God 102
I thought it would be a higher percentage of people who openly might state a belief in God, but in just asking Google that and reading a couple reliable-ish stats there…seems it is only about half of the world’s population.
For myself, I can very sincerely and deeply say: I have seen something a couple times, and so remarkably close, that if even the most sophisticated and staunch atheist had had those experiences, they too might join some kind of Christian, Buddhist, or Zen rock band, and even start trying to translate— well render—Hafiz & Rumi like me— and write some With God after-hours in the bar— haiku & koans. Ahhhh, the wonder of the Sun and/or Moon pinching you on your fanny! One's pen and heart can then dance!
Okay, so there are some 4 billion plus people in the world in the classroom of God, one might say. But it seems so very clear and apparent to me, that probably 99% of those four billion are in the classroom of God 101. And what is the simple indicator, the God 101 IQ test?
I like that expression: the God 101 IQ test. I think that is one of the reasons I like to write. I can entertain myself now and then, and have some fun with words— even find some little moments of satoris mid-sentence sometimes. Art to me is to: Engage & give— to oneself and others. But back, yes back to this spiritual classroom stuff…
If someone ever wanted to have a debate with me about God beyond God 101, I would first try and establish some possible definitions or attributes of God. And a big one to me would be the possibility of a super-double-duper cosmic Cowgirl & Cowboy Being— all rolled into one, a.k.a a God .... having Infinite Knowledge. And infinite knowledge is simply infinite knowledge: ALL KNOWING. Knowing anything that ever was or could be.
And if a super-double-duper Cosmic Cowboy & Cowgirl all rolled into One Wild, Wild Divine Being knew EVERYTHING? Would that not beat the hell out of any God 101 ideas of freewill?
Think I will rest my case here, and call in as a witness, a really (I think) significant article I wrote about all of this about a year ago.
And will close with a short Hafiz poem (rendering) about all of this, in part, that appeared in my very first publication about Hafiz, in my book: I Heard God Laughing. That goes:
***
We have all come to the right place.
We all sit in God's classroom.
Now the only thing left for us to do
my dears, is to stop throwing spitballs
for a while.
***
It’s to stop hurting others and ourselves in the so many ways we can.
Even if everything anyone might ever do in their life is surely already there, as much as anything in their past. O God 102, what to do? Luckily Buddha and some Zen Masters are there— after-hours in the bar to help— and little Danny munchkins too! As well as the big giants like Hafiz & Rumi.
OOOO, seems I have more to say: if you wanted to get a glimpse of God 103, there is a prayer by Meher Baba called O Parvardigar, that Pete Townshend introduces and sings here. The word Parvardigar is a Persian word for God.
As always thanks for your time.