God, A Metaphysical Entity

Many years ago, as my reading expanded, I came across the word, "metaphysical." I looked it up in the dictionary and felt I understood what it meant. But, where exactly would one ever have need of such a word. Things "supernatural" seem more appropriate to Halloween, than to anything with real relevance to one's life. But, now, suddenly, I feel this word is the best one yet to describe the nature of God.

God is occasionally mentioned in a Hofstra study group for seniors that I attend, and most generally arises when a new book on God, or the absence of God, comes up for discussion. The back and forth will at times become a bit heated. But, here is what I've figured out:

There both is a God, and their isn't. It depends on how you look at it. If this seems nonsensical, consider religion. In high school, where I was first exposed to the pagan culture of the early Greeks, I loved the stories of their Gods. But, I was troubled by one question; namely, could their beliefs be described as a religion. How was that possible?

Years later, I got it. It was religion, because religion is culture. Understand culture and you understand religion. Take an Irishman and compare him with an Italian. How alike are they? Consider but one situation; namely, how they grieve. Does an Irish wake look anything like an Italian wake? Or, let's consider Jews. The differences between an Orthodox Jew and a Reform Jew are so great it would take a full length book to do them justice.

Often religious leaders seek to deny the spectrum of behavior that characterizes their coreligionists. "We all look to the Pope for spiritual guidance," say Roman Catholics. "We all worship the Torah," say the Jews. "We stand by the Bible," say the Protestants. But, of course we have all observed the realities. And, the reality is that God is who, or what we say, It, or She, or He, is. In other words, God is a projection of our intellect.

That is not to say God is not real. An entity one would die for, or, in other ways, make serious sacrifices for, is indeed real. But, as we struggle to understand God, it is possible that we will refine our understanding of the world around us. And, as our thinking is refined, is it not possible that God, as we understand Him, will also become modified?

Is there a God; of course. But, tomorrow, his image for me might well be a bit different than it was today. Will God have changed, or will I have changed? Perhaps we will both have changed.