Assume...

There is an old joke (at least as old as I am) that may inform my journey (or at  least my rate of travel). Aside - perhaps the best news is that the slower you travel the more you see.


Anyway, the joke (un-embellished short form) goes like this...There once was a farmer named Phillip that was having trouble with the production of milk on his farm.  Being particularly partial to P's he invited a Physiologist, a Psychologist, and a Physicist to assist in finding and fixing this unknown problem.  First to be called, the Physiologist recommended a comprehensive set of changes to diet, exercise, and sleep patterns, that, when followed exactingly for weeks by Pharmer Phillip, demonstrated no improvement in milk production whatsoever. The Psychologist was called in next, and prescribed a series of deeply thought-out changes, including interactive bovine dialog, music coordinated with time of day and lighting, and some carefully measured pharmaceuticals. After much time, effort, and money (talking with cows isn't easy), and absolutely no results, Pharmer Phillip finally elects in desperation to call in the Physicist.  On arrival, and after a brief introduction to cows, the Physicist leans on the fence, and says:

 "Vell, lets see here...  First let us assume ze cow is a sphere"

This says two things to me.  The first is that I must be a little odd to hang onto this as a favorite joke since my days in colllege physics.  The second is that alternate perspectives at least exist for people in physics, although their value is still in dispute if the joke above has any foundation in reality.

So lets get back to the sphere.  My research into Abrahamic faiths points to the assertion by some that there is one God, and that the one God is the foundation of all three faiths.  Assuming that this is true, then how does the model extend to other faiths?  Although my learning is just beginning, it does appear that...

1. God's complexity is higher than man can grasp
2. People assert a personal God, one that relates to them, 
3. Many monotheistic faiths assert that God as described by them is the one true God.

All of these conditions coexist if we realize that it may be everybody's understanding of God that is both different and incomplete.  That  means that yours is wrong, BUT SO IS MINE.

So what's to be done?  The answer to this question also feels clear, at least to this uneducated heathen.  We should...

1. Study other faiths
2. Seek to uncover and ratify the common elements of all faiths
3. accept the fact that there can be both multiple human explanations of anything (presumably including God) that are both true and different.

So back to the sphere.  Perhaps we should start with 

"Vell, let us see here...  Let us start by assuming that God is a Sphere..."

but that we all see only one side, and that we all see things differently.

Or perhaps we should just admit that we are all wise but blind humans (men?), and that God is an elephant :-)