Intercession has played a role since Creation. It has been the primary tool used to manipulate the promise of salvation, by religious authorities, for their own personal gains. Religious authorities do this by claiming they fulfill a necessary role in bridging the spiritual longing that exists, in a perpetual and natural gap between man and God.

Intercession is defined as "The act of interceding [with] prayer, petition or entreaty in favor of another [person]."

This is a brief look at how people are involved throughout their lives with various forms of intercession, a problem not recognized by many as one of the most destructive forces influencing our lives.
 

Are You Enjoying an 'Intimate' Relationship With Your Rabbi? Your Imam? Your Priest?

According to our individual religious heritage, we may give such god-like qualities to an individual whom we desire to be an "extraordinary extension of myself." If we were to ask the average Monotheist, Muslim, Jew or Christian whether he is involved in religious idol-worship, the response would likely be an adamant "NO!" and a feeling of insult.
 

Rabbis are Intercessors--

Until five years ago, thousands of Jews stood waiting in line, hours at a time, for a moment in front of a rabbi proclaimed to be the Messiah. His fame and rumored powers became so well known that non-Jews and secular Jews alike came asking for favors to be granted. The Messiah died of heart failure. The 'believers' are still waiting for him to rise from his grave. Prior to his death, believers stood on benches for 6-7 hours on the Sabbath listening to speeches on religious subjects that was held to be divinely received. These speeches were memorized, as no writing is permitted during the Sabbath, and later compiled into volumes which are studied with similar devotion given to the Torah.

Believers placed their entire lives in this rabbi's hands, seeking advice in every matter imaginable. Where to live, what type of work might be suitable, asking permission to attend college, whom to marry. Even more mundane aspects of daily living such as adding an extension on the house, was not excluded. If you had a question on whether your chicken was halal (kosher) or your wife was indeed pure after her menstrual cycle you could see a lesser rabbi on the Rabbinical Court (Bais Din) for a decision.
 

Imams are Intercessors--

Despite the prohibition of slaughter of one believer by another believer (2:165) thousands of men have gone to their deaths for recent so-called Jihads. Holy Wars, sanctioned by whom and under what authority?

This is not a simplistic wish for suicide by stupid young men, this is unique sacrifice done with such intense love, it is love beyond the individual Self. It is misplaced love, put in the hands of mortal men-Imams--who use it to usurp political and religious power and in whose hands rest the responsibility for igniting such sacrifices,all made in the name of God. While podiums and pulpits fill with religious leaders deciding whether the earth is indeed, still flat, or which books may be written and read, or who has insulted the Prophet, his relatives, companions and their descendants, the streets are overflowing with generations of unemployed, unskilled and hungry believers.
 

Christianity Cannot Function Without Intercession

It is time for church? It must be Sunday! Walk inside, dip your baptized finger into the font. Make the sign of the cross over yourself. Proceed to your pew, kneel briefly looking forward the Crucifix. Listen as prayers are said, say amen, sing a hymn. The crowd is large, the benches hard, the lights are bright, the language Latin, maybe not. When you finish watching the priest bless the body of Christ disguised as white bread on a silver platter, then hold up Christ's blood which is really grape juice, step up with fellow worshippers and receive the 'body of Christ' in a thin wafer or bit of bread the priest places on your tongue. Surely you met with your friendly intercessor, the priest and confessed all your sins before nibbling on the body of Christ?
 

Are you filled with the wonder and knowledge of Holy Suffering, Resurrection and Eternal Life?

If this a sure-fire once-a-week salvation system, or what?

Unfortunately, "or what" is the correct answer.
 

Christian theology with its saints, popes, wood or gold encrusted crucifixes, child-abusing nuns and priests, TV evangelists, ghetto exploiting ministers, is a wonderland of intercession. Most traditional theology with its overriding message teaches that man is so guilty before God, that our individual approach could never quite hit the mark, as we are inherently sinful. Only those pure and humble intercessors may plead and grab God's ear, for the rest of us.

 
THE PRIME PARADOX

Ironically, the use of an intercessor separates the relationship between man and God even further! This most important relationship is breached by looking away from original text and it's Giver to an intercessor such as a rabbi, imam or priest for interpretation, explanation, confirmation, confession, absolution etcetera, in what perpetually remains a vacuum--as the Satan and God do not dwell in the same place.

Monotheism stands alone in teaching something completely different. This is submission to God alone, not anyone or anything else. As science and computer technology illuminate coded revelations in the Torah and Quran, these facts confirm two principles, You Shall Not Worship Except God, and a warning that The Book specified, is both divine as given, without additions or subtractions. 7:184

Those who come to us selling salvation and comfort, come in many disguises. Some are more obvious than others. IN Western culture, the need for spiritual intercession is redirected toward secular gurus who write, speak and personally advise people on getting rich, attaining power, finding the spouse you know you really deserve and moving up faster than our neighbors. It is a life-style race defined by whoever grabs the most toys, in the shortest time, without thinking much about anyone except ME.

People who do try to incorporate spirituality in their lives are usually so misled in their efforts that they accept intercession as natural. Without realizing it, people turn their faces from God to secular cults or pseudo-religions to substitute for the genuine article.

If no obvious intercessor exists, people usually create one, to suit their needs.
 

A Perspective From Psychologist, Carl Jung

In Two Essays On Analytical Psychology/Relations Between the Ego and the Unconscious, psychologist Carl Jung makes some observations that begin to explain why we are drawn to intercession. Jung believed in the eternal existence of the soul. A person is not a Christian, Jew or Muslim isolated in his own time, but contains the history of his faith deep within himself. These ancient histories remain hidden in each of us. Jung suggests that what remains hidden can explain our daily spiritual behavior and beliefs.

He wrote that people are controlled by the desire for recognition. A desire for recognition comes form the ego. Every man is convinced that his true merits, his real abilities go unrecognized. From this conviction, comes pride and discontent over our lives.

Gaining recognition and acceptance is a primary link in most relationships. adam and eve had unconditional recognition and acceptance in the Garden. When they lost the direct recognition from God, that living in the Garden gave them, it meant that humanity would ever after try to regain what had been lost. Searching for that direct relationship[ to God, has allowed the marketplace to flourish with many different tools of intercession.

In Sura 7:11-18 the Quran describes Iblis's arrogance in refusing to acknowledge God's supremacy. God indicates that choice exists for mankind from the first moment when He tells Iblis that is man follows the directive of Iblis, Hell will be filled by mankind.

The Knowing God directly warns Adam and Eve. He warns them, with no go-between or intercessor, to stay away from one tree and avoid injustice to themselves and all creation.

The characteristics of cunning, ego and desire existed in the tree and contact with it gave Adam and Eve and the rest of us, the ability to see, hear, think and challenge God as Iblis had done.
 

Evil Is the Root of Intercession

Iblis is the first intercessor. He suggests immortality but cannot grant it. Like all intercessors he can only hint, suggest, seduce and run. The genuine article, is the property of the Owner. Iblis mentions the idea, then almost in the same breath says it must surely be rejected. He hides his deed by letting Adam and Eve think he has power, by being indirect. Iblis suggest they in fact refrain becoming like angels or immortal as coming in contact with the tree with imbue them with these characteristics.

As Creation is a reflection of God's multiple characteristics, every human aspect has a Divine counterpoint. God Himself cannot be comprised of less than His creation. The third verse of Genesis contains the word "good." Throughout Genesis God will what He desires and calls it "good." Good must be understood as satisfactory and complete, and that Creation could not exist any other way. It was created by God who Himself is complete and perfect. Understood in this context, "good" is the goodness of God willing creation to be an inseparable reflection of Himself. In such a context Creation exists in every breathing moment, by the will of God.

The "knowing" of anything cannot exist in a vacuum. When we want to know anything we actively seek out an understanding on every aspect of the subject. In this case, one's relationship with God.

We certainly employ active dedication in the pursuit of knowing what is on sale, in finding as spouse and in almost everything of the world. We come to "know" by researching, observing, making necessary preparation to receive information. So how do people become distracted from the most essential and defining human task that is knowing God and place their lives, their families and their spiritual security in any being/ideology other than God Himself? [22:15]

Jung proposed that man spiritually desires to fill a space that appears empty. When Adam and Eve saw themselves to be alone in the Garden, our intercessor Iblis directed their intelligence to perceive Nothingness. When we think we cannot explain our own internal sense of spiritual "nothingness" by our own means i.e. direct prayer, we find any means available to fill the gap. We write books, seek advice, look to religious authorities, because by nature we are driven to close the space between ourselves and God.

Al-A-raf [7:26] begins with a description of coverings that God gave us to cover ourselves. God reveals Himself again to Adam and Eve and finds them conscious-stricken with shame for having made the wrong decision. Their emerging egos resulted in knowledge that was clearly shown in confusion/conflict/deception by Adam.

"Coverings" were therefore required and provided for every need, physical, spiritual and emotional [7:29-33]. These coverings form God are given for all our needs. They re accessible in the Quran and Torah. However, after receiving each Book, man repeats the original error and again reaches for the Tree, straying from God's word and seeks guidance from people and additional texts who roles are no different than that of Iblis. These voices of salvation look at God's Word and tell us how to see, what to understand and even interpret for us, using God's name, that which we cannot see or hear.

Monotheism acknowledges God as the single entity over all Creation [6:59], with no equal in any form, at any time. This single point is truly extraordinary. AS a result we find ourselves in a paradoxical relationship--in which we alternately insignificant "partners" dependent upon the Creator, while simultaneously being held directly responsible for the manner in which we maintain that relationship.

Monotheism refutes the complexities [4:167] that surround God's Word--sunnah, Hadith, Talmud, oral traditions and returns us to the single jewel that God has given us [6:20] so that we might do only one thing in this life, to know honor and praise Creation. These three all-consuming acts have implications that would vastly affect how we live, the choices we make every day if they were truly appreciated, for how a monotheist performs these tasks separates us from other "believers."

Monotheists are guided through Quran, through knowledge of other divine texts, through halal tools of science and technology, to a perspective on the what and how or daily living. We are told how to portion for ourselves, how to balance our needs, give zakat, to mary, care for those unable to care for themselves, how to fight and when to seek peace. And in the midst of all these mundane matters, we are required to be conscious of what surround us, both now and later. For monotheists, life means fulfilling one-half of a unique relationship, always more knowledge to further understand God and our relationship to Him. It is an ongoing process or clarity and distillation toward a pure faith, not blind faith.

"And hold fast all of you, to the Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah's favor on you for you were enemies one to another, but He joined your hearts together so that by His grace you became brethren and you were on the brink of a Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes his Ayat clear to you that you may be guided. 3:103

With each gesture to make 'clear' within the context of clarifying the word of God, neither embellishing or interpreting, we are given an opportunity to strengthen our own hold on the Rope. There does not exit a man among us to cling to...except the Rope and it's Maker.
 

Rachel Singer

1997