AFFIRMING THE GOD OF JESUS

As A Member Of Alcoholics Anonymous For Some 30 Years I Have Been Fascinated By The Concept Of A Higher Power That Members Are Encouraged To Pursue. A Number Of People Are Identified In This Work Who Appear To Have A Relationship With A Deity Who Is User-Friendly. Jesus Pioneered The Image Of God As A Loving Parent And Gathered Followers Who Would Convey This Message To Those Around Them. His Preaching Disturbed The Religious Authorities Who Were Invested In A Rules-Based God Who Provided Conditional Access. This Work Seeks To Free Up An Image Of God That Many People Associate With A Harsh Interpretation Of Religion. At A Time When The World Is Truly A Global Village The Concept Of God Can No Longer Be Narrow But Must Include All People On The Planet. It Should Take Into Account Cosmology And Scientific Discoveries. I Also Investigate What Happens To People Who Have Been Hurt By Religious Authorities And How This Affects Their Image Of A Loving God.