|
Most people (not all) first experienced
unconditional love not through the image of a man, but through the image of
their mother. She therefore became the basis for many people’s real and
operative God. I am convinced that many people sour on religion because the God
they are presented with is actually less loving than their Mother and/or Father
was.
For much of the human race, the mother has
been the one who “parts the veil” for us, and opens us up to any inner life of
emotions or soul. She gives us that experience of grounding, intimacy,
tenderness, and safety that most of us hope for from God. However, many people
also operate from a toxic and negative image of God. For those people, little
that is wonderful is going to happen as long as that is true. Early growth in
spirituality is often about healing that inner image, whether male based or
female based.
Most of us know that God is beyond gender.
When we look at the Book of Genesis, we see that the first thing God is looking
for is quite simply “images” by which to communicate who-God-is (Genesis
1:26-27). God is not looking for servants, for slaves, or for people
who are going to pass loyalty tests. God is just looking for images—“images and
likenesses” of the Inner Mystery. Whoever God “is,” is profoundly and
essentially what it means to be both male and female in perfect
balance. We have to find and to trust images that present both a healthy
feminine face for God and a healthy masculine face for God. Both are true and
both are necessary for a vital and loving relationship with God. Up to now, we
have largely relied upon the presented masculine images of God (which closed
many people down) while, in fact, our inner life is much more drawn to a loving
feminine energy. That is much of our religious problem today, and I do not
believe that is an exaggeration.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment