Facebook is odd in what it brings me. One or two posts from the past hour or two, and then posts from days ago. And only from friends I have sort of followed or passed on the odd comment. Why not more current news from friends? I have 100s of friends, why not show me a few posts from them rather than the same folks from days ago? Show me something new from many I want to keep up with? That’s why I joined years ago.
One post showed up was 'who believes that the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ — say me'. And that generate a chat bot response via messenger when I responded with part of this blog. I did not engage it to see where the chat would lead.
That got me to thinking again about concepts that have touched my entire belief system since I was a child.
Our God is a merciful father, and being omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent by definition, would not just favor 2.4 billion children who identify as Christian and send 4.3 billion children to purgatory at best.
I continue to study God's creation. None of us can understand God, but the hand of God guides us and we have prophets to spread the word.
God has placed children in every kind of society, both primitive and modern, and even in countries like North Korea where there is absolutely no access to the Gospel or any other religious text. Would God condemn a sickly child who passes away in these societies? I can't or refuse to believe it.
I can't help but feel that our religions should unite us. When we make our belief system the 'only' belief system, we deny God's creation, and commit a blasphemy.
My whole life I have heard how this or that religion is the way to heaven. But when I step back a bit, I can see a far bigger picture.
Our prophets through the hand of God help us to understand how to live a better life.
In the Judeo-Christian heritage I look at people's actions through the lens of John 13:34-35 and Leviticus 19:18. I believe leading the best life we can through the teachings of our religious texts is our goal.
As a musician, I have played for some social clubs where their God hates the same people they hate.
I feel we fail when we take a religious text giving us a moral compass and try to apply it to science and medicine. Likewise, we can't take a scientific study and use it as a north star to life.
Our religious texts tell us how to be a human and that really hasn't changed, but our interpretation has evolved. I can't ever remember making a burnt offering. Science and medicine allow us to live longer and physically better, and that knowledge continues to evolve. Without science and medicine I would have been dead 10 years ago.
My disagreement is with the word 'only'. God did not create 'only'.
I then stand back and think what about the timing of this post to show up in my news feed now. Why? Facebook has its algorithms to try to hold your attention for as long as possible to generate ad revenue. As a computer programmer I can see how facebook fishes (and loaves — or better — is a fisherman of electronic devices) for your interests for micro targeting us for politics, products, or religion.
I believe the hand of God guides us. Some say coincidences are God’s way of remaining anonymous. I see how my life has gone and I see that hand.
Is this then one more Hand of God guidance through electrons inspiring me again?
I stand ready for those who would cast the first stone at me for what I believe. I welcome your thoughts.