Timmy Burns

God, and all it’s implications.

I was fortunate enough to see Keeping the Faith a few nights ago. For those who aren't familiar with the film, it stars Edward Norton and Ben Stiller, who are a priest and a rabbi, respectively. Religion was a small undercard in the movie, but it got me thinking..

What do I believe? Organized religion has always bothered me. The idea that people put all of their faith and will into a God (that they've never even seen before) to do things for them is just absurd. I see signs in front of churches like, 'P.U.S.H. - Pray Until Something Happens' and my mind is blown. Does no one take charge of their own life? Do they just expect something to happen for them?

I work towards everything I have. If I don't like something, I'm the one who changes it. I take charge, I'm in control. I run this ship. I don't pray to some invisible Jewish zombie to help me out. That's about as effective as using the Bat Signal or calling the Power Rangers, and just about as foolish.

But I cannot think for one second that there isn't another power or entity that helps or effects, at least to some extent, our lives. Too many strange things have happened in my life for me to think that we all have individual paths that we walk, and sometimes they cross. There has to be a reason they cross, right?

So I think that my idea of God works as follows.
-It's not a being, a person, or a single object.
-It cannot help you achieve anything unless you are willing to work for it.
-It is not leading you on a life path.
-Nothing is 'part of Gods plan'
-It does not work in mysterious ways.

These are all just bullshit lines the church feeds people so that they can deal with the life that they've run into the ground.

God is the collective will of a group of people and the desire to help others succeed. God only exists if you want it to. God is the power of the mind, and it's a powerful thing. God can exist to one person and be completely unique. God is your personal ambition, will, and drive.

And this theory can come full circle. If one can create and destroy their own personal God, who is God? Is it you? Me?

I'd like to think that there is a small part of every human that wants to help others in a time of need, to be good people, to be honest and work hard. And that small part of every person can be combined to create something huge, something that is bigger than all of us.

I'm still not a fan of organized religion, and I'm still very young, so this theory might change. I am, however, entitled to believe what I want, and this makes a lot of sense to me.

At least a lot more than praying to some holy avenger to off my enemies or make me rich..