There Is No God and He Is Always with You: A Search for God in Odd Places

I admit it: I'm a Brad Warner fan. I don't always understand what he's saying but I respect him and his point of view, even if it challenges mine. I have read all of his books on Buddhism. I appreciate his voice because it is authentic and I can relate. I appreciate hearing about his journey and his struggles with life and Buddhism. It is his books that have caused me to deepen my practice. The subject matter of this book is somewhat provocative. I think I get where he's coming from with the God thing, and maybe I don't yet. It's an open question. But one worth asking and "living" in. Brad asks good questions, presents reasoned arguments, and interesting stories. And it's a relatively easy read, not the sit down and burn your way through as you might an interesting mystery novel, but one that is focused and poignant. Stylistically Brad continues to (I hate this word) "mature": he's less bombastic but his wry (and very human) humor comes through and I appreciate that. From what I've read Brad might think the same: he says the same things albeit in a more refined way. I actually look forward to re-reading this book (and I got the actual book this time) as my practice continues to develop.

Brad Warner has said that this is his most important book. And maybe he's right. But being a regular reader of his blog and his books, I found that he says very little that is new. Warner's thesis in this book is that Zen Buddhism and belief in God are not incompatible. Quite the contrary, he says, zazen (the practice of sitting meditation, the fundamental practice of Soto Zen, Brad Warner's tradition) leads you to experience God. But it's not the bearded guy up in heaven. It's another thing. The book is an exploration of what this "God" is and how it is related to other people's concept of God. In this latter respect, the book is quite interesting and original. The first, what "God" really is, is just the same things Warner has said about his Zen practice in his books and blog. And I guess you can't say that much about Zen practice without being repetitive, so that's okay. In short, this is a nice book. For people out there who haven't read anything by Warner, I'd reccommend it for sure. He has been practicing zazen for quite a long time now, and his insights into Buddhist practice are quite interesting. His controversial attitude is quite appealing to me - although in this book he has quitted his famous punk pose. For regular Warner readers, I'd say there is nothing much new to you in this book. However, as a regular reader, you'll probably be aware of Brad's not-so-great financial circumstances and may want to help him with this. I did.

This recent addition from the Warner Canon is not without merit. The book is well written and engaging. I have to hand it to Dharma teachers, they have a hard road in front of them due to the nature of spiritual traditions and lingo. The material in this book is well presented and with Warner's charismatic wit and charm makes it a page turner. Thanks to Warner's personal interludes regarding his practice, it servers a ready inspiration for practitioners who have questions and who want to get rid of questions about deeper spiritual concerns towards Zen practice and God. The direct, no non-sense, yet with dashes of humor throughout makes the book a breath of fresh air to some of the heavier Dharma works appearing in the market today. Give it a read and see how it goes.

I've read several of Brad Warner's books and have always appreciated his ability to present some of the deepest and most penetrating ways of seeing ourselves and the universe in an accessible, personal, "living and lived" way. He does that very well here. Although his take on Buddhism and Zen may be controversial to some, Brad's description of the experience of what he chooses to call God in the context of Buddhist practice carries more weight than a merely philosophical or theoretical approach. He presents his understanding of God gained through Zen meditation and what might be called a "mystical" (my word) experience of oneness with everything while crossing a stream in Tokyo. He also talks about various topics associated with religious belief in the context of that understanding. As noted above, this is a very personal way of relating understanding, but I think that's perhaps the best way when talking about God. Read the book - whether you end up agreeing with Brad or not, I think you'll find it a valuable experience.

To be clear, this review is from the perspective of someone who is learning the way and precepts of Buddhism, and is a review of the content of this book from that perspective. Buddhism is usually seen as a religion without a notion of God. Brad Warner makes a convincing argument that there is room in Buddhism for God, especially a perception of God that quite different from the major monotheistic religions. In addition to being very insightful, it is also very well written and a joy to read. An experienced Buddhist can learn much from this book as well as a help to those, like myself, who are trying to understand the essence of this tradition.

I really like this book, but I do have some problems with the way it was written. Some of the chapters are very confusing. He starts on one topic and goes off on a seemingly unrelated anecdote. I kept getting confused at the end of the chapter if he'd gotten back to the original point at all. The tone is also inconsistent. Some parts come off as very "Christianity sucks, Buddhism rocks;" although in the rest of the book it is clear Warner does not hold such a black and white view of Christianity/Judaism/Islam (or Buddhism for that matter). It's not anything major, I just think the book could have used another editing pass. I also have some linguistic quibbles with him about his use of the word 'God,' but in the end it doesn't matter because I agree with him about what God is and what is God. He seems to come at it from having an experience and deciding God is the best word for describing that experience. I come at it from having an experience and thinking 'Wait a minute, that experience is exactly what I thought God was, even though I never imagined anything like that experience.' However, I really like the book, even if I'm not sure it's for everyone. I would caution that while much of it is in Warner's usual clear, accessible language, some of it is a very deep and hard to understand discussion of difficult topics in Buddhist philosophy, like the unity of all things and the fundamental nature of reality. But I think it's a good discussion and one that could be useful to people who have been studying Buddhism/Zen for a while, and are struggling with those issues. There is also a fair bit about God (obviously) and the issues surrounding the belief in God. If you're looking for a different perspective on God it is worth a read as well. For the full review go to becomingwellread dot com.

Brad Warner's latest effort opens himself up even further, mixing the concept of God with the 10,000 things of which Buddhism often speaks. The result is a funny, probing, and engaging dialectic, looking at both the anthropomorphic concepts ascribed to the Western concept of a god as well as his own satori experience (a term he deigns to even consider). Labels limit, labels define. Labels separate substance from possibility, and so, with the precision of a jeweler, Brad Warner cuts through some of the more comical dreams buried in our discussion. He digs until he hits the very bedrock of the issue...but I won't ruin the unearthing of that gem. Take a read and enjoy.

While this is some of Brad's best writing in terms of the quality, the message is befuddled and lost. This is not the clarity of Hardcore Zen or Sit Down and Shut Up, nor the down-to-earth humility of Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate. I get that this is a story of Brad's own search, his own way of understanding what the big "it" is, and he's not dictating what anyone else must do. But a confused message about God that ditches the "old" ideas of God, and says He is beyond any of our ideas about Him, while also saying that he is everything and also nothing and is beyond both everything and nothing... Sorry, but at this point you've delved into the same metaphysical double-talk that all theistic religions ultimately suffer from. The publisher's blurb asks "Can Zen give us a way past our constant fighting about God?" Yes, it can, but not by turning right around diving right into the debate anyway. Zen provides an exit from this game altogether. Through much of this book, Brad seems to be trying to find some way to preserve the word 'God' and make it useful in some capacity. I recommend Stephen Batchelor's Confession of a Buddhist Atheist, chapter 11, for the most clarity any Buddhist author has ever shown on this topic. It basically goes like this- "What's your take on the God question?" "Sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about." I'm very thankful for Brad's contribution to and promotion of Zen. It's made a difference in my life. But I have to agree with Batchelor- In this case, I have no idea what Brad is talking about.