A layman's odyssey every 'open-minded' Atheist, Jew, Christian,
Muslim, Agnostic or Spiritual seeker must read!
Art Schade's tour de force work of creative fiction which
focuses on looking for God in a world of religious confusion brought me face to
face with how differently, regardless of religion, we all interpret God in a
time of crisis ~ and yet how similar many of these interpretations seem to
appear in regards to a God of love, empathy and compassion: Allen L Roland, PhD
Art
Schade is a Marine and Vietnam combat
Veteran, ~ with over 28 successful years in corporate executive
marketing, business development and sales with IBM. Art retired
early, determined to write about two questions that had haunted him since Vietnam - 'how
to help myself and others break the stigma of PTSD,' and 'why a loving God
allows the atrocities and barbaric actions of war?'
In
this dramatic tour de force, Schade
recreates the tragic loss of his marine buddies by creating his fictionalized
daughter Jessica being killed in an automobile accident before his horrified
and anguished eyes;
" Where is God " he screamed as he cradled
her tangled lifeless body in his arms. " Where is God " he demanded.
"It
was the same plea he shouted decades before on the battlefields of Vietnam,
when he held the dead or mutilated bodies of brother marines.
"
Where is God ? " He sobbingly repeated, not exactly expecting
an answer.
He
suddenly heard a voice behind him ~ a stranger hoping to comfort him said, "
She is with God," ~ Jacob did not respond, as he continued to stare
down at his beloved daughter Jessica.
"
How the hell do you know she is with God ~ why did God take her in the first
place? She should be with me " ~ Jacob screamed.
The
stranger ignored Jacob's anger, and bent down and wrapped his strong arms
tenderly around both of them tearfully embracing them until the police and
ambulance arrived.
Devastated
by his young daughter's tragic death, Jacob is determined to find God to ask
Him why He allowed this tragedy to occur. No
longer sure where to find Him, or if God truly exists, Jacob travels through
the 'Ancient Gates of Abraham' to wander across the contradictory and
prejudiced roads within the Kingdom of Religious Confusion.
Repeatedly
challenged to remain open-minded he engages religious leaders, devout
followers, agnostics and atheists along passages as 'Born again Street',
'Fundamentalist Drive', 'Junction of the Majority', 'Path of Disbelief', and
many more, in commonsense conversations to understand why their philosophy
alone will lead him to God, or prove God's non-existence.
Yet
the further he travels the more confused he becomes, and it is not until his
arduous journey nears its end that he recognizes a culminating revelation - an insight he was not expecting to unearth."
*
We
believe God transcends all time, is always among us and knows all things
past, present and future ~ but was it possible that the stranger who comforted
Jacob in his anguish over the loss of his daughter and wrapped his strong arms
tenderly around both of them tearfully embracing them until the police and
ambulance arrived was actually a manifestation of God.
And
Jacobs sudden realization that he had never thanked that stranger was an
indication that the God he was fervently searching for was always deepest
within himself ~ for god only reveals itself to a grateful heart.
A
fact I have proved and demonstrated in my work over the past 45 years ~
particularly with Combat Veterans with PTSD and in my book RADICAL THERAPY,
SURRENDER TO LOVE AND HEAL YOURSELF IN SEVEN SESSIONS (not seven years).
The
key to the Kingdom of Religious confusion is gratitude and self-forgiveness and
Arthur Schade's book is an ambitious step toward the ultimate realization that
the God we are all seemingly seeking resides
within ourselves ~
within a Unified Field of love, joy and soul
consciousness which resides not only beyond time and space but also beneath
our deepest fears ~ as it most certainly did
within the stranger who was there for Jacob and his daughter Jessica.
I
have been that empathetic stranger many times in my work with combat Veterans
with PTSD ~ for example, in one our Band of
Brothers groups about a year ago, one of our Vietnam Veterans had recently lost his beloved aunt and was beside
himself in grief.
I
purposely sat next to him consoling him but also mentioned that he should
celebrate the great gift his aunt was in his life and remember all the
wonderful things about her versus grieving her. If he indeed began to celebrate her from a place of
celebration and joy, reminding her that she still lived in his heart
~ she would make her presence known to him via a dream or vision and let him
know that she was now at peace and still loved him deeply ~ much as my late
mother did with me, the night she died in 1987. See
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2012/05/12/memories-of-my-mom/
And
that is precisely what happened to him for within two weeks, he told us about a
recent vivid dream where she told him that she was now at peace and reminded
him that she will always be living in his heart. He was now at peace himself
and reflected that inner joy and inner peace of knowing that he
is still loved.
That
incident was a wonderful reminder that those who we love deeply become part of
us forever ~ for they are now in a Unified Field of love and soul
consciousness that exists beyond time and space ~ just as my mother,
grandfather and late twin will always live in my heart forever.
But
that incident could also be interpreted as blasphemous or the work of the devil
by the religious right ~ as has been mentioned to me many times.
I
have also been Jacob
~ broken by unforeseen events to the point of hopelessness and despair and at
just the right moment, a stranger appeared, helped me and took me by the hand
and said "Everything is going to be all right " and I
knew God had intervened much as Jacobs stranger.
But
I also later sought that stranger out and thanked him for being there for me which is why this great truth has been
revealed to me. For to me, God is love, an evolutionary process with which
we all participate as co-creators.
I
am also indebted to Arthur Schade for this important informative and moving
book as well as providing a much needed reminder that we no longer have to look
outside for God, for God lies deepest within ourselves and will only reveal
itself to a grateful heart.
Read
Schade's spiritual journey and discover for yourself your God within the
kingdom of Religious Confusion ~ and celebrate it as I am now celebrating it
with you.
"We
are not human beings learning how to be spiritual, we are spiritual beings
learning how to be human." Teilhard de Chardin
Heart centered spiritual consultant and advisor Allen L
Roland can be contacted at allen@allenroland.com Allen is also a
lecturer and writer who shares a weekly political and social commentary
on his web log and
website allenroland.com. He is
also featured columnist on Veterans Today and is a
featured guest on many radio and Television programs.