The Search for God Page 4.2.1
When I began my study of religions, I often questioned which one, if any, was correct? I approached the search logically. I wanted to know if the religions that claimed God spoke to one of their prophets, founders, and so on, were correct. Before that, I wondered, “Why would God speak at all?” Or
What was the purpose of communication anyway?
What is communication?
It’s human nature to desire things, whether it’s food, property, or sex. We’re motivated to obtain what we desire. We express thoughts and emotions through movements, words, and actions. A newborn baby cries to communicate and demand attention.
Their basic needs are generally food, sleep, and play. When their stomach growls, they instinctually yearn for milk, warmth, comfort, and reassurance. Deaf people might use sign language to communicate.
If you are stuck on the side of the road, you might wave your arms at passing vehicles to gain attention and assistance. The most prevalent and well-known form of communication is body language.
Many specialists claim that body language communicates more than the spoken word. Ultimately, communication is a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.
So, communication isn’t just words, but actions as well. Even silence is a form of communication. Actions, words, or the lack thereof passes information. Now that we know what communication is, what is its purpose?
The Purpose of Communication
At a basic level, communication is a means to express desire. How can we go about expressing our wants and needs such as: frustration, anger, hunger, passion, and greed? Our purpose is something set up as an object or end to be attained.
Purpose can often be expressed by asking, “Why?”
- Why do we communicate?
- Why communicate at all?
- What is our goal?
- What are we trying to attain?
- How does communication allow us to attain our goal?
My purpose for writing this article is to better understand why we communicate. I will use the concept of why communication from God would be old to demonstrate the purpose of communication.
When we speak, we have three options in regard to time.
- We can speak early
- We can stay quiet and say nothing.
- We can wait and speak latter in time
If the creator of the universe, God, does not speak we can only infer communication from his actions. He may communicate non-verbally. While non-verbal communication “speaks” plenty we could easily misinterpret what we see and experience.
Imagine a team of 100 people visiting Japan; every person and written word was gone, but all the buildings and “things” were still present. From these objects, you could learn a lot. But you’d still lack so much information.
Is communication out of fear?
I’d presume the interpretations of things would vary, maybe significantly, among the 100 visitors. We are like that in God’s creation. We are truly blind men touching an elephant. If a Japanese citizen came out of a building, our knowledge and understanding would grow.
The Japanese citizen would pass along his knowledge to the visitors. This is the same for the Creator. If he steps out from behind the eternal curtain and speaks, why did he communicate? What is God’s purpose of communication?
Even in creating the universe, God communicated something about himself and had a purpose. God has an end to be attained or a desire to be expressed. So why wait? As humans, we often wait to communicate out of fear.
Maybe the Japanese were afraid that the 100 visitors were invaders. We might delay communication to gain power in a negotiation. Maybe we lack knowledge and don’t want to appear ignorant.
Does fear apply to the God we are searching for? No. How about a lack of knowledge? Nope. How about power or control? Okay, while God might possess all power, maybe he delayed communicating with humankind to demonstrate his power and demonstrate our need for him.
While that seems possible, if I am in a meeting and have a solution to a problem that I think is excellent, if I wait, the whole group could go down the wrong path. During that time, they could spend time, resources, and energy on the wrong project.
Once all that effort has been invested it would be even more difficult to change course. If I have power and an idea that I think is the best, I am going to say it early and often to fight for my idea in an attempt to overcome all obstacles.
According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, communication is “a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behaviors” for an end to be attained.
Whether we speak or act, there is a communication that has a purpose.
- Should we as humans do that early and often or delay it?
- What do you think the creator of the universe would do?
This is why logically, if this being exists (eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, creator of our universe), he would communicate early in human civilization, and I think often.
Purpose of Communication Structure
When a new meeting starts there is often a three-part structure:
- Introductions
- Common knowledge
- Solution to the problem
I have been in many meetings in life, as I am sure many of you have been. We know the first thing that often happens in meetings is an introduction.
Whether it’s introducing new people, players, or power brokers (stakeholders). Often, these introductions are nothing more than names and what departments they are from.
They’ll usually establish their expertise, and we might get some of their background or education. Once the niceties have transpired, the group leader will often outline the issues, provide the group with common knowledge, and offer data, research, or work that has already been completed.
Finally, the group begins to formulate a solution to the problem at hand. If there isn’t a problem, the meeting might just be an update on data and information. “Good job everyone! Keep up the good work!” God could be in this camp.
He might never communicate with humans because everything is good in his eyes, or he doesn’t care. He may think we aren’t that important or views us as a by-product. He may not even care about the natural process.
So, there are a few reasons communication from God might be non-existent:
- Doesn’t care
- We are not important
- Doesn’t know we exist (making him a limited knowledge being)
- He finds us late in development (also making him a limited knowledge being)
But if God has something to say, then we should expect the following:
- The communication is old (given early in human history)
- Multiple communications given to different groups of people
- The communication introduces God’s nature and character
- We expect an eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, creator being
- The communication provides knowledge
- The communication offers a solution to a problem
If we don’t find all these things when we examine religions, then I would be suspicious of that communication or God. If these basic ideas of communication are not met, then an agnostic approach would be warranted.
Atheism, in my mind, is never a plausible solution. (Read “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist” or “What is Atheism?”). So, my search continues.
I have worked through philosophy and science and now I am working through which religions should be logically examined and studied. What should I expect if I encounter this being we coin God?
What Next?
- What is the crucial concept?
- Communication, if done well, creates connection, understanding, and satisfaction.
- To communicate with God, first we must be introduced. Then we must obtain any of our deficit knowledge; only then can we understand the solution to our questions.
- Why is that significant?
- The self-centeredness of humans too often limits communication.
- If you agree, the next steps.
- If you disagree, please consider reading.
References and Links
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist
Why Do We Communicate?
- Merriam-Webster – Communication
- Merriam-Webster – Purpose