There is God. Not “a” God. Or “the” God. Simply “God”.
Originally published 2000
The use of an article indicates a singularity. Something separate from other things. Mostly, something separate from us. Language is a funny thing. It’s a tool that helps us figure things out. The right language makes it easier to think about things. But language can also mislead us—especially in areas that are not well-suited to language, like God.
Similarly, “he”, and “his”, or even “she” and “hers” are misleading. They make God into some sort of person—rather than expressing “that which is woven into all that is”. Even when you understand the truth, using terminology like that can confuse others. It can even confuse you!
Note:
Phrases like “God’s forgiveness” are borderline. It’s possible to misinterpret them, but there isn’t any better way to express conceptual relationships of that kind. Other examples are: “sanity’s hallmark”, or “love’s joy”. On the other hand, phrases like “God wants you to…” or “God asks that you…” definitely anthropomorphism the concept of God into some sort of individual person, which creates a verbal separation where, in reality, there is none.
For more, see God, Jesus, Harry Potter, and Social Systemics.
Copyright © 2000-2017, TreeLight PenWorks
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