Whatever Happened to GOD? An Extraordinary Path to Your Higher-Self, Plus a Nip Of Improv, For Believers And Non-Believers represents a different brand of spiritual reflection: one which adds unexpected humor into the serious religious inspection process, and which limits itself neither to spiritual nor atheist sentiments.

 

Tim Gnazale's intention is to locate and expand upon common threads between those who do and do not believe in religion. In toeing the line between two often-passionate ways of viewing the world, Whatever Happened to OGD? creates much opportunity for understanding and better connections between two disparate ways of approaching life.

 

What does speaking to God, considering afterlife and reincarnation's possibilities and promises, and accepting miracles have to do with smartphone technology and computers? Readers anticipating a discussion that promotes self-improvement, spiritual enlightenment, or philosophical reflection alone may be surprised at some of the wider-ranging avenues Gnazale covers in his quest to draw connections between individuals from different belief systems and the wider world's purpose.

 

Readers who are dogmatic and rigid in their belief system's appropriateness and universal correctness will not benefit from this book's contentions. Nor will those anticipating an easy glide contrasting faiths and different spiritual perspectives. Gnazale writes with a heavy hand and offers insights that require slow digestion as they provide much food for thought: "It seems the notion of ‘god’ can apply to any number of calculi. After all of the theories, interpretations, and beliefs about God, no god, and spiritualism at large, maybe our existential connection to one another and a deemed higher power of whatever kind is enough to embrace ourselves in a welcoming fashion."

 

Primal differences in human behavior patterns and in human evolutionary processes, the scientific impact of Quantum Theory on belief systems, and various religious disciplines' approaches to life wind into an overall discussion of how to relate to different types of people who harbor different spiritual perceptions: "Ultimately what counts is embracing life’s many gifts and each other through the virtuous means one chooses, ranging from simple good deeds to monotheism. As a human race of higher consciousness, might this all be enough to welcome one another as diverse and legitimate?"

 

The ultimate goal of this book is to promote understanding and acceptance between all. Towards this end, Whatever Happened to GOD? crafts an intellectual dialogue that considers the presence and absence of God in daily lives and perspectives, draws connections between believers and non-believes, adds insights into new age, scientific, and social conundrums and systems, and dashes its discussions with a combination of humor and purpose to keep readers thinking long after the book's conclusion.

 

"The seeds of gratitude and its cultivation entail truly appreciating things in life and those who are grateful to you, and valuing things that otherwise would leave you with a soulful void…not an economic or emotional one." Reflective readers looking for no easy answers but many keys to solidifying interpersonal connections in life will find Whatever Happened to GOD? a powerful dialogue that unifies profound teachings from a wide range of disciplines.

 

All that's required is an open mind; whether it be to mindfulness, aliens, meditation and prayer, or expanding one's vision of purpose with the intersection of science and religion.

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     ~ Diane Donovan, Senior Editor/Reviewer, Midwest Book Reviews