I Think I Believe in a Higher Power, but I Truly Don’t Know

If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him — Voltaire

The Voltaire quote in my subtitle may cause confusion.

It did for me.

After much thought, deliberation, and research, I’ve come to a rudimentary understanding of what I believe Voltaire was trying to convey.

He may have felt that a belief in God was necessary for society to function.

Throughout human history and even today, there is savagery, evil, manipulation, and destruction.

As a society, a belief in a higher good is vital for it to function. “Good” is a relative term.

However, based on the perceived concepts of “good,” we have created laws, implemented justice, morals, values, and are able to live in a democracy.

It is obvious that humanity is a work in progress, and the laws of any nation aren’t perfect, nor will they ever be.

However, God in this form is an ideal or something to aspire to.

God can become the highest good.

I understand this can get complicated, because the ideal of “good” can take on many forms due to different belief structures.