a tangled tree

i read a quotation by a pastor that i really appreciated.

he said, “The universe seems wondrous to me, with or without God. It has powerful lines and uncompromising ways. Patience and time sit like sages on the planets, strong and impersonal. There is a stark beauty to all of this.”

and while i dont usually spend my time skimming the words of religious men, this statement stuck out for me.

“with or without god”

what religious feen would ever say “without god” in an explanation for the world?

i believe: a realistic one.

so often, religious individuals get so caught up in their own beliefs that they forget the air upon which the foundation to their thoughts was created.

they forget how much hope theyre putting into their thoughts.

they forget that their beliefs are not. fact.

by their very nature, beliefs contain the possibility of being contrary to reality.

and this preacher. by saying “with or without god” suggested that he understood his belief’s transient nature.

but, as he stated, even if his beliefs are not the Truth, the universe is still magnificent.

and it is.

i do not necessarily believe in a God.

i dont claim to know “His” existence or lack of existence, because i dont care.

for me, the universe is and never cant be.

magnificent.

its wonderful. mysterious. and beautiful.

its also terrifying. neutral. and treacherous.

and it is all of these things regardless of its origin.

this preacher allowed himself to be vulnerable by saying that his foundation could be incorrect. and in doing so, he was actually more right than anyone who doesnt see the possibility of falsehood in their own beliefs.

and while this was perhaps not his intention, his openness to his own error made me believe more heavily in what he was saying.

yes. the universe is wondrous. with or without god. this is undeniable.

and im content just believing in that.