Merry Christmas!

Is Christmas Only for Christians?

Image by Noël Zia Lee via Flickr

This time of year we hear "put Christ back in Christmas" from those who see the "original" meaning of Christmas being watered down and who believe that Jesus is being dishonored when we say "Happy Holidays" or when we use X (the Greek letter Chi as in Christ) instead of writing out Christ in Christmas, as if the X is a way of stamping out Jesus. I always find it interesting when people talk about taking Jesus out of Christmas. There isn't much uniquely Christian about Christmas to begin with.

As many of you already know, the true origins of the way most of us celebrate Christmas now are a mixed bag at best with almost none of it being originated by Christians. Scholars vary on their best guesses as to the time of the year of Yeshua's birth. But no one thinks he was actually born on December 25th. So, why do we celebrate Christmas this time of year? Yep, pagans. The pagans that Christians were trying to convert to Christianity already had a holy day (or three) on December 25th. So, the Christians slyly put Christ's celebration on that day to get the pagans to more easily slip on over to Christianity. They could still have their celebration just instead of honoring Mithras or Saturn, they honored Jesus. This time of year (the Winter solstice) is when the days are darkest and longest. People needed to look forward to some light coming into the world. So, what better time to celebrate the Light (as in Jesus) coming into the world? In December, the sun has been "dying" since the Spring solstice losing a little power each day. Finally, this time of year, the days beging to get longer and the sun gets stronger. The sun is "reborn". So, the concept of celebrating light coming into the world at this time of year is not originally Christian or uniquely Christian.

How about the tree? Well, again, we can thank the pagans (northern Europeans) for that little tradition. They brought in evergreens (the only thing green in the dead of winter in northern Europe) and decorated them around the winter solstice to bring a little life and light into their homes at a depressing time of year.

How about gift giving? Surely, that has Christians origins? Well, probably not. Some say the idea of gift giving was started by the Romans who actually compelled the populace to bring offerings and gifts to the emperors and this was later expanded to the common people in the form of gifts. Some say it started with Kris Kringle or Saint Nicholas.

So, what's my point? That since Christmas is not an original ritual that is exclusively Christian, we (Christians) should not participate in it? Absolutely not! Although some have used that logic (the Jehovah's Witnesses who do not celebrate Christmas). As an aside, for those who tell me I should not do yoga or meditate because those things a "not Christian", using that same logic, I sure hope you didn't put up a tree this year. I think Christians can and should celebrate Christmas with gusto. My point is that Christmas has transcended Christianity and has become a holiday and a time of year we can all celebrate. Just as the Winter Solstice celebration transcended the worshippers of Mithra and Saturn, I believe Christmas can/has transcended being a uniquely Christian thing. I hate all the tip-toeing around this time of year trying to be politically correct. You can't say "Merry Christmas", you have to say"Happy Holidays". Maybe that person is Jewish or celebrates Kwanzaa or is an Atheist. "Bah humbug!" I say. Everyone can celebrate the generosity of the season, the one time of year when we're most concerned about people having enough and when we give freely. Every human being can join in on the feeling of hope that comes from marking the end of the descent into darkness and the coming of the Light. The spirit of Christmas is not a uniquely Christian spirit. It's a spirit that can be shared by all.

One of my best friends is Jewish. He's married to a Gentile. The holidays in their house are "interesting". He's raising his children to be Jewish and would prefer that they shun Christmas celebrations. In this society, that's a very difficult thing to do. I argue that he should just give up. and I've told him so. IMO, Christmas has moved beyond being just a Christmas celebration into a celebration that has become largely secular for most people. While there are a handful of people who really remember the "true" meaning of Christmas, for most people it seems to be about the gatherings with friends and family and the tree and the gift giving, not necessarily about the birth of Christ. The real meaning of Christmas is hope. Whether you take the story literally or not, its about a boy born in a backwater town in an animal trough being King of the World. It's about hope coming to the world through the poorest and the outcast. It's about mankind putting aside our differences and living in peace. And, while I think it's extremely important for Christians to celebrate the birth of Christ, that doesn't mean that others cannot participate in these other wonderful aspects of Christmas.

I don't mean to say that Christians don't have something wonderful and unique to celebrate this time of year. We do. Marking the birth of Jesus is something that is very important and that we should never let go of. But, I would suggest to those who get upset that the secular world is taking the Christ out of Christmas, you might want to look at all the good stuff they are leaving in Christmas. IMO those things are the true spirit of Christ. Getting together with friends, a time of year of reflection, a time to look forward to better days, a time to give generously. There is nothing wrong with those things and the fact that people do them around Christmas is a good thing, whether that person is a Christian or not.

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Farewell to George Bush

Image via Wikipedia

You may have noticed my countdown clock on the left side of the page- counting down the days until George W. Bush leaves the office of the Presidency. Many people are happy to see him go.  And I will not deny counting myself among that number.   An Iraqi reporter threw a shoe at him. Some have thrown virtual shoes at him in the way of blog posts. I got an email a couple of days ago suggesting we mail old shoes to the George W. Bush Presidential Library at SMU. Well, I'm not going to throw a shoe at President Bush- virtual, real or by the way of the U.S. mail.

I want to say that I think George Bush has done the best job he could do. I think he is a very sincere man who sought the Presidency so that he could improve America. I believe he did the things he did while in office out of a sincere desire to do what was best for the country. While we disagree on whether the means he chose were justified by the ends he sought, I do not question his patriotism and I have no desire to throw anything at the man.

While he was in office, I was one of George W. Bush's most vocal opponents.  About the only thing I can remember agreeing on with him policy-wise was providing aid to Africa for AIDS.  That is one truly remarkable thing he did while in office.  But, as much as I might disagree with him on policy, I respect him as a human being and I respect his willingness to take on the toughest job in the world.  I wish the man a happy retirement from the job of President and hope that whatever he undertakes next is very successful for him.

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Obama Taps Rick Warren to Deliver Inauguration Invocation

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Just as I predicted during the election, some of Obama's supporters are already upset with him for doing precisely what he said he would do during the election. I had many friends on the right fearful that Obama is some seriously left-wing nut-job that couldn't wait to completely re-engineer our country. But, having read Obama's book "The Audacity of Hope" and listening to what he actually said, I knew that would not be the case. My prediction was that those on the left would be disappointed that Obama is not liberal enough. By his cabinet picks and his inclusion of Rick Warren in the inauguration day festivities, Obama is showing that he is a true pragmatist. He does not believe that every good idea comes from the left or that people with differing opinions should be silenced. By choosing Rick Warren, who is such a lightning rod for the gay community because of his vocal support of Proposition 8 and his comparisons of gay marriage to pedophilia and incest, Obama knew he'd be upsetting many of his supporters.

In Obama's defense, the minister delivering the benediction is Reverend Joseph Lowery who is known for his inclusiveness and support for gay marriage (a step that Obama himself is not willing to take). By including both men on the agenda, Obama has reached out to make inauguration day an inclusive day appealing to both evangelicals and more conservative Christians and to progressives. Inauguration day is not a day to decide policy, it's a day to set the tone for the new administration and Obama has done that perfectly by including both of these men on the agenda.

While I vehemently disagree with many of Rick Warren's positions, I realize he is an icon among many evangelicals. And, Obama will need their support to get a lot of things accomplished. Evangelicals aren't all bad, BTW. Warren and his followers have made great progress on their view of AIDS, reaching out to help people around the world. They have also been doing a lot for world poverty. I'm glad that Obama is making them feel included on inauguration day.

I understand why some are upset at Rick Warren speaking. But, this decision does not represent a policy shift by Obama on gay rights. I am sure that on inauguration day, Rick Warren will not make any remarks about his opposition to gay marriage or anything else even slightly controversial. And, I'm sure Reverend Lowery will be open, inclusive and do a wonderful job. More importantly, Obama is giving us a glimpse of what his administration will be like, as he reaches out to both sides and tries to get us to all work together. How could a man who criticized George W. Bush's administration's fingers-in-the-ears diplomacy with Iran, refuse to allow Rick Warren to speak at the inauguration?

Dandelions

Image by BrianWestChest via FlickrCoincidence? As I was struggling with my depression last night, I read this little story:

A man who took great pride in his lawn found himself with a large crop of dandelions. He tried every method he knew to get rid of them. Still they plagued him.

Finally, he wrote to the Department of Agriculture. He enumerated all the things he had tried and closed his letter with the question: "What shall I do now?"

In due course the reply came: "We suggest you learn to love them."

story published in Anthony De Mello's "The Song of the Bird"

Religion- The Guru's Cat

Image by BrianWestChest via FlickrI love this little story.

When the guru sat down to worship each evening the ashram cat would get in the way and distract the worshipers. So, he ordered that the cat be tied during evening worship.


After the guru died, the cat continued to be tied during evening worship. And, when the cat expired, another cat was brought to the ashram so that it could be duly tied during evening worship.


Centuries later, learned treatises were written by the guru's scholarly disciples on the liturgical significance of tying up a cat while worship is performed.

Sick & Tired

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This time of year has always depressed me. I hate the cold. I hate the dark. I know, I know... I was born and raised in Ohio. I'm supposed to be "used to it". But, my body just wasn't built for this weather. I'm cold all the time. And it seems inevitably this time of year I get a cold that just lingers and lingers. My favorite part of the day is the warmth of the shower or crawling under the covers at night. The time from about the end of October to the Winter Solstice (in just a few days) feels like a descent into darkness literally and figuratively. Every year I have to fight it.

As I've been practicing Buddhism, the last couple of winters have been a lot more bearable. Buddhism has helped me deal with the depression through mindfulness, gratitude practice and living in the moment. Unfortunately, my sitting practice has fallen completely by the wayside right now as I just seems I don't have enough hours in the day to get everything in. But, I do have the residuals of that practice lingering and one thing I've observed this time around is that while my body feels just absolutely blah, my mind is still OK. There's a battle going on between the real "me" and what my body is telling me. It's a really fascinating distinction for me to realize the S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder) is not in my head, it's really in my body. I told a friend the other day that I am solar powered and I am. I could definitely be a sun worshiper. This time of year, on those rare days when the sun comes streaming through the windows on the back of the house, I'll lie on the floor and just soak it up. I can literally feel my energy level go up when I'm out in the sun. I can feel it drop when the sun goes into hiding for days on end. I know this is a physical thing because I have nothing to be depressed about. I have a wonderful life and family. The business is going well. We all have our health. We've had great times with friends at parties. The blah I feel is most definitely coming from my body.

I always struggle with this time of year because part of my practice is also to practice living in the present and gratitude. The temptation is to dream about living somewhere else or to think how Spring will be here soon. Neither "escape" is productive. I'm also tempted to moan about the weather (which is what you would expect in Ohio). I don't want to spend my days wishing for Spring, especially since such a large chunk of my life (until I move) is spent in these dark days of an Ohio winter. I have to learn to deal with these days and embrace them just as much as I would a sunny summer day. That is the goal. To (mentally) treat each day the same, whether sunny and warm or blustery and gray. But, part of that for me, is to accept the fact that my body just doesn't feel the same on December 16th as it does on August 16th.

I bought a light from Costco a couple of years ago. It really worked for me. I did not get it out last year and made it through OK. But, it's sitting here in my credenza and I might pull it out soon. The light is a Philips GoLite. I just bought the little desktop model. It works on a timer and produces the blue light waves that us summer people crave during the winter.

This year was the first time I've heard of a "blue Christmas" ceremony- a church service that acknowledges this time of year is not all "peace and joy". I've always heard that many people are depressed around the holidays. But, usually I've heard the cause attributed to the loss of loved ones and it being a time to reflect or to unrealistic expectations of what the holidays are supposed to bring. For some of us, it's actually a physical thing where our bodies seems to want to go into hibernation. Dealing with that can actually be a part of our practice. So, that's what I'm working on this cycle around the sun.

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What I Have Done So Far

Image by BrianWestChest via FlickrDirections: Copy the list to your blog, put an asterisk next to the things you have done in your life, and then pass it on to others in your blog! Also feel free to add a couple at the end, if you like. I added a few.

*1. Started your own blog (or three)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
*7. Been to Disneyworld (twice)
*8. Climbed a mountain
*9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
*12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
*16. Had food poisoning
*17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
*18. Grown your own vegetables
*19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
*21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
*24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
*30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
*34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
*35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
*41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
*45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
*48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
*51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
*53. Played in the mud
*54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
*57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
*64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
*68. Flown in a helicopter
*69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
*70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
*71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
*73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
*75. Been fired/laid off from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
*82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
*84. Had your picture in the newspaper
*85. Read the entire Bible
*86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
*88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
*91. Met someone famous (Pat Riley- former coach of LA Lakers)
92. Joined a book club
*93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
*98. Owned a cell phone
*99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
*101. Learned to play an instrument
102. Kissed the Blarney Stone
103. Ridden a camel
104. Been to an underground church meeting
105. Ate pizza in New York City
106. Preached a sermon
107. Visited someone in jail
*108. Given a speech
*109. Eaten sushi
*110. Thrown a party for no reason
*111. Bought more than 200 music CDs (I'm at 912 and counting)
*112. Hit a 300 yard drive
113. Shot a hole in one

Dear God

How does this song make you feel? I think it does a great job of capturing the irony.




Dear God,
Hope you got the letter and
I pray you can make it better down here.
I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer
But all the people that you made in your image,
See them starving on their feet
'Cause they don't get enough to eat From God
I can't believe in you.

Dear God,
Sorry to disturb you, but
I feel that I should be heard loud and clear.
We all need a big reduction in the amount of tears
And all the people that you made in your image,
See them fighting in the street
'Cause they can't make opinions meet

About God,
I can't believe in you.

Did you make disease, and the diamond blue?
Did you make mankind after we made you?
And the devil too?!

Dear God,
Don't know if you noticed, but...
Your name is on a lot of quotes in this book,
Us crazy humans wrote it, you should take a look,
And all the people that you made in your image,
Still believing that junk is true
Well I know it ain't, and so do you

Dear God,
I can't believe in...
I don't believe in...

I DON'T believe in heaven OR hell.
No saints, no sinners, no devil as well.
No pearly gates, no thorny crown.
You're always letting us humans down.
The wars you bring, the babes you drown.
Those lost at sea and never found,
IT'S ALL the same the whole world 'round.
The hurt I see helps to compound
The Father, The Son and Holy Ghost
Is just somebody's unholy hoax
And if you're up there you'd perceive
That my heart's here upon my sleeve.
If there's one thing I don't believe in.....

It's you.....
Dear God.

Where is God?

;

Image via WikipediaThis is one of those things that has popped up over and over again in the last couple of weeks in different places I frequent. Where is God? Who is God? What is God? Is there a God? Is God male or female? Is God out there or in here? My image of God has changed so much over the years that the God I envision today (or don't envision to put it more accurately) is absolutely nothing like the Zeus-like old man sitting on a throne of my youth.

I guess the most fundamental question to answer would be "Is there (a) God?" If the answer is no, the rest of the questions become moot. No need to figure out any qualities or locations of a non-existent being (or force or spirit). The atheist supposedly says there is no God. But, maybe what he really means is there is no God as some theologians have tried to describe Him. Jews sometimes talk about the fact that you cannot really positively describe God as in saying what God is, you can only identify what God is not. There is a great little book that is now public domain and a free download called "Your God Is Too Small". What I have found is most atheists have not rejected the God that I have come to believe in. They have rejected a Sunday School image of God. They have come to the conclusion that God the Cop does not exist, or God the Old Man, or God as our Father (a projection of our earthly father). Many Christians have such a grossly underdeveloped idea of who or what God is that people from outside our faith community simply have to reject it based on common sense. While all of these models of God have had or continue to have some merit. To attempt to describe the Indescribable in such childish terms and present them as a complete picture drives people not to belief in such a god but to disbelief. Christians, inadvertently, create atheists with our absurd declarations about what God is .

I no longer think of God as an old man with a flowing beard. I rarely think of God as corporeal at all. And, when I do, I try not to. I no longer picture that when I get to Heaven I will see God. I believe I could see Jesus. I believe I could see Buddha or Ghandi or MLK. I don't know if I'd say anymore that I believe in a God. I do believe in God. I think of G-d as more of Force or Spirit or Intelligence or Life than as a separate entity or Being. I see God as flowing through and interconnecting everything and as Being everything more than I see God as sitting outside of His creation looking down on us. As someone said to me earlier today when I said that God created us out of Godself, G-d became us rather than G-d created us. When you describe as all that is, as the Creative Force, as the Organizer, as First Cause, how can anyone looking at life at the Universe, at humanity deny the existence of God? For me, the answer to whether or not God is is "Of course. How could I not?". The only question that remains is what is God like? Can we describe God? I think we can begin to. There are some things we can say about God. But, for me, thinking we have a clear handle on what God is would be like an amoeba thinking it has a handle on what a man is. Or maybe a better picture is a cell in our body thinking it comprehends the entire body. I think Christianity has done itself, God and humanity a disservice by thinking we have a clear handle on exactly what God is like and promoting this Sunday School primitive image that clearly does not fully describe the Divine.

My view of God is best described by a word I first heard only a couple of years ago. Panentheistic. Not to be confused with pantheistic. Pantheists believe that the Universe is God that the physical realm is the complete manifestation of the divine. I do not believe that. I believe in both the immanence of God (the fact that She is in with and part of Her creation) and the transcendance of God (that G-d is greater than Her creation). The creation does not contain God. But, the creation is contained within God and is made of God. I see God as more giving birth to the Universe and to humanity, a mother, than as a manufacturer, one who constructed us and our universe. That is one reason why I believe it's important to use feminine pronouns for God sometimes (If we're going to use pronouns at all). I believe that, in a very real way and a way few of us can comprehend, we are each made up of the "stuff" of God (whatever that means). I believe that God experiences Godself through each of us. That is not to say that I am God. To say that God is me is not the same as saying I am God. Kind of like the cell in my finger is not Brian in its entirety, but the cell in my finger is part of Brian. Inseparable.

This image (or lack of image) of God has been revolutionary for me. For year and years I looked for God "out there" praying, begging and cajoling for God to answer me. I heard Christians say they had talked to God. And, even more amazing God had talked back! To hear them talk, they knew exactly what God wanted and when He wanted it. They were so certain and sure of Him and themselves. I wondered what I was missing. Why did He choose to remain silent when I begged Him to reveal Himself to me? It wasn't until I learned about Centering Prayer (meditation if you will) that I finally began to truly sense the Presence of God. I started pressing people on what they meant when they said "God told me..." or "God told me to tell you...." Each and every single time it wasn't an audible voice they heard or a vision, it was a feeling, a thought, a word whispered in that "inner voice". When I finally realized this, I too began to hear from God. Then, it all started to fall into place. That stuff in the Bible about "be still and know I am God" made sense. Be still. Be quiet. That weird passage in 1 Kings 19 finally made sense to me:

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

Many are still looking for physical manifestations of God. They expect God to come to them in fury, in awe, in might. Or maybe in a dream or a vision or by speaking through someone else. But, what did Elijah find? He found a still small voice- I believe an internal voice. I've heard people say it's blasphemy to say that God indwells us. They say it's heresy to say that we should look inside of ourselves to find God. But, isn't that exactly what the Bible tells us? Don't the Trinitarians say that Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are One (and often they say they are the same). If God gives us the Holy Spirit how is that not God inside of us? If we're going to find God where else are we going to turn?

Some say it's going to far to say we are God. And it is ridiculous to say that individually, I Brian, am the Creator or that I'm perfect. For a wave to declare itself the ocean is absurd. However, it is not going to far to say that I am an incarnation of God, an emanation from God, a piece of God, if you will.

This is a very difficult concept for many to grasp and I cannot say I have a handle on it entirely. It's also very difficult to explain. But, we have to try. I'll end with a story:

The disciples were full of questions about God.

Said the master, "God is the Unknown and the Unknowable, Every statement about Him, every answer to every question is a distortion of truth."

The disciples were bewildered. "Then why do you speak about him at all?"


"Why does the bird sing?" said the master.

We cannot know all there is to know about God. But, that does not stop us (nor should it stop us ) from speaking about Her. The things we say about G-d are not necessarily to be understood. They are to be listened to and taken into the heart- as the wind in the trees, or the sound of the river or the song of the bird. They will then awaken something in the heart that is beyond knowledge. This is what has happened to me. I've stopped trying to "understand" G-d with my head and started trying to feel God with my heart. (story taken from Anthony De Mello's "The Song of the Bird")

Golfing with God

I just finished my second Roland Merullo novel "Golfing with God".  The first one I read was "American Savior" about Jesus' return to earth to run in the Presidential election.  I enjoyed "American Savior". So, I thought I would enjoy "Golfing with God".

Roland Merullo has a knack for weaving spiritual lessons into stories that are engaging and funny while they are making you think about spiritual principles.  In this, his second novel that I have read, and in American Savior, the main characters have the opportunity to meet with Jesus and God, get to know them and ask the questions I'd ask if given the opportunity.  Golfing with God's main character is Herman Fins-Winston, an English golfer who came within a whisper of making it on the pro tour.  Herman (who prefers to be called Hank) is enjoying his stay in heaven after his life as a teaching pro when he's approached by one of God's helpers who offers him the opportunity to help God with the "yips".  God, it turns out, likes a challenge.  So, to play golf, He limits Himself to a human mind one that has lost its confidence on the greens and reaches out to Hank for help.  As you may quickly guess, there's a lot more to it than that. 

The story is a story of self-discovery as Hank plays golf in heaven and on Earth with the likes of God, Buddha, Mary and Jesus.  Roland doesn't make the mistake of trying to get too deeply into the head of the character of God.  The story is more about the education of Hank than about the nature of God.  Hank and God take a visit to Earth for a golfing vacation because Herman says God can only get better under the conditions of Earth.   While on Earth, Hank  plays a match that has huge implications not only for Hank but for thousands of others.  It's a fascinating illustration of interdependence- how the actions of one man do not impact on his life but the lives of untold others.  It's apparent that Roland Merullo's worldview (universe view) is a mixture of Christianity and Buddhism.  In American Savior, there is more emphasis on the Christian view (as Jesus is the candidate).  In Golfing With God, I found much more about the ideas of interdependence, karma, self-determination and reincarnation.  However, most Buddhists do not believe in a God.  So, the idea of golfing with God is definitely not a Buddhist concept.  And, I have to say I struggle with the concept of God in a body- however, putting that aside, I found the book to be quite enjoyable.  If you love golf, you'll love this book.  But, even if you don't the parallels between your golf game and the adventure of life probably will not be lost on you.