Oh MY GOD!

This is a conversation I had with Anna, who was my student at the American University of Armenia ( AUA ). She works as a senior executive in a consumer durables retail chain at Yerevan, Armenia!

Date: 26th October 2006


Anna: i don't have god

me: Thats ok.
You dont have to have one.
Most people dont agree with my view of God anyway.

Anna: what is your view of god ??

me: Oh its very complicated..... are you SURE you want to know?

Anna: of course
I have tons to do but still want to know..

me: Well there are several parallel thoughts. My thoughts are often like that.
1. God is a fictional character.

me: This approach says that God is something I NEED to believe in.
There is not a shred of evidence that he exists for real, and I am ok with that.
God is an IMAGINARY FRIEND I talk to, someone who always forgives me and always is on my side.
ARE YOU THERE?

Anna: yes

me: Understood that much? Shall I go on to the next?

Anna: yes

me: God is my father-figure, someone who expects me to do my best but is at the same time loving and forgiving too.
He put me in this world and he watches over me like a father watching over a toddler who walks, stumbles and falls.
Its ok to fall / fail.
And when I am totally tired I can tell Him to take care of everything....while I go off to sleep or take a break.
Shall I go on to the next?


Anna: just a sec

me: ok

Anna: ok

me: The third approach is mystical. Mysticism is a philosophy that believes that you cannot FIGURE out god.
God is like..... any good experience, it cant be adequately represented in words.
Hence I believe that all attempts to DESCRIBE God is inadequate.
I also believe that the Christian belief of God as separate from his creation is not right.
I think that God and his creation are one and the same, not different.
That there is God in everything around us.
That the universe is benign, and not treacherous.
That the reason why we all suffer so much is because we have so much difficulty trusting the world around us. (World includes people)

Anna: treacherous ??

me: Yes many people think the world is EVIL
And that one must constantly be on our guard.
Or we will get sucked in and will lose ourselves FOR EVER.
Such people are usually afraid and suspicious of everyone and everything.

Anna: hmmmm.. i understand that
Oh I KNOW !!!
It's the same thing you always tell me of me being so trusting and expecting the good and not bad people

me: Do you wish you had not asked me that question..... is my answer too long and too complicated?

Anna: no … (I think) it is HEALTHY... it doesn’t make you scared or forced to do this or that, it gives you strength and happiness and piece... it is not there to punish you..
and to me that's what a true religion should do
give peace