What’s in a Name

I recently participated in a conversation on social media about the use of words like Universe, Creator, The All and other monikers for the traditional word God.  Some folks have become frustrated with the substitution of these words for what they feel is a name that should be revered.

Let me start by saying names just like words are powerful and they call meaning into existence.  It is an important thing to consider when referencing the highest form of existence.

That’s why mantra, incantation and prayer are used to communicate to higher forms because the accumulated energy and power behind these words and arrangements of words are magnetic and act as conduits of positive energy to bring forth a desired result.

That being said, intention is the most important aspect of mantra or prayer.  You can repeat as many powerful words as you want, if your thoughts are elsewhere they won’t have the desired effect. Conversely, if you are well-intentioned then even the simplest prayer using non-traditional words will be more effective than the well-formed words of a respected priest who’s thinking about food rather than his prayer.

So when people want to use words like Universe, Creator, etc. to reference God it is not disrespectful nor is it irreverent.  It is their way of referring to their concept of God.

 

I grew up Christian and have grown to embrace all positive religions and belief systems as a way for people to reconnect to their concept of God or Source. I use alternative words because it breaks my own mind and hopefully the minds of others, out of traditional dogmatic thought patterns that keep us from seeing the connectedness of all cultures and people.  

I could use the Hindu word Brahman, the Egyptian word Atum or the Yoruba word Olodumare to describe the Almighty but like the word God they are culturally specific.  I find it useful when communicating with people of different faiths to reference the attributes of God, like his all-knowingness or omnipresence, to help bridge cultural divides.

I hope as a multicultural society we begin to accept each other’s beliefs and religious traditions as ways of trying to connect to God.  Even if we do not understand them at least we can respect them and hopefully one day we all can find the common meanings in our traditions giving us a richer experience of the world God wanted us to explore.