~*~*~*~*~

My God doesn't love me.

Which is fine with me, really.

Why should there be a mutual affection

for that which cannot even be

or identified with?

I don't love the air

But I breathe it in and it sustains me

Gives me life

Surrounds me without invading me.

The air does not love me

But it is the reason I live.

~*~*~*~*~

My God doesn't hate me

Like storms on the sea don't hate me

Or tornado's or earthquakes.

They have no special designs on my misery.

They don't wish pain or allegiance.

They just move inside the sphere of the earth

Like me

A part of nature

Like me

Like my God

Who is there inside each bud

Each leaf

Each blade of grass

Inside me

Inside all that lives and a part of all that contributes to life itself.

~*~*~*~*~

My God created me

And the earth

And life

But not with the intention to have followers

Or worshippers

Lovers

Children

Conqueror's of the earth

Victims

Flunkies

Experiments

Nothing like that

Did my God have in mind.

~*~*~*~*~

My God created me

because that is the function of the Creator

To create

Create life

Which my God is still doing

Every day

Every second

Everywhere

Where there is life

There is my God

And where there is not life

My God waits patiently

For the opportunity to do work

~*~*~*~*~

My god has no fear

No anger

No kindness

No love

No passion

No person

No face

No hatred

No discrimination

No plans

No battle

No ultimatum

No heaven

No hell

No rewards

No justice

None of these things

Does my God concern itself with.

~*~*~*~*~

My God is not truth

My God is not good

My God is not love

My God is only life

Which does not have to be pain

And suffering

And hardship

Only what we make it.

~*~*~*~*~

I do not have to return to nature

Because I am nature itself

As a creation of Life

A creation of my God.

~*~*~*~*~

"How," they ask me, "How can your God not be good or evil?"

And I say to them

Life is not good nor evil.

Death is not good nor evil.

It simply is.

So is my God.

"There must be something more," they rant.

"I need something more then that."

~*~*~*~*~

I am sorry if you need more.

The plants do not seem to need more.

The animals do not seem to need more.

Why, as humans, do we need more?

"A purpose!" they shriek. "What is our purpose?"

To live of course. That is the purpose of any living thing.

But still the chant continues

"There must be something more.

I need something more then that."

What do you need?

"Justice! An explanation!

Why is there pain?

Why is their sadness?

There must be a reason for it.

A kind of test of loyalty.

A plan.

Anything!"

~*~*~*~*~

We have made the pain ourselves.

We have offered ourselves sadness.

We have chosen a pattern

And decided a "right way to live"

When life has no right way.

And because we believe we are living the right way

We accept pain

And suffering

And sadness

As the price for this pattern

When really there is no need

To pay a price at all.

~*~*~*~*~

We are special creatures

Yes, very special

With the gifts of language

And the ability to tell stories

To piece together information

Until it shows a whole picture.

But my God meant for all creatures

To reach the level of awareness

We humans obtained,

Pioneers in the field

But not chosen

Not driven

Not born to rule over earth

But be part of it.

~*~*~*~*~

"What of heaven?

What of life after death

A reward for the faithful

Recompense for those who suffer now?

What does your God say of that?"

My God says that Life was our reward

What we accomplish with it is up to us

And suffering never needed to be such a constant in our lives

We made it so

We can unmake it

If we so choose.

"Impossible to change now."

Maybe so.

But this is no fault of my God.

My God only wishes to create life.

~*~*~*~*~

"What of morality?"

What of it?

If I wish to live without fear or pain or restriction of freedom

Then I will not inflict fear, pain, or restriction of freedom on others.

It is only sensible.

My god need not tell me that.

~*~*~*~*~

"I will never believe in your God," they tell me.

"I will always praise my Lord, the one true God.

You cannot convert me."

I do not need to convert you

Or convince you

Or gather your praise for my God.

You are living.

That is all my God strove for.

The air does not require thanks, or praise.

You may believe whatever you wish.

When you breathe my God is there

And when you breathe no more my God will search

For a place where new life can begin.

~*~*~*~*~

My God does not love me.

I do not love my God.

But as long as I breathe I am a testimony of my God's ability

To create

And that is all I am required to be.

The rest is up to me.