is good… whether diversity of species or within species because when we try to curtail it – in things like farming or dog breeding – we often create major problems – especially genetically. So diversity is good… racial diversity, cultural diversity are good… are Godly. That which seeks to stop or resist diversity is evil…because it goes against what makes us strong and healthy as a people, society and as species.
The basic concept is simple; that with fosters diversity and encourages all things to grow and flourish naturally and healthily is good and thus godly, whether that is the tree you planted in your back yard or your child. Teaching a child to hate is evil because it restricts that child’s opportunities to flourish into a healthy human being, damages their emotional and psychological growth and stop them fulfilling their true potential. Thus hate is evil and love is good…..God is love, God is good.
Murder is evil… because it takes away another’s life, it stops them from continuing to contribute to the diversity of society. It destroys their potential to flourish. Even the baddest seed may be able, with tender loving care, flourish into a beautiful tree. Thus murder diminishes our whole society, thus it damages and diminishes us all thus murder is evil. All crimes against the person are evil.
Everything that opposes growth and diversity, destroys or poisons, exploits or harms our growth, morally, spiritually, intellectually, psychologically, physically, and that which damages us and the world around us, is evil. Greed is evil, avarice is evil, murder is evil, hate is evil…
Racial diversity is good, freedom of expression is good, freedom from oppression is good, generosity is good, charity is good, mindfulness is good, in fact all that encourages and aids in us and the world flourishing and growing strong and healthy is good, even change is good. These things are godly….God is good.
All of us need to understand that God is not IN the Bible, you cannot just read that book and find God. God is in the world around you, in the wind in the trees, in the eyes of a child, in a mother’s smile, and lover’s embrace, and mountain stream, God is in the kindness of strangers, God is in your heart. And through those things God will talk to you. God is good.
The question was; Is God good?
God is good. Ego… all that is good is intrinsically Godly. So if we are able to accept that concept then defining good and not good (evil) becomes much easier.
Here’s a simple example; Trees are good, because they make oxygen, which we all need to thrive, they support vast micro – and macro – eco systems. They help create the environment for bio-diversity. Great forests effect the weather patterns, help regulate climate, provide habitat and resources and absorb carbon. Basically they are beneficial to the whole world – upon which we and everything else exist – thus trees are good. Stand in the middle of a great forest or before a magnificent ancient oak and you can feel the presence of God. So if trees are good then wanton destruction of trees – often for some individual’s short term financial gain (Mammon) -is evil, it destroys eco systems, poisons the planet and harms all of us.
So to plant a tree is good, in fact to tend and encourage it to flourish is doing God’s work it is Godly. Therefore aiding and encouraging bio-diversity is good and that which damages it is evil.
Diversity itself is good… whether diversity of species or within species because when we try to curtail it – in things like farming or dog breeding – we often create major problems – especially genetically. So diversity is good… racial diversity, cultural diversity are good… are Godly. That which seeks to stop or resist diversity is evil…because it goes against what makes us strong and healthy as a people, society and as species.
The basic concept is simple; that with fosters diversity and encourages all things to grow and flourish naturally and healthily is good and thus godly, whether that is the tree you planted in your back yard or your child. Teaching a child to hate is evil because it restricts that child’s opportunities to flourish into a healthy human being, damages their emotional and psychological growth and stop them fulfilling their true potential. Thus hate is evil and love is good…..God is love, God is good.
Murder is evil… because it takes away another’s life, it stops them from continuing to contribute to the diversity of society. It destroys their potential to flourish. Even the baddest seed may be able, with tender loving care, flourish into a beautiful tree. Thus murder diminishes our whole society, thus it damages and diminishes us all thus murder is evil. All crimes against the person are evil.
Everything that opposes growth and diversity, destroys or poisons, exploits or harms our growth, morally, spiritually, intellectually, psychologically, physically, and that which damages us and the world around us, is evil. Greed is evil, avarice is evil, murder is evil, hate is evil…
Racial diversity is good, freedom of expression is good, freedom from oppression is good, generosity is good, charity is good, mindfulness is good, in fact all that encourages and aids in us and the world flourishing and growing strong and healthy is good, even change is good. These things are godly….God is good.
All of us need to understand that God is not IN the Bible, you cannot just read that book and find God. God is in the world around you, in the wind in the trees, in the eyes of a child, in a mother’s smile, and lover’s embrace, and mountain stream, God is in the kindness of strangers, God is in your heart. And through those things God will talk to you. God is good.
