The Four-One-One on God

What is the process by which we find out more about something? Nowadays it is an extension of our fingertips. Technology and information is a click away. A nano-pause and a blink. Presto. You now have thousands of references directly in the palm of your hand.

A few years back it involved a trip to the library or, at the very least, a walk to the living room to fact check in the family's proudly displayed Encylopaedia Britannica or World Book Encyclopedia. Often friends didn't own such a splendid set of reference books and had to make an appointment to borrow one of the coveted volumes. Some families insisted that the friend conduct their research right then and there. The books never left the house.

Yet, if you go back even further, back to a time when books were limited and computers, handheld devices and the like did not exist, what was the path to enlightenment? How did one glean information, gain knowledge on any one topic? What was de rigeur when fact finding, discovering or verifying? How did one conduct any sort of research?

The 4-1-1 of the Physical World
Once upon a time, people had to physically search out answers to their questions: What happens when you reach the horizon, what determines gender, is there a God? These were big questions and, while some have been well researched and absolutely determined at this point in time, others still  remain a mystery – a mystery because the physical world does not reveal all.

Magellan and Elcano circumnavigated the globe back in the 6th century. It was a practical, hands-on experiment that did not go awry! It proved to the world that the earth was a sphere, not a plane that abruptly ended. Miescher, Watson and Crick all played a prominent role in the discovery of DNA. DNA is responsible for identifying, among other things, gender.

Listen to Your Left Chevron Three

But what about God? Is there an answer? Does God exist? Probably the biggest, deepest, most mystical, spiritual, unanswerable question ever posed. Who among us has the answer?

Quoted Charles M. Schultz, "I know the answer! The answer lies within the heart of all mankind! The answer is twelve? I think I'm in the wrong building." 

Mr. Schultz juxtaposed a profound thought with a side note of humor, buffering a serious and long researched subject that continues to baffle humankind. Yet the answer is partially revealed in this quote. All of life and its contents are researched in the physical world. To find the intangibles one must look within. Note that Mr. Schultz states, "within the heart of all mankind." It is collaborative, not singular. Perhaps this is a little hint of a major find – we are all connected.

"God sleeps in the minerals, awakens in plants, walks in animal and thinks in man." 
                                                                                                               – Arthur Young

You might question Mr. Schultz's authority on this topic, but you cannot ignore the fact that until Magellan successfully circumnavigated the globe, there existed no prior proof of his capabilities. However, he was able to manifest a result in the physical world. How do we receive a definitive answer to the question, "Does God exist?" And if you question Mr. Schultz's significance in this discussion, and rightly you should, where is there some combined spiritual and scientific research that gives even the tiniest glimpse into the most profound question of all time? Certainly a cartoonist cannot and does not hold the key to the question of all time?

"The key to wisdom is this – constant and frequent questioning, for by doubting we are led to question and by questioning we arrive at the truth."       – Peter Abelard

There are many books on this subject, however, one stands out brightly among the rest. You might try picking up a copy of Uell S. Andersen's Three Magic Words. I highly recommend it as one of the foremost tomes on this topic. He reveals a wealth of insight into the 4-1-1 on God. While a definitive answer does not lie behind door number one, two or three, this book offers some very profound thoughts and concepts on the subject. It's a good place to start your own spiritual conquest.