IDOLATRY AND DOGMATISM: THE VEILS OF MAYA

Emotion in the Depiction of God

The Biblical and Koranic God, even though regarded as beyond representation, is often portrayed as having human emotions. He is said to be jealous, vindictive, wrathful or vengeful. He has his favorite or chosen prophets and people, as well as his enemies whom he punishes with natural disasters like plagues, floods and earthquakes. 

He talks with people and even interferes with human affairs and political matters, functioning as a judge noting the good and evil of people, giving them rewards and punishments of an often tyrannical order.

Such a God appears as a person with some common, and not entirely noble human feelings. He appears as a personification of anger and wrath, or as representing the ego of certain people. Such a God appears to be the confusion of the Divine with a particular mental or emotional formation, which is material and transient. It is very convenient to put God on our side and make those who think differently than us followers of the Devil, but there is nothing particularly spiritual, sensitive or even humane about it.

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