Some say God created the universe, and some say the universe has always existed. And some say the Universe is the energy we know as God.
Atheists argue that because the universe always existed, it was not created. Others say that, like the universe, God always existed and did not need to be created. Does that mean that no one gave birth to God? I’m curious: how do they know?
Humans, mostly men, authored and passed down ancient scripts about God. I’m not sure where they got their information. I wonder if these sacred scriptwriters had guides and angels that whispered in their ears, guiding them to the Truth. And if so, why are there differences between these scripts?
I imagine these artifacts being handed down from father to son, generation after generation. And each generation, upon reading, might be tempted to update, edit, and revise these scripts according to their current inner beliefs. Did this information come from their guides and angels? Again, if so, why the differences between scripts?
For example, Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah, God incarnate. But Judaism rejects this, claiming that it contradicts their belief in the absolute unity and singularity of God. And then there’s Buddhism, often referred to as an atheistic religion, stating that believing in god isn’t the point.
So who’s right? What is the point? And does it even matter?
Trust Your Heart
My maternal Grandmother, Ruby, was a devout Christian. Countless times, she explained, “You simply need to accept Jesus Christ as your savior. And if you don’t, you’ll surely go to hell.”
My stepdad, Ralph, was an atheist, constantly preaching, “There’s no such thing as god. What the church says is rhetoric. They’re just trying to get your money and control the masses.”
My great-grandmother, Gladys, was a bit of a rebel, certainly a woman ahead of her time. She held seances and used the Ouija board to speak to the dead. She found comfort in walking among the ghosts that lingered in graveyards and cemeteries. She explained, “God is not a person but an energy, and all beings are part of that energy. Every being holds that same beautiful Divine energy within them.”
Enduring my endless questions and confusion, Gladys would say, “Trust your heart, dear child, always trust your heart. It will never lie or lead you astray.”
What Really Matters?
Okay, back to my original question: where did God come from?
According to the natural law of Dependent Origination, everything is interconnected. Every being’s existence is completely contingent on the external world to survive and thrive. As infants, we depended on our parents for food, shelter, and even purpose, and our parents depended on their caregivers. It goes on and on up this endless chain.
If every being in the universe was created by and dependent upon the preexistence of another being (or beings), then how do we explain how we got here? ~Norton Herst
Dr. Herst goes on to explain that there must be a being that is self-existent, outside of this chain, a being that is not dependent on anything to exist and that being, therefore, must be God.
Or is it universe? Are they the same? And, honestly, does it matter?
When I delve deep into this question, I hear Gladys softly whispering, “Trust your heart.”
And my heart says, “The question is irrelevant. It has no benefit, and debating which came first is the red herring, distracting us from what is most important: living with integrity and compassion for ourselves and all beings.”
As the Buddhists say, believing in god is not the point. The point is about how we show up in life. Are we living with integrity? Are we willing to show compassion for all beings, even those we disdain or fear? Do we have the courage to take responsibility for who we are and what we do with our lives?
In my heart, I know life is short and precious. It costs nothing to be kind, loving, and compassionate. And I trust my heart.
References:
O’Brien, Barbara. “The Role of Gods and Deities in Buddhism.” Learn Religions, Apr. 5, 2023, learnreligions.com/gods-in-buddhism-449762.
Wikipedia: Jewish Views on Jesus
Who Created God, Norton Herst, PhD
The Dalai Lama Reflects on Faith in Buddhism and Christianity