1st-issue/God of New Age

God of New Age in the 21^st century

By Tarlochan Singh Khalsa, Ph.D..

The most sensitive issue at any time may be to talk about God, accepted to everyone who believes in God. Certain basic questions, like the sex and the root description of God, need universal attention to resolve in the approaching 21^st century. The American Heritage College Dictionary, third edition, describes God as a perfect being conceived as the creator of the universe, and worshipped in monotheistic religions.

The gender of God?

First time, I realized the importance of the gender of God was when I met a female at one of the community colleges in Washington State. I desired to start a community service class on ‘searching for spiritual ecstasy.' She was not the concerned person; I was looking for. She showed certain rude interest in my class proposal. One of her questions ‘what is the sex of your God’, appealed me. She meant whether my God was male or female. My appearance with long supported beard and turban might have some distinct reaction inside her. From her conversation, at least at that time I could not get any attitude. It was not that I did not know the answer or I did not have conceptual clarification. However she raised a relevant question that did not inconvenience me earlier.

I had been pondering over her idea for about three years. In May 1997, I happened to attend an information class at the same community college. I saw that female there again. It reminded me her fascinating question in this New Age. It didn’t take long to give command to the army of my senses to offer my views authoritatively on this penetrating question.

The technological advancement

In the recent age of technological promotion and super highways, the world is so precise to comprehend each other rapidly and intimately. For the healthier interpretation and improved functioning of the world affairs in the New World order, it is crucial at this moment to recognize the need to render preciseness to the theory of God. This will help to transform this world into an increased livable place in unanimity social environment. The world that may look extra sensible to the common judgment. To emphasize this reasonable point, at least we can open discussion on the basics on the theory of God without hurting the feelings of any religious group.

The race

Let us start with the human race. If we view all humanity as one human race, then we definitely have something in common. Instead of preaching harmony and respect for diversity, hate toward any race anywhere will create disorder in the New World order. Are all the major religions of the world preaching equality of race? Are there enough efforts to educate the science of equality to the relatively less spiritually privileged people? Are the religions themselves above race? If not, they are at double fault; one not to exercise equality; and second not to moralize equality.

Preaching does not merely mean to read the holy writings inside the respective places of worship. Unfortunately, the members of the various beliefs also appear a party in manifold instances to encourage racism. Possibly this is the reason we see many believers attending places of worship on the basis of their race. Even the names of the places of worship breed racism. The reality to admit is that there is something wrong at the bottom line. This is the common domain where the government and the religion activists need to work.

God vs. god

Does all the creation have just one and only God running the universe? Is there more than one God or god? Are gods, goddesses, and or angels together running the business of the universe? Are the God and gods both running the affairs? Then the gods must have their God too. If we accept this actuality, many of our differences may be resolved. After accepting this truth, it may be rational to say that the God with the uppercase ‘G’ should be the almighty and almighty alone and sexless. Yes, in that case the gods and goddesses’ may have their sexes—male or female. There will be of course, and should be, a lot of variation in the spiritual strength and characteristics of the respective gods and the goddesses. Nevertheless, there will be impartial one common God.

A universal God—an interpretation

Is it possible we can frame a common definition of God that can capture at least most of the central attributes, if not totally? Of course it is also difficult to draw a more comprehensive but less acceptable definition. Let us examine the following description of God given by Guru Nanak (1469-1539) in the end of the fifteenth century. You can delete or expand words per your inclination.

There is one and only God,

with authentic name,

creator in spirit, without fear,

without hate, beyond term,

beyond transmigration,

self existent, and realized

with the pleasure of the guru.

So this is the description of the Creator. There is totally one God who has legitimate name. All other names are impermanent. The God is a pure spirit—not in tangible appearance. Whatever we see around us is a physical form of God. No other is parallel to God. Therefore, God is not fearful from someone and from something. The Creator of all the creation does not revenge any body. All get uniform treatment. The punishment and the reward are the outcomes of our own possessed karma that set the cycle of transmigration from one birth to another.

The time is classified as past, present and future—in the material world. So we try to estimate the life span of any matter in property. From this cause the Creator is a pure and permanent spirit—beyond time. The transmigration of birth is for those who are matter and are under the influence of time. Being a pure spirit and beyond karma; God is free from transmigration.

The next inquiry can be who created the Creator? Guru Nanak realized that God is self-existent. The Creator is self-created. What is the way to realize God? What channel to use to be one with the Creator? What is the passage to get proximity of the Super Spirit? This is possible with the gratification of the guru—who has by this time-developed indivisibility with Creator. Guru Nanak didn’t make any reference of religion conversions. Instead he emphasized to custom meditation on the word of the guru, and singing rhymes in holy assembly.

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Last Updated : Sunday, August 01, 1999