God And Holistic Church

“God” is a matter of interpretation.

I am a Holistic / Humanist reverend. That’s what I do. More importantly, that’s who I am. Not surprisingly, I’m often asked about God. Do I believe in God? Does God exist? Am I against God? Not to worry, I’m not about to preach or “convert”. I’m on a quest to shed light on some common misconceptions.

I believe in God as a symbol, metaphor and a figure of speech. Click To Tweet

In this sense, I take no issue with God. I may disagree with the traditional concept of God, but no one — myself included — can argue the presence of God in our language or the popular meaning attached to the “God-related” expressions and there is no need to reinvent the wheel.

Theistic religions are older than philosophy and rationality. We all grew up in traditions that in most cases were, at the very least, influenced by religion. There is no need to fight “God-related” expressions and their meaning: everybody knows and understands them; they come handy for quickly expressing our thoughts.

As a “cultural Christian” (someone who was baptized as a child and raised as a Christian) I speak here of Christian religion, but differences not withstanding much of what follows applies to other religions just as well.

Here we go, just a few examples:

• “God bless you.”
• “You are in my prayers.”
• The use of the word “God” or “miracle”

Somebody sneezes, saying “God bless you” is quick and gets the message across efficiently. Why fix it? Would you rather give a speech explaining your Holistic / Humanist convictions, wishing them good health and attracting attention to yourself? There is no need to turn a sneeze into a sermon.

Someone receives a very bad news or there is a death in the family. “You are in my prayers.” doesn’t have to mean that you’ll fall to your knees and pray. It’s a quick way to express support for someone in pain; to give them comfort. It conveys good will and support. Discussing faith or lack thereof under some circumstances is highly inappropriate.

Exclamations like “Oh, God” or “miracle” have more to do with language than religion.
Awe, gratitude, admiration, etc. often call for the use of expressions like “Oh, God” or a “miracle”. Both are a part of language and tradition. Before you take offense, think! What are you saying when you say “Oh, God!” or a “miracle”? You are paying the ultimate compliment by calling a person or experience more than human. And there is nothing wrong with that.

How about religious holidays such as Christmas or Easter? Well, first and foremost they are not as religious as you may think. Both have pagan origins.

I see no harm to our humanity or Holistic / Humanistic worldview in celebrating Easter with or without Jesus. Without Jesus, Easter ushers in spring, renewal and rebirth. So Easter is the celebration of the renewal of life after winter. I see no problem with that, Easter celebrates Nature. With Jesus, the meaning of Easter is enriched by the human dimension: just like Nature gets reborn every spring, we human beings are encouraged to grow and blossom anew every spring. Either way, Easter with egg as its symbol is life-affirming. There is no good reason not to celebrate Easter. Being a Religious Holist / Humanist shouldn’t cause friction in our relationships with those who may follow a different path.

I see no harm to our humanity or Holistic / Humanistic worldview in celebrating Christmas, either. It sustains long standing social rituals that bring food, good will, families, friends and communities together. The metaphor behind the story of Jesus is lovely. Jesus’ story describes the stages of every person’s life. Most people can identify with his emotions and struggles. Granted, the story is embellished for its intended use, but strip the super-natural and you’ll see a very human experience of love, struggle, defeat and redemption. I can relate to it, can’t you?

Humanism doesn’t include the belief in God. But it doesn’t support arrogance, either. Be tolerant. Be respectful. There is no need to abandon those who love you because of a differing worldview. Whether the person you speak with is religious or not doesn’t change the fact that they are human. Judge them by their merit. Holists / Humanists can see beyond generalizations and do not perpetuate prejudice. Stand by those who share and live by your values. Don’t judge by religious affiliations alone!

Being an atheist — a Holist or a Humanist for that matter — shouldn’t be a lightning rod. It should not separate you from the people who give you comfort or those you give comfort to. It shouldn’t be at the center of every conversation. It shouldn’t make life difficult.

Humanists don’t burn books, destroy architectural or social structures or invite confrontations. Click To Tweet

We lead and influence by constructive example, by our tolerance and respect of the views others hold dear.

I abhor vandalism. Some people believe that the best way to assert their beliefs is by demolishing other faiths’ houses of worship or cemeteries. Hands off: all places of worship and cemeteries are holly. (No, not in the sense of presence of God.)

Houses of worship are not limited to God worship. They are places where ethic is taught. Places that provide comfort to the faithful. And these are goals of EVERY religion, Humanist and Holistic religion included.

Cemeteries are places where the remains of people are laid to rest. These are remains of people who loved and were loved; people who may have made valuable contributions to others and even to us. Respect other faiths’ cemeteries if you want your loved ones’ remains respected.

Holists and Humanists seek out opportunities to add value to life. If your goal is to dispel the existence of God and / or “correct” people’s beliefs prove your moral superiority by your actions. Criticizing established belief systems by disparaging them, divisive rhetoric or destruction is easier than earning respect for new ones.