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Why would someone acknowledge the existence of God but refuse to worship Him?
- Thread starter Piculet
- Start date
It's not so difficult to understand.
Other peoples already have relationships with other things of value to them, whether they call those things gods or not. Different people value different things, and will cultivate different kinds of relationships in their lives. There isn't going to be room for every possible relationship in someone's life. It's not really any more complicated than that.
To add, I'm not interested in any relationship with your god. I don't care about your god beyond academic curiosity. You probably don't care about my gods either. It's not a big deal.
Other peoples already have relationships with other things of value to them, whether they call those things gods or not. Different people value different things, and will cultivate different kinds of relationships in their lives. There isn't going to be room for every possible relationship in someone's life. It's not really any more complicated than that.
To add, I'm not interested in any relationship with your god. I don't care about your god beyond academic curiosity. You probably don't care about my gods either. It's not a big deal.
Wandering Monk
Well-Known Member
Why does God want your worship? Is he lacking something?
Altfish
Veteran Member
I worship no one.
I respect people ... but worship them ... you must be joking.
God told me that God didn't need any worship.
Because your God is one of Many. Some of us listen to the Many, not just the one.
Why don't you listen to the All-Father Odin or the other Æsir? Do they not have lessons you could learn?
Father Heathen
Veteran Member
One can believe in God without believing the presumptions others have made about god (what "he" wants, needs, etc.)
QuestioningMind
Well-Known Member
What about a god simply existing makes a god automatically worthy of worship? Even if I were to be presented with sufficient evidence to acknowledge the existence of a god, there's no reason why I would automatically deem that god worthy of my worship. In fact, if the god you claim exists turned out to be a cruel and wicked being then I would absolutely NOT worship them and would actually oppose them at every opportunity.
dybmh
ויהי מבדיל בין מים למים
different strokes for different folks
epronovost
Well-Known Member
There can be several reasons. It could be because the deity is considered unworthy or someone could consider, like I do, the principle of worshiping to be immoral.
Maybe the leaders of the religions they are in, have told them lies, like God burns people, forcing people to serve Him? I mean, who is to question the “learned” leaders?
Actually, such a teaching would make me question God’s existence....so, idk.
oldbadger
Skanky Old Mongrel!
Because everything that exists is a tiny part of God........ which tree or star or blade of grass should I bow down to?
I see only Nature all around. I reflect upon that all the time.
I do obey Nature's commands all the time. So do you. So will you.
Ah, well I think that's you, you see?
Funny, I was just reading a commentary about how people misunderstand what worship is the other day. For our consideration:
worship
from Definition of WORSHIP
1: to honor or show reverence for as a divine being or supernatural power
2: to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion
from Definition of WORSHIP
1: to honor or show reverence for as a divine being or supernatural power
2: to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion
We need to remember that deep respect is worship. Haven't met a human who doesn't worship something. Put another way, I haven't met a human who doesn't have deeply-held values that they regard with great respect, honor, or devotion.
I see it is because all the attractions of the world have been loved, over preference to Love in obedience to God.
Regards Tony
Altfish
Veteran Member
Neither of those meet my most respected people.
I like sportsmen who have given me great excitement; I like musicians who have increased my enjoyment - but none of them have earned ;extravagant respect'
epronovost
Well-Known Member
You seem to casually ignore the adjective extravagant. Extravagant respect isn't deep respect. Extravagant is exceeding that which is reasonnable.
Maybe the stories told about God describe 'Him' as someone/something unworthy of worship? You know, by promoting slavery, bigotry, ignorance, etc.
And that's even if you do think such a being exists.
Exactly.
I believe in God. Just not the petty primitive warlord God image generally imagined by Abrahamic religionists. God is so far beyond our understanding and perception that I cannot* believe It is concerned about nonsense like worship.
*By cannot I mean that quite literally. I am not able to find Abrahamic God images at all plausible. They're way too primitive.
It's the foundation of my morality. There is no God who cares about us. But we need care. Therefore we must care about each other, or it just won't happen.
Tom
Doesn’t the Jehovah’s Witness God burn those who do not serve him at the second death?
About commands: people differ about what those commands are or are not.
And worship is often about fulfilling rituals and rites. Many find such limiting.
And as others have pointed out, how people think of divinity varies by belief system.
Yes!
I work on building and expressing love for God by working on my shortcomings when it comes to loving people as I love my dear ones and loving the Earth.
This practice of mine does not need a building or a prescribed ritual or even a set of commandments except for one: The commandment of love.