The blind atheist
God, that old chestnut, has been bothering philosophers/thinkers/shamans/priests since the moment humans began to string two sentences together and transcribe their thoughts some twenty six centuries ago. From the first evidence of Vedanta prophecy as recorded in the Bhagavad-gita, right up to the the present day, we remain confused.
The Dutch national motto is "I will endure" and that sums up the human condition and pretty much the existence of faith, belief, hope, call it what you will, that something will enable us to soldier on in the maze of life. Whether or not we believe in anything, the mere fact that we are here and must go through all the trials and tribulations that life throws at us, and this despite the free will that atheists celebrate, is testament to something greater than ourselves.
Humans, as we know, when left to their own devices can be hopelessly inept and devoid of common sense hence the reason that law and organised religion were so vital to the development of society.
I am enthralled when atheists proclaim their belief that God serves no purpose. A walk in the National Gallery right here in London, where on display is the civilising of mankind through polytheistic and monotheistic-themed art, is a free lesson available to all. The history of art in the West is essentially the story of the evolution of thought towards the liberalism of today; contemporary art is so abstract it appeals only to the nothingness inside our heads as we have divested ourselves of myths, legends, religious guilt and morality altogether.
The greatest thinkers whose treatises remain relevant to this day, were motivated by questioning the value system they inherited from their parents- ultimately those beliefs were religious. Had it not been for the search for proof of the existence of God, entire schools of thought would not have even occurred. In a sense, the very rebellion of the existence of God is not productive in any way except to say that the whole concept needs destroying.
Humans are good at destruction- our politicians are keen to bomb, shatter, annihilate ancient civilisations unless they bend to their sway. That thinking is more anti-human than anti-God. Similarly, atheism is the manifestation of the pure ego, unbound by a reliance on anything or anyone, least of all a cumbersome set of religious tenets that offer guidance on how to behave and even think.
In nature there is an order that is astounding to behold. There is a cycle that possesses its own rhythm where timing is everything. Equally, extreme weather patterns can disrupt the balance of nature and send it off the edge. In which case we can always blame God. Nature is incapable of pointing blame at anyone or anything. Nature endures because it must, because it is.
When we look to make sense of our world, we forget that we share a similarity with nature and its cycles. In the process of living we are also dying, as the flower turns to seed which signifies the end and also the beginning. Humans age and decay in the same way that leaves turn to russet and brown in the Autumn.
Our search for God is a hopefulness that we too might find ourselves.
Go for a walk in any green landscape near you. You will see what atheists refuse to believe exists because they choose to be blind.
Photo copyright S. van Dalen
On a lighter note...
Go and kiss someone! The world needs love...
Copyright S. van Dalen photo and detail of The Kiss, oil on canvas by S. van Dalen
And finally...
...continuing our series on What Really Matters in this Life, I asked best-selling author, Lizzy Ford, to share her top five:
Cover design copyright 2013 by Amanda Carroll of Sarian Royal
1. My marriage. Brilliant, sweet and ever-supportive, my husband is the reason I was able to follow my dreams. He helped me learn to believe in myself and to take a chance on my writing when others wouldn't. The result: a very successful writing career and the ability to help others.
2. My gift. Writing is a powerful tool. I can entertain, inspire and comfort others. Whether I'm writing about vampires, demons and dragons or about the sensitive topic of rape, I know I'm using my gift to reach others.
3. Giving back. In an upcoming release, I chose to write about rape and its emotional aftermath in the hope of helping others heal more quickly than I did. The feedback I've received is incredible and inspiring. Many women have shared their stories with me and told me that the book helped them feel less alone.
4. The natural world. I feel most at peace when I can lose myself in nature. My eventual goal is to have a little cabin in the forest in the northwest United States with enough land that I can rescue animals. I live in the desert of southern Arizona now and find the open skies and cacti beautiful as well.
5. Choosing happiness. Every day, I strive to focus on the silver lining of life. I am grateful for who I am and what I have, and I work hard to be a positive influence in the lives of those around me. Life is a gift and happiness a choice.
Lizzy Ford is the internationally best selling author of over twenty five books written for young adult and adult romance readers. Lizzy has sold over 250,000 copies of her books worldwide. http://www.guerrillawordfare.com