Virginia Ann Malon - Will the Real God Please Stand Up

As I begin writing this, I must confess that I am filled with self-doubt and grave misgivings about doing so. It is not the veracity of the content or the new ideas presented here but questions persist regarding my qualifications for searching, explaining and theorizing a topic that much more learned people than I have approached.

My formal advanced education ended after one year of college when I had to forego further advanced study for financial reasons (there was no such thing as student loans then). I was privileged in my young years, however, to have attended private Roman Catholic schools. They provided me with excellent language and writing skills which resulted in a career as technical publications editor. This could be my sole credential for a small measure of expertise in attempting to write a book on any subject.

But how arrogant is it to think that a simple and less educated layman can challenge the religious expertise of all those who have devoted their lives to their beliefs? Can I even think of challenging these brilliant minds without any theological education or training? Yet, how important is higher formal education in formulating and developing ones ideas and beliefs gained from personal life experiences?

Colleges and universities guide students in focusing on their chosen majors andnot incidentallyin learning how to think, examine, debate and question current thought. Is it possible to achieve these without formal education? Consider men like Bill Gates of Microsoft and Steve Jobs of Apple who both dropped out of college to focus on their development of computer technology because they believed in themselves, their ideas and their God-given abilities. That technology forever changed our way of life and provided untold opportunities for us and generations to come. How did their ideas and talents escape more formally educated contemporaries and predecessors?

Such thoughts spur me on. I find encouragement and belief in myself from role models such as these, although I could never envision having an impact on society even approaching that of my role models. But perhaps I can use my limited talents endowed by God to introduce some new ideas that may benefit someone, somewhere in re-connecting with or establishing a true and lasting relationship with their creator as I was fortunate to do. It was because of my early strict training by nuns that I developed an intense interest in religious matters; although, ironically, it later led me to re-examine many of their teachings and ultimately to refute some of them. Much later I discovered my personal intimate connection to God that I had been pursuing during my life. My path to this discovery is explored here.

It is not the intention of this writing to proselyte, dissuade or destroy any of the readers religious convictions. It is my hope that the thoughts presented here will serve to stimulate, question and perhaps even validate your own beliefs so that your renewed personal relationship with your creator will remain steadfast.

With this said, lets forge ahead.