God Ain't Nothin' but a Tool

By Carl S ~

My former co-worker was a black man raised in Alabama. He'd quote words of wisdom from his father, who lived through years of extreme racial prejudice in the American South. One time, my partner was summoned to the office on what he suspected were trumped-up allegations against him, and told me, “My daddy always said, 'Never give a man a stick to beat you with.”' Isn't “God” a stick used by others to beat you into feeling guilty or embarrassed about anything harmless you think or do - whenever they want you to?

One dictionary definition of a tool is: “a means or instrument.” Words, as symbols, are tools. A physical tool is an extension of an organic body's abilities; symbols are tools of the imagination, extensions of ideas. For thousands of years it was believed only humans made tools, but observations have confirmed other animals make tools to accomplish their wants and needs. Humans, with more wants, needs, and more solution-driven complex imaginations, can create very sophisticated tools for their ends. And their ends may be solely for control over things: nature, animals, or other humans. Tools can be used for both good and bad purposes.

All tools originate as ideas, the mental processes of a mind. If they are successful, their uses become habits. Whatever becomes acceptable in words and pictures is also a tool. Some say the penned words are mightier than the sword. Words often create a reality of their own. Words can illuminate the mind or blind with bullshit. Gods, being words, are also tools; they're also fabricated from the imagination, used to accomplish ends beyond normal human capabilities. The accepted “God” who knows and is the ultimate explanation for everything, also defined as an all-potent creator, is an infinite egotistic extension of man the creator, his “words” the pronouncements of, obviously, man the know-it-all blowhard. This “God” is the ego's ultimate blowhard.

The most ignorant, cleverest, and the most indifferent to truth, are the ones who most often employ this “God-tool” for their ends.Consider the “God-tool” user experts: Whenever you hear a political speech or any pronouncement from a clergy member, or read a letter to the editor emphasizing “God” as authority authorizing their point of view, know that they use “God” as a tool to intimidate, to force, to deter the listener and reader from questioning them. Whenever they say “God,” its case closed, what further needs to be said? They are telling those who disagree to just shut up. “God” is a gun, is a weapon used to bludgeon thought, and the objections and observations of those who know differently, suspecting the “God's will” invokers are lying
and/or self-deluded. The invokers themselves know “God” is invisible and even “He” will not contradict them! What tool would contradict its user? The God tool can be used to justify any purposes.

The most ignorant, cleverest, and the most indifferent to truth, are the ones who most often employ this “God-tool” for their ends. Being a tool, “God” is not responsible for the results of “his” tool-users, who use “him” to emotionally put a church together or to mentally beat others with that same hammer. Anything they want to do with this tool, they can, for it's neutral. “God the Tool” is silent, impotent, unprotesting, powerless, immobile. There's no “infinite power” to their “God!” The whole creator-god idea was crafted by men who make tools to suit their purposes. The only power of “God” is finite power, and it comes from the way the “tool” is used. All god-tools are products of imaginations. And we know many fictional characters become successful tools!

Float above while free thinking on these things whenever someone tells you what “God” wants, thinks, feels, or demands, especially since your mental health is concerned. Beware, stay clear of, and laugh at them. Don't let them make a tool
of you, too.

“There is not sufficient love and goodness in the world to permit us to give some of it to imaginary beings.” - Nietzsche.

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