God is in control. Everything acts, in accordance with God’s plan. God has a purpose for each of us. I’m sure that many of us have heard people make these kinds of statements most of our lives. And if we were brought up in a Christian home, we’ve said and believed them, ourselves. But is God in control? Does God have a plan? Do we all have a purpose?
In every country, I see people trying to make the world better by working to preserve its resources, and by helping others to help themselves. I see families that love, nurture, and care for each other and other people. I see young people who are working hard, striving to excel, and looking to the future with hope. And people earnest and devout in their beliefs, desperate to find peace.
But I also see the mass scale destruction of the earth’s natural resources. Most of the world’s wealth, held in the hands of the few. Poor people, whose very existence depends upon the benevolence of government policy; religious conflict escalating into terrorism; crimes against humanity; racial strife; hatred; senseless killing, and blatant injustice. What I don’t see, is a plan!
Many will say, well, you’re not God; and God’s plan is not for you to know. But if His plan involves me, and I have free will, and can’t opt out, why can’t I know? If God has cast me as an actor in an elaborate passion play—against my will—shouldn’t He at least tell me the role I’m playing?
And which version of God’s plan are we supposed to follow? Is it the Mormon version, the Baptist version, the Pentecostal version, the Methodist version, the Presbyterian version, the Episcopalian version, the non-denominational version, the Hindu version, the Buddhism version, the Judaic version, the Islamic version, the Baha’i version, which version? From which religion’s well, are we supposed to draw this chimerical plan?
Not in Our Time, But in God’s
For centuries, the world’s religions have taught that we must wait on God. To stand idle, and look outward to God, instead of looking inward to find solutions for ourselves. We have allowed them to convince us that it’s not us, but the devil that is causing our problems. That we are not fighting flesh and blood, but principalities. They tell us that our real reward is not on this plane, but in a new world, yet to come. And in accepting these mythologies and superstitions, we have convinced ourselves, that only God can solve our problems. Not in our time, but in His.
We have died by the millions fighting wars. We kill each other over beliefs that we cannot prove. Every day we put the lives of our children, grandchildren, mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers at risk, to protect our right to own guns. We have become selfish, obscenely materialistic—and instead of punishing bad behavior—we reward it.
We suffer all these and more—and accept the belief—that they are beyond our control. That everything that happens is a part of God’s mysterious plan!
What is interesting, is how rare the poor, or someone whose life has been a constant struggle, claim their situation is the result, of God’s plan. What is usual for them to say, is that what has happened to them, is their fault. The effect of the bad decisions they’ve made.
More often, the person who holds a belief in God’s plan is an older person who has gained wealth; or someone who has struggled, and accomplished what their goals required of them, but gives the credit for all their hard work to God; and ascribes the result, to His plan.
The Divine Law teaches that there is no plan! That it is not God that is in control, but humankind that is out of control! That for humanity to regain control, we must reject the guidance of institutions that subjugate and keep us childlike with mythology, mysticism, and superstition; and accept the truth of this reality, to regain the power inherent in having confidence, in the ability to reason for ourselves!
The philosophy teaches that we are in control! That we all have the same purpose: which, is to live our lives as positively and as responsibly as we possibly can, in relation to ourselves, other people, the environment, and the society in which we live. It asserts that the Divine Law is the foundation upon which humanity can establish harmony and peace. And that the responsibility for doing so—is not God’s—but our own!