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Newberg: 'God' Is What
People Imagine Him To Be
Chester Twarog

From: "Chester Twarog"
To: "Positive Atheism" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
Subject: "Why God Won't Go Away"
Date: Friday, April 20, 2001 12:54 PM

Dear Cliff,

While some people, such as yourself, occasionally may have a "mystical" experience, most don't.

My informed opinion is that "God" is whatever people imagine or want him to be -- their "Father" in heavem, "someone" whom they can share their most secret feelings, concerns, needs with secretly, an imaginary friend, someone to "comfort" in times of crisis, a "hope" for noninjury, a vivid dream, whatever.

Most people have this from childhood -- invisible, pretend imaginary friends (fables, færies, santa claus, easter bunnies, angels, etc.) -- maturing and transitioning into religious beings after ages 6-9 under parental influences, church services, etc.

People who fear death and nonexistence, can't accept it.

Most people just create a "god" that satisfies them. They will pray to be spared when a severe thunderstorm with large hail, blinding rains, frequent lightning and thunder, and tornadoes are around or threatening but fail to consider that "god" also created the severe thunderstorm (or physics of it), or plagues, or parasites, diseases, natural disasters, can't stop killers, genocides -- on and on. "God" also created "satan/evil/demons/suffering."

"God/Jesus/Guardian Angels" are imaginary friends which can not be proven to exist (supernatural) or not exist. It gives people a warm, fuzzy feeling. At funerals when parents question the priest why their son/daughter had to die of _____: "God works in mysterious ways but He has some purpose and your son/daughter is now in His hands in Heaven."

Chet Twarog

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