Why do I need God...? - Part II

The last post closed with,

"It all comes back to the initial thought that in order for one to need God there must be some recognized deficiency.  Interesting that religion is one of a very few areas where one can claim that they have no need.  Yet, history has proven otherwise."

To be sure history tells the story of excesses done in the name of religion.  The Christian Crusades (1095-1291) are often touted as such an excess.  It is estimated that some 200,000 to 1.2 million died to include crusaders and other Christians.*  

As well the Christian Crusades are nothing compared to the Muslim Jihad** (630-1094).  While the Christian Crusades sought to liberate, Islamic Jihad sought to conquer and did so north into southern Europe and into the East.  Actual numbers of those killed by Islamic Jihadists is not published. 

Against that backdrop as bad as the Crusades and Jihad were and are, they do not compare to the numbers of death by committed secularists.  Here are four of many that could be cited.  People's Republic of China: 73.2 million died; USSR: 58.6 million died; North Korea: 3.1 million died; and Cambodia: 2.6 million died.  In just those four Communist countries 137.5 million died--all this for a secular ideology.  Then too, remember that the Nazis under Hitler killed 20.9 million.

In the case of secular ideologies, the ideology becomes the authority.  While in the Crusades and Jihad there is external authority in secular ideology, there is no authority external to the individual and the state.  Said another way what the individual and the state choose to do has no consequence beyond the present. 

For those of faith such is not so.  In the case of Christians, Jews, Muslims, and others, as divergent as they are, they share one thing.  There is a standard and a consequence beyond the individual and this life. 

"Why do I need God...?" is answered in the observation that in and among people of faith (and there are exceptions) there is a standard by which one is religiously sufficient or insufficient and that standard is external to the individual.  That religious sufficiency (not that a person attains perfection) provides a certain sense of eternal connection and eternal identity missing in secularism.

But...there is more.  Consider the following quote by relational philosopher and psychologist, Kenneth Gergen. 

"With the spread of postmodern consciousness, we see the demise of personal definition, reason, authority....  All intrinsic properties of the human being along with moral worth and personal commitment are lost from view."***

What Kenneth Gergen points out is that when all notions of truth/reality are removed there is a consequence.  This consequence is that some very important factors in one being an "adult" are lost.  Included are...

An intrinsic sense of identity, from within the individual.

An inner notion of one's unique person-hood.

A security born of there being a unfailing external authority/reality.

A sense of moral worth born of living by ethical values.

A confidence from living out personal commitment and duty.  

A connection with something greater that then gives a sense of purpose/mission.

Closing thought:  If for no other reason than a person's sense of well being and purpose, there is a need for a truth/reality which is external to the individual.  Such truth/reality in it most genuine form is linked inextricably to the eternal and the only genuine eternal that has stood the test of man cynic, critic, and time is God.

This is by no means exhaustive but sufficient for one to ponder as to "Why do I need God...?"

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*Those who project the 1.2 million number may be a bit ambitious as the total earth population at the time was 500 million (http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/history/world-population-growth.htm#population-growth-chart). ALSO for a more balanced historical approach to the Crusades see "The Real History of the Crusades" by Thoma F Madden, PhD, available at http://www.crisismagazine.com/2011/the-real-history-of-the-crusades

**Since Crusade comes from Cross, Jihad will be used as it pertains to Islam.

***Gergen, Kenneth, The Saturated Self (New York:  Basic Books, 1991) pp. 228-29.