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Tomorrow's God
Thanks to all those who came to the curry house on Tuesday evening - thought it was really stimulating time. Wondered if people had a chance to reflect?
My own thoughts were:
1. Pursuing 'God' in a way that is both authentic to us, that is about dialogue rather than propositional truth, and perhaps most importantly both the way we pursue God, the process, and the way we think about God, the 'outcome'should be on the basis of that which works on the basis of justice, compassion, love.
2. I struggled with the idea of taking bits of the Bible or bits of what Jesus said and just weaving that into my own concept of God - part of me wanted to have more courage and ask whether Christianity is a symptom of yesterdays God including the way we have thought about its sacred texts. I did agree with his general premise that ways of thinking about God to date have, yes inspired great things, but have not enabled us to create the kind of world we long for.
3. I really enjoyed thinking about community and the new economy and wondered whether we should explore this some more as a community in terms of relating to one another?
4. One way of trying to live some of this out is Tom's idea of a Shalom activity - rather than just talk about it is there stuff we can begin to do together?
5. Finally unrelated to the book but I learnt so much from the open process we went through and be really up for the idea of hanging out in the Cross, curry nights where we talk about stuff. I also really like the idea that we invite others to hang out with us and hear their perspectives.
Tim
October 16, 2005 - 4:08pm
Thought it would be worth putting the main tomorrows Gods points online.
1. Tomorrows God does not require anyone to believe in God.
2. Tomorrows God is without gender, size, shape, colour, or any of the characteristics of an individual living being.
3. Tomorrows God talks with everyone all of the time.
4. Tomorrows god is separate from nothing, but is Everywhere Present, the All in All, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Sum total of Everything that ever was, is now and ever shall be.
5. Tomorrows god is not a singular Super Being, but the extraordinary process called Life.
6. Tomorrows God is ever changing.
7. Tomorrows God is needless.
8. Tomorrows God does not ask to be served, but is the servant of all Life.
9. Tomorrows God will be unconditionally loving, non-judgemental, non-condemning and non-punishing.
So is there something in there for us? Is it just New Age Mass consciousness nonsense? Is it what Jesus taught, or where he was leading us?
As for me, even through my regular church going I've always sensed God leading me toward the more positive aspects of The Bible. Me and Tom had a chat about wether it was right or not just to accept the 'good stuff' and filter about the 'bad stuff'. I've always asked the question 'Does this belief serve me, and does it serve others?' If it doesn't, then I ditch it. What's the point in holding onto it? Life is too short.
But then I am a bit of romantic in most things J
I've never known a God that focuses on the dark parts of me, but instead has always drawn out the light and beauty that's on the inside of everyone. I couldn't believe in a God that doesn't embrace everyone, right here right now. And that we are all a part of that, in our own ways.
I've also been more and more impressed by the fact that God is within all of us, and all things. I don't think it helps us at all to see Him (her it) as separate in any way shape or form.
One (for me) very exciting upshot came from the conversation, and that was to have an evening in The Cross where we invite mates to share what they really believe, and what spiritual experience (if any) they have had. What has served them? What hasn't? I believe most people want to share this in a mutually accepting environment, and it would be class to do this over a few beers. I'm well up for it.
November 25, 2005 - 1:37am
Hi,
I just stumbled in on this site and am perplexed, what is this tomorrows god stuff? I thought God was/is unchanging, also can anyone really call themselves a christian if they discard the parts of the bible they don't like?
"Tomorrows god is not a singular Super Being, but the extraordinary process called Life."
Louis, this is called pantheism (pan=all theo=God) and nothing to do with christ. This is symptomatic of new age doctrines, that describe god not as an individual but a life force.
Stick to the bible and don't gloss over the tough bits - I'm sure God will bless you for your efforts - Thank for sharing your thoughts though!
March 22, 2006 - 2:54pm
I love the idea of a munch out meetup and natter... where and when?'s the next one?
haven't read the book
I worry about books
your list as summary of text reads a little of a read that's a little ego/anthropo-centric as if 'Tomorrows God' be a little convenient manufactured of a projected personal .. view? (my prejudice about books) not to take away from a book that deliberately asks questions
not that that doesn't speak as process of a role of importance to some as well as value to others..
if GOD's Wisdom is in the text I should read it .. afterall then it's my Ministry? if not ... (as you can see I'm not big on reading books I'm recommended to)
Discernment
GOD is bigger than us... though our acknowledgement or sense of GOD presupposes an openness to GOD in the first place and that blindness and struggle to accept a faith (what is faith?)offered .. to whom by whom? blindness matters to GOD .. that product of injury and injustice ..that we have to have understanding for and acknowledge..with wisdom
..I write with presuppositions of the language I grasp and struggle with in my own faith journey in the search of the all inclusive the Christianity that rushes out enthusiastic in the liberation message for all CREATION... a message about peace and freedom that means something out of this world exhilirating ...is peace and freedom important....? yes of course it is and the ironic of helplessness is that I find that GOD does it all for all or anyone's enthusiasm... (or apathy?)the trick is to keep up with GOD who acts in GOD's time
where are the Christians? am I just covering up for my own sense of basically I've got a lot to learn about patience peace my own sense of patiencepeace? my own sense of GOD's Deliverance (the freeing from oppression in all it's forms)
we get hungup on language
language is the carriage of misjustice as well as the Power of Transformation by the Power of GOD... something of AWE and POWER and WONDER and something not to be trifled with
the Bible I think offers GOD in that sense... or does GOD offer us .. ... the writings say of the Old Testament are Prophesy written in pretty challenging contexts the none of which we are in now!...or are we? I see it as GOD's challenge to the persistence of 'human' nature...(our logic in this) our despair and attachment locked into traditions and patterns of behaviour that leaves everyone pretty fed up though some might be smiling... .. GOD's Language is full on full life full body talk ... not the twodimensionality of writing on the page ... basically every generation is faced with that we abandon our education and cultural heritage (but NOT our association with GOD) we down the oppressions and we build anew we face GOD anew... but is not GOD in us... is not GOD everywhere in everything the platform and the power of Love for us..
Jesus says "I can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days" John notes the Resurrection is meant... the new house of worship the new house of the ark of the covenant many generations work and caring turned on its side rendered irrelevant? no the Law of GOD needs to be obeyed understood... the understood law is that of the heart.. a searching engaging heart .. the teacher of the Law of GOD is GOD's self
"you (the Samaritans) know not what you worship.. but we KNOW what we worship salvation comes through the jews.... we worship in Spirit and Truth" knowledge through experience
Thou shalt Love the Lord Thy GOD with ALL thy heart with all thy soul with all thy mind with all thy strength and Love thy neighbour as thyself
I agree that wonderful sense of recognising something of a seeking searching and sentience to The Light.. I also recognise we have to be in a space to do so ... any number of a plethora of things can interfere in that... attitude/anger/ego/ illness/ oh prejudiceetc etc etc etc
faithjourney is our very own but it is also shared ...but we can't of our own write or rewrite the rules of for another....? we do need to offer some sort of response if we feel challenged
but we can easily overlook how our privelege of earthly inheritence can shape how we see things how we are able to see things...
My frustration is that I feel the GOSPEL catch like wild fire amongst the poor and yet something seems to of remain a sort of account of preserve of the middle classes...
The Power of the GOSPEL..
GOD calls us all to be the GOD part of the middle classes and gives us the means to see to do
thus we all become doctors? healers , lawyers? advocates, educators? leaders and nurturers in wisdom, financiers? of the distributors of the wealth of GOD's Blessing..., property developers? builders of GOD's .. priests..., ambassadors? peacemakers, talents GOD's gifts opportunities
GIFTED and TAUGHT and REARED by GOD
GOD is there before us but are we following
the liberation of all through the Act of GOD do any of us need to? after all if GOD is in control...
I say we? I mean we my human counterparts the liberation of those we see now do we leave as Lazarus lepper the rich and Blessed by GOD can we truely serve two masters (ie the middle class existence per se) that we can trust yes trust in GOD can we leave it there?
if GOD 'serve' life is it as we know it with our views?
but are we content to leave the cleaning up to.... have you seen the state of toilet attendents and street sweepers ?
are the people who bed on the streets (or would ..) really just litter
Tomorrows GOD? someone else or me transformed by GOD
that those I walk past be
that the now today's GOD the GOD of always
GOD in the present...
that GOD is also a very dynamic and active ..however GOD reach you you find GOD
Peace with you!
GOD BLESS!
Peace and Love,
October 16, 2005 - 8:17pm
Louis added further commentary on the Tomorrow's God book and discussion here. Just so y'all know.
April 10, 2007 - 11:05am
Before I get started I want to tell you that I was raised a Christian until I was 7. I call myself a Christian with very little interest in religion. I have studied many of the worlds religions from the time I was a teenager.
I bought a cd called tomorrow god because frankly it was cheap and I travel alot and look for cheap entertainment.
I listened to the first cd of ed asner talking like he is god. And skipped to the last.
I was turned off by the elitism of being our own god and making our own rules. Dont get me wrong I can see the alure of being my god, i am sure it would come with great superpowers. But I am honest with myself and I am not god and have no superpowers.
I was also turned off by the assumption that there is no evil only lack of good. Now I have already told you I am not a committed christian and i am for the death penalty. I believe there is true evil in the world and some people arent worth saving.
This brings me to the last disc where ed asner addresses sex with children, and to me he seemed to have no moral opinion on sex with children and how about rape?
I hope you guys dont delete this because I hit a sore spot in your religion, because I would like it addressed. I can either go on thinking uni is a religion of child molestors or someone can explain to me why i am wrong and what ed asner meant on the last cd.
Thank you, Grant
April 10, 2007 - 11:05am
Before I get started I want to tell you that I was raised a Christian until I was 7. I call myself a Christian with very little interest in religion. I have studied many of the worlds religions from the time I was a teenager.
I bought a cd called tomorrow god because frankly it was cheap and I travel alot and look for cheap entertainment.
I listened to the first cd of ed asner talking like he is god. And skipped to the last.
I was turned off by the elitism of being our own god and making our own rules. Dont get me wrong I can see the alure of being my god, i am sure it would come with great superpowers. But I am honest with myself and I am not god and have no superpowers.
I was also turned off by the assumption that there is no evil only lack of good. Now I have already told you I am not a committed christian and i am for the death penalty. I believe there is true evil in the world and some people arent worth saving.
This brings me to the last disc where ed asner addresses sex with children, and to me he seemed to have no moral opinion on sex with children and how about rape?
I hope you guys dont delete this because I hit a sore spot in your religion, because I would like it addressed. I can either go on thinking uni is a religion of child molestors or someone can explain to me why i am wrong and what ed asner meant on the last cd.
Thank you, Grant
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