"God and Man come from the same ethereal substance, with Man at a disadvantage because his soul, or god-essence, has forsaken the realm of the gods to reside in the debased confines of a flesh machine. Still, both God and Man are strong willed and determined to have their way, locked, as it were, forever in head-to-head competition, even combat.
"Over the centuries God has tried various tacks in forcing Mankind to be humbled before His altar, so to speak. Yet, during the passage of these same years, Man has learned how to psychologically steel himself against God. In many ways man has reduced God's importance and potency, effectively diminishing His influence, even labeling respect for Him as the product of mere superstition. Probably the best way found to attenuate and divert God has been through the very institutions set up for use in worshipping Him.
"Man quickly becomes encumbered by ancient holy texts requiring interpretation, reinterpretation, definition and redefinition. Then there are doctrines, anti-doctrines, arguments pro and con, philosophies based on religions, religions based on philosophies, and philosophies for religion. Add to this mixture the ramifications resulting from the eccentricities of certain priests and other holy men, all compounded by the spoils, both financial and political, derived from invoking His name. It takes a miracle for God to cut through the layers of resistance and express Himself directly. After a purported miracle does occur, the holy orders then step in to interpret, define, accept or reject its authenticity. Finally, they codify its meaning, opening the door to false or misunderstood interpretations based on other doctrines, personal beliefs, motives, or variations caused from differing points of view.
"Distilling the above tendencies down to their quintessential element, it appears Mankind has been working to tune God out. Gradually, God has been replaced by, or at least buried under, a myriad of distractions and religious machinations designed to be more pliable to Man's needs.
"If God does exist, and I believe strongly that He does, then He survives not because of, or through, the straw god we have set up to represent Him, but in spite of it. Tragically, the further Man pushes God out of the way and into the background, i.e., the more he replaces and displaces Him, the less Man can understand and have healthy correspondence with that god-essence he has in common with his Creator. As this process continues over the millennia, Man's animal stimuli, generated by the flesh machine, have increasing dominion over, and thus squelch, the soul's loftier aspirations."