May 2006

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Editor’s note: In this issue we feature an essay by a Peace Camp alumna, Miranda Henne, now a junior at Gettysburg High School. Miranda, who attends the Gettysburg Friends Meeting, here addresses the philosophical and spiritual foundations of her own peacemaking.

Seeking the God Within
by Miranda Henne

Defining God is a task that has puzzled mankind throughout the ages. To me, God is not a man, or even a being that sits in the sky watching the world, but rather, God is an aspect of goodness and truth in each of us. The reality of God as a living presence in the world and in humans lies at the very center of Quaker faith. As a Quaker, I refer to the God within each of us as the “Inner Light.”

George Fox, the founder of The Society of Friends (Quakers), once said, “Walk cheerfully over the earth answering that of God in everyone.” I believe that it is our duty to search for the goodness in other people instead of seeing their faults and passing judgment. The practice of seeking the inner light in others and in ourselves is so simple in concept and also incredibly difficult to follow. Sometimes we may encounter a person who, to us, appears so nasty that finding a single good thing about them seems impossible. I believe that even the worst, most wretched criminals have that of God within them, and it is our duty to find it. God isn’t above us pulling strings and making spiritual experiences happen; true enlightenment comes when we are able to recognize the “divine spark” in other people, especially when it’s most difficult to find.

Many people all over the world believe that God is above, watching them and guiding their chosen people. So many wars and world‑wide conflicts happen because one side views the opposition as less than themselves and not containing a divine part. They claim that God is on their side, and therefore the killing of the enemy is justified. In their eyes, God not only condones killing, He wants it to happen. But if we all imagined that everyone has a part of God, it would be a lot harder to harm a person, or even judge him or her.

“Namaste” is an Indian word meaning “I salute the God within you.” In light of Quakerism and the endeavor of finding the Inner Light in each person, I decided to conduct an experiment. For one school day, I decided to greet each person silently saying “Namaste,” with the hope that I would eventually be able to see the well of divine wisdom within them. I learned several things that day. First, I discovered that what seems like such an easy task is actually quite difficult. I was disappointed to realize how judgmental I am. A negative thought about a person would pop into my head before I had a chance to censor it, and sometimes I would forget to say “Namaste” at all. When I did succeed, however, the effect was powerful. Not only did I understand more the people I spoke with, but the words themselves seemed infinitely wiser. When I stopped silently scrutinizing and criticizing, I could learn from what they were saying and walk away from the conversation feeling enlightened. In the course of one day, I came to realize that the best kind of experiences come when you can salute the God in someone who is very different from yourself, and finally, that life becomes so much more wondrous and beautiful if you recognize the good things instead of focusing on the bad.

Like Quaker belief, to me, God is ultimate wisdom. God is tenderness and grace and truth. God doesn’t dwell in a high‑up heaven in a distant realm; God exists within every living thing as a divine spark–an Inner Light. We can tap into that well of truth and wisdom and use it to guide our decisions and gain understanding. If we heed the truth we find when we look inside, our lives will begin to “speak the truth.” When we believe that all people have that of God in them, we can realize that they are equal, regardless of race, gender, age, beliefs, or any other human label.

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