Journal Entries Units 2, 3, & 5
My Understanding of an Ultimate Being
My understanding of an Ultimate Being is that no matter what it is called it is the center of a system of beliefs. After reading Cobb, Avicenna, Wainright and Reuther, My understanding is that God is a necessary being without cause. God is the drive behind what is worshiped. Although I do believe that the Ultimate Being has a female nature, I still picture Him as male. The world itself points to all the proof needed. Religion is part of the basic human needs, yearnings, and experiences. My understanding of the Ultimate Being, no matter what He is called, whether He is called God, Jehovah, or Allah I think of Him as personal.
The Jewish Experience with Ultimate Reality
Judaism began as a community minded religion. According to Carmody/McGuire/Kessler, biblical beginnings were deep spiritual experiences such as irruptions of divinity that seized and formed the soul. God was reviled as lively, personal and free; expressing God’s character as the world’s origin and destiny in myths. The Jewish peoples were the chosen people of God. They were chosen as a group or a line and not as individuals making Judaism a group affair. They followed special laws designed for the chosen, covenanted peoples called the Torah. In the Torah were specific directions for how their social life was to be shaped. Every stage in a Jew’s life, from birth to death is celebrated as a community affair. Followers of Judaism are loyal to gathering together at synagogue, praying and worshiping.
Although I can see some similarities of Judaism in my own Christian religion, I see many more differences. I think Christians lack that communit ...