God is a convenient term within Monotheistic culture, pragma and praxis. What it does is neuter relationships with divine beings that exist in polytheistic pantheons and peoples relationship with these personal or tribal gods.

One term, to encompass all others, usurping all into one platonic ideal, binding it to a manipulatable religion, dismissing all others to recognize one and only one term, “God”.

“Bill, tell us how you really feel!” Let’s not.

Zoroastrianism created the concept of one primordial fire god of wisdom, and emanated powers, to replace the polytheistic beliefs of his culture, and was adopted, used and incorporated into Abrahamic beliefs. Greek philosophers visited these centers of philosophy in Persia/Iran, and brought back the seeds of idealism and platonic thinking. The concepts of Marduk usurping all the old god names, to replace the old ways. It was a way to centralize religious authority who venerated henotheistic beliefs of state or regional gods.

Vedanta, philosophically, non-dualism takes monotheism to its logical extent. It is practical and esoterically, logically and even experientially useful. It also allows the individuation of people, devis, asuras and all other beings. It doesn’t deny or demeans every other entity that exists.

The use of simplistic words as a giant gloss over many perceptions, apprehensions of even a bigger swath of humanities genuine relationship with divine, makes it susceptable to manipulation of those in power. * Looking around at todays societies and religions*.

At the same time the very tool destroying is used to reach out to give people an idea of universality that we can all agree on. Subtle and seductive, a convenient way to bypass any critical thinking, personal investment and analysis. Without that thinking and analysis people fight over beliefs presented by the authorities over a non-thinking masses.

El, the title for Canaanite supreme god is not a name. Elnyion and many other biblical titles are just that titles. Many usurping god names of a polytheistic hebrew history. Old god names denied to be uttered but replaced by the singular title attributed to one and one only being. Study the history and El’s children were allowed to conveniently kill themselves. Apocalyptic Judiasm, after the temple’s final fall, and now a henotheistic god is upgraded to a universal monotheistic monolithic being? Who is playing whom?

1200 years later Kabbalah is formed to break this monolithic thing into a structure and create an angelic order of reality that people can relate to. People meaning those who are willing to be mystics. After 200 – 300 years we have the Kabbalah that we know today. So, beings are expected to fit this structure. People are expected to order their experience by this structure. Apprehension is defined by this structure. Is it a real relationship or is it a corporate or militaristic protocol? Is there a near infinite way to use the structure to frame mystical experiences? Yes and no. It is a complex structure to frame human experiences. the structure makes it finite.

God becomes ineffable, because there are a billion bunny holes of misdirection, structured to give a satisfying reference for individual existence.

Or God becomes so undefinable that there is no interest nor capabilities for people to wish to interact with the divine, and lead by those who define who and what god is.

If it serves to make people get along and work with each other, great. I have yet to see that fruit. If it serves people to explore themselves and get beyond themselves, great! But do not take all of it for granted.

It is like calling myself pagan. It is a convenient label, but in no way, shape or form does it even begin to convey who, and what I am much less how I interact with the cosmos.