The God You Don’t Believe in Doesn’t Exist

I don’t “believe” in God. What I mean by stating to Atheists or those that question the existence of God is that the super hero, long white bearded judgmental God sitting up in heaven doesn’t exist.

God  is far beyond any form we humans have tried to put on him (she or it) The word God has been terribly misunderstood from the beginning of time, in fact the sheer magnitude of the universal divine force defies comprehension of the human mind.

Many religious fundamentalists who claim to be following God’s teachings are simply spewing dogma as a means of controlling people.

God is life itself, beyond all form and ideology, available to all, manifesting as pure love.

I am a spiritual seeker, have been for most of my life. That being said, I have some of the most compelling spiritual conversations with friends who profess to be atheist. Recently I had lunch with one of my atheist friends. He is retired doctor who shared with me that he couldn’t believe in a God that allowed so much of the horrible suffering in children he treated as a pediatrician in his early career. We do however agree that there is a “force” that is greater than we are that just may have created and now sustains the universe.

My true essence could only start to be realized by becoming a spiritual rebel. I had to question the rules of my Jewish heritage in order to come to know a power greater than my small ego. This Self or Soul is the guiding light of my life. It has been the healing force of my life in recovery.

Everyone of us has this “Higher Self” within us that can be experienced typically in moments of deep silence. We each have a unique path home to our soul. Mediation, prayer, quiet time in nature, music and art are some of the ways.

What has been taught by the saints, sages and prophets of all the true religious traditions is that God is Love, simple pure Love that is accessible to each and every one of us.

Our Rebel Instinct

As adults we are expected to conform, fit in to behavior patterns that society deems acceptable. In truth we all have an instinct to rebel, to stretch beyond the limits of our minds We intuitively know that deep within us lie the secrets of the universe, a vast and fabulous cosmos. A friction exists between our very fragile egos and a spiritual or cosmic perspective. We become increasingly restless, irritable and discontent living a conformist’s life and long for the mysteries of creation. Often we seek comfort self-medicating with drugs, alcohol, gambling, or countless other addictive behaviors.

For this rebel, I have struggled through most of my life with conformity. In my youth  I was a natural born rebel living on a commune in California (seen in attached photo). It was an era when so many of my generation were rebelling and needless to say it has been a huge challenge now for me to “grow up” just to fit in to society’s expectations.

I have learned to challenge the choices handed down by society’s institutions. It hasn’t been an easy journey and sometimes has been quite frustrating and often lonely. Yet I continue to grow, expand my self- awareness and desire to serve others as a means of transcending my ego and self-absorption.