If I were to construct a God I would furnish Him with
some qualities and characteristics which the Present lacks.
He would not stoop to ask for any man's compliments,
praises, flatteries; and He would be far above exacting them.
I would have Him as self-respecting as
the better sort of man in these regards.
He would not be a merchant, a trader.
He would not buy these things.
He would not sell, or offer to sell, temporary benefits
of the joys of eternity for the product called worship.
I would have Him as dignified as
the better sort of man in this regard.
He would value no love but the love born
of kindnesses conferred; not that born
of benevolences contracted for.
Repentance in a man's heart for a wrong done would cancel
and annul that sin; and no verbal prayers for forgiveness
be required or desired or expected of that man.
He would not be a jealous God–a trait so small
that even men despise it in each other.
He would not boast.
He would keep private His admirations of Himself.
He would regard self-praise as unbecoming
the dignity of his position.
He would not have the spirit of vengeance in His heart.
Then it would not issue from His lips.
There would not be any hell–except the one
we live in from the cradle to the grave.
There would not be any heaven–
the kind described in the world's Bibles.
He would spend some of His eternities in trying
to forgive Himself for making
man unhappy when He could
have made him happy
with the same effort.
Mark Twain
Notebooks
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| But what about Godette? |
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