RAY'S VIEWS ONLINE

I was, at one time, a minister of religion, but I’m not one now. I still study the Bible, however, and try to keep up to date with modern ‘critical’ Biblical scholarship. After I left the ministry, I started to dip my toes in philosophy and modern science, and also took more of an interest in other spiritual traditions, particularly Buddhism. Each of these has changed the way I picture ‘God’, and that’s what I’m sharing in some of my posts.

The most important benefit of a little bit of philosophy has been that it’s made me question all my beliefs, to try to make sure they’re genuinely held. Today’s science, after Einstein’s Relativity was followed by quantum physics, has revealed a sub-atomic world that’s breathtakingly incredible. Thankfully you don’t need a science degree to read about its weird mysteries, some of which have fascinating echoes in some Christian and especially Buddhist thinking.

When I was a minister, I was a preacher/teacher who aimed at being clear and simple. I wanted ordinary folk like myself not to get lost in what they were hearing, but to be able to get the gist of what was being said. That’s what I’m trying to do here. It’s not academic with notes and references, but more of a sketch map of an ongoing journey from one place to another.

My aim, in some of my posts, is to invite others, who have questions or doubts about traditional religious beliefs, to re-visit their thoughts about God. I’m outlining how one person is trying to arrive at what might possibly be a reasonable ‘picture’ of what the word ‘God’ could now mean – assuming we want to keep on using it. 

I’m remembering, however, the example of the Buddha, who wasn’t interested in trying to force his own views on others. He just shared his ideas, and suggested to people that if they made sense, and rang a bell in their own thoughts and feelings, they should follow them up in their own way – but, if not, just let them go …..