I’ve dealt with lifelong hesitation and indecision about whether I believe in God or not. And one person I look to on such debates is Jordan Peterson, who’s opinions I madly respect. So I decided to research and see what Jordan Peterson thinks about the topic of God and religion.
Jordan Peterson is a deeply studious person in matters of religion and considers himself a Christian. However, he does not like to box himself into religious categories and dislikes being asked the question of whether he believes in God. He has said that he acts as if God exists, tries to be a good person, and values the teachings of the Bible, metaphorically.
It’s worth noting that the question, ‘Do you believe in God’, is one that Peterson hates. And his reasoning is actually quite profound…
Why Peterson Doesn’t Like Answering The Question
Peterson thinks being asked the question whether he believes in God or not, is an act to box him in. In fact, he doesn’t believe that he can be categorized with a simple yes or a no.
The main reason he doesn’t like the question, is because he says the meaning of “believe” varies extremely from person to person. What one person’s definition of believing in God is drastically different from another person.
He mentioned that one person may believe by saying they believe, but perhaps their actions are more important than the words the say.
Peterson also hypothesized a few other reasons he doesn’t like the question:
- None of other people’s business (privacy issue)
- What do you mean by believe? Is what you believe what you say or what you act out?
- He’s afraid that God might exist (most comical but perhaps the most accurate for him)
Also see: Dana White on Religion and How It Didn’t Shape His Life
Is Jordan Peterson a Christian?
Again, Peterson hates the question of whether he believes in divinity and Jesus Christ. He said that the same problems that arise with the definition of “believe” come up with believing in “Christ”.
What do you mean by divine and Christ? For some people, like myself, I might describe that as someone who is holy and created from God, but still human. But I could easily see how others would be talking about heaven-like origin.
A significant example that Peterson mentioned is the saying “Christ’s spirit lives on.” Peterson dissected this phrase, by saying “What exactly does that mean to believe this?” Yes, his spirit lives on because it has had a massive impact on people through many generations. Or are you referring to if his actual body being resurrected and lifted in the sky?
As for resurrection, Peterson says “I don’t know” if that happened. “The accounts aren’t clear, for one thing. What the accounts mean isn’t clear”, says Peterson.
Also see: The Top 10 Jordan Peterson Tips on Relationships & Love
Peterson Acts As If God Exists
Peterson has famously said that he tries to act as if God exists, as a response to the question if he believes in God. What he means by this is that he values the actions he takes more than the words he uses to respond to the question.
Many Christians, and other religions, contain people that say one thing but their actions don’t reflect what they should be doing if they were really doing God’s work.
What makes the question so hard for Peterson, he said, is that he is not comfortable “bridging the gap” between the metaphorical and the literal word of the Bible. Plus, the account of what happened is blurry and not well documented.
The hesitation is reasonable and relatable for me, as well, and I think many more people would gravitate towards Christianity, or at least not turn away from it, if the Bible could be used as a set of moral metaphors. Do we have to believe that Christ was resurrected, or can we believe metaphorically, that his word and teachings were resurrected?
Also see: Is Joe Rogan religious? His Beliefs on God Simplified
Peterson Did a Series On The Bible
Peterson did a YouTube series on the Psychological Significance of the Biblical Stories, released in 2017. The playlist has 17 videos, many of which are several hours long.
The first episode: Biblical Series I: Introduction to The Idea of God.
Several things are clear from his work on the series: He has immense Biblical knowledge. He leans more on the moral, ethical, and metaphorical teachings that the bible offers.
Peterson provides a psychological viewpoint that is unique to anything I’ve ever seen on the subject, especially in terms of archetypes and social hierarchies.
It’s definitely worth checking out if you are interested in the subject. He dedicates whole episodes to important stories of the Bible, including Cain and Abel, Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, Abraham, and the resurrection of Christ.
My Favorite Jordan Peterson Product
I’ve read his book, The 12 Rules For Life, and highly recommend. It provides actionable rules that I incorporated in my life, and got immediate results. Can’t recommend it enough.
And he has a new book, Beyond Order: 12 More Rules For Life, which I’m definitely planning on getting and reading soon.
