God! or God?

Is man one of God's blunders, or is God one of man's blunders?

I try very hard to not move back into my mode as a minister of religion or for that matter back into my mode as a teacher of world religions and philosophy. There come times when I find this very difficult and today almost impossible.

On Tuesday I visited Barcelona to visit again the world famous Sagrada Familia. I have not seen it for real for some twenty years and may not see it again.

The work has gone on for one hundred and forty years and will not be completed until 2026. Designed by the architect Gaudi, it is a marvellous conception. it was Gaudi who said, "nothing is invented, for it is written in nature first. Originality consists of returning to the origin.  here was a man who marvelled in the wonders and beauty of nature and wished to express this in the buildings and parks he designed.

He never doubted that the beauty and the wonder of nature were from the very hand of a creator god. The Sagrada Familia was to be his homage to this belief. Its intricate design was to reflect the movement and flow of nature in its every curve. if you have not seen it it is worthy of a visit to the site where you can see both exterior and interior views.

Sadly Gaudi was killed by a tram car while shaking his collecting can to help raise money for the work of the building. 

The existence of God means that we are living in a moral order, and in a moral order we can no more sin and get away with it than we can break all physical laws and escape the penalty. 

Gaudi would have agreed with this, believing that we did indeed have to answer for our actions. He wanted his to be good.

These thoughts filled my head as I stood in awe of the building. 

But also in my mind, I heard the words of the philosopher Neitche who said, "God is dead." So often we stop there shocked or pleased by the statement. But he went on to also say, "Killed by humans. We have therefore to become gods ourselves."

If we take this stance then indeed we have to be fully responsible for our every action, not because of any future punishment on a day of judgement but in the court of humanity.

Either the way of Gaudi or the way of Neitche leaves us no out froms our human and moral responsibility to care for this wonderful planet and its nature so wonderfully protrayed in the work of Anntonio Gaudi.

I walk the world of wonder day by day and am never lost for the amazement of it all. The painting today I saw growing where people had thoughtlessly dumped their unwanted rubbish. This plant had taken root and was begining to transfer the mess into a thing of beauty.

Have a wonderful day. Go have a look at the Sagrada Familia, and those of you who are fortunate to be young enough to be here at its completion on that day say a little hello to me.