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Edited (by cutting) from the Conclusion to A Geography of Consciousness (1974) by William Arkle (pp 237-8)
I find it in myself to expect that the motivation behind God's action in manifesting the Universes is that they should be a training ground for us, His children.
Furthermore, while we are yet children, it is God's deepest wish that we should choose to mature into individuals of 'the stuff of his stuff' - and who also choose him to be our friend.
I would further try the reader's patience by saying that God is truly a sadder God if we do not realise the basis of His deepest motivation; which is not that He should 'ingest' our individuality into the blissful nature of His being - but that we should, out of the simple recognition in our heart of hearts, realise the unspoken longing that lies behind the blissful aspect of the divine love.
This is to me such a subtle thing that I hesitate to go on, but in my blundering way I will do so. I believe that behind the bliss of divine union resides a relationship which is deeper than bliss; and that is the attitude which upholds and, if you like, protects the bliss. This is the attitude which has known that the blissful attitudes are good, but in a creative sense can be made even better. This sounds like a sort of spiritual heresy, but it is exactly what I find in myself to say.
Now, if we choose to become a friend and companion of God, then we can sense something of this underlying creative attitude towards the nature of the highest being Himself; and by standing apart from God while being perfectly in tune with Him, we can in fact take part in a creative process which is endeavouring to improve upon what to us seems perfect and un-improveable.
I am sure that I have offended many sincere and highly spiritual people by my remarks on these lines; for they feel it is conceited of me to begin to define or explore the motive behind what is referred to as The Absolute - and not only conceited, but simply impossible.
But if the personal motive is felt, as I have felt it, then the problem dissolves immediately.
[End of quotation]
**
[Bruce Charlton speaking:]
This mystical feeling of the personal motive of God is - I suppose - the only way that we can as individuals be convinced that God is a real person (and not just an abstract physics-like force/ energy/ law); a person who has real love and concern for each of us as individual persons.
*
