Spinoza and the Search for God

Spinoza s conceptualization of God is indeed very unique. His thesis is as follows, the imagery and representation of God in the holy books emanate from a fertile employment of imagination. The prophets have realized revelation through imaginative contact with the sky. God s image as a white dove´-or-a flaming fire is in accordance with the masses vision of God and the spiritual world.
God is not a man´-or-a celestine living in the sky, it is rather a manifestation of natural existence that expresses its perfection and purposefulness. As long as we deepen our contact and knowledge of the natural world, our understanding of God becomes clearer and closer. In this senses, God represents the greater good that humankind must aspire to find. it is in searching for and knowing God, there lies our ultimate good and happiness. All human actions reflect the idea of God inside of us. They are called the commandments of God.
The optimal telos of all human actions is the love of God. The divine law is about a most important principle: loving God as a greater good for all humankind. Spinoza analyzes the bible from political and historical perspectives. He concludes that the bible s laws and orders were designed and ordained according to the understanding and experience of the Isrealites and concern only their social and economic circumstances. As for Jesus, his role entailed mainly a novel reading of moralism and its separation from the political sphere.
Spinoza draws our attention to the idea that believing of things not seen, such as miracles, has nothing to do with the divine law, and does not secure spiritual happiness to the people, yet it serves merely to establish a creed. Spinoza sees that miracles patently contradict the laws of nature. Since natural laws and forces are but manifestation of God and emanate from the necessity and perfection of divine nature, miracles, therefore, would contradict the very nature and mind of God. Miracles after all elude human comprehension.
The bible does not target reason, but aspires to stimulate imagination and sharpen its capacity to visualize. Spinoza recurrently opines that God s true word and testament lies in the human brain, and that s the sole and true covenant made by God with humans.
The Bible s major objective is to teach and enforce obedience. Accordingly, belief does not require sound grounds, but bases that would lead necessarily to submission.
Spinoza suggests that democracy constitutes the best option to protect human rights and liberties. democracy will guarantee that all citizens will delegate their rights to the state, under condition that they will all live equally and under the protection of the law. This transition from theocracy to democracy is what marks Spinoza s philosophy. He reveals that historically, peoples were inclined to yield to political leaders more than religious figures. therefore, God rules only through political soverainty. The civil state comprises the best solution and reflects an entrenched penchant to find peace and hapiness for all. A state in which freedom of speech is enshrined and highly cherished.

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