Week #3

Response to "The Color Purple" Reading

"She say, Celie, tell the truth, have you ever found God in church? I never did. I just found a bunch of folks hoping for him to show. Any God I ever felt in church I brought in with me. And I think all the other folks did too. They come to church and share God, not find God."

Can God be found within the walls of a church? A church is claimed to be the House of God, but how did He come to be a resident? The quote above presents a very profound perspective on the ritual of going to church. It is in the worshippers themselves, not the rituals of worship that God is able to be present. As they gather, they are able to perpetuate their faith through the presence of God in their friends, family, neighbors, and even strangers. I disagree with the concept that church is just "a bunch of folks hoping for Him to show", because I believe that in the souls of believers He has shown Himself.

"Ain’t no way to read the bible and not think God white, she say. Then she sigh. When I found out I thought God was white, and a man, I lost interest."

There is no reason for God to be depicted in any specific nationality, or even gender. I could understand that for a large portion of history, this tactic could be used to oppress those who were not members of the "super race", but this period of time is over. Jesus was a Middle Eastern Jewish man, so he obviously was not fair skinned with blue eyes. Religion is not a monopoly, therefore everyone should be able to relate to the creator as they see fit. It is entirely understandable that a woman who has had bad experiences with men, especially white men, would have trouble trusting a God that is an exact depiction of her hardships. I believe that there should no longer be single race depictions of God, if He is the sole creator, then He cannot be representative of one single race.

"The thing I believe, God is inside you and inside everybody else. You come into the world with God. But only them that search for it inside find it. And sometimes it just manifest itself even if you not looking, or don’t know what you looking for. "

The idea that God is present within each of his children is not a new concept; however, the way in which this character justifies the identification process is a little out of the ordinary (and refreshing). This way of thinking really touched me because everyone is offered a little hope if they realize the strength that they have within. Even those who seem to be entirely lost have the power to find their way back if they can identify the presence of God in their soul.