【神不是人類在天上的天父】
尼爾：你的確是被稱為「天父」啊！
神：確有其事，但不管是誰想出了此稱呼，都該為此行為感到羞愧 (whoever came up with that should be ashamed)。
尼爾：我相信是耶穌。
神：非也。耶穌只是沿襲他那時代的慣用語法——正如你在此所做的一樣。他並沒有發明「神像個父親一樣」的想法。
尼爾：他沒有嗎？
神：早在耶穌之前很久，父權制的族長們以及其父系宗教就已經建立了這樣的觀念。
尼爾：那麼，你不是「我們在天上的父親」囉？
神：不，我不是。我也不是你們在天上的母親。
尼爾：喔，那麼，你是誰？數千年來我們都在試圖解開這個謎。你為什麼不幫幫忙，直接告訴我們！
神：問題在於你們堅持想把我「人格化」，而我並非一個「人」。
尼爾：我知道。我認為大多數人也知道。但有時候把你想作是一個「人」對我們會有幫助。我們比較能和你相處。
神：但你們能嗎？那才是問題。你們能嗎？我不那麼確定你們能耶。
神：而且我要告訴你們：繼續把我想像成父母的話，你們還會有好長一段痛苦難熬的時日。
尼爾：那麼，如果我們不該把你想像成父母，我們又該把你想成什麼呢？
神：當作朋友。
摘自《與神為友》第4章
Neale: Well, You are called “God the Father.”
Yes, and whoever came up with that should be ashamed.
Neale: I believe it was Jesus.
No. Jesus merely used the idioms and the language of his day—just as you are doing here. He didn’t invent the idea of God as a father.
Neale: He didn’t?
The patriarchy, with its patriarchal religions, had established itself long before lesus.
Neale: Then You are not “Our Father, who art in heaven?”
No, I am not. Anymore than I am your Mother in heaven.
Neale: Well, then, who are You? We’ve been trying to figure this out for thousands of years. Why don’t You give us a break and just tell us!
The problem is that you insist on personifying Me, and I am not a person.
Neale: I know that. And I think most people know that. But it sometimes helps us to think of You as a person. We can relate to You better.
But can you? That’s the question. Can you? I’m not so sure you can.
One thing I will say: keep thinking of Me as a parent, and you’ll have a devil of a time.
I’m sure that was just a turn-of-phrase.
Of course.
Neale: Well, if we aren’t supposed to think of You as a parent, how should we think of You?
As a friend.
