by Cynthia Harlan

Created on: December 18, 2010

 It doesn’t matter which religion you profess; or what name you assign  - Buddha, Zeus, Christ, Yahweh, Muhammad, Isis etc. the concept of God has the same meaning.  God is an entity, a power that is greater than us.

From our recorded beginnings, we (humankind) have attempted to solve the riddle of our existence.  We have tried to uncover the secrets of the universe.  We need explanations for everything that happens. When we can’t find the explanations, we fill in the blanks.  God has often served this purpose.  In ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian civilizations, a different God explained the change in seasons, the change in weather, the existence of war etc.  As we progressed through time, this changed.

When science and exploration found alternate explanations for the things that were once explained by gods, many moved from polytheistic to monotheistic belief systems. Does this mean that we should define “God” as a fictional construct designed to supply answers to unanswerable questions?  If we say this, can we not say the same for science and exploration?  We ask questions and depend on science and exploration to provide the answers; but, many times those answers have proven to be false.  

If we do not define God as a fictional construct designed to supply answers to unanswerable questions, then how do we define God?

 Some define God, not as an entity, but as a universal force.  This force is supposed to exist in all things.  When we die, the part of the force that resides in us is supposed to return to the universe to be recycled.  Should we define God as the source of all energy or is God more than this?

Some define God in limited terms.  These people believe that God once existed as an alien life form.  God, the alien, influenced the development of civilization as we know it. This God then left or ceased to exist but legend keeps this being alive today

 I believe that there are as many definitions for God as there are people on the earth.  We define God for ourselves.  For me God is not some fictional construct; a source of energy, or some alien being that existed in the past. I believe that God is much more. For me God is my creator, my guide through my existence in this world.  God is my hope for both my present and my future. This is how I define God.

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