What Is God’s Love Really Like?

by Mike Edwards I write a lot about this topic as I named my blog over 15 years ago What God May Really Be Like I used the word “May” because I was countering dogmatism growing up in church. Who knows what God is really like unless God talks to you directly? Be humble. But, if you are told something about God that goes against your moral intuitions, question it. Most accept God is love. How do we best determine what God love like There is a problem claiming the Bible is the definitively word on what God’s love is like. Ancient literature is subject to interpretation. Even if the writers understood their God perfectly, which we can’t prove, we can’t claim our interpretations are perfect. The truth is biblical scholars who have a deep respect for the Bible don’t agree what God thinks about gays, women, hell, and other moral issues. See here. See here. See here. Gays are supposedly condemned, women’s leadership roles are limited, despite their gifts and a fiery torturous afterlife awaits infidels – all in God’s name! Why wouldn’t God be most like what our moral intuitions suggest. Our inborn sense of good and evil, not an ancient Book, tells us sexual abuse or murder is immoral. If a Creator exists, it is only intuitive that a Creator loves the ways their creations ought to love one another. We all seem to know the question we ought to ask ourselves – am I loving others perfectly? Or am I loving others like I want to be loved. Many times, when one believes contrary to universal moral intuitions (infidels should be destroyed in this life), it is because of their interpretation of a supposed inspired Book by their God. Surely, perfect human love is the same as Godly love The only God worth believing in must be perfectly loving as opposed to in any way hateful. God’s love surely is the same as supreme parents – other-directed not self-consumed. Love gets excited when we do well and make a difference in the lives of others. Love anticipates, hopes for my success, believes in me, pulls for me even when failing, because I do the same for my children. We doubt God but God still loves. Parents bring children into the world hoping their children freely reciprocate their love for authentic relationships. Why would God be any different. How you imagine God’s love can determine how you relate to others If we think God is hard to please and pissed off about sin rather than what sin is doing to us, we may judge others just as harshly rather than showing patience and mercy If God is really a warlike God according to the OT, we will use such behaviors to possibly justify going to war when we shouldn’t If God condemns gays, we will condemn gays out of devotion to God If God thinks men have authority over women in some positions, that will filter down to your wives, daughters, and friends and stifle their gifts If God can prevent evil and doesn’t, isn’t that like a parent who arbitrarily decides to watch their child being sexually abused or not? Maybe God can’t love perfectly by controlling freedom. God can only stop evil with the help of others or not create freedom! I’m convinced belief in a benevolent God, according to common moral intuitions, makes you kinder. We often treat others the way we think God treats us. How has God’s threats of punishment helped you break away from bad habits or behaviors you long to change? I guess fear God if helps to avoid consequences of destructive actions. But if struggling and need encouragement and mercy, a loving God awaits with open arms. Grace or authoritativeness doesn’t guarantee change, but I believe we best change because of a friend’s or God’s love and acceptance. See It Matters If Your God Is Nurturing Or Authoritative! Mike Edwards was added as a writer and has been a great addition to the site. Mike provides many interesting views and various ways of looking at things. He is not afraid to ask questions and he keeps an open mind as to teachings of the institutional church. Mike also has his own site where he writes at What God May Really Be Like

A Firefighting Career That Almost Did Not Happen

by Michael Donahoe

When it comes to jobs and careers, many kids talk about what they want to be starting from an early age. For me, it was ten years old. My mom had a scrapbook she kept of school records and various happenings while I was growing up. She showed me a post I had written in the book, at age ten, saying I wanted to be a fireman.

Many kids talk about being a fireman when they are young, but not as many actually become one. I was one of those that followed through over the years and did fulfill my dream. Yet, it did not all happen at once, but over many years.

When I was eighteen, I came across an article in the local newspaper that talked about a volunteer organization that worked with Columbus Fire. Now, being a Columbus Firefighter was my absolute lifetime dream. My grandfather had been on Columbus and we lived just a few blocks from two different Columbus fire stations. My mom would take me to them often when we were out for a walk. The organization was the Columbus Fire Auxiliary and I was so excited when I found out I could apply to be part of this group.

At this point in time, I did not have many options to get hired with Columbus Fire because there was a height and weight limit, and I was always too skinny. Fortunately, the Columbus Auxiliary was a fantastic opportunity for me and it did not have those weight requirements. Glad to say, I applied and got accepted and spent two years enjoying being part of the firefighter family.

In the meantime, life went on and I got married, had a couple children and did not have time to spend as a volunteer. Fortunately, a few years later, we moved into an area that still had a part volunteer/part paid fire department. Again, I was extremely excited because this was a step-up from my first experience. I got to participate more and felt more like a firefighter. I spent seven years working with the Madison Township Fire Department. I definitely got an idea of what life was like working at the firehouse, and I was certainly hooked. I actually got to a point where I qualified to take the test for the Columbus Fire Department, although I never got far enough along to get hired.

After another change in life came along, I left the volunteer position and worked more on family, my kids and normal day to day life. Needless to say, at this point I was in my mid-thirties and I was seriously thinking my chances of getting hired full-time was passing.

At this point I have to credit my wife for pushing me to take the civil service exam one more time. Since this had been a life-long dream of mine, fortunately I listened to her and I signed up for the next test. I can still remember it well, it was in 1992, the test was given at the Ohio State Fairgrounds and it was absolutely packed. I found out later there were around 7,500 people there for the test. I was standing near the end of one line, it was raining, and I almost decided to leave. I think God spoke to me from within and I decided that since I was already there, I should just stay, and I am so glad I did. I passed the exam and at least got on the list to continue the testing process.

This started a long, long time of testing processes that was so aggravating to me, I would often wonder what I was thinking getting into this. Yet, in 1997 (yes, five years later), I got the call that the Columbus Fire Department was offering me a job. I cannot express in words the joy and excitement I felt. I actually got up from my desk at my current job and drove straight to the recruitment office to get my official papers to be hired. A little over two weeks later, I found myself sitting at the Columbus Fire Academy on my first day as a fire recruit.

As a new fire recruit, I was one of the oldest people in the class. I was now 43, but the excitement of getting the job helped me to put in the effort, fit in with the younger people and get through the tough training to be a firefighter.

               (Final Burn in the academy with Red Company, Class of 5-4-97)

You cannot imagine the feelings of accomplishment, joy, happiness and being so proud on graduation day. My dream that started when I was ten years old was finally a reality. I spent the next twenty-two years living my dream as a Columbus Firefighter. If I was younger, I would still be working because it is the best job I can image. Yet, I always said when I turned sixty-five, I would retire and enjoy life. Besides, I did not want to become an old man that no one trusted or felt comfortable working around. After all, firefighting is mainly for young people and I did not want to stay past my time and ruin a good reputation.

At that point, I turned in my retirement papers and have enjoyed spending time with my wife and family, relaxing, traveling and doing whatever I wanted each day. Do I miss it? I sure do. I miss the people, I miss the excitement of the job, I miss the notoriety, I miss the runs and not knowing for sure what you were getting into and I miss the proud feeling of being able to help people in time of distress. Yet, I do not miss getting up early for work, having a schedule to follow, nor riding the medic and being up half the night.

  (My final day of work at Fire Station 22 and the great group of guys I worked with)

I can gladly say I am so very thankful to my wife for pushing me, so thankful to God for helping me to live my dream, and so thankful for all the other firefighters I had the privilege to work with over the years. In all, I got to enjoy thirty-one years of firefighting experiences, which was longer than I had realized at retirement. It was thirty-one years well spent with many experiences and friendships I will never forget.

Forsake Not Assembling Together

by Michael Donahoe

So often, when we talk about church we think of a building we go to once a week. I do not know about you, but the verse in Hebrews 10:25 about not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together sure gets quoted a lot when it comes to church attendance.

Once someone hears my wife and I have stopped attending an organized service each week, the first thing we usually hear is this verse.

Truth of the matter is, I do not think this verse is even talking about what we call church.

As I have stated before, church is not a building or a place. Church is the people of God, those of us born into the Kingdom by grace. Church is not an organization it is an organism. Church is not a one-day event, it is a daily lifestyle of people loving God and loving others.

When reading the verses preceding this verse, you find it is talking about how we are now granted permission to enter into the Holy place, not a building, but into the presence of God. This happened when Jesus died and the veil was torn from top to bottom.

To me, this verse is saying that we need our brothers and sisters in Christ for encouragement and to stimulate one another to love and good deeds in Christ. It has nothing to do with an organized religious service in a building. It has everything to do with loving and communicating with other Christians.

When we think of countries where Christianity is against the law and churches are closed down, we know people are not attending a service every week. Are they wrong for not doing so? Of course not. They get together when they can, with who they can, usually in small groups in houses or where-ever they feel they can meet safely. It may not be more than two or three people and it can be any day of the week.

Jesus said where two or three gather together in my name, there I am in their midst. We do not need buildings or large groups of people to enjoy assembling together, but we do need each other. This can happen meeting at home, meeting for dinner at a restaurant, getting together in a park or any other place or any day the Spirit brings us into fellowship. The important thing is to love God, love one another and be available for our brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage and build them up.

I once heard someone make an interesting comment about a box of Legos. He said Legos can be constantly gathered together, but it only takes shape to represent the desire of its creator when it is assembled. Then it is ready to perform the function it was created for. So is the body of Christ. Therefore, those who put all their eggs in the basket of Sunday church, it is they who have truly forsaken the assembling of themselves together. They are constantly gathering, but never really assembling.

Let me point out that I am not against church or those who attend. My wife and I were part of the weekly service for years, but over the past few years we have found that for us, it makes more sense to be outside the walls of religion and seek meaningful fellowship each day with our brothers and sisters in Christ rather than continue to sit in a pew listening to a select few participate.

Whether in a building or not, whether in a home, restaurant, or wherever the Spirit leads us, as followers of Jesus we are the body of Christ, a priesthood of all believers. Rather than an organized meeting in a defined place, it is a daily lifestyle of loving God and loving one another, and everyone is equally important and active parts of the body.

*******

Michael Donahoe was added as a writer for Done with Religion as his views fit perfectly with those that are shared on this site. He and his wife have been outside the walls of religion for fifteen years. He enjoys writing about his experiences and thoughts, and he wants to encourage others who are going through the religious deconstruction process. He also writes on Substack at https://personalmeanderings.substack.com/