What is God?

I recently stumbled on a review of a psychology study called Creating God In One’s Own Image. Here is a small exert from the review (since they state as good or better than I can); "For many religious people, the popular question “What would Jesus do?” is essentially the same as “What would I do?” Through a combination of surveys, psychological manipulation and brain-scanning, researchers found that when religious Americans try to infer the will of God they mainly draw on their own personal beliefs. They use their own beliefs as a starting point, which colors their final conclusions about what God wants.

Researchers even manipulated people to change their views on God by getting them to read a speech that either supported or went against their (and God’s) stated position. The task shifted people’s attitudes towards the position in their speech, either strengthening or moderating their original views, and altering their estimation about what God’s attitude was.

People may use religious agents as a moral compass, forming impressions and making decisions based on what they presume God as the ultimate moral authority would believe or want. The central feature of a compass, however, is that it points north no matter what direction a person is facing. This research suggests that, unlike an actual compass, inferences about God’s beliefs may instead point people further in whatever direction they are already facing. If the first link is too academic, here’s another link to an article about the research." I found this research quite intriguing. Almost in the same breath I stumbled on this documentary, Oh My God , which asks people from all walks of life, from celebrities, to the religious, to atheists and the common Man – the question – “What is God?” This documentary has beautiful imagery and brings up many interesting points from very diverse people. I would suggest watching it no matter what you believe, it adds different perspectives from all around the world. If anything, you find it interesting. What I got out of this documentary and reading this study is that God is whatever you want it to be. There is a huge spectrum of what people believe regarding God. As there is no evidence to prove or disprove any of these beliefs, one must come to the conclusion that either they are all right and God is all encompassing or they are all wrong and that he does not exist.

I personally love the variety and beauty that this question portrayed. Even though I feel that belief in a God is misguided on many levels, I can respect a person's right to base their life on a belief in God. I would prefer that those efforts would come together to gather proof of God's existence, imagine if all those efforts were combined to study science and our universe. What amazing things would we know by now?

Right now, if I ask myself the question "What is God?" my answer is that God is an excuse and crutch that people use to justify their actions. None of us can "know" with a surety that God exists. Ask yourself, What is God to me? Do I use my belief in God as a crutch? If God is something beautiful and sacred to you then do your belief system a favor and seek to disprove it through the scientific process. Doing this will either strengthen your beliefs or open your mind to other possibilities.