Religious debates will go on for all eternity and it is as rare as a blue moon that religious authorities come to a consensus or see eye to eye. In fact, more commonly there will be splits and rifts within a religious body. Whether it is Buddhism with its small and large spinning wheels and vehicles or the debate over the legitimacy and authority of the Pope and the use of confessional booths or even delicate and controversial questions concerning the Holy Book, disagreements abound and little consensus is reached. Religion seen globally and historically is filled with instances of conflicts and quarrels.
But why? If we look at the main world religions, they have actually more in common than they would dare to admit. Indeed Christianity, Islam, Judaism believe in a God that has very similar characteristics, while in Hinduism there may be many gods but they are, when all is said and done, manifestations of a unifying divine spirit. As to Buddhism, they may have a slightly different depiction of what constitutes divinity, a more introspective universal embodiment but essentially there is not much of a serious clash either to the aforementioned representations of God.
So here is my proposal. Let us all agree and live in peace. Let us all partake of the divinely delicious (or deliciously divine) heavenly cake. Think big. A cake that supersedes the Tower of Babel, but unlike the tower, one that unites instead of alienating people. Now this cake that is enough to fill the stomach and mind of every being on this planet can easily be divided into pieces. So for all those religions who want to be in the right or who prefer to think they are the only true religion, you can have your own slice and eat it too.
The amazing thing about this cake is that every slice contains the divine essence and is, ipso facto, infinite. In fact, as a mathematical expression if you divide infinity by five you will still be in the infinite range. Such would be the case of God. Whether you divide Him (or Her or It or Them) you will still end up with more than you can chew and handle. There is no need to want the whole cake; no need for excessive greed or pride or arrogance for that matter. To each their own piece of cake.
This leads us to the following question: Whose slice of cake is actually better? Would that make a difference though? They are all from the same cake and just for argument's sake, they have been divided in equal parts (in reality it is a difficult task when you are dealing with infinity). Can you claim that your piece tastes better than the other person's?
And then we are caught up again in a world not made of facts but opinions. The fact is I am eating a cake, which can be defined with certain properties and characteristics. This one has frosting but of different flavors and colors, just to add a bit of variety because I highly doubt God to be monotonous and I believe Him to be the best chef or pastry-maker there is in this or any other universe.
Suddenly we are not dealing with facts anymore. What we are considering is not a fact, but an opinion. And opinions are exactly that; they are what and how people think and feel about certain issues. When it comes to taste you cannot claim that this food tastes better than the other based on reason or empirical facts. It seems ridiculous to claim that one's cake tastes better simply because you prefer lemon over chocolate! Lemon is great, but so is chocolate. Yet some people do not like either. They should not burn in hell for their taste buds and culinary preferences, don't you think?
Opinions then cannot be judged on a scale of right or wrong. They are reflections of personality, genetics, culture, upbringing and personal taste. So let's all have cake and let us share and break dessert together. And if you do not like my slice of cake, I will have to live with it and so do you, but at least neither one of us will hunger in mind or spirit because there is more than enough cake going around for everyone.
9 comments:
such talk will freak out the fundys. You do like writing about god a lot, interesting, I shall analyze this thoroughly.
- Karen
I knew God was cake all along! I kept telling people, "Hey! God is cake." They didn't listen. You can't tell them anything. Stinking know-it-alls!
The amazing thing about this cake is that every slice contains the divine essence and is, ipso facto, infinite. In fact, as a mathematical expression if you divide infinity by five you will still be in the infinite range. Such would be the case of God. Whether you divide Him (or Her or It or Them) you will still end up with more than you can chew and handle. There is no need to want the whole cake; no need for excessive greed or pride or arrogance for that matter. To each their own piece of cake.
Well said.
Karen, God is cake. There is no need to study it to get the gist.
By the way, Christianity is really a polytheistic religion, Arash, but I digress.
So this cake, whatever its recipe and flavour, contains a secret ingredient? If I am on a diet that doesn't allow cake, can I just have the secret ingredient by itself?
Or perhaps it is contained in ordinary foodstuffs from natural sources, like a vitamin.
Surely then it is a food-labelling issue? We need to be told what ingredients there are in cake that we buy over the counter. God may be one, but suppose there are toxins too, or allergens which affect some and not others?
You may think I take metaphors too far, but I don't want to get obese in my hunger for this cake.
While reeding you, I have tasted the fabulous cake. Thank you. My English is too week to involve in metaphors, thus I will try to be short for not to stumble. Thanks once again for the virtual eye-to-eye meeting. I think that was not only my longing for but the dream of all people and especially the artist who are, as I like to say, the secular priests
We both are alike - we both bear the same spirit - the same divine spirit indwells in us both. Only difference is in our response. And Therefore I thank you for the awakening, for the call to taste the wonderful cake.
respectfully yours
Tomas Karkalas
Yes, it was all just about a philosophy for life, there wouldn't be any reason for why we all can't just get along. Nonetheless, this is not at all to say that most of the conflicts are justified. For only the ones that are SPECIFICALLY authorized by our Heavenly Father are.
@Karen: Yes, religion is a great passion of mine. I mostly blog about it when I am pressed for time though; it comes out more naturally and I don't have to do too much research on it. And sure, gotta have a little fun with the fundys every now and then...
@ Vincent: What metaphor? Please refer to John's comment of God being cake ... Replace "cake" with "bread" and millions around the world will agree.
As to dietary restrictions, you are talking about the pastry-maker par excellence. In fact, He will have some tricks up his sleeve. He will use plain water and make it taste like heavy cream.
@Tomas: Thank you and I always look forward to your comments! My language may be playful but the intent is serious and I would hope more people will accept peace as a way of life.
@ FishHawk: I agree conflict is not bad per se ... it has the power to advance knowledge. But there is also a time for sitting together and eating cake and that happens too seldom for my taste.
I got thirsty after eating too much divine cake, so...
In another analogy, a quote of Ramakrishna:
“Truth is one; It is called by different names. From a lake...the Hindus take water in jars and call it “jal”...Muslims take water in leather bags and call it “pani”...the Christians take the same thing and call it “water.” Suppose someone says that the thing is not jal but pani, or that it is not pani but water, or that it is not water but jal. It would indeed be ridiculous.”
Thank you, Ron! Absolutely!
You see, the cake is having some effects already apart from causing thirst of course ...
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