Finding Spiritual Common Sense

Sometimes our view of G_d is too small.

We can take what we learned in Sunday School, Synagogue or Mosque and use that as the standard by which we relate to G_d.

While there is nothing inherently "wrong" with that, it can be a foundation upon which not much else is built. 

A restricted view of G_d can severely limit an understanding of an all-knowing, all-present, all-powerful G_d.

If you believe that G_d is a force or being that created the universe, that makes G_d the most powerful thing that ever existed. 

And if G_d created everything, then that includes science. There's no need to have an artificial separation between science and religion. In fact, I would guess that G_d loves it when creation is moving in the step of integration. That is, everything is related to everything else. 

The challenge, for us humans living in Western Culture, is that we tend to like rules and guidelines and structure. Even the most progressive of us. To be clear, I'm not saying that rules, and guidelines and structure are wrong. But when it comes to understanding G_d, too often organized religions tend to accentuate the dogma and not the dynamic nature of G_d.

When this happens dogma tends to suffocate wisdom. The Ten Commandments turn into the Thousand Things You Should (or shouldn't) Be Doing to earn salvation.

Photo Credit: Pew Charitable Trusts

Decades ago there was a phrase called "common sense." It is defined as "good sense and sound judgment in practical matters."

Given this basic definition, I'm wondering if there is such a thing as spiritual common sense?

For instance, if we had an understanding that G_d is good; that owning other human beings and forcing them to work for us is wrong; then why would we subscribe to a religion that excused slavery? It just wouldn't make common spiritual sense, would it? But in pre-Civil War America, that's exactly what many G_d fearing Christians did.

But my main point isn't that religion gets infected with bad politics sometimes. 

The point is bigger than that.

A broader, deeper yardstick for appreciating G_d would ultimately cut down on a lot of bad stuff to begin with. Stuff that depends upon a very restricted view of who G_d is.

And maybe one reason why we humans in Western Culture seem to be so resistant to positive change is that we're locked in to a religious system that itself is resistant.

Growth requires change.

There's no getting around that.

No one would suggest that going back to manufacturing Model-A Fords would be a great way to cut down on air pollution. So why would anyone suggest that a first-century understanding of G_d be all we would need for living in the 21st Century?

Jesus added insight into the understanding of G_d in his time. You could say that Jesus was an expert at spiritual common sense. Which could have been why he annoyed the contemporary religious leaders of his day.

If organized religion can't grow along with our understanding of G_d, it runs the risk of becoming increasingly irrelevant. Witness a recent Gallup poll (March 2021), which found that only 47 percent of American adults belong to a church, synagogue or mosque.

Given all of this, perhaps a worldwide pandemic, like Covid-19 can serve as a wake-up call. 

Covid has shown glaring inequalities in income, poverty rates, gender, and a host of other categories.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if Covid-19 spawned a real awakening - not of organized religion, in particular - but a reawakening of spiritual common sense?

And what if a reawaking of spiritual common sense brings a deeper, fuller understanding and appreciation of G_d? 

The possibilities are limitless!