Guest Author - Andrea Gardiner, Ph.D.

Although there are many varying degrees to the interpretation of what God is, there appears to be two distinct divisions within Western culture. The first division would be the one shared by traditional religions. According to American Religious Identity Survey at least 80% of the United States identifies with a traditional religion in some way, and is accordingly exposed to a religious view or interpretation of God. This interpretation is portrayed in the news, taught by many religious leaders and dreaded by all atheists. For sake of conversation, let’s call this viewpoint the Religious God.

The second viewpoint is not as widely publicized, although gaining some popularity. It is taught quietly by a few and discovered privately by others. This viewpoint is extremely controversial and is held just as closely by those who acknowledge it. Again, for sake of conversation let’s call this interpretation the Spiritual God.

Now if we were to accept the discussions on the metaphysical origins of religion, the Religious God may be viewed as a product of evolution. Religion, in the metaphysical sense as with any evolutionary phenomena, is born of an innate need of the species, what was this need? It was the need for social order and organization. It was the need to evolve separately as a species from the other species of nature. If a species is to do this, there are necessary components that must be fostered and synthesized. As Darwin has shown us, natural selection is necessary for the process of evolution to take place. For natural selection to occur, the physical environment must be of a certain accord to emphasize certain characteristics of a species (whether they are behavioral or phenotypical). However, if we were to use metaphysical understanding then we also know that the physical reality is only a reflection of nonphysical expression.

The desired environment for ordered society called for unquestioning loyalty. It also, as stated earlier, called for a separation from nature. There needed to be a system that held loyalty and would also re-ensure or console man’s separation attempt. Mankind had to be unwaveringly convinced of their dominance over nature. This could not be done by a few, but must be done by all. The birth of God and/or evolution of religion provided such an environment.

Religion and the Religious God gave man the right, no the authority, over the earth. Those species that did not readily conform to this belief system were consequently not taken in with tribes and other social structures. This type of behavior is still seen today among people of all ages and cultures. There is always some degree of pressure to conform or assimilate with society in which one is present.

The Religious God however did not come from the nothingness of the ethers. The psychic environment came from an innate knowing. This innate knowing existed before the formation of the religious environment and the Religious God. It existed during the time of the desired separation. As with any creation, things must only manifest within the context of what is known or believed by the individual. Likewise, the same guidelines were followed for the creation of religion and the Religious God. The psychic manifestation occurred as a revelation of what was already known.

Daniel Dennett, a renowned atheist once said, “Your religion, you may believe, came into existence when its fundamental truth was revealed by God to somebody who then passed it along to others. It flourishes today because you, and others of your faith know that it is the truth, and God has blessed you and encouraged you to keep the faith.” He was referring to Western religions in particular; however one can see that the birth of any world religion usually occurs this way. A desire or need is, or were, fostered and out of this desire the psychic environment was formed. The psychic environment is then perceived as a revelation and thus the birth of the religion with its Religious God at the head.

A closer look at the psychic environment can point the observer to something else. If a person is spiritual, they may look at the psychic environment with the desire to find the underlying cause of its formation. For instance, if you understand the nature of this environment and how its inhabitants impress upon it and likewise how it affects its inhabitants, then you can see just where the information contained in the psychic environment originated. As stated earlier, psychic manifestations occur from what is already known. This must mean the information it contains regarding the religion, and so forth, must be already known on some level of the individual or species. This also means that all religious formation or projection stems from an inner knowledge of True Self.

This leads us to the opposite or “other” God that is discussed in the aforementioned second division. Earlier, the term Spiritual God was chosen to term this God. This Spiritual God, while possessing all of the positive characteristics the Religious God holds, seemingly operates in a much different capacity. The Spiritual God that is spoken of is not a Being outside of man but is the Inner Being of mankind and all things. Its history and evolutionary process does not seem to follow or pattern that of the Religious God. While it has evolved and continues to do so, it is not a psychic projection or formation. This Spiritual God simply IS. It is the Source of everything and has no beginning or history to traipse through.

The Spiritual God is not discussed in an intellectual manner. This God is discussed rather in a knowing, feeling manner. As opposed to the Religious God that is revealed to one and told to many, the Spiritual God can be experienced by any and all who wishes to do so. The nature of this God can be understood as such: it can neither be created nor destroyed. It exists in form through form and out of form. This God cannot be acted upon as it is the substance that creates, and is the substance of creation. This God is the basis or building block so to speak of all things (in scientific terms this is energy). The nature of this God is beyond any cultural need because it does not need anything, but experiences everything. It does not have the potential to fade away like the Greek gods depending on the psychic environment projected by its inhabitants. This cannot occur because the Spiritual God simply IS and its existence does not depend on need, like that of the Religious God.