The God you choose

"God is a commedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh" (Voltaire)

At times I've been accused of being a little overboard in my writings. And since I'm not about to change, if you are sensitive to discussions about God that don't match your own beliefs...best to skip this article.

"we see God, not as he is but as we assume he ought to be"

Almost everyone who professes a belief in God, assumed the beliefs of their parents. It is rare to find someone who went against the teachings they were brought up with. And yet, since there are so many religions, we can't all be right, can we? Well maybe we can all be right. Maybe we get the God we choose!

"Dear God, please protect me from your believers" (I can't remember who wrote that but I find it both profound and funny)

In the book 'How God Changes Your Brain' the authors discuss the effects on your brain, based on the type of God that you believe in. Their research is based on brain imaging studies of nuns, Buddists, Sikh's and Sufi's. Their findings are remarkable.

"The God we choose to love, changes us into his image, whether he exists or not"

Now that is a sobering concept to contemplate. Contemplating a God that is loving, strengthens portions of our brain where empathy and reason reside. Contemplating a wrathful God empowers that part of the brain were aggression and fear reside. Scary huh? Sort of explains why some people will strap a bomb to themselves and go kill innocents. As for me, I call my God the Cosmic Jokester....hmmm I wonder how that affects my little brain?

"I don't go to religion to make me happy, I always knew a bottle of port would do that" (C.S. Lewis)

So there you have it from the latest scientific research....you become like the God you contemplate! I'm sticking with the Cosmic Jokester...I like him!

Smile, the God's are fond of a good joke (Aristotle)

Eduardo