Un-fully-formed thought for the day

 

I'm concerned that Christianity could perhaps be the understanding of God that has wandered farthest from the source. Three basic assumptions to inform the space from which I begin:

God is indefinable;

God is uncontrollable;

God is all-powerful and all-merciful, both of which are obvious by our very existence.

So it seems to me that Christianity, of all the world's religions, has attempted to apply the most definition to, exert the most control over, and claim for itself the power and mercy inherent in, the Prime Mover. One of the most important pieces of evidence for this is the figure of Jesus Christ, a half-human, whom Christianity places at the center of all relationship with the infinite. Thus, in the Christian model, a human being becomes God incarnate, the "right-hand-man," and the powerful counsel, judge, jury, and executioner. In most denominational foci, in fact, a Son of Man has indeed become God through the Trinitarian position. In a large historical context construction, then, Christianity has altered the concept of God to place humanity at the center instead of the Prime Mover.

It has then grown up, as de facto God, placing restrictions on the relationship with the infinite, limits on God's love, strict definitions about which portions of creation are most important or even acceptable (see: role of women; subservience of nature; the book of Revelation; draconian treatises on homosexuality, questions of faith, or human weakness [New Testament statements]). God's mystery, unpredictability, power and mercy are all still proclaimed, but only through the lens of acceptability that is Jesus' human ascension to the throne.

Islam is guilty of many of the harsh definitions and pigeon-holes for God that I mention in Christianity as well. Islam, as I understand it, would however agree with my position that Jesus, as a human, has been incorrectly raised to the level of God. Eastern religions would all tend to fall nicely within the assumptions I laid out above.

In historical, philosophical and theological contexts, however, I wonder if Christianity has created an understanding where humans are actually at the center of study and worship, instead of God. This would make sense with Christianity having been born out of Middle Eastern Hellenistic culture.

I am neither historian, philosopher, nor theologian; I am but a traveler and observer.

No I would not sleep in this bed of lies,

So toss me out, and turn in.

And there'll be no rest for these tired eyes.

I'm marking it down to learning; I am.