I’ve been wanting to comment further on the T.F. Powys quote, “Belief is too easy a road to God.” If we replace the word “God” with “meaning,” Powys’ intent becomes clear. Much of the West avoids consideration of existential meaning by finding it in some variant of “God’s plan.” Such is their choice. For the rest of us, however, condemned forever to question rather than accept, there has to be more. This is Powys’ point. For us, exploration of meaning is obligatory, and reaching a place of personal peace is a lot of work. Just “believing” is too easy.
True believers are convinced that the ONLY possibility for a meaningful life lies in a relationship to the Creator, conceived as an anthropomorphic deity represented by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. When Moyers asked about Campbell’s reaction on fist seeing that image—expecting a response of admiration and awe—Campbell said he had already abandoned the notion of a personal God by the time of his visit to the Vatican. Jesus said, “He who is not with me is against me,” which eventuates in the doctrine of either a Christian meaning or no meaning at all. Nietzsche rightly viewed this dilemma as the source of cultural and psychological nihilism in the Western world—without a meaning centered on God, there is no meaning whatsoever. So the seeds of nihilistic despair dwell within belief itself. The realization that there are multitudes of ways to construct and choose a meaningful life vaccinates one against this brand of suffering. According to Heidegger, our cultural ancestors have bequeathed to us these multitudinous meanings and we should feel profound gratitude to them for having left us such a rich heritage of possibilities.
Well, you kind of make my point. Don’t you think this is what Powys was saying? Your own comment, “The realization that there are multitudes of ways to construct and choose a meaningful life…” is implicit in his statement. By “believing” in something called God, or any “god,” one obviates all that, all the work of sorting out and deciding on an alternative. As to using any quotes attributed to Jesus, I’d be careful. Take a look at pretty much anything written by Bart Ehrman (or the process that led to the Council of Nicaea and the “canonization” of the currently accepted evangelists) and you’ll see the problems with that.
I have spent much time over the past two or three weeks considering meaning, and it’s taken me down a rabbit hole. That’s why I’ve not posted in a while. I’m reading Yalom and Frankl and a couple of others and trying to process it all. I will post something shortly…though, admittedly, it will be brief. I’ve about decided there’s not that much to it.
Powys would have been far nearer the mark had he declared that God is too easy a path to Meaning in the Modern Era.
At the moment, I am rethinking Powys, including a full second read of his Soliloquies. That’s why I haven’t posted in so long. In brief, I have new respect for him, and I think (presumptively, I suppose) that this book has been completely misunderstood. I have a review of the book nearly finished, and will post it soon.
For one thing, I don’t think he was referring to meaning. I do think he was simply pointing how much he differed from other people, whom he felt somewhat passive towards (as opposed to actively disdaining them). I also think he was more of a gnostic or mystic, who believed god (the mystery, not god not in a personal sense) is found in quiet and simplicity and in embracing mortality, all of which most people avoid like the plague.