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July 1, 2006
God and a Summer's Day
Emerson writes: "On this refulgent summer's day it is a luxury to take the breath of life." Today is such a day, and I have indeed been much enjoying, in recent weeks, the luxury of breathing warm summer air -- non-packaged, non-air-conditioned, air.
This preference for the natural, in favor of the person-made -- for the potato over the potato chip -- runs deep in me and many. It is an ideology, to be sure. But, in its throes, I was wondering whether God -- as a human creation or as a human-like creator -- doesn't cheapen the summer's day. Might it be more of a luxury to breathe wild, natural air rather than the confection of some Heavenly Tinker?
Posted by Mitchell Stephens at July 1, 2006 4:51 PM
Comments
Oh Mitch is there a 'Heavenly Tinkerer'?
And is he making cotton candy of spun sugar clouds???
Hmmm...a new god, I take it. Instead of calling Him Father, do his followers call him Pop?
Well enough religious talk! Before I get baptized as a popsicle!
But given you, no doubt, are referring to God, to the Creator as a Heavenly Tinker...
then to your inquiring, "Might it be more of a luxury to breathe wild, natural air rather than the confection of some Heavenly Tinkerer?"
My answer: You will really never know. : )
P.S. The word is simply Tinker...one who tinkers, is a Tinker. The language proves in this case that one truly IS what one DOES. : )
Posted by: Bonnie Kim at July 1, 2006 7:49 PM
The idea of God is an abstraction from the experience of breathing any kind of air. If you have a symbol, a name for something beyond your understanding, does the symbol mean anything?
The idea of God does not edify, it abstracts.
Posted by: Jay Saul at July 1, 2006 10:30 PM
The idea of God vs. the entity of God?
Posted by: Bonnie Kim at July 2, 2006 12:05 AM
There is no entity of God. That IS the idea of God.
Posted by: Jay Saul at July 2, 2006 7:33 AM
oops. tinkered with my entry to remove "tinkerer." thanks Bonnie.
Posted by: mitch at July 2, 2006 8:53 AM
Oh you are so welcome Mitch! I hesitated to say anything, given my writing wears so very informally and all...
Now back to the topic though!
God and a Summer Day, indeed.
Let me share a quote from Yann Martel in his wonderful novel, "Life of Pi"...
"If you stumble at mere believability, what are you living for? Isn't love hard to believe?"
"Don't you bully me with your politeness! Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask any believer. What is your problem with hard to believe?"
Oh what an insightful few lines to cogitate on some!
Posted by: Bonnie Kim at July 2, 2006 5:59 PM
And what we find hardest to believe is in not believing.
Anything one believes is easy to believe.
Anything one does not believe is hard to believe.
My DNA made me say that.
Posted by: Jay Saul at July 2, 2006 9:41 PM
My DNA talks too, Jay Saul!
And mine says that the resistence of doubts, questions, and even disappointments are integral to faith...
And again from Life of Pi (my new Bible!!!)
"I know what you want. You want a story that won't surprise you. That will confirm what you already know. That won't make you see higher or further or differently. You want a flat story. An immobile story. You want dry, yeastless factuality."
Posted by: Bonnie Kim at July 3, 2006 12:22 PM
BK: that last quote really ought to be posted to the other site re: 'the quest for certainty' - that is precisely what the majority of people want: a predictable narrative, especially about the history of America, one founded on that 'shining city on a hill' that Cotton Mather described. The Bush Administration is only the most recent to provide it, this time complete w/ 'shock and awe' (been listening to too much Patti Smith singing 'radio baghdad')...
...but thankfully, this summer's day is resplendent with hummingbirds and daisies and sharp breezes. No need for god...
Posted by: JM at July 3, 2006 12:34 PM
