"One ought, everyday at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture and speak a few reasonable words." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Friday, July 20, 2012

God and the Universe

{Edmond Dantès}: I don't believe in God.
{Priest}: It does not matter. He believes in you.
--The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas 

I have a quote I’d like to share (below). I like almost everything about this quote, but one thing bothers me and I need to address it before I share.

I don’t know what the deal is lately, but I have noticed a new-age fascination with the term “the Universe” when referring to spiritual things. Is it just because people view God as inaccessible to our modern sensibilities? Or is it because “the Universe” can integrate many differing beliefs into one broad term?

Well, whether it’s for accessibility or unification - or even some completely different reason - it bugs me.

I believe in God and I personally believe “the Universe” diminishes him. He created the Universe; He is bigger than the Universe. And I refuse to reduce His infinite value by perpetuating the term “the Universe” in relation to Him and/or His works. Therefore, wherever the Universe is mentioned in the following quote, I have changed the wording back to what it should be: God. I still resent the brackets, but at least now the principle can ring through without all the distracting noise from "the Universe." ;)

“If you say to [God], 'Gimme, gimme, gimme,' then [God] gives you back what you offered out. You get more 'gimme, gimme, gimme.' “Gimme” means you don’t have enough. You have a shortage. [God] just keeps giving you more shortage because of what you’re thinking and saying.
“If, on the other hand, you say to [God] again and again, 'How may I serve? How may I serve? How may I serve?' and you live a life of constancy reflecting that principle, [God] will respond back, 'How may I serve you?'”

--Wayne Dyer

No comments:

Post a Comment