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The first of the two big questions in life is,
"Who made us?" We addressed
that question in the previous article and (hopefully) settled upon
"God"
as the answer. As we are creation, God is the Creator.
Now, let us turn to the second
"big question," which is, "Why are we
here?"
Well, why
are we here? To amass fame and fortune? To make music
and babies? To be the richest man or woman in the graveyard for, as we
are jokingly told,
are jokingly told,
"He who dies with the most toys wins?"
No, there must be more to life than that, so let's think about this. To
begin with, look around you. Unless you live in a cave, you are surrounded
by things we humans have made with our own hands. Now, why
did we make those things? The answer, of course, is that we make things
to perform some specific function for us. In short, we make things to
serve us. So, by extension, why did God make us, if not to serve Him?
Our purpose, then, is to serve God. We receive this message from the
prophets, as well as from scripture, but nowhere more clearly than in the
Qur'an, the holy book of Islam:
begin with, look around you. Unless you live in a cave, you are surrounded
by things we humans have made with our own hands. Now, why
did we make those things? The answer, of course, is that we make things
to perform some specific function for us. In short, we make things to
serve us. So, by extension, why did God make us, if not to serve Him?
Our purpose, then, is to serve God. We receive this message from the
prophets, as well as from scripture, but nowhere more clearly than in the
Qur'an, the holy book of Islam:
“And I [God] did not create the jinn and
mankind except to worship Me”
(Quran 51:56).
Which brings us to the next point: If we acknowledge our Creator,
and that He created humankind to serve Him, the next question is,
and that He created humankind to serve Him, the next question is,
"How?
How do we serve Him?"
No doubt, this question is best answered by the
One who made us. If He created us to serve Him, then He expects us to
function in a particular manner, if we are to achieve our purpose. But
how can we know what that manner is? How can we know what God
expects from us?
Well, consider this: God gave us light, by which we can find our way.
Even at night, we have the moon for light and the stars for navigation.
God gave other animals guidance systems best suited for their conditions
and needs. Migrating birds can navigate, even on overcast days, by light
polarization. Whales migrate by
function in a particular manner, if we are to achieve our purpose. But
how can we know what that manner is? How can we know what God
expects from us?
Well, consider this: God gave us light, by which we can find our way.
Even at night, we have the moon for light and the stars for navigation.
God gave other animals guidance systems best suited for their conditions
and needs. Migrating birds can navigate, even on overcast days, by light
polarization. Whales migrate by
"reading" the Earth's magnetic fields.
Salmon return from the open ocean to spawn at the exact spot of their
birth by
birth by
smell, if that can be imagined. Fish sense distant movements
through pressure receptors that line their bodies. Bats and the blind river
dolphins
dolphins
"see" by sonar. Certain marine organisms (the electric eel being
a high-voltage example) generate and sense magnetic fields, allowing
them to
them to
"see" in muddy waters, or in the blackness of ocean depths. Insects
communicate by pheromones, the trail of which guides them to
food, and then home again. Plants sense sunlight and grow towards it
(phototropism); their roots sense gravity and grow into the earth (geotrophism).
In short, God has gifted every element of His creation with
guidance. Can we seriously believe he would not give us guidance on the
one most important aspect of our existence, namely our
food, and then home again. Plants sense sunlight and grow towards it
(phototropism); their roots sense gravity and grow into the earth (geotrophism).
In short, God has gifted every element of His creation with
guidance. Can we seriously believe he would not give us guidance on the
one most important aspect of our existence, namely our
raison d'etre—
our reason for being? That he would not give us the tools by which to
achieve salvation?
Of course not. Hence, revelation.
Think of it this way: Every product has specifications and rules. For
more complex products, whose specifications and rules are not intuitive,
owner's manuals are provided. These manuals are written by the one
who knows the product best, which is to say the manufacturer. A typical
owner's manual begins with warnings about improper use and the hazardous
consequences thereof, moves on to a description of how to use
the product properly and the benefits to be gained thereby, and provides
product specifications and a troubleshooting guide whereby we can correct
product malfunctions.
How is that different from revelation?
Revelation tells us what to do, what not to do and why, tells us what
God expects of us, and shows us how to correct our deficiencies. Revelation
is the ultimate user's manual, provided as guidance to the one who
will use us—ourselves.
achieve salvation?
Of course not. Hence, revelation.
Think of it this way: Every product has specifications and rules. For
more complex products, whose specifications and rules are not intuitive,
owner's manuals are provided. These manuals are written by the one
who knows the product best, which is to say the manufacturer. A typical
owner's manual begins with warnings about improper use and the hazardous
consequences thereof, moves on to a description of how to use
the product properly and the benefits to be gained thereby, and provides
product specifications and a troubleshooting guide whereby we can correct
product malfunctions.
How is that different from revelation?
Revelation tells us what to do, what not to do and why, tells us what
God expects of us, and shows us how to correct our deficiencies. Revelation
is the ultimate user's manual, provided as guidance to the one who
will use us—ourselves.
In the world we know, products that meet or exceed specifications
are considered successes whereas those that don't are … hmm … let's
think about this. Any product that fails to meet factory specifications is
either repaired or, if hopeless, recycled. In other words, destroyed. Ouch.
Suddenly this discussion turns scary-serious. Because in this discussion,
we
are considered successes whereas those that don't are … hmm … let's
think about this. Any product that fails to meet factory specifications is
either repaired or, if hopeless, recycled. In other words, destroyed. Ouch.
Suddenly this discussion turns scary-serious. Because in this discussion,
we
are the product—the product of creation.
But let's pause for a moment and consider how we interact with the
various items that fill our lives. As long as they do what we want, we're
happy with them. But when they fail us, we get rid of them. Some are
returned to the store, some donated to charity, but eventually they all
end up in the garbage, which gets … buried or
various items that fill our lives. As long as they do what we want, we're
happy with them. But when they fail us, we get rid of them. Some are
returned to the store, some donated to charity, but eventually they all
end up in the garbage, which gets … buried or
burned. Similarly, an underperforming
employee gets … fired. Now, stop for a minute and think
about that word. Where did
about that word. Where did
that euphemism for the punishment due to
an underperformer come from? Hm … the person who believes the lessons
of this life translate into lessons about religion could have a field day
with this.
But that doesn't mean these analogies are invalid. Just the opposite,
we should remember that both Old and New Testaments are filled with
analogies, and Jesus Christ taught using parables.
So perhaps we had better take this seriously.
No, I stand corrected. Most
of this life translate into lessons about religion could have a field day
with this.
But that doesn't mean these analogies are invalid. Just the opposite,
we should remember that both Old and New Testaments are filled with
analogies, and Jesus Christ taught using parables.
So perhaps we had better take this seriously.
No, I stand corrected. Most
definitely we should take this seriously.
Nobody ever considered the difference between heavenly delights and
the tortures of hellfire a laughing matter.
(To be continued)
Copyright © 2007 Laurence B. Brown.
The author can be contacted at
the tortures of hellfire a laughing matter.
(To be continued)
Copyright © 2007 Laurence B. Brown.
The author can be contacted at
MODERATOR NOTE: IT IS NOT ALLOWED TO POST EMAILS]. He is the author
of
“The First and Final Commandment” (Amana Publications) and
“
Bearing TrueWitness” (Dar-us-Salam). Forthcoming books are a historical
thriller,
“The Eighth Scroll”, and a second edition of “The First and
Final Commandment”
, rewritten and divided into “MisGod'ed” and its
sequel, “God'ed”.
sequel, “God'ed”.