God and The Bootstrap Society

There are many comparables amongst the world's religions, beyond even the obvious ones like the idea that killing and stealing are wrong. Are these the ties that bind? Some may feel discomfort at the thought that they share an ideal with someone of another faith, as if they are somehow "cheating" on God. For me it is a validation of religion when I find these consistencies in other faiths. Finding similarities in varying religions' ideals is resonant because some things are universal. The question is, I suppose, what makes them universal? I believe that God is the common thread, and man's search for God has brought about many ideas that developed into religions.

There are a number of faiths that support modesty, or at least humility as a virtue, and I think most people believe this is true. I would like to address humanism, if that is a religion, which is as pure a form of narcissim I can think of. Essentially, the concept is man worshiping himself. In our society, man has become the be-all and end-all of importance. As a former humanist, I used to believe that mankind was, for good or ill, on the same wavelength by nature. Man needed something to believe in, therefore he created God. How's that for some hubris? We love the stories of the underdog who is victorious against all odds because we love the strength of the human spirit. By sheer force of his own power, man overcomes. But suppose for a moment that the human spirit fails and the underdog just goes under? It's great to celebrate the human spirit, but it is interesting logic that human beings love a scapegoat as well. When these things occur in our lives, our tendency is to look around for someone to blame. After all, if we don't manage to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps it is because something was unfair, right?

The Bootstrap philosophy has its positives and negatives. We should always try, work hard, do our best, but if we fail, we must evaluate why we were doing it in the first place using biblical standards. When suffering occurs, we must approach it philosophically. It is one of the aspects of eastern philosophies that I can appreciate when my bootstraps snap. We can indeed learn from suffering, and we can view any suffering as learning. One explanation is to say "God doesn't exist because a good God wouldn't allow suffering,." We must discern the truth or falsity of that statement and not fall into the trap of blaming God for suffering. I had a close friend who was a self-avowed athiest, but whenever we discussed suffering in the world she would rant against a God in whom she did not believe. You can't have it both ways. It can't be His fault if he isn't there. Then whose fault is it? It has to be someone's, right?