Osho: God is not a solution but a problem

By Christine Garvin On April 10, 2009 · 21 Comments

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“I know for sure that God does not exist – and thank God he does not exist.”

I first happened upon philosopher and guru Osho when visiting LA, perusing through the Bodhi Tree bookstore. There I saw his book, Intuition: Knowing Beyond Logic, and as I had been currently struggling with my own, I picked it up.

For those who haven’t read or heard Osho, he is certainly a controversial figure.

Case in point: Intuition says that we should let ourselves go fully into our animalistic nature and vices in order to become free of them, which will connect us to our deeper intuitive sense.

In this excerpt from one of his talks, he postulates that if God “created” the world, that would have signified a fixed end point which occurred on the seventh day of creation. That’s it – done. Perfection would be the world’s truth, and therefore evolution would not exist:

He goes on to say that we need God as a “hypothesis of how the world was created,” and yet we fit this God into our own definitions of time and space.

As for Charles Darwin, Osho thinks it would be “against God’s nature to rule out evolution,” that in fact, evolution is an extension of what God created. Darwin’s work merely shows that creation is a continuous process, imperfect in nature, and will never be finished – exactly who and what we are as human beings.

View many more Osho clips here. Feature photo: tamburix

What do you think of Osho’s contentious views on God and evolution? Share your thoughts below.

About The Author

Christine Garvin

Christine Garvin is a certified Nutrition Educator and holds a MA in Holistic Health Education. She is the founder/editor of Living Holistically...with a sense of humor and co-founder of Confronting Love. When she is not out traveling the world, she is busy writing, doing yoga, and performing hip-hop and bhangra. She also likes to pretend living in her hippie town of Fairfax, CA is like being on vacation.

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Oh Boy! This video will spark some controversy. The belief in the existence of God does create problems. Many people cannot get along because they firmly believe their beliefs are correct. I guess we’ll all find out if God does exist when we die For now, just believe what you believe. However, be respectful of another person’s beliefs. Diversity can be a good thing!
http://thelonglayover.blogspot.com Carlo

I agree with Osho. April 1! hehe…

Interesting…but I guess you have to agree on his premise that God, being perfect, would ONLY create a perfect world. There are those who believe in God and also evolution, saying God provided the spark. Of course, there are those who completely deny evolution and literally think the earth is 6000 years old or whatever. Not much you can say to them to convince otherwise!

When you think of it like that, that God fits within our concept of time, and took 6 days to create everything, it sounds quite absurd.

Thanks for introducing me to Osho…although I think I might stick to reading his books. I don’t have the time and patience to listen to him! (no offense Osho)
http://www.marioarana.blogspot.com. Mario

There are literally thousands of philosophers, religious leaders, gurus, etc. who claim to have the “understanding” of who God is. I respect their views but I can’t help to notice that o n l y o n e said: I a m G o d. He was crucified for blasphemy for saying it. After his death, 11 poor fishermen changed the world preaching that He had risen from the dead.

Jesus did not share a philosophy of God, He died to reconcile humanity with God and he brought the good news that God is our Father and God wants to live in each human being through the Holy Spirit. That sounds pretty radical to me, but I believe it. Jesus was either insane or He was who He said he was.

As humans, I believe, we are wired to search for the meaning of life and death. We long to know where we came from and where we are going. I suggest the book “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis as a must-read in this search.

I respect everyone’s beliefs and encourage everyones search for meaning.

Thanks for the article.

Jeffy

Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man, never Son of God. God called him His Son and so was Elijah, Elisha, David, Moses and Adam referred to as Son by the same God. The angels were referred to by Paul as the sons of God. Jesus rebuked people when they called him God, he rebuked the person who called him ‘good’. Jesus never claimed he was God. Yet he did say that the miracles that he performed were not of his own will, but it was God who performed through him. I dont know why these sick Christians call him Son of God when he himself did not.
Jeffy

Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man, never Son of God. God called him His Son and so was Elijah, Elisha, David, Moses and Adam referred to as Son by the same God. The angels were referred to by Paul as the sons of God. Jesus rebuked people when they called him God, he rebuked the person who called him ‘good’. Jesus never claimed he was God. Yet he did say that the miracles that he performed were not of his own will, but it was God who performed through him. I dont know why these sick Christians call him Son of God when he himself did not.

Kate

Interesting Christine! His last statement sums up my thoughts, only he states the exact opposite of my position. Osho says, “If evolution does not exist, than life is pointless.” On the contrary, if evolution exists, life is then pointless. There is no end to be met, no purpose to be fulfilled. Everything then is just a series of accidents. Some people believe that, and I respect them. I just happen to disagree. My purpose and personal “evolution” if you will, is so extensive and God formed. God did rest on the seventh day, but He’s been working ever since. It’s interesting how this philosopher touches on the character of God that he does not believe exists. It would seem more accurate to learn the character of God from someone who knows Him personally, as well from someone who is actually well-versed in the scripture. Osho, while seemingly very wise, has eluded to God’s word, but severely distorted it. Most people do this when trying to contradict scripture. It’s also interesting that he formulates God as a hypothesis and refers to the unproven theory of evolution as fact. One point I agree with whole heartedly: Evolution as a means of creation, has no place with God. If you believe in evolution as opposed to a six day Creation, you can not believe that Christ is the Son of God. Either the whole of scripture is true or not a word of it. God did not create the world through evolution. Are there changes within a species? Yes, that’s called micro evolution or natural selection. Evolution used as anything other than to explain micro changes is a farce and a lie used to discount the existence of God so that humans do not have to answer to a higher authority. Humans desire to be their own god; it is in our very nature. Always enjoy your blogs and other posts…keep ‘em comin. Hope your neck feels better soon!
Scott

The title itself is a little confusing. Saying that God is a problem admits to His existence.

I agree Mere Christianity is a must read for those searching for a spiritual life.
http://www.ianmack.com Ian MacKenzie

Great discussion everyone – there are a number of thought provoking ideas in the comments. It’s always a pleasure to read that people can disagree and remain civil at the same time.

That said, I have read “Mere Christianity” and enjoyed C.S. Lewis arguments very much. But I continue to disagree with the stance that man can only evolve through their acceptance of a Christian God. The reality is that humans are “perfect” in the sense that they’re imperfect. The universe is perfectly set up to create continual collisions between people, animals, things, conflicts, ideas, etc.

Humans by nature love to create order from the perception of disorder. Often, they seek purpose from something outside of themselves, which comes in the form of any belief system: Christian, Islam, Hindu, Buddhist or otherwise. The only logical understanding of God then has to be the realization that “it” is beyond our attempts to conceptualize.

What we believe has much more to do with our individual worldview than any “true” God above all others.
http://www.marioarana.blogspot.com. Mario

With all due respect to everyone, the core of Christianity is precisely the claim that God is not a theory, philosophy, or a belief system. God is three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That sounds crazy to many, and even more crazy to many is the claim that God became human in the person of Jesuschrist.

If we humans were able to “understand” God then God would not be God.

As well-intentioned as all religions are, they simply fail to convince me that following their principles I can experience the inconceivable love of a God that for my sake became flesh, died on a cross, and then rose again to give me new life in the here and now and eternal joy with Him in heaven. I may be totally wrong, maybe the whole Bible it’s a fairy tale and there is nothing after this life, and when I die I will simply disappear into oblivion, and if that is the case I guess I won’t find out that there is nothing after this life, right? All I know is that since I became a Christian I live a life with the most delicious peace and fulfillment that I never found in anything else before.

Keep on searching my friends!
http://thelonglayover.blogspot.com Carlo

Well said Ian. My biggest beef with religion is that it is not chosen for the most part by the individual. It is instilled at an early age, not giving the child a choice. It is one thing to “find” or choose a religion as an informed human being, but quite another to have it forced on you.

Also, for every religion there seems to be a thousand different degrees – from fundamentalism to liberalism – each one thinking theirs is the right path. And this is within the same religion. Who are the sinners?
i dissagree

well lets thank god he is dead.
know his aligations will remain between him and god.
however id like to see his answear when he is infront of god.
denying his existance, we’ll see how far that will get him. people dont be fooled by this bullshit.this man is full of shit. my opinion…..

???l

whoever didnt read Oshos books dont have any right to talk bad or good about him cos thats prejudice . He neither says there is God nor there isnt . he contradicts you thats because you musnt be prejudice . whatever is not ur experience dont believe it or nonbelieve it . accept as a hypothesis and experiment . There is Godliness in everything only meditative people can see it . as He said “to see the formless, you must be formless too , if i say that the green colour on trees are the God you will take it with ur mind but that doesnt mean you will understand what i am saying …thats why you cannot eat animals just like u cannot eat people , u cannot pluck a flower on purpose there is Godliness ” ” As everything has an outer they must have inner too its not scientific to believe that you dont have an inner but you are just the outer the body everything you can observe means that you are not meaning that you are not the body not the mind ( thoughts ), emotions … but just the watcher belongs to you . then the time comes you understand you are not at all but only God is There is just the whole but not you . you not real . ” its paradox mystery you are the mystery God is the Mystery too the ultimate eternal being the truth . so experiment by ur self like he said dont bite his finger instead see where its pointing . Try to understand him Thats all . He was beyond all dualities . like day and night , death and life , man and woman , yin and yang try to understand tantra that evereything is holy and its the dream of the whole .

http://grasell.multiply.com Shandy Gasella

I have read so many books from Osho. Hundreds. And yeah, he was a master. Don’t you know that The New York Times claimed Osho as the most dangerous person since Jesus Christ? Yes he was. Dangerous in a very positive way.
Osho said that Jesus spoke in metaphor. Whatever Jesus is saying, dont take them literally. Jesus said, “Iam the son of God” don’t take that literally. He was saying that you also could be the son of God. Everyone could be.
Then, define God?
You guys better read Osho coz I cannot explain well..
I believe you will love him, and when you read, he knocks on your door.

L.J.

I enjoyed your response about Osho’s view of God. I contributed a reply below yours. While I am a Christian, I no longer believe in God as we define him. If there is a “God” it is the physical laws of the cosmos and the universal holographic mind that we are all a part of.

Wake up…

Osho is the polar opposite of a fundamentalist christian/muslim, both are full of misconceptions. As long as you keep making exceptions for contradictions in your book(s) of God(s), you will provide ammunition for people like Osho.

While God may exist, belief in a personal God is ludacris. This degree of anthropocentrism is disgusting!
No More Bullshit

Jesus, Bhudda, Mohammed, Benny Hinn, Osho-Rajneesh-Zorba the Bhudda or whoever else are the most divisive little shits that ever spewed forth their crap on this planet.
Religion and the rantings of so-called gurus have caused so much pain, confusion and denigration of life.

This whackjob – Osho – took the teachings (assumptions and universal logic) of others and because some weak/soul searching/pathetic seekers came across him, listened to his supposed non-guru, neo eastern, deconstructed, spiritualist crap, became his pseudo-followers (because as he himself said he wasnt a guru?!), taped his many sayings, ramblings, incoherent comments, speeches, low brow jokes and there we have the multitude of published Osho writings?!

Is this Jain/Bhuddist rip off a philosopher? Is Richard Cranium a philosopher? Is he a guru? Are the multitude of netizen wannabes gurus?

The sad fact is that this schmuck damaged a lot of weak, easily influenced, existence meaning searchers through the Rajneeshee movement. After his death, the cult of Osho exists to suck as many $ out of idiots as it can and these philosphies are as valuable as the crap spewed forth by traditional/old school religions and new age BS.

Unfortunately, there exist many shits who live their life hurting others and this planet and their excuse is through religion, beliefs, gurus, philosphies, etc.
Maybe its because despite a larger brain, continued destructive dominance over other species and perceived superiority, humanity is still a species of animal/fauna who keeps philosophising, discussing and perpetuating its continued non evolution as a species.

How have humans evolved, improved, changed or bettered themselves and their inter relationships with each other and their environment?
They have not. The increased usage of planetary resources, the world wide web, technology; the increase in regional and international conflict; the breakdown of relationships; the widening disparity between miserable poverty and obscene wealth; the decrease of individual self ownership of accountability and the increase of limited responsibility for harm caused to others; …

Yes. Osho elicits my response, but the best thing that could have happened is if this pseudo religious con artist had been ‘shut up’ many years ago before he was allowed to achieve some infamity and spew forth his BS and add to the already divisive philosophical old school crap that existed before he re-invented some of it to suit his objectives to acquire Rolls Royces and diamond encrusted watches…
Reality

Yeah, this Osho was and still is a real fruitcake. This nutter put around his own take which is plain mumbo jumbo about the meaning of life and what is the purpose of living and blah blah blah. Remember that he was more taken up with sucking the money out of his disciples and sympathisers to fund a luxury lifestyle. He was as fake as they come except to his duped followers.

Many people are still reading his brand of psycho-spiritual, new age, babble gook and they reckon he is the best thing around, even better than oxygen and water. They criticise other beliefs and prophets as lacking but they cant see this charlatans ruse and multi flaws. To these faithful the Denial could be a river, not necessarily in Egypt!
These gullible fools will believe anything from people who grow long beards, wear robes, speak ever so slowly and calmly, promote that there is no right or wrong but the now and believe in bonking everything and anything that moves. His philosophy believes in the doing what feels appropriate at any given moment and that people are afraid to really reach out and truly love each other. Yeah, whatever, guru!
Paul Stirling

Doing a search on Google brought me to matadornetwork and eventually this…
Wow, talk about heated. I mean this discussion started way back in April 09!

The God thing? Well, what to say. Some folks buy into this and some dont. Osho is the same.

I have read a few books about different philosophies, beliefs or religions. Most have similariries. I am not into church going, chanting, wearing crystals or bragging about a god or guru.

To me Osho is like Ron L. Hubbard or Charles Taze Russell or Jesus Christ or Jim Jones or David Koresh or Sun Myung Moon or Li Hongzhi or Bhudda or any other prophet, sage, messiah, guru or enlightened being. They all achieved god-like status but they were/are all human. They are as imperfect as each and every one of us, so they are no better or worse than you and I.

God may not be a solution but a problem, but what about humans? What have they done to themselves, the other living things here and to their environment? Humanity is the largest problem. I dont need any Osho to tell me this.
Jitu Goap

If there is an invisible thing in this visible world. It’s rather difficult for me to accept. As a dead body can’t be called as an alive body, the same is with the word “God”. He is also dead for me.
yogesh

why do we all need to be perfect…? Why is there search for God ? How come all the readers take Osho so seriously..just readd enjoy and move on…!!
L.J.

I read this book by Osho and I must say, as an ecumenical Christian, that it challenged what I accept as the Church’s “gospel”. I have also read Osho’s “The Mustard Seed” about the gnostic Jesus. I think you can be a Nu-Christian in the 21st Century without necessarily believing that the old biblical God, as described in scripture, ever existed. I believe “God” is probably the laws and universal mind of our quantum universe. Also, Jesus was an amazing enlightened master who tapped into the holographic universe and his quantum self. Even as a Christian I can no longer believe in God as a white-bearded entity or even in the literal resurrection of Jesus. And miracles can be explained as psycho-holographic manifestations of our little facet of the universal mind So, Osho has much to teach scientific-thinking Christians about integrating some of his enlightened views in a move to redefine stale old Christian thinking. I attended church and enjoy the teachings of Jesus, but I no longer even bother with the Old Testament.

Osho: God is not a solution but a problem

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