nelson goodman: god is the collective conscience of mankind.

john steinbeck, the grapes of wrath: reverend jim casey: "i figgered about the holy sperit and the jesus road. i figgered, 'why do we got to hang it on god or jesus? maybe,' i figgered, 'maybe it's all men an' all women we love; maybe that's the holy sperit--the human sperit--the whole shebang. maybe all men got one big soul ever'body's a part of.' "