There remains the possibility of a vision quest. Many cultures around the world have practiced this “seeking after God”. Many religions have practiced this “seeking after God”. Sometimes it is a "rite of passage" from childhood to being an adult. Most have several common threads. Aloneness, isolation, deprivation (no food, or water), or self punishment. If I punish myself enough, God will pay attention to me. God can not be bribed. If He could be bribed, He would not Be God. The worst punishment a "primitive" group could mete out was to be ostracized. Anyone who transgressed too badly was ostracized. This means to be forced out of the protection of the group. Organized religion took these ideas. Then the leaders reinvented them as self punishment and refined it. Organized religion created special places of voluntary retreat from others and society: “Go thou into the desert, the wilderness”. (Luke 4:1) They added asceticism, and vows of poverty. A lack of protection from the elements was common to such activities. Exposure to sunlight, wind, heat, cold, or banditry was common to such activities. All are attempts to incur the pleasure of God. All are attempts to feel ecstasy. Each is a kind of bribe to try to get something from God. God can not be bribed. If He could be bribed, He would not Be God, as He would be less than Godlike. Some groups and individuals use chemical means to try to achieve a connection with God. Biochemicals from plants. Alcohol, nicotine, peyote, hemp, mescaline, nightshade, morning glory seeds, mushrooms, opium, loco weed, and other poisonous plants. Or, more recently compounded pharmaceuticals have been used. All these forms can become addictive. They are so easy to use they become addictive. A lazy man’s way to attempt to incur the pleasure of God. A lazy man’s way to feel ecstasy. They are another kind of bribe, in other words. God can not be bribed. If He could be bribed, He would not Be God, as He would be less than Godlike. Early on in the exploration of North America, it was noted that the “natives” enjoyed the consumption of alcohol. I have read that this was especially so because their many religions so valued “visions”. Anyone who has ever consumed enough alcohol has had a similar “vision” experience. I don’t really think that the “natives” saw “pink elephants”. They had no personal experience of elephants. It might have been “pink buffaloes”. Additionally, alcohol is addictive. European entrepreneurs certainly took advantage of the “natives”. They added other poisonous materials to the whiskey barrels. Anything from strychnine to rattlesnake heads. The “natives” had not experienced centuries of frequent consumption of alcohol. It was not in their genetic backgrounds. Not when compared to Europeans that had had that experience. The Europeans had built some resistance to the effects of alcohol. They had developed a genetic adaptation to the compound. Europeans brought alcohol to North America. The “natives” quickly encouraged the Europeans to become firmly addicted to nicotine in tobacco. One good turn deserves another in return. A trade of drunkenness in return for lung cancer. Across history and across the world, we have mystics, hermits, monks, or organized, formalized religious retreats of many kinds trying to bribe God. Their bribe is their own self-inflicted punishment. "If I hurt myself enough. If I suffer enough from (fill in the blank), God will pay attention to me. I am so important that even God will be forced to attend me. God will answer my prayers. God will (fill in the blank)". All such activities are clumsy, childish attempts to force some kind of recognition from God. They are driven by feelings of guilt, or mental illness. It might be physical illness, or a cold and deliberate public relations ploy. An attempt by religious leaders to force some kind of sign of recognition. They have a desperate need and try to force an observable action. Obviously, they will try to use any observable natural event for proof. Any condition which can be attributable to God's action. Something that other humans can recognize as a Godlike action. Something that other humans can recognize as a reaction to human prayers, rituals, and ceremonies. Some way to retain their power. Their problem was and is that God can not be bribed. If He could be bribed, He would not Be God, as He would be less than Godlike.
(c) Copyright 2006: George Wallace recently published a book on religion which lashes out at nearly all of the comfortable ideas about God, the trappings of organized religion, and the priesthood. His pithy comments and suggestions for a return to a God-centered personal religion will interest everyone. This article may be freely reprinted so long as all copyright attributions, and the full content of this resource box are included. www.OhGodIsThatYou.com
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