Saturday, November 19, 2011

Personal Paths to Positive Power

As a Roman Catholic child, I was exposed to a practice that was common, recitation of litanies in which God was called by many names. It is true that many of those names included being male, and a fearsome male, at that. Here are some examples:

"Divine Essence, one true God,
Spirit of truth and wisdom,
Spirit of holiness and justice,
Spirit of understanding and counsel,
Spirit of love and joy,
Spirit of peace and patience,
Spirit of longanimity and meekness,
Spirit of benignity and goodness,
Love substantial of the Father and the Son,
Love and life of saintly souls,
Fire ever burning,
Living water to quench the thirst of hearts,"


"God the Father of Heaven,
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Ghost,
Holy Trinity, One God,
Father from Whom are all things,
Son through Whom are all things,
Holy Ghost in Whom are all things,
Holy and undivided Trinity,
Father everlasting,
Only-begotten Son of the Father,
Spirit Who preceedeth from the Father and the Son,
Co-eternal Majesty of Three Divine Persons,
Father, the Creator,
Son, the Redeemer,
Holy Ghost, the Comforter,
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts,
Who art, Who wast, and Who art to come,
God Most High, Who inhabitest eternity,
To Whom alone are due all honor and glory,
Who alone doest great wonders,
Power infinite,
Wisdom, incomprehensible,
Love unspeakable,"


"Judge of the Godless and wicked,
Majesty humbling the proud,
Terror of blasphemers,
Rewarder of the patient,
Sanctifier of the obedient,
Thou Who dost exalt the humble,
Thou Who dost exalt the meek,
Inspiration of the persecuted,
Comforter of the mournful,
Father of the peacemakers,
Glorifier of the poor in spirit,
Author of Light,
Author of creation,
Author of life,
Author of fire,
Countenance of wrath,
Countenance of justice,
Countenance of mercy,
Countenance of love,
Countenance of splendor,
Eternal Father, object of the beatific vision,
Eternal Father, incessantly adored by the angels,
Eternal Father, contemplation of the saints,
Eternal Father, desire of the righteous,
Eternal Father, worthy of all adoration,
Eternal Father, worthy of all love,"

Why did ancient humans put a fearsome face on god? And why do so many still believe that god is a vengeful father figure counting our crimes against him and his creation? Why do we still think worship is a good substitute for responsible reverence? Why can't we accept that The Creative Force is exhibited in every form of creation and that we are not great enough to ever see the full scope of the "faces" of that which makes up all matter, Creative Energy? It's okay not to know; the danger is in pretending that we do know that which we don't.

It seems that the people who put human faces on god diminish the magnitude of the Awesome Almighty Power. It can also spiritually cripple those who have had abusive human familial relationships. If I am afraid of all those who have said they are there to protect me, while in truth they use my vulnerability to further their own purposes, it is unlikely that I'm going to feel comfortable with a god who has a father, mother, sister or brother face.

If a raging flood has wiped out my entire village, I may be unable to see Positive Power in the water that can keep me alive, but can also kill me. The same sun that warms me and keeps our crops growing also destroys the sensitive skin that covers my friends prone to skin cancer. The breeze that billows the sails and cools us on a hot day also brought murderous conquerors to the shores of many lands.

Depending on my former experiences, I may perceive any of these things as either good or bad. This is why I believe it is so important to allow each individual to look for The Power of Positive Energy in whatever aspect of creation with which one is gifted, and allow them call all Positive Power god. There is still only one Ultimate Source of Energy, The Alpha and The Omega.

Why can't we see that all religious beliefs, like all accepted science, is what has been revealed to us and the writers thus far. Until we all turn back to Pure Energy, we are not meant to see the beginning or the end, only to be responsible for our small section of the energy that is put in our person and our paths.