Five People More Forgiving Than The Angry God

“I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.29)

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समो ऽहं सर्व-भूतेषु
न मे द्वेष्यो ऽस्ति न प्रियः
ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या
मयि ते तेषु चाप्य् अहम्

samo ‘haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu
na me dveṣyo ‘sti na priyaḥ
ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā
mayi te teṣu cāpy aham

The speculation is that God is an angry man. He is old, having a white beard. From His perch in the heavenly realm, He looks down disapprovingly. You see, there is only a population of sinners. That is the outlook, apparently.

The situation is so bad that every person within that population must repent. They must do so in their single opportunity, whether they make it out of the womb or not. Whether they reach adulthood, under proper education, with the chance to deliberate, or they are tortured from the time of birth, this is the only chance they get.

If they fail to show allegiance, if they defy the will of the angry man from the heavens, then there is only one fate. Eternal condemnation. Punishment. Suffer in the burning fire of hell. No chance at redemption. No opportunity to escape. The train has left the station, so to speak.

Before comparing with the viewpoint based on the authority of the Vedic tradition, the image of a bitter, vengeful God juxtaposed against several concepts and institutions with which we are familiar paints a much clearer picture. Our own experience can easily invalidate the sophistry that God could be weakened or cheapened by pettiness.

1. The sun

“Do you ever think about what the sun feels? It is high in the sky. It dissipates heat and light everywhere. The sun never asks our purpose. We accept the heat and light and associated benefits. We take and we take, but there is nothing expected in return. Whether we use the daytime to carry out crimes or to heal from an illness, the sun is steady in its distribution. It must be the most forgiving person in the entire universe.”

2. The earth

“Do you ever think about the earth? It is so forgiving. Sure, it cracks on occasion. There are the earthquakes. There are fissures, but it seems like everything heals right back up. We punish the earth so much. We drill deep into the ground. We ruin areas of natural beauty in favor of artificial schemes of enjoyment. The earth does not mind. It continues to produce food. It gives the seeds necessary for the continuation of plant life, without which we could not survive.”

3. The loving parents

“Have you ever considered the plight of loving parents? Their multiple children do not necessarily turn out the same way. One child is kind, polite, obedient, respectful, and cultured. Another child is spoiled rotten, always angry, looking for faults in others, and never satisfied.

“The parents distribute their love equally. They do not favor the first child. It seems unbelievable, but they cannot apply discrimination in that way. They will always welcome back the child who has gone astray. They are always willing to forgive.”

4. The corrupt politician

“That one politician is terrible, but do you see how they look out for their party members? It is like they are in a college fraternity. The other members can do no wrong. There is the circling of the wagons. That corrupt politician will punish the common folk, for sure. They will destroy the country due to bribes, but they will never turn against their own.”

5. The corrupt spiritual leader

“If only I could love God as much as these leaders love each other. They look out for each other to a level no one could believe. Their colleagues are admitted to have committed the worst crimes, like abusing children, hiring assassins to take out rivals, and even killing their own spiritual guide.

“The people at the top look out for each other. They are ride or die until the very end. I could never imagine that level of forgiveness and tolerance.”

…

Under the angry God model, each of the above groups would have to be considered more advanced than the highest being there is. They are more forgiving, less angry, less spiteful, and more equal in their dealings.

In this way, we see that the angry God can only be the result of speculation, from a poor mind, at that. Just as one person is miserable, envious, and always looking for faults in others, they assume that the highest being of all must be the same way.

We have the authority of Bhagavad-gita to set things straight. As He is the origin of the entire universe, Shri Krishna is as forgiving as the sun and the earth. He is the most forgiving, in fact, since the opportunity to return to His abode is always there. No matter how many lifetimes I have spent in forgetfulness, I still have the chance right now.

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि
जन्मानि तव चार्जुन
तान्य् अहं वेद सर्वाणि
न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
bahūni me vyatītāni
janmāni tava cārjuna
tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi
na tvaṁ vettha parantapa

“The Blessed Lord said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!” (Bhagavad-gita, 4.5)

In addition, while God is never limited to a single name or image, in the manifestation as Shri Krishna, there is nothing to do. There is eternal youth. Krishna’s appearance is nava-yauvanam; like a boy who just entered the teenage years.

If I am miserly, if I am overly envious, if I am always finding fault in others, it means that I have forgotten God. I have yet to understand His true nature. I have further to travel in my purification, but I am so thankful that I have the opportunity within this blessed human birth.

In Closing:

Pure sophistry to be,
That God as angry to see.

With white beard and old,
Of vengeful streak we’re told.

The truth that nothing to do,
Blissful and playing too.

Despite for many lifetimes to forget,
Chance now in alignment set.