Having been born Baha'i and going through the exploration of Abrahamic religions, I came to the conclusion that Eastern thought on divinity was more palatable and sane than simplistic monotheistic apprehensions of the Abrahamic faiths. This is also catching up in the West, with early thinkers like Baruch Spinoza talking about pantheism - 'Spinoza's God'.
To me it is evident that depictions of divinity depend on the context they are born in. The Old Testament was born in an area of conflict and instability and therefore their God is an all powerful punishing vengeful God that punishes the enemies of the chosen people. There's nothing universal or absolute about the Abrahamic God, unlike the claims by the followers, it is simply a conception born of the time and culture of the people.
Ironically it seems to me to be a great sin to push this God onto other cultures or people, according to its own system of belief.
Having been born Baha'i and going through the exploration of Abrahamic religions, I came to the conclusion that Eastern thought on divinity was more palatable and sane than simplistic monotheistic apprehensions of the Abrahamic faiths. This is also catching up in the West, with early thinkers like Baruch Spinoza talking about pantheism - 'Spinoza's God'.
To me it is evident that depictions of divinity depend on the context they are born in. The Old Testament was born in an area of conflict and instability and therefore their God is an all powerful punishing vengeful God that punishes the enemies of the chosen people. There's nothing universal or absolute about the Abrahamic God, unlike the claims by the followers, it is simply a conception born of the time and culture of the people.
Ironically it seems to me to be a great sin to push this God onto other cultures or people, according to its own system of belief.